Air Madagascar

Air Madagascar is an airline based in Antananarivo, Madagascar. It is the national airline operating services to Europe, Asia and neighbouring African and Indian Ocean island cities. It also operates an extensive domestic network. Its main base is Ivato Airport, Antananarivo^[1].

History

Air Madagascar's ATR-72-500 (5R-MJE) at Sainte-Marie Airport, Madagascar.

The airline was established on 1 January 1962 and started operations on 14 October 1962. It had originally been formed under the name Madair by the government of the then new Malagasy Republic and Air France and changed its name to Air Madagascar in 1963.^[2] During the 1980s and 1990s, Air Madagascar possessed, among others, one Boeing 747. After severe problems in the 2000 to 2002 period the airline was restructured with assistance from Lufthansa Consulting. In late-2004, the airline unveiled a revised colour scheme. The airline is owned by the Madagascar government (90.6%), Société Nationale de Participation SONAPAR (4.85%), Air France (3.17%), Assurances Ny Havana (0.62%) and employees (0.77%).^[2] It employs 1380 staff (at March 2007)^[1].

Destinations

Air Madagascar operates the following services (as of April 2007)^[3][4]:

• Domestic scheduled destinations: Ambatomainty, Ankavandra, Antalaha, Antananarivo, Antsalova, Antsiranana, Antsohihy, Belo, Besalampy, Farafangana, Fianarantsoa, Maintirano, Majunga, Manakara, Mananjary, Mandritsara, Manja, Maroantsetra, Morafenobe, Morombe, Morondava, Nossi-Be, Sainte Marie, Sambava, Soalala, , Tamatave, Tambohorano, Tôlanaro, Toliara, Tsaratanana, Tsiroanomandidy, and [.
• International scheduled destinations: Bangkok, Dzaoudzi, Johannesburg, Marseilles, Mauritius, Milan-Malpensa, Moroni, Nairobi ,Paris-Charles de Gaulle, St Denis and St Pierre de la Reunion.

Under consideration is a possible change of the Bangkok route to Singapore and changing the Marseilles route to Geneva. Rationalistaion of all Reunion flights to Saint-Denis is also under consideration.

Fleet

The Air Madagascar includes the following aircraft (at March 2007) ^[1] :

• 2 Boeing 767-300ER
• 2 Boeing 737-300
• 1 ATR 42-320
• 1 ATR 42-500
• 2 ATR 72-500
• 4 De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 300

Previously operated

• 2 Boeing 737-200 (as of July 2005)
• Hawker Siddeley 748 (on an Air Madagascar map of 1987)
• 1 Boeing 747-200BM ([1]|Airliners.net photo)

References

• AeroTransport Data Bank

1. ^ ^{a b c} Flight International 27 March 2007
2. ^ ^{a b} Air Madagascar official website
3. ^ | Air Madagascar Flight Schedule 2006
4. ^ | Air Madagascar Flight Schedule 2007

External links

• Air Madagascar
• Air Madagascar at ATDB: profile, history and events, contacts and management, historical/current/planned aircraft in fleets