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Business Insider
03-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
African countries without a functional national airline as of June 2025
Most of us can name a few national airlines without even thinking. Emirates instantly brings the UAE to mind, and Qantas proudly flies as 'The Spirit of Australia. These national carriers are symbols of national pride, identity, and ambition. National airlines serve as symbols of national identity and play key roles in improving tourism, employment, and trade. Several African countries, including Nigeria, currently lack a functional national airline despite potential benefits. Some African nations, such as Ethiopia and Rwanda, have achieved success and growth with their flag carriers. Emirates instantly brings the UAE to mind, and Qantas proudly flies as 'The Spirit of Australia. These national carriers are symbols of national pride, identity, and ambition. But while many countries have them, some African countries are still without a functional national airline. A national airline often plays a critical role in connecting people, driving tourism, creating jobs, and boosting trade. Especially for landlocked or tourism-dependent countries, having a flag carrier can mean the difference between economic isolation and opportunity. However, years of underfunding, political interference, corruption, and poor infrastructure have grounded many national carrier dreams before they could take flight. Some national airlines have collapsed under the weight of debt. Others have been lost in a tangle of bureaucracy or ended up as cautionary tales of mismanagement. Take Nigeria, for example. It's the most populous country in Africa, huge market, and massive potential. And yet, it currently has no national airline. From 1958 to 2003, Nigeria Airways proudly carried the flag. It had everything from Boeing 737s and 747s to Airbus A310s. But after decades of financial trouble, the airline was grounded for good. Since then, Nigeria has tried, again and again, to launch a new national carrier. By some counts, there've been at least 11 attempts. The most recent, Nigeria Air, even got as far as unveiling branding and aircraft. But like those before it, the project has stalled, caught in a web of political wrangling and public scepticism. Below are the African countries without a functional national airline as of June 2025: In contrast, several African nations are reviving or expanding their flag carriers. Ethiopia's state-owned Ethiopian Airlines remains a model of success. Countries like Rwanda (RwandAir), Tanzania (Air Tanzania), and Egypt (EgyptAir) continue to invest in their national fleets.
Time of India
13-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Who was Captain Sumeet Sabharwal? Veteran Air India pilot killed in Ahmedabad crash minutes after take-off
NEW DELHI: Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a senior Air India pilot with nearly three decades of flying experience, was among those who died in Thursday's plane crash shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Sabharwal, had called his family from the airport, assuring them he would ring again after landing in London. That call never came. His final transmission was to air traffic control, moments before Air India Flight 171 went down. Captain Sabharwal had logged more than 8,200 hours in the cockpit, according to India's aviation regulator DGCA. Colleagues believe his actual experience was far greater, noting that the DGCA's current digital system may not fully reflect his career history. 'He was a very quiet, diligent man,' said a fellow pilot. 'He flew Airbus A310s, Boeing 777s and the Dreamliner. He always kept his head down and did his work.' A resident of Jal Vayu Vihar in Powai, Mumbai, Captain Sabharwal had recently told his 82-year-old father — a former DGCA official — that he would take time off soon to be with him. That visit will now never take place. Captain Sabharwal was one of nine Mumbai-based crew members on the London-bound flight. Families who were expecting calls from Heathrow were instead confronted with news of the devastating crash.
