Congo Airways (8Z, Kinshasa N'Djili) management remains silent on the airline's renewed grounding following the recent expiry of its short-term wet-lease contracts with Lithuania’s KlasJet (KLJ, Vilnius).
The last flight under a Congo Airways flight code was operated by the Lithuanian charter/ACMI specialist on April 12 between Kindu and Kinshasa N'Djili. The following day, B737-800 LY-BBN (msn 34903) returned to Budapest via Tunis, ending an ACMI contract that had started on November 15, 2024. Sistership LY-MGM (msn 34274) returned to the lessor a month earlier on March 13, having arrived in Kinshasa on November 18. The lessor confirmed to ch-aviation that the planes were returned by mutual agreement as planned.
Congo Airways' management declined to comment, and no official announcement has been made to the travelling public.
The airline had intended to return its company-owned A320-200, 9S-AKD (msn 3412) to service in December after negotiating the purchase of two CFM International engines for the aircraft, but this did not happen. Its second A320-200, 9S-ALU (msn 3362), was expected to be repaired and back in service in 2025. Both aircraft have been parked at Kinshasa since September 2023 due to expired engine cycles.
The only company-owned DHC-8-Q400, 9S-AAN (msn 4329), has been stored at Malta International since July 2023, according to ch-aviation fleets data.
Restart plans
Congo Airways only restarted commercial operations with the two KlasJet planes in November 2024 after it had been without active aircraft from July 2024 when an B737-300 ACMI contract with ALK Airlines had ended.
A fleet renewal strategy approved by the government in July 2024 included the lease-purchase of three A320-200s.
A recovery plan was unveiled in November 2024 by then-acting CEO Norbert Sengamali, who said the government was in talks with a foreign country to fund the acquisition of more than ten new aircraft. Models under consideration included A330 and A320 Family aircraft, plus Embraer E-Jets. Sengamali also disclosed discussions with the national social security fund (Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale -CNSS) to acquire up to four aircraft, primarily A319-100 and A320-200 models, for domestic and regional operations.
In February 2025, Congo Airways’ newly-appointed CEO, Alexandre Tshikala Mukendi, acknowledged that the struggling national carrier faced "significant challenges" but said the government had pledged its support for a relaunch. "The deputy prime minister promised us his support to resolve these problems," Mukendi said, noting that a full assessment report would be sent to the government, the airline’s majority shareholder.
Air Congo
Yet according to local media, the government appears to be more focused on Air Congo (DRC), its new joint venture with Ethiopian Airlines, which began operations in December 2024 with two B737-800s seconded from the Ethiopian airline, serving domestic markets.
The DRC government holds a 51% majority stake, while Ethiopian Airlines retains 49% and manages the airline. Key technical agreements including aircraft leases, comprehensive technical support, and systems support agreements have been signed between the two partners. Ethiopian Airlines will also train Congolese nationals as pilots, cabin crew, sales and services staff, and technicians.
The government's expansion plan for Air Congo includes a fleet of eight B737 narrowbodies and two B787 widebodies, aiming to bolster domestic and intercontinental connectivity.
