Air Algérie takes back colors against Morocco

Air Algérie is firmly positioned on the African market. The national company aspires to make the international airport of Algiers, Houari Boumediene, a continental hub. But at the cost of a fierce war with the Royal Air Maroc.

The African market, in the air transport sector, remains open to competition. The structural decline of European companies in the African market has benefited the Turkish national company (Turkish Airlines) which has won service to 70 destinations on the continent. Thus, Algiers aspires to become a bridge between European countries and African capitals. Indeed, the opening of new lines from Europe to African capitals, via Algiers, aims to overtake the competing company of neighboring Morocco, RAM (Royal Air Maroc). The two companies engage in fierce competition.

Six new destinations for Algiers

Massive investments in the development of Algerian airport infrastructure as well as recent orders, in June 2023, for 7 long-haul aircraft from Airbus offer Air Algérie a strategic lead in deployment on the continent. In 2022, the national company resumed flights to 6 African capitals (Bamako, Dakar, Niamey, Ouagadougou, Abidjan, Nouakchott). This year of 2023, the company announces the opening of a direct line from Algiers to Johannesburg for September 21.

Although the Algerian market, in the air transport sector, is still closed to free foreign competition, the national company displays constant ambitions at the continental level. In addition to the opening of the Algiers/Johannesburg direct line, it is in negotiation for the service from Algiers to the cities of Douala in Cameroon and Addis Ababa in Ethiopia.

As for Douala, it will be connected to Algiers three times a week, starting October 29. As for the Ethiopian capital, it will be operational on October 30 with two flight rotations per week.

180 weekly flights with Paris

Air Algérie’s volume of activity is mainly concentrated in France, where more than 180 flights operate per week. Every year during the summer period, the company charters 10 planes to meet the strong demand from its customers, particularly the Algerian community in France. The company jealously guards the monopoly of this market, refusing to open it up to competition. Thus, it has a free hand in controlling ticket prices, which are among the most expensive on the market.

The deployment of the company Air Algérie on the African continent is a strategic positioning which has two objectives: to slow down the progression of its competitor RAM (Royal Air Maroc) and to offer itself a large share in this market in constant development.

Mondafrique