(Ecofin Agency) - As it plans to restart its operations at the end of the year, Air Senegal ordered at the Bourget Airshow, the first two planes of its fleet. These are two ATR 72-600 worth €50 million each.
The money for the planes was secured through loan which the Senegalese government contracted from Coface and SACE, two insurance-credit firms respectively French and Italian.
The planes which have a capacity of 68 to 78 seats will be delivered in November. They should fly for the first time during the commissioning of Air Senegal SA which is expected to take place on December 7, 2017, on the sidelines of the inauguration of the Blaise-Diagne international airport in Diass, situated about 50km from Dakar.
Purchasing the two planes is the first step in Air Senegal’s strategy which aims to make Dakar the main air hub in the region.
Servan Ahougnon