Cameroon gets new national airline, launches its first flights!

The launch of a new national airline for Cameroon in Africa. Camair-Co has begun operations from Douala airport with a single 767-300 (with 210 seats including 30 in Business class) and a single 737-700, configured with 128 seats including 12 in Business class. According to the airline’s website, the route network comprises double-daily domestic flights to Yaoundé (morning and evening) and a mid-day flight that goes from Douala to Garoua, Garoua to Maroua, and finally from Maroua back to Douala. This flight operates three-times weekly. There is also a three-times weekly service from Douala to Garoua, Garoua to Ndjaména (in Chad), and Ndjaména back to Douala. These flights are operated by the airline’s 737.

The airline’s widebody 767 operates six-times weekly from Douala to Paris CDG via Yaoundé. The inaugural flight left Cameroon on Monday 28 March.

Experienced management team

Lufthansa Consulting has been involved in the formation of the airline and Lufthansa Technik will provide line maintenance. The CEO is Alex van Elk, COO Matthijs Boertien, CFO Roy Harrypersad, and CCO Christian Perchat. Prior to joining Camair-Co, van Elk was Managing Director of Arik Air in Nigeria, and before that was CEO of Weeze Airport in Germany. Boertien was formerly CEO of Denim Air in the Netherlands and helped launch Amsterdam Airlines. Harrypersad was previously CFO at both Caribbean Airlines and DHL Express Americas. In total, the airline currently employs 330 people.

Air France, Brussels Airlines and Swiss already serve Cameroon

Douala is already connected non-stop to three European hubs; Brussels, Paris CDG and Zurich thanks to Brussels Airlines (three flights per week), Air France (daily) and Swiss (four flights per week). All three of these carriers also operate to Yaoundé, the country’s capital.

CAMAIR CO set to take off: the Dja lands in Douala

Cameroon’s national airlines Company, CAMAIR CO, is set to begin real business on the 28th of March 2011 as announced by the company’s Director General.

One week to the D-Day, the Company’s major aircraft “the Dja” was flown back to the country after repairs abroad.

The entire staff of the company was at the Douala Airport to watch “the Dja” lands in preparation for a grand take- off.

According to CAMAIRCO’s management team, one of the planes to take care of domestic flights is due to arrive Cameroon this 21st of March 2011.

The announcement was good news to many Cameroonians who have been eager to have national airline company link major cities in the country, after several years of wait.

The arrival of “the Dja” was clear indication that CAMAIRCO’s management mean business and is determined to do good business.

Cameroon based Camair-Co airlines inaugral flights on march 28, 2011

Yaounde, Cameroon, - The new Cameroon based Camair-Co airlines, which will start operation by 28th of March, 2011, from Yaoundé via Douala to Paris, the new airline. Two aircraft that will operate with 'the Camair Co: a Boeing 767-300 ER, inherited from the disastrous Cameroon Airlines, and a second-hand Boeing 737-700. By May, the fleet will be reinforced by two other planes. With a staff of 330 employees, including 24 pilots, will Camair Co 'flights to two cities' of northern Cameroon (Maroua and Garoua) and the Chadian capital, Ndjamena, the only foreign destination. Qualified sources have indicated that 'short' the company will 'be able to enable flights to Benin, Congo Brazzaville, Côte d'Ivoire, Gaborone, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Dubai and China.