Air Algérie takes off again

This program represents 35% of pre-Covid-19 air traffic. New cities are now served, such as Sétif, Annaba, Tlemcen, and Béjaïa. On the other side of the Mediterranean, Marseille, Lyon, Lille, Nice, and Toulouse are back…

With the stabilization of the health situation, the country’s top authorities have decided to increase the frequency of flights to and from Algeria. As a result, 108 new services have been authorized by the Ministry of Transport.

“In accordance with the instructions of the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, to strengthen the current Air Algérie flight program to various international destinations, a new schedule will come into effect starting March 15, 2022, with 108 additional flights per week,” stated a communiqué from the Transport Department.

Naturally, France takes the lion’s share, as it hosts the largest Algerian diaspora. There will be 33 additional weekly flights to the French capital, Paris. But the good news doesn’t stop there! Air Algérie aircraft will also land in other French cities, particularly Marseille, the city with the closest ties to Algeria, with 10 weekly flights scheduled. Lyon is not left behind—it will receive double the number of flights compared to Marseille, with 20 weekly flights. Toulouse, Lille, and even Nice are also making a strong comeback, with five, four, and two flights per week respectively.

Other European destinations have also been reopened, including Madrid, Brussels, Alicante, Milan, and Geneva. In Asia, the long-awaited Algiers–Beijing route has been authorized. In Africa, three additional destinations of strategic importance for the national economy will be served: Cairo, Dakar, and Nouakchott. The latter two were even an “express” request by President Tebboune, considering the economic exchange strategy he has outlined with these two countries, where Algerian products are gradually but steadily being established.

Another major novelty of this program is that additional airports in Algeria will once again be able to operate international flights. Since the partial reopening of borders a few months ago, only the airports of Algiers, Oran, and Constantine were authorized to receive passengers from abroad. This was a real hardship for residents of nearby provinces, who had to travel hundreds of kilometers to catch a flight. The Head of State therefore requested an end to this ordeal by authorizing the airports of Annaba, Sétif, and Tlemcen to operate international flights. This is a relief for Algerians both locally and abroad, especially as it comes on the eve of the holy month of Ramadan. Many will finally be able to reunite with their families after two years of “forced distancing.”

They also hope that this new program will lead to a significant decrease in airfare prices. But is that really the case? Experts remain skeptical. They estimate that, for now, only a slight reduction in fares can be expected because, even though this additional program seems significant, it represents only 35% of pre-Covid-19 air traffic. Logically, we cannot yet expect to see the same prices that were practiced before the pandemic began. Nevertheless, this should not take long. The authorities specify that “this program will be gradually followed by other services to different international destinations.”

Furthermore, the government is determined to open the Algerian skies. The Ministry of Transport has given a principle approval for the creation of nine new private airlines. Some of these will reportedly be “low-cost.” When adding the foreign airlines recently authorized to operate in Algiers, such as ASL Airlines and Air Nostrum, one can hope that competition will help reduce ticket prices. This is the dream of many Algerians…