Air Côte d’Ivoire has become the first operator of Airbus A320neo in West Africa. This milestone happened on 18 February 2021 when the Ivory Coast national carrier received the delivery of its A320neo aircraft at Fèlix- Houphouët-Boigny International Airport located in Abidjan, the country’s capital city.
The aircraft carried over a ton of humanitarian goods, including medical supplies and children’s toys. These were donated by a partnership between the Airbus Foundation and Aviation sans Frontiéres. The delivery was also part of Air Côte d’Ivoire’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative. These humanitarian goods will serve local NGOs in Abidjan, thereby supporting the education and health sectors of the country.
Air Côte d’Ivoire hopes to use the new Airbus to serve its regional network, operating flights to Senegal, Gabon and Cameroon. The airline plans to add a South Africa destination due to the operational flexibility of the A320neo.
The delivery of the A320neo increased Air Côte d’Ivoire’s fleet size from nine to ten planes. These include four De Havilland DHC-8 Dash turboprop, three Airbus A319, two Airbus A320ceos and the latest Airbus A320neo. This increases the total number of Airbus aircraft owned by the airline to six. The airline is currently serving 25 domestic and regional destinations in West and Central Africa.
Reaction from the public
There was positive response from the Ivory Coast nationals after the delivery was made and announced on the national carrier’s twitter account. Cheick Abdoul said, “Congratulations to Air Côte d’Ivoire for the new Airbus A320neo. We hope that the embassy of Côte d’Ivoire in France will make it easier for us to get Visa for one day to visit France onboard our own company.” And another one, Ismael Touré commented, “Congratulations to the management of Ivory Coast. When it comes to teaming and strengthening the fleet, you guys are really committed. It’s clear that very soon all the heavens will open for you. Well done.”
Here at Travel Radar, we also congratulate Air Côte d’Ivoire upon its acquisition of the Airbus A320neo!
