Korongo Airlines: THE END

[b720]

Why start an airline in Africa when SN can hardly sustain the one based in BRU?

[sn26567]

Why start an airline in Africa when SN can hardly sustain the one based in BRU?

Because, without Africa, it would even harder for SN to sustain one base in BRU.

[Darjeeling]

http://www.congoforum.be/ndl/nieuwsdeta ... t=selected

Read the figures.

[airazurxtror]

http://www.lecho.be/nieuws/archief/Le_p ... ongo&ckc=1

The partners involved in the proposed new Congolese airline Korongo - Brussels Airlines Group and George Forrest International (GFI) - have no intention to abandon, despite the delays, that may be coming to an end , said Wednesday two sources familiar with the matter. This project, launched in December 2009, however, has not yet materialized, despite the investment of eleven million. The company expects the import licenses of its aircraft.

[sn26567]

Okapi Airlines (the new airline closely related to the brother of President Kabila) will launch flights on 23 November 2011 from Kinshasa to Lubumbashi, Mbuji Mayi, Kisangani and Mbandaka with a leased 737-400.

And Korongo?

[galaxy]

Okapi Airlines (the new airline closely related to the brother of President Kabila) will launch flights on 23 November 2011 from Kinshasa to Lubumbashi, Mbuji Mayi, Kisangani and Mbandaka with a leased 737-400.

And Korongo?

Would an "Okapi" better fly than a "Korongo" ?

[BrusselsAirlines]

How come Korongo is on the new EC blacklist? It's not even a congolese airline. Korongo operates under the Brussels Airlines AOC & is just a tradename. Not?

Nice to fly people around Europe with Korongo aircraft being blacklisted by the EU council...

More questions...

[RoMax]

All DRC carriers are blacklisted, and Korongo Airlines is automaticly blacklisted. But as the airplanes belong to SN and are operated by SN, they are not blacklisted. At least that's what I understand of it.

[Bralo20]

How come Korongo is on the new EC blacklist? It's not even a congolese airline. Korongo operates under the Brussels Airlines AOC & is just a tradename. Not?

Nice to fly people around Europe with Korongo aircraft being blacklisted by the EU council...

More questions...

Korongo Airlines sprl is in fact a true Congolese company. Main shareholders are Brussels Airlines, Forrest International and local DRC investors. Korongo Airlines is registered in Congo als a Société Privée à Responsabilité Limitée (the BVBA in Flemish or the Ltd/LLC in England/US).

However, when ZC will take off the planes will be leased through an ACMI lease from SN and thus not being subject to the EU blacklist

[Flanker]

However, when ZC will take off the planes will be leased through an ACMI lease from ZN and thus not being subject to the EU blacklist

FYI, Stellar Airways has been blacklisted despite that they fly with a wetleased Hifly A320 registered in Portugal.

Other than that, ask yourself what the blacklist is about.
It's totally irrelevant for Korongo, Okapi or Stellar as none of these have intentions to fly into EU airspace.

[liege-bierset]

Nothing is simple in Congo. Better to a brother of Mister Kabila, it helps.

[BrusselsAirlines]

Interesting theories and probably true but hard to explain to the average Joe who just googles Korongo.

[LJ]

Other than that, ask yourself what the blacklist is about.
It's totally irrelevant for Korongo, Okapi or Stellar as none of these have intentions to fly into EU airspace.

It is relevant. The company I work for (and many others) prohibits flying airlines on the EU blacklist unless there is no alternative.

[Flanker]

It is relevant. The company I work for (and many others) prohibits flying airlines on the EU blacklist unless there is no alternative.

Then you realise that it's irrelevant, because for domestic DRC travel there is no alternative.
Of course, if you try to fly BRU-FBM, you'll have to fly ET.

No, what makes it irrelevant is the fact that you need to understand that it's not the individual airlines that are blacklisted in DRC, but the authorities themselves. They are not able to provide proper oversight of their airline industry, hence a blacklisting of all airlines operating under their umbrella.

So if Korongo or Stellar never get off the blacklist, there's nothing you can do about it. There is no reason to get upset about it either, since it's something that everybody knew from the beginning.

Even if the airlines can comply with all the norms and wetlease aircraft operating under EU-OPS, what about airport procedures (includes security), emergency services (airport/en-route), ATS, etc...
Will the DRC be willing to invest in these things for the benefit of attracting a few corporate travellers from Western companies that require an ISO 9001 before you can do business with them, for an airline that's not even a national flag carrier?
Doubtful, no?

[DeltaWiskey]

Airlines can "ask" to be removed from the blacklist, proving they are reliable, fly new aircraft, etc and then they can be exempted.

However those airlines [in RDC] have no interest in going through all this hassle to be removed from "a blacklist" 6000km away...

[sn26567]

Okapi Airlines Launches Flights in DRC

A start-up carrier which says it plans to significantly enhance domestic air services in the Democratic Republic of Congo, launched flights this week. Okapi Airlines inaugurated operations on November 23 with a single Boeing 737-400 wet-leased from Tailwind Airlines of Turkey. The carrier has been formed to establish ‘safe’ air services within the key markets in the African country, which over recent years has had a rather questionable safety record. It is offering four flights per week to Lubumbashi; three times weekly rotations to Kisangani and Mbuji Mayi and a weekly link to Mbandaka.

There are already numerous air links within the DRC although not all passenger and cargo operations follow the standards and regulations that have become common place in much of the developed world. Lubumbashi is the second largest city in the country and the hub of the southeastern part of the country. The copper-mining city serves as the capital of the relatively prosperous Katanga Province, lying near the Zambian border and home to an estimated population of around 1.5 million. It is already served from the capital by Compagnie Africaine d'Aviation, Congo Express and Stellar Airways as well as other unscheduled operators.

Okapi’s other destinations - Mbuji Mayi, the capital of south-central Kasai-Oriental Province and Mbandaka, located at the confluence of the Congo and Ruki Rivers – are also already served by some of the above carriers as well as Hewa Bora Airways.

AFRAA, posted 24/11/2011 - source: Routes online

[spagiola]

Amazing how quickly some airlines manage to get import authorizations...

[RoMax]

In an article of the elections in the DRC next week there is also a small part about Brussels Airlines. And the fact that Philippe De Moerloose is almost certain blocking the deal. He is the only Belgian in the very close entourage of Kabila and the owner of Hewa Bora. He is also owner of Demimpex, with that he is the biggest European exporter of 4x4 vehicles to Africa and his company also distributes Nissan, Volvo and Ford in Africa and especially the DRC. Hewa Bora and De Moerloose are also linked to illegal weapon transports.
Brussels Airlines is working with George Forrest, also a powerfull Belge in Congo, but he lost support of Kabila and a big part of the local government. This is the biggest hurdle for Korongo to get of the ground, not the reason the DRC gives (that the superior service and equipment of Korongo will hurt the local airlines).

The above is nothing new actually, but the last sentence says Etienne Davignon (SN) is thinking about dropping his old friend George Forrest in favor of De Moerloose to get Korongo of the ground... In another recent article/intervieuw Davignon says he hopes to get Korongo of the ground early 2012...

Seriously, quite a dirty business over there (I think all business is quite 'dirty' but in Africa it's much worse)... But if Davignon knows he can get Korongo of the ground in coorperation with De Moerloose he will do it, I'm quite sure of that, for only one big reason: money... But it must be possible to change George Forrest for De Moerloose of course.

[Flanker]

The above is nothing new actually, but the last sentence says Etienne Davignon (SN) is thinking about dropping his old friend George Forrest in favor of De Moerloose to get Korongo of the ground... In another recent article/intervieuw Davignon says he hopes to get Korongo of the ground early 2012...

Seriously, quite a dirty business over there (I think all business is quite 'dirty' but in Africa it's much worse)... But if Davignon knows he can get Korongo of the ground in coorperation with De Moerloose he will do it, I'm quite sure of that, for only one big reason: money... But it must be possible to change George Forrest for De Moerloose of course.

What? Go in bed again with Hewa Bora?
One of the best jokes in recent memory.

[RoMax]

What? Go in bed again with Hewa Bora?
One of the best jokes in recent memory.

Can you still speak of Hewa Bora? It's still out of the skies if I'm correct. Connecting Korongo with De Moerloose could bring a lot of money in the hands of De Moerloose and it COULD be the only solution to get Korongo of the ground if the contacts between George Forrest do not improve (as this absolutly essential).
If De Moerloose likes you (or better: smells a lot of money) you can get A LOT done in the DRC. SN hoped this with George Forrest, but this was (again) a big failure with the known results...
De Moerloose wants to get Hewa Bora back in the air, but if he can get his hands on a big part of the Korongo shares he could change his mind very fast. And if he wants Korongo, there will be a Korongo. This would also mean a clean sheet for him, compared to Hewa Bora which has a very bad reputation for a long time already and even more the latest months.

But ok, this would be FAR from ideal, De Moerloose will try everything to get done what he wants and he will want to earn the money while SN should pay for Korongo if needed...(wasn't this the AirDC story a bit?)
Anyway, maybe Davignon gets something done without De Moerloose, I hope it, but I doubt it... George Forrest lost all grace witht the "Kabila clan", if this doesn't change (and I doubt it will) SN can forget Korongo if they don't find another local partner.

Another airline probably would have said "ok, you don't want us and nothing helps and this costs us a lot of money, goodbye", but this is something SN really wants, and it seems they (especially Davignon) want to go far for this... The idea of launching an airline in the DRC has failed before and is failling again, still they don't cancell the project...