Africa Safari Air
IATA ICAO Callsign
A2 QSC ZEBRA
Founded1967
Ceased operations2009
HubsMoi International Airport
Fleet size10
Destinations4
HeadquartersEntebbe, EACU
Websitehttp://www.africansafariclub.com/html/flights.php

Africa Safari Airways was an airline based in Mombasa, Kenya. It operated charter flights and inclusive tours beginning in 1967 from Europe, mainly to Mombasa. Its main base was Moi International Airport, Mombasa.[1] It ceased operations in 2009.

History

African Safari Bristol Britannia 314 in 1970
African Safari Douglas DC-8 at Frankfurt Airport in 1977

Founded in 1967, African Safari Airways was part of the African Safari Club Group of companies. The airline operated charter flights from European hub airports including London, Frankfurt, Munich, Basel, Milan, Rome, Madrid, Vienna and Paris to Egypt and Kenya. Initial equipment was provided by Bristol Britannia turboprop airliners from summer 1969 until disposal in 1972.[2] One of these aircraft was leased to Air Faisal.[3]

The airline bought a Douglas DC-8-53 intercontinental airliner from KLM Royal Dutch Airlines in August 1976 and operated the aircraft on its long-distance routes until it was sold in November 1982.[4]

In 1999, the Group, which included a domestic airline in Kenya operating a fleet of 7 aircraft, two cruise ships, 10 hotels, 5 lodges and a vast travel agency network in Europe, faced bankruptcy and engaged Kai Wulff (owner of Plexus Ltd. Consultancy) to manage all its operations and lead a turn-around.

The group re-entered profitability in 2001 and Wulff replaced their aged Douglas DC-10 with an Airbus A310 in a 3-class configuration. After the end of the management term of Wulff in 2004, the company continued to operate as a vertically integrated group until its slow demise which started in 2008 after the post election violence in Kenya.

ASA's domestic daughter company was Skytrails operating 7 planes between 1998 and 2005.

African Safari Airways became Africa Safari Air in 2009. It is based in East Africa. The main hubs are Entebbe and Mombasa. It sometimes connected to Johannesburg in the Republic of South Africa (RSA). The airline has one international connection to North America (Halifax, Canada).

Destinations

African Safari Airways operated the following services (at August 2009):

Africa

North America

Europe

Fleet

As of March 2007 the Africa Safari Air fleet included:[1]

Previously operated

From 1976 until 1982, African Safari operated a Douglas DC-8 and between 1992 and 2002, the airline operated a McDonnell Douglas DC-10 (5Y-MBA) aircraft, however this was withdrawn from service.

Bibliography

  • Eastwood, Tony (2004). Jet Airliner Production List - Volume 2. The Aviation Hobby Shop.
  • Roach, John (1998). Turbo Prop Airliner Production List. The Aviation Hobby Shop. ISBN 0-907178-69-3.

References

  1. 1 2 "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 2007-03-27. p. 51.
  2. ↑ Roach, 1998, pp. 126-127
  3. ↑ Woodley, Charles (2002). Bristol Britannia. Marlborough: Crowood Press. p. 136. ISBN 1-86126-515-8. OCLC 49832863.
  4. ↑ Eastwood, 2004, p. 240
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