Tassili Airlines
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Airline |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Founder | Air Algérie, Sonatrach |
| Headquarters | Algiers , Algeria |
Area served | Algeria, France, Turkey |
| Products | Passenger transport, charter flights, helicopter operations |
| Owner | Air Algérie |
Number of employees | 1,477 (2018) |
| Parent | Air Algérie |
| Website | www |
Tassili Airlines () is an Algerian carrier specializing in passenger transport, headquartered in Algiers. It operates as a subsidiary of Air Algérie, the country's national airline.
Established in 1998, Tassili Airlines runs scheduled services from Houari Boumedienne Airport and provides charter and helicopter operations, originally concentrating on supporting Algeria’s oil industry.
History
The airline was created in 1998 through a partnership between Air Algérie holding 49% and the state-owned oil enterprise Sonatrach with 51%. Commercial flights commenced on 8 April 1999, initially connecting Hassi Messaoud and Algiers.
In April 2005, Air Algérie reduced its stake by selling 25% of shares, which resulted in Sonatrach becoming the principal shareholder.
After joining the AFRAA in 2014, Tassili Airlines broadened its network to include both regional and international destinations.
On 19 June 2025, ownership transitioned from Sonatrach back to Air Algérie. The Algerian Ministry of Transport indicated this change aimed to improve the quality and efficiency of domestic air travel.
Ownership
Previously, the airline was predominantly owned by Sonatrach (76%) with a minority stake held by Air Algérie (24%). Since 19 June 2025, full ownership has been transferred to Air Algérie.
Business trends
Tassili Airlines does not disclose its annual financial statements publicly. However, selected data extracted from AFRAA reports for fiscal years ending on 31 December are presented below:
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turnover | |||||
| Net profit | loss | ||||
| Number of employees (year-end) | 1,338 | 1,403 | 1,477 | ||
| Number of passengers (millions) | 0.2 | 0.8 | 1.8 | ||
| Passenger load factor (%) | 58 | ||||
| Number of aircraft (year-end) | 12 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
Destinations
As of December 2015, Tassili Airlines offers scheduled flights to these locations:
- Adrar – Touat-Cheikh Sidi Mohamed Belkebir Airport
- Algiers – Houari Boumedienne Airport (hub)
- Annaba – Rabah Bitat Airport
- Batna – Mostépha Ben Boulaid Airport
- Béchar – Boudghene Ben Ali Lotfi Airport
- Constantine – Mohamed Boudiaf International Airport
- Djanet – Djanet Inedbirene Airport
- Ghardaïa – Noumérat - Moufdi Zakaria Airport
- Hassi Messaoud – Oued Irara Airport
- Illizi – Takhamalt Airport
- Oran – Ahmed Ben Bella Airport
- Setif – Ain Arnat Airport
- Tamanrasset – Tamanrasset Airport
- Tlemcen – Zenata – Messali El Hadj Airport
- Tindouf – Tindouf Airport
- Istanbul – Istanbul Airport (charter)
Fleet
As of August 2019, the Tassili Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft types:
| Aircraft | Number in service | Orders | Seating capacity | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 737-800 | 7 | — | 155 | |
| Bombardier Dash 8-Q200 | 4 | — | 37 | |
| Bombardier Dash 8-Q400 | 4 | — | 74 | |
| Total | 15 | — | ||
In addition to these, the airline operates smaller aircraft such as the Beechcraft 1900, Cessna 208 Caravan, and Pilatus PC-6, along with Bell 206 helicopters.
Accidents and incidents
- On 28 January 2004, a Tassili Airlines Beechcraft 1900 (tail number 7T-VIN) crashed approximately 10 kilometres from Ghardaïa Airport during a charter flight originating from Hassi R'Mel Airport. The pilot discontinued the landing attempt because another aircraft had not yet vacated the runway. While executing a go-around, the plane’s right wing contacted the ground and was severed. Out of the two passengers and three crew members aboard, only the co-pilot lost his life.
- On 10 August 2017, a Tassili Airlines Bell 206 helicopter crashed near Dekakna, close to Douera in Algeria. The helicopter was destroyed by impact and subsequent fire. All four individuals on board are presumed deceased. At the time, the helicopter was reportedly engaged in filming activities related to a new railway project between Zeralda and Algiers.
See also
External links
- Official website
- Official website (Archive)