Congo Airways: DRC President Tshisekedi orders revival of national carrier
Congo Airways grounded in 2024 less than a decade after it fully took off.
President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Felix Tshisekedi, has instructed relevant government agencies to produce a masterplan for the revival of the country's national airline, Congo Airways.
The state-owned flag carrier of the Democratic Republic of Congo suffered chronic financial difficulties and maintenance crises, leading to its collapse in 2024.
President Tshisekedi gave the revitalisation order during the 83rd meeting of the Council of Ministers, according to a report broadcast on national television.
"The President instructed the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Transport and Communications, the Minister of Finance, and the Minister of State Enterprises, under the supervision of the Prime Minister, with the support of other relevant ministries and public bodies, to produce an updated, realistic, and rigorously structured recovery plan," it said.
"The report should include clear mechanisms for internal control, regulatory compliance, in-depth audits, human resources management, and regular institutional reporting to the State, the shareholder," the report stated.
Expensive operations
The timeline for the revival of the airline was not immediately clear. The airline's own fleet, which includes four aircraft, two being Airbus A320s, was grounded in early 2024 due to expired engine cycles, high maintenance costs amounting to over $28m, and safety concerns.
Operations were halted multiple times, in September 2023 and again in 2024, forcing the airline to rely on expensive temporary wet-leases.
A new management team was appointed in January 2025, but the process later stalled. A turnaround plan presented in late January 2025 included the acquisition of three new Airbus planes through lease or purchase over five years, along with a reorganisation of the airline's governance.
The plan suggested financial support from public authorities, including the Congolese state.
DRC, a mineral-rich country, established Congo Airways in 2014, which started operations in 2015, serving mainly domestic destinations and a few international flights within Africa.