Chad signs deal with Ethiopian Airlines to launch national carrier

Ethiopian Airlines and the government of Chad have signed an agreement to launch Chad’s new national carrier on Oct. 1, officials said Friday. Ethiopia’s state-owned flag carrier is in talks with a number of African states to acquire stakes and manage operations - a strategy aimed at gaining a competitive advantage against rivals such as those in the Gulf. The airline is ranked by the IATA as the largest carrier in Africa by revenue and profit. On Friday, the head of Chad’s Civil Aviation Authority Mahamat Adjam said the new company will be named ‘Tchadia Airlines’, with the government owning 51% and Ethiopian Airlines the rest. “The inaugural flight is planned for October 1 but the first destination has yet to be determined,” he said, adding the carrier would start off with a fleet of two Bombardier Q400 turboprop planes. “It (the airline) will serve the four main cities in Chad and traffic to neighboring countries,” Adjam said. The move will help Chad as it will improve its international air connections. In 2012, Chadian authorities suspended international flights operated by state carrier Toumai Air after an investigation revealed serious safety problems. For Ethiopian Airlines, the partnership is another step in its efforts to work with national carriers across the continent.<br/>