Inter Air Services

Air Algérie SpA

Company type	Joint Stock Company (J.S.C)
Industry	Airline
Founded	1946
Headquarters	Algiers , Algeria
Area served	Domestic and international (Europe, North America, Africa, Asia, Middle East)
Key people	Hamza Benhamouda (CEO as of August 2024)
Products	Passenger and cargo air transport, charter flights
Owner	Government of Algeria (100% as of 2013)
Number of employees	9,095 (2014)

Air Algérie SpA (, ) serves as the national airline of Algeria, with its main offices located in the El-Djazair building in Algiers. The airline's primary hubs are Houari Boumediene Airport in Algiers and Ahmed Ben Bella Airport in Oran. Air Algérie operates flights to 33 domestic locations and 42 international destinations spanning 28 countries across Europe, North America, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. As of 2013, it remained entirely owned by the Government of Algeria.

Origins and initial development

Founded in 1946, Compagnie Générale de Transports Aériens (CGTA) started offering charter flights between Algeria and Europe in 1947, transitioning to scheduled operations by the late 1940s. Its routes included major cities such as Algiers, Marseille, and Paris. By 1952, CGTA's fleet consisted of three 34-seat Sud-Ouest Bretagne planes alongside seven DC-3 aircraft. Concurrently, Compagnie Air Transport (CAT), a subsidiary jointly owned by Air France and Compagnie Générale Transatlantique, managed flights linking principal French and Algerian cities, including seasonal services to London.

On 23 May 1953, CGTA merged with CAT to establish Compagnie Générale de Transports Aériens Air Algérie, uniting a fleet comprising one Breguet Deux-Ponts, six Bretagnes, five DC-3s, and three Douglas DC-4s. Following this consolidation, Air Algérie expanded its seasonal routes to destinations such as Ajaccio and Montpellier, while also incorporating Switzerland into its regular itinerary. The airline collaborated with Aviaco to provide weekly stops at Palma de Mallorca and shared trans-Mediterranean operations with Air France, which held a 54% share of these flights. By the late 1950s, services extended to the Cote d'Azur region.

In July 1957, Air Algérie added two Noratlas aircraft to its fleet, with a third arriving the following year. Early in 1958, it became the first private French airline to place an order for the Sud-Aviation Caravelle, receiving its initial unit in January 1960 for deployment on the Algiers–Paris route. Subsequently, Caravelle jets operated on Paris–Bône and Paris–Oran flights. By April 1960, the fleet included three Caravelles, three DC-3s, ten DC-4s, two Lockheed L-749 Constellations, and three Noratlases. The Caravelles progressively replaced Constellations and DC-4s on passenger services; older models were reassigned for cargo use or sold.

Independence of Algeria

Before Algeria gained independence in 1962, ownership of Air Algérie was dominated by two shipping firms: Compagnie Générale Transatlantique and Compagnie de Navigation Mixte, holding a combined 98% stake. Post-independence, control shifted to Algeria’s Délégation Générale alongside Air France. In March 1963, the Algerian government acquired a majority interest of 51%, officially designating the airline as the national carrier; this share increased to 57% by April 1964. That same month marked an agreement to procure two Ilyushin Il-18 aircraft intended for the Algiers–Moscow route; however, only one was delivered and subsequently utilized by government authorities. By April 1968, the fleet comprised eight DC-4s and four ex-Lufthansa Convair 440s converted into CV-640s that replaced older DC-4 models. Charter operations accounted for up to one-fifth of total flights.

By March 1970, government ownership had risen to 83%, with Air Algérie operating a fleet consisting of one Boeing 737-200, five Caravelles, four CV-640s, three DC-3s, and a single DC-4. In May 1972, the airline expanded by acquiring domestic operator Société de Travail Aérien. That year also saw orders placed for three Fokker F27-400 aircraft valued at £2.5 million along with two additional Boeing 737s including one convertible variant. The government completed full ownership by purchasing Air France’s remaining 17.74% stake. New international service commenced to Karachi in 1975. In November 1979, four Boeing 727 aircraft were ordered for $62 million.

By mid-1980, Air Algérie employed over 5,600 personnel operating a mixed fleet of 57 aircraft types including Ag-Cats, Boeing 727-200s and 737-200s (both standard and convertible), a Boeing 747-200C freighter/convertible, Convair CV-640s, Douglas DC-8-63CFs, Nord 262s, and Beechcraft Queen Air planes. The airline maintained scheduled international services throughout Europe, North Africa, the USSR region as well as an expansive domestic network. January 1981 brought orders for three Lockheed L-100-30 Hercules freighters; the first was delivered mid-year. Additional Boeing aircraft including Boeing 727-200 and Boeing 737-200 models were acquired later that year. In 1983, three Boeing 737-200 jets were ordered at a cost of $50 million.

In 1984, Air Algérie became Airbus’s forty-eighth client by placing an order for two Airbus A310 airliners. The same year witnessed creation of subsidiary Inter Air Services (IAS), which operated domestic and regional routes using Fokker F27 aircraft on behalf of Air Algérie. By March 1985 IAS served numerous Algerian cities; total employee numbers had increased to nearly 6,800. In 1989, a $264 million purchase was made for three Boeing 767-300 wide-body jets.

The first Boeing 767-300 arrived in mid-1990 during a restructuring period extending until about 1995 after losses reached $64 million that year alongside debts totaling $402 million following local currency depreciation. This turnaround effort led to a profit of $14.5 million in 1992.

In collaboration with Sonatrach, Air Algérie co-established Tassili Airlines in 1998; it divested its remaining stake of 49% to Sonatrach in 2005.

Company Modernization

Air Algérie transitioned into a limited liability company in 1997. By 2006, its share capital had grown to 57 billion Algerian dinars, equivalent to roughly 560 million euros.

The airline’s distribution network comprises 150 agencies both domestically and internationally, all connected through a global distribution system (GDS) to streamline reservation processes. Operating as a Joint Stock Company (J.S.C), it holds a registered capital of 43 billion dinars.

In November 2010, Air Algérie unveiled a €400 million investment strategy aimed at fleet renewal, with implementation commencing in 2011.

Financial Performance

Air Algérie has consistently faced financial deficits. Although comprehensive Annual Reports are not regularly released, the available data for recent fiscal years ending December 31 reveal the following critical financial and operational figures:

	Sales Revenue (DA billion)	Operating Income (DA billion)	Net Income (DA billion)	Workforce	Passenger Volume (million)	Load Factor (%)	Cargo Volume (000 tonnes)	Fleet Size (year-end)
2007	49.4				2.9	57	14.7
2008	54.3				3.2
2009	58.1	2.2	4.0	8,898	3.5		13.5	39
2010	55.6	2.9	2.3	9,502	3.5	60.5	13.4	39
2011	57.0	2.9	2.6	9,750	3.7	63.6	11.7	43
2012	65.6	2.7	2.8	9,563	4.3	66.4	11.3	43
2013	69.6
1.2	9,469	4.7	66.4	15.7	43
2014	77.6
1.4	9,095	5.2	63.2	14.9	44
2015	80.6
0.1	8,610	5.5	69.7	15.3	54

Year	Sales Revenue (DA billion)	Operating Income (DA billion)	Net Income (DA billion)	Workforce	Passengers (million)	Load Factor (%)	Cargo Volume (000 tonnes)	Fleet Size (year-end)

Ownership and Affiliates

As of the year 2013, Air Algérie is entirely state-owned as a joint stock company.

Its principal subsidiaries consist of:

• Technics Air Algérie
• Air Algérie Catering, which employs around two thousand personnel responsible for meal preparation on all flights departing Algeria
• Air Algérie Cargo
• Air Algérie Handling

In addition to scheduled services, the airline provides charter flights that support oil sector operations and facilitate the annual pilgrimage to Mecca during Hajj.

Leadership

Hamza Benhamouda holds the position of Chief Executive Officer at Air Algérie as of August 2024.

Corporate identity

Created in 1966 in Algiers, the Air Algérie emblem showcases a swallow, a symbol deeply rooted in Algerian heritage. In 2023, the airline refreshed its logo by introducing a modernized typeface alongside an updated rendition of the swallow.

Destinations

Air Algérie inaugurated the Algiers–Montreal connection in June 2007 and commenced services to Beijing by February 2009. By September 2012, the carrier commanded a 46% share of the international market, ranking first in passenger traffic between Algeria and Spain, with six out of its ten busiest international routes linking to France.

As of October 2015, the airline maintained an extensive domestic network encompassing 32 destinations within Algeria from its primary hub at Houari Boumediene Airport, complemented by an international network reaching 43 cities.

By December 2023, Air Algérie operated flights to 33 countries through a total of 78 routes.

Country	City	Airport	Notes
Algeria	Adrar	Touat-Cheikh Sidi Mohamed Belkebir Airport
	Algiers	Houari Boumediene Airport	Template:Airline hub
	Annaba	Rabah Bitat Airport
	Batna	Mostépha Ben Boulaid Airport
	Béchar	Boudghene Ben Ali Lotfi Airport
	Béjaïa	Abane Ramdane Airport
	Biskra	Biskra Airport
	Bordj Badji Mokhtar	Bordj Badji Mokhtar Airport
	Chlef	Chlef International Airport
	Constantine	Mohamed Boudiaf International Airport
	Djanet	Djanet Inedbirene Airport
	El Bayadh	El Bayadh Airport
	El Golea	El Golea Airport
	El Oued	Guemar Airport
	Ghardaïa	Noumérat – Moufdi Zakaria Airport
	Hassi Messaoud	Oued Irara–Krim Belkacem Airport
	Hassi R'Mel	Hassi R'Mel Airport
	Illizi	Takhamalt Airport
	In Amenas	In Amenas Airport
	In Guezzam	In Guezzam Airport
	In Salah	In Salah Airport
	Jijel	Jijel Ferhat Abbas Airport
	Laghouat	L'Mekrareg Airport
	Mascara	Ghriss Airport
	Mécheria	Cheikh Bouamama Airport
	Oran	Ahmed Ben Bella Airport
	Ouargla	Ain Beida Airport
	Sétif	Ain Arnat Airport
	Tamanrasset	Aguenar – Hadj Bey Akhamok Airport
	Tébessa	Cheikh Larbi Tébessa Airport
	Tiaret	Abdelhafid Boussouf Bou Chekif Airport
	Timimoun	Timimoun Airport
	Tindouf	Commandant Ferradj Airport
	Tlemcen	Zenata – Messali El Hadj Airport
	Touggourt	Sidi Mahdi Airport

Codeshare and Interline Partnerships

Air Algérie has established codeshare and interline partnerships with a variety of carriers:

Codeshare

• Tunisair
• Turkish Airlines

Interline

• Air Burkina
• APG Airlines
• Emirates
• Hahn Air

Recent Updates and Future Outlook

In 1998, Air Algérie placed an order for ten Next Generation 737 aircraft—comprising seven 800 models and three 600 models—to phase out their older Boeing 727-200s and 737-200s; this order for the 737-600 was later expanded by two additional units. The airline received its first 737-800 in August 2000, followed by the inaugural 737-600 delivery in May 2002, positioning Air Algérie as the fifth global operator of this variant.

Towards the end of 2003, the airline procured five Airbus A330-200s alongside nine ATR72-500 turboprop aircraft—six of which were assumed from a prior Khalifa Airways order. These A330s replaced aging Airbus A310s, a Boeing 747-200, and Boeing 767-300s, while the ATRs succeeded seven Fokker F27 planes. In 2009, four more ATR72-500s were added to the fleet for approximately million, with deliveries commencing in February 2010. That same year at the Dubai Airshow, Air Algérie secured an order for seven additional Boeing 737-800s. By April 2011, the carrier had welcomed its 50th Boeing jet into service.

In November 2012, Air Algérie revealed plans to invest €600 million in acquiring eight new aircraft—including two freighters—over the period from 2012 to 2016. The airline also renewed its IOSA certification in December of that year.

By early 2013, reports indicated that Air Algérie had ordered three further Airbus A330-200s and five more Boeing 737-800s, intending to deploy the A330s on emerging routes to Johannesburg, New York, Shanghai, and São Paulo.

A tender was initiated in April 2013 for the procurement of fourteen passenger planes and two cargo aircraft. Later that year in December, plans were reaffirmed to invest $762 million (€556 million) on new fleet acquisitions—including three wide-body aircraft seating approximately 250 passengers each to replace older Boeing 767s—and a letter of intent for three Airbus A330-200s was signed at the Dubai Air Show. In January 2014, orders included three ATR 72-600 turboprops along with eight Boeing 737-800 jets valued at $724 million, making Air Algérie Africa’s largest ATR operator. Subsequently, in May, two Boeing 737-700C aircraft were ordered for $152 million; the first ATR72-600 was delivered in December.

In June 2023, Air Algérie confirmed orders for five Airbus A330-900s and two Airbus A350-1000 wide-body jets; additionally, it committed to acquiring eight Boeing aircraft including eight Boeing 737 MAX 9s and two Boeing Converted Freighters (BCFs). The airline also arranged leases for ten more planes encompassing Airbus A330ceo/-900 and various Boeing models.

Current fleet

As of January 2025, Air Algérie's aircraft lineup consists of the following:

Air Algérie fleet

Aircraft type	Quantity	On order	Seating capacity				Remarks
			B	P	Y	Total
Airbus A330-200	8	—	14	22	196	232
			18	14	219	251
Airbus A330-900	—	8	TBA				Scheduled deliveries beginning in 2025.
ATR 72-500	12	—	—	—	66	66
					70	70
ATR 72-600	3	16	—	—	68	68	Deliveries planned from 2026.
Boeing 737-600	5	—	—	16	85	101
Boeing 737-700C	2	—	—	8	104	112
Boeing 737-800	25	—	—	48	114	162
Boeing 737 MAX 9	—	8	TBA				Expected deliveries starting in 2027.
Cargo aircraft
Boeing 737-800BCF	1	—	Cargo
Lockheed L-100-30T	1	—	Cargo
Total	57	32

Historical fleet

Throughout its history, Air Algérie has operated a wide array of aircraft types, including:

Aircraft model	Quantity operated	Entry into service	Withdrawal date	Additional information
Aérospatiale N 262	'Unknown'	'Unknown'	'Unknown'
Airbus A300B1	2	1981	1985	'Leased from Trans European Airways'
Airbus A300B4	2	'1981'	'1985'	'Leased from Lufthansa'
'Airbus A310 -200'	'6'	'1984'	'1995'
'Airbus A310 -300'	'2'	'2005'	'2007'
'Airbus A320 -200'	'4'	'2005'	'2015'	'Entirely leased fleet'
'Airbus A330 -300'	'8'	'2014'	'2016'
'Airbus A340 -300'	'3'	'2012'	'2014'
'Beechcraft Queen Air'	'Unknown'	'Unknown'	'Unknown'	'Used as light cargo aircraft'
'Boeing 707'	'Unknown'	'1971'	'Unknown'
'Boeing 727 (100 and 200 series)'	'Unknown'	'Unknown'	'Unknown'
'Boeing 737-200'	'30'	'1969'	'2006'
'Boeing 737-400 and 737-400SF'	(8 total)	(1999–2009)	(retired)
"Next Generation" Boeing 737-800	(5)	(2000)	(2012)	(leased)
"Jumbo" Boeing 747 variants (100, 200, freighter models)	(various)	(1975–1986)	(retired)	(leased from various operators)
"Widebody" Boeing 767-300	(5)	(1990)	(2019)
"Classic" aircraft types including Douglas DC-4, DC-6, among others historically flown.

To accommodate the surge in passengers during the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage seasons, Air Algérie has regularly chartered large-capacity planes such as Boeing 747 jumbo jets from airlines including Aer Lingus, Middle East Airlines, SAS, Air France, and Air Atlanta Icelandic between the years of 1979 and 2005.

Additionally, for short-term seasonal needs related to pilgrimages, the airline has leased widebody Airbus models like the Airbus A310-300, A320-200, A330-300, and A340-300, as well as Boeing aircraft such as the 757-200, 767-200, and 777-200. In earlier decades, supplemental capacity was provided by leased Douglas DC-8s, Lockheed L-1011 TriStars, and McDonnell Douglas DC-10s during peak travel periods.

This approach enabled Air Algérie to effectively adjust its capacity to meet peak demand without committing to permanent fleet expansions.

Fatal

• At 9:46 UTC on 19 May 1960, a mid-air collision took place near Paris-Orly Airport involving an Air Algérie Sud Aviation Caravelle (F-OBNI) on a scheduled route from Algiers and a privately owned Stampe SV.4 biplane (F-BDEV). The biplane was completely destroyed, resulting in the death of its sole pilot. Although the Caravelle experienced engine flameouts, it managed to land safely; however, one passenger lost their life among the 32 passengers and 7 crew members onboard. The aircraft was subsequently repaired.
• On 11 April 1967, an Air Algérie Douglas DC-4 (7T-VAU) crashed into a hillside near Tamanrasset during its approach for landing, resulting in the deaths of all 33 passengers and 6 crew.
• A fire, likely caused by an electrical fault, broke out on an Air Algérie Sud Aviation Caravelle (7T-VAK) operating a charter flight from Marseille to Biskra on 26 July 1969. The aircraft crashed while attempting an emergency landing, killing all 30 passengers and 7 crew members.
• On 24 January 1979, an Air Algérie Aérospatiale N 262 (7T-VSU) crashed short of the runway at Béchar Airport, leading to the deaths of 14 out of 20 passengers. The investigation attributed the accident to altimeter failure, pilot error, and fatigue; all three crew members survived.
• An Air Algérie cargo-configured Boeing 737-200 operating Flight 702P from East Midlands Airport to Coventry Airport crashed short of the runway on 21 December 1994, resulting in the loss of all five crew aboard.
• On 6 March 2003, Air Algérie Flight 6289, a Boeing 737-200 (7T-VEZ), crashed shortly after departing from Aguenar – Hadj Bey Akhamok Airport due to engine failure. The accident claimed the lives of 96 passengers and all six crew members; there was one survivor.
• A Lockheed L-100 Hercules (7T-VHG), operating as Air Algérie Flight 2208, crashed near Piacenza, Italy on 13 August 2006 following autopilot malfunction which caused loss of control. All three crew members perished during this flight from Algiers to Frankfurt.
• Contact was lost with Air Algérie Flight 5017, a leased McDonnell Douglas MD-83, on 24 July 2014 while flying from Ouagadougou to Algiers with 112 passengers and six Spanish crew. The aircraft subsequently crashed in northern Mali; among those onboard were 54 French nationals.

Non-fatal

• On 8 June 1949, an Air Algérie Douglas C-47 Skytrain (F-BCYO) suffered collapse of its right main landing gear upon landing at Lyon-Bron Airport after completing a cargo flight from Algiers. The plane was destroyed but all three crew members survived.
• An Air Algérie Sud-Ouest Bretagne (F-OAIY) caught fire and was destroyed at Paris-Orly Airport on 30 October 1951 after failure of the right main landing gear during takeoff. All 34 individuals onboard escaped unharmed.
• On 26 April 1962, an Air Algérie Lockheed Constellation (F-BAZE) was obliterated by an OAS terrorist bombing at Houari Boumediene Airport, amid post-conflict turmoil.
• An Air Algérie Sud Aviation Caravelle (7T-VAI) was damaged beyond repair in a landing mishap at Algiers-Dar el Beida Airport on 23 September 1973.
• On 1 August 1989, an Air Algérie Lockheed L-100 Hercules cargo aircraft experienced a ground loop upon landing at Tamanrasset Airport, resulting in total loss.
• The nose gear of an Air Algérie Fokker F27 Friendship (7T-VRM) collapsed during a hard landing at In Guezzam Airport on 25 July 1991, causing irreparable damage to the aircraft.
• An Air Algérie Boeing 737-200 (7T-VED) overran the runway during an aborted takeoff at Tlemcen Airport on 2 August 1996. Despite significant damage to the plane, all of the 106 occupants survived without fatalities.
• Another runway excursion occurred with a Boeing 737-200 (7T-VEH) on snowy conditions at Constantine Airfield on 31 January 1999. The aircraft sustained severe damage but all of the 99 passengers and crew onboard survived.
• The right main landing gear collapsed upon touchdown for a Boeing 737-600 (7T-VJQ) at Seville Airport amid adverse weather on 18 March 2006. Approximately forty-five out of the one hundred seven occupants sustained injuries.
• On 14 March 2008, an Air Algérie Boeing 737-800 (7T-VKA), operating Flight 1143 from Paris to Sétif, endured significant damage following a hard landing at Ain Arnat Airport.

Hijacking Incidents

• On 31 August 1970, three armed individuals seized control of an Air Algérie Convair CV-640 during a domestic journey from Annaba to Algiers, insisting on being flown to Albania. Following a refueling stop in Brindisi, eleven passengers disembarked. When denied permission to land in Albania, the aircraft was redirected to Dubrovnik (then part of Yugoslavia), where authorities apprehended the hijackers.
• During the Algerian Civil War on 31 March 1991, an Air Algérie Boeing 737-200 arriving at Houari Boumedienne Airport was commandeered by a passenger threatening to detonate a grenade unless granted airtime on live television to deliver a political message regarding the forthcoming election. The request was declined, and following negotiations, the hijacker surrendered, releasing 53 hostages.
• A comparable event took place on 13 November 1994 aboard an Air Algérie Fokker F27 Friendship operating between Algiers and Ouargla. The aircraft, carrying 42 people, was compelled to divert to Palma de Mallorca Airport, where the three hijackers gave themselves up.
• On 25 July 1996, an Air Algérie Boeing 767-300, carrying 232 passengers and crew at Oran Es Sénia Airport, was hijacked by an individual demanding the flight be redirected to the United States instead of Algiers. After four hours of discussions, he surrendered.
• On 19 January 2003, shortly after departure from Constantine en route to Algiers, Air Algérie Flight 6025 was hijacked by a man insisting on flying the Boeing 737-800 to North Korea. The aircraft proceeded to Algiers where law enforcement subdued the hijacker; no injuries were reported.
• On 19 August 2003, shortly after takeoff from Houari Boumedienne Airport, an Air Algérie Boeing 737-800 was seized by a mentally unstable passenger who demanded diversion to Geneva rather than Lille. After refueling at Oran Es Sénia Airport, authorities detained the individual.

See also

• List of airlines of Algeria
• Transport in Algeria