ASKY Airlines is a private multinational passenger airline serving West and Central Africa, with its head office in Lomé, Togo, and its hub at Lomé–Tokoin International Airport.
The airline is a strategic partner of Ethiopian Airlines, and has been consistently profitable since 2017. It has been awarded the title of 'Best Airline in West Africa 2023' at the seventh Accraweizo event held in Accra, Ghana. The airline was recognized for its outstanding contributions to the aviation sector in the region.
History
Foundation After the pan-African airline Air Afrique went bankrupt in 2002, cross-border air transport in Africa became more difficult, especially in West and Central Africa. At a conference of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) at Niamey in Niger on 10 January 2004, it was decided to create a private, competitive, cost-effective airline offering all guarantees of safety and security for the region.
In September 2005, under the initiative of Gervais Koffi G. Djondo, the company for the promotion of a regional airline (SPCAR) was set up, which led to various feasibility studies and market studies, and sought financial and strategic partners; this led to the establishment of ASKY Airlines in November 2007 with Gervais Koffi G. Djondo as President. On 17 January 2008, the General Meeting to establish the new international private airline was held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. 80% of shares were to be held by private investors, and 20% by public financial institutions whose mission is to support privately owned development institutions. Ethiopian Airlines became the technical and strategic partner under a management contract for the first five years of operation, holding a 40% stake.
Originally planned for April 2009, the first revenue flight took place on 15 January 2010.
In 2020 ASKY Airlines was found to be operating the world's shortest international flight route, between Kinshasa and Brazzaville, at .
Corporate affairs
Ownership The airline is privately owned. Main shareholders are Ethiopian Airlines (40%), Ecobank, BIDC, BOAD, Sakhumnotho Group Holding, and other West and Central African private investors as well as the Togolese government having a minority stake of 14.39%.
Business trends Asky Airlines has been reported as being profitable, although accounts do not seem to have been published. The airline states that it first registered a profit in 2015 and has been consistently profitable since 2017. In the 2021 fiscal year, Asky made a profit of over 12 million dollars, and in 2022, it made a profit of 30 million dollars. The airline has carried over 1.2 million passengers in 2019 alone with 15 aircraft serving 28 destinations across west, central, south and eastern Africa with a plan to expand to north Africa.
Recent available figures (largely from AFRAA reports) are shown below (for years ending 31 December): 2016 2017 2018 2019 Turnover (XOF billions) 95.0 Net profit / (XOF billions) profit profit profit Number of employees (at year end)454458>500 Number of passengers (000s)4884885591,200 Passenger load factor (%)63.261.561.0 Number of aircraft (at year-end)8788 Notes/sources
Destinations As of 2023, Asky airlines serves 28 destinations in 26 countries within Africa, focusing on developing a strong intra-Africa network that fosters regional development, tourism, economic growth, and regional integration as a major economic catalyst within the continent with its long-term goal of a sustainable business focused on profitability. The Airline served the following 19 scheduled destinations throughout West and Central Africa from its hub at Lome until October 2017.
HubFutureTerminated route CityCountryIATAICAOAirportRefs Abidjan Côte d'Ivoire ABJ DIAP Félix-Houphouët-Boigny International Airport Abuja Nigeria ABV DNAA Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Accra Ghana ACC DGAA Accra International Airport Bamako Mali BKO GABS Bamako-Sénou International Airport Bangui Central African Republic BGF FEFF Bangui M'Poko International Airport Banjul Gambia BJL GBYD Banjul International Airport Bissau Guinea-Bissau OXB GGOV Osvaldo Vieira International Airport Brazzaville Republic of the Congo BZV FCBB Maya-Maya Airport Conakry Guinea CKY GUCY Conakry International Airport Cotonou BeninCOO DBBBCadjehoun Airport Dakar Senegal DSS GOBD Blaise Diagne International Airport Douala Cameroon DLA FKKD Douala International Airport Freetown Sierra Leone FNA GFLL Lungi International Airport Johannesburg South Africa JNB FAOR O. R. Tambo International Airport Kinshasa Democratic Republic of Congo FIH FZAA N'djili Airport Lagos Nigeria LOS DNMM Murtala Mohammed International Airport Libreville Gabon LBV FOOL Léon-Mba International Airport Lomé Togo LFW DXXX Gnassingbé Eyadéma International Airport Luanda Angola NBJ FNBJ Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport Luanda AngolaLADFNLU Quatro de Fevereiro Airport Malabo Equatorial Guinea SSG FGSL Malabo International Airport Monrovia Liberia ROBGLRB Roberts International Airport Monrovia Liberia MLWGLMR Spriggs Payne Airport N'Djamena ChadNDJ FTTJ N'Djamena International Airport Nairobi Kenya NBO HKJKJomo Kenyatta International Airport Niamey Niger NIM DRRN Diori Hamani International Airport Nouakchott Mauritania NKC GQNO Nouakchott-Oumtounsy International Airport Ouagadougou Burkina Faso OUA DFFD Thomas Sankara International Airport Pointe Noire Republic of the Congo PNR FCPP Agostinho-Neto International Airport Praia Cape Verde RAI GVNP Nelson Mandela International Airport São Tomé São Tomé e Príncipe TMS FPST São Tomé International Airport Yaoundé Cameroon NSI FKYS Yaoundé Nsimalen International Airport
Alliances and codeshare agreements In 2021, ASKY became a member of IATA.
Asky Airlines have Codeshare agreements with the following airlines: Air Senegal Ethiopian Airlines
Fleet
, Asky Airlines operates the following aircraft: + Asky Airlines fleetAircraftIn serviceOrders PassengersNotesCYTotalBoeing 737-7002—1699115Boeing 737-8009—16138154Boeing 737 MAX 85—16144160Total16—
Accidents and incidents On 10 January 2015 an Asky Airlines Boeing 737-43QSF (leased from Ethiopian Airlines), was damaged beyond repair in a landing accident and runway excursion at Accra International Airport, Accra, Ghana. The aircraft was written off but there were no fatalities.
References
External links