São Paulo – Mauritanie Airlines, the airline of Mauritania, had its inaugural flight last week, according to African news agency Panapress. The symbolic flight transported Mauritanian president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz and students from nine departments (areas) of the Mauritanian capital, Nouakchott.
The company is fully state-owned. Its creation is part of the country’s air transport development strategy and expansion of exchange between the African country and Europe, especially France and the Spanish archipelago of the Canary Islands, according to the Mauritanian minister of Transport, Yahya Ould Hademine.
The company should start its operations with three Boeing 737 aircraft, one of them with capacity for 118 passengers and two for up to 108 people. Another aircraft should be delivered to the company in coming days.
Mauritanie Airlines will start with regional flights, within Africa, and in July next year should start routes to France and the Canary Islands. According to Panapress, cargo transport on the company’s aircraft will strengthen trade relations between the country and Europe.
Due to the country’s previous experience with airlines going broke, the Mauritanian government has decided to use new safety and financial management structures. The company’s inauguration ceremony included the country’s president, representatives of diplomatic corps and international organisations.
*Translated by Mark Ament
