Air Algérie is accelerating preparations for the summer season, a period during which demand increases for its tickets, particularly from the Algerian diaspora based in France.
While awaiting delivery of the first aircraft of the 15 it ordered a year ago from aircraft manufacturers Boeing and Airbus, the national airline is turning to chartering to increase the supply of seats on its destinations, particularly at the international.
According to the Arabic-speaking daily Echorouk, Air Algérie will charter three new planes including large aircraft such as the Airbus A330.
The supply of additional seats that will be put on the market and the delivery date of these aircraft were not specified by the official Air Algérie Source cited by the Arabic-speaking daily.
The Algerian airline intends to use them for the 2024 summer season, in particular to meet its commitments to considerably increase domestic flights, and to satisfy the demand of the Algerian community abroad for which the government attaches great importance.
Air Algérie will face three new aircraft
Especially since Air Algérie launched the Osra offer on April 22, which grants 30% discounts to Algerian families for trips valid between April 1er June and September 30, 2024.
Especially since Algerians abroad often complain about the high cost of tickets and the lack of seats on Air Algérie planes, which alone holds 50% of the air market between Algeria and France.
The other half is shared between French companies, notably Air France and its low-cost subsidiary Transavia which serve Algeria.
The third largest airline in Africa in terms of number of aircraft (56 aircraft), ahead of its rival Royal Air Maroc, and behind Ethiopian Airlines and Egypt, has already chartered three aircraft, including two A330s and one A 320.
Air Algérie’s decision to charter new planes comes as its fleet has been under severe strain since the start of the year due to increased demand on domestic and international flights.
This increase in demand has caused ticket prices to skyrocket, disrupted flight scheduling and therefore caused considerable delays for travelers.
The chartering of new aircraft should allow Air Algérie to meet part of the demand, but its fleet remains modest given its ambitions to increase the number of domestic flights and establish itself as a major company on the market. African.
