The national airline, Air Senegal, is caught in a zone of turbulence of rare intensity. At the crossroads between legal dispute, administrative blockage and threat of bankruptcy, the situation with Carlyle Aviation Partners, its supplier of four planes, is sowing chaos. L’Observateur, in its recent edition, evokes a real standoff between Dakar and Miami, headquarters of the American airline rental giant. A look back at an imbroglio which risks pinning Senegalese ambitions to the ground.
Darkening Skies by Carlyle Aviation Partners
Since January 18, 2025, the registrations of Air Senegal aircraft, including two A319s and two A321s, have expired. A problem that could have been anticipated but which turned into an administrative headache, fueled by Carlyle’s refusal to provide the necessary documents. According to The Observerthis blockage would be accompanied by barely veiled blackmail: Carlyle is demanding a letter of intent to purchase worth 20 billion FCFA for these devices, in addition to an immediate deposit of 11 billion FCFA.
This context adds to weakened internal management, where the transition between old and new leaders has left its mark. The official designation of Alioune Badara Fall, former Director General, still persists in administrative documents, although Tidiane Ndiaye took charge months ago. This discrepancy has led Anacim, the Senegalese civil aviation authority, to demand an urgent update of the delegations of powers, otherwise Air Senegal’s operations risk coming to a complete halt.
A hefty bill for grounded planes
Since 2018, Air Senegal has paid nearly 58 billion FCFA to Carlyle for the rental of these four planes, two of which have been grounded for years. One of the A319s has been grounded for two years, while the other has suffered breakdowns for seven months. Despite this, the company continues to pay 852 million FCFA each month for rent on unusable planes. These astronomical figures, revealed by The Observerunderline the extent of the financial pressure weighing on the national company.
Legal remedies in sight
-Faced with this situation, the General Management of Air Sénégal decided to act by initiating legal proceedings against Carlyle. “Carlyle is blackmailing and demanding a firm commitment to purchase the planes. Which is no longer possible. Air Senegal is no longer their cash cow of yesteryear,” confides an internal source to The Observer .
In the immediate future, alternative solutions have been found to avoid interruption of the company’s air network, but they remain temporary. The General Management insists on the importance of state intervention to emerge from this crisis.
The shadow of a strategic change
Faced with persistent dysfunctions, the company is considering drastic decisions. The option of changing supplier from the European Airbus to the American Boeing is on the table. A decision which could redefine the future of Air Senegal, but which will require significant financial resources.
As pointed out The Observer“if the State does not intervene, there will be no miracle. We risk bankruptcy.” At a time when the company is the pride of the Senegalese with its punctuality and its services, this storm threatens to shatter a national dream in full flight.
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