AIR TRANSPORT Mauritania Airlines International is plotting slow, s jeady growth in a bid to avoid the fate of its predecessors Martin Rivers and Vincent Chappard salle to Mohamed Radhy Ould Bennabi, chief executive of the third airline to fly Mauritania’s flag in a decade. THIRD TIME LUCKY? «La troisiéme tentative sera: elle la bonne? » — Page 40 fren Mauritania Airlines Intemational vas established in December 2010, it arked the third attempt ata fag carter in adecade bythe Islamic Republic Justthree yeas previously, Mauritania Airway, int verture with Tunsair had been ‘up with the samesim of providing ‘connectivity forthe litle-known west Aftican nation. Is rapid al from grace fllowed the slow demise of Air Mauritanie, the country’s historic fag-carier, which cooperated with pan regional carver Air Afrique for mos ofits four decals inthe skies. That financial headwinds grounded bh predecessors is hardly surprising when ene considers Mauritania’ vital tatstics, With an agriculture focused economy and asa, conservative population that ypicaly eschews ‘verses travel, the country sues fom weak ‘demand en both the inbound and outbound str. “Mauritania Airlines Internationals the only carer in the eountry, accounting forall ofthe 248,000 passengers who flew with locally registered operntorsin 2015, ‘But, with ust seven foreign airlines serving capital city Nouakchott on aschoduled basis Air Algérie, Air Coted Ivoire Air France, Binter Canaria, Royal Air Maroc. Tunisair and Turkish Aialnos-the Govemment is determined makea success ofits flay-carier leveraging the ‘compan for economic development ata improved bilateral relations. ‘Winning Mauritania’s removal from the 38 European Union's Ait Safety List in Desember 2012 wasa watershed moment forthe sector. Predecessor Mauritania Airwayshad ceased ‘operations just one month after it was banned from EU skies amid accusations of "persisting deficencies’in its operations and maintenance. Air Mauritanie had also been banned bythe UK Government prior tothe introduction ofa Europe-wide blacklist “We've invested alot. We've improved alot.” Mohamed Radhy Ould Bennahi the new flag. carvers chief executive, told African Aerospace. “Everyone, iluding the civil aviation [authority gi ther best o get outof this blacklist-Butallthisis behinds. Weare now a member of IATA [the International Air ‘Transport Assocation) and we are OSA [IATA ‘operational safety audit) certiied.” gaaaa ‘Theremovalof EU retritions allowed Mavritania Airlines International begin serving Las Palmas in the Canary Islands, a Spanish territory located off the north-western const of Aftica, in May 2013. Fights from NNowuakchott are now operated four-times weekly ‘witha stop in Nouadhibou, Maurtania’s second largest city Another link « Paris followed in December of the same year, but was suspended in February 2015 for “commercial reasons”. As of the beginning of 2017, the overseas route network also includes Abidjan the Ivory Coast, Bamako in Mal, Casablanca Moroseo, ‘Gonaky in Guinea, Dakarin Senegal, and Tunis fn Tunisia, Other internatimal routes that have been trialled and suspended include Algiers in Algeria, Banjul in Gambia, Brazzaville ard Pointe-Noirein the Republicof Congo, and Cotonouin Benin, ‘On thedomestic front, triangle lights are The lag-carierservesits network witha fet ‘of two Boeing 757-500s,one 737-700, one 737- $800 (newly-deliveredin November) and one Embraer ER) 145. Mauritanian president, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz,hasannounced that ‘one 757 MAX will also arvive in Nouakchott later thisyear "Above all, we want to renew our Meet,” said Bennahi, who formeriyheaded up SOMAGAZ, ‘Mauritania’ state-owned gas company. “The 737-500 will be withdrawn from thefleet. Not necessarily with the arrival of the 737 MAX ‘they can till ly fora while but our strategy toget them out ofthe fleet And we would ike t0 strengthen ourflet further We ae thinking about other types of aircraft. Weneed atcraft ‘adapted toour needs, He confirmed that Brazzaville lights could be junched as soon this year, along with a nd new route to [eddal in Saudi Arabia, Parismay aso return tothe network, strengthened by the improved performance ofthe MAX and greater connectivity through the hyMAURITANIA “We've invested a lot. We've improved a lot. Everyone, including the civil aviation authority, did their best to get out of tl blacklist. But all this is behind us. We are now amember of IATA and we are IOSA certified.” MOHAMED RADHY OULD BENNAHI Nouakchott hub, “We believe that conditions hhave changed and, by relying on our network in Arica we think ean be re-cpened under better concltions,” Bennah sid ofthe suspended route, ‘Maturitania Airlines International presently ssccounts For 35% of light frequencies and 40% ‘of seating capacity across all markets inthe country, makingit the largest operator by both tetrics When looking at availabe seat kilometres (ASK), however i falls into third place behind Turkish Airlines and Air France ‘That reflects the relatively lengthy ght timeson the Novakehot-Itanbul and Nouakchot- Paris routes, as wells At Franco's deployment of wwide-bodies Asked what woukd make the latest incarnation ‘of Mauritania Nlg-carsier more succesful than its forebears, Bennahi emphasised the importance ef lect optimisationand the need to trust partners and passengers” “These two main axes wll help the company improve itself while seking lfcieney,” hei, acknowledging strong competitive headwinds from both Africa end Europe. ‘ean confirm that the company’s financial situation has improved compared to last yea Weare approaching break-even. And this improvement has boen achieved through wwe ‘things fis; dhrough te efforts we re making concerning Our operation, which means that we have more passengers. Second, throughthefalinai prices” (ots The opening of Nouakchot a 39‘©urntounsy International Airport las June should also help things along. The new gateway, located to thenorth of the capital, iscapable ct handling two milion passengers year. It ‘comprises two runways, four twas, 520,000sqft passenger terminal freight terminal, anda VIP reception area “The airport offers more prospects at several level, especiallyin working conditions," Bennah said, acknowledging the poor stat of the now-decommissoned gateway. "We believe that other destinations will develop, bringing more activity tothe company.” gogaa Bilateral restrictions poselittle obstacle for “Mauritania Airlines Internationa, be Continue, ‘owing to widespread compliance with the principles ofthe 1999 Yamcussouksro Decision (YD) inest Aca, “Thsis not difficult given the agreements that exist with the states,” Bennahi insisted, refering to the multinational treaty that was designed ta liberalise cro. bord flyingom the continent. “Traditionally, Mauritanian artines have operatedin these ‘countries, soaccess snot that difficult.” His remarks concord withthe upbeat assessment of Rene Dect, te chief executive ‘of Air Coted Tvoie, who recently told African Aerospace that all ibe governments tick 0 YDinthe sub-region, However othe silineshave complenod that the beralisation agement exstson paper only Inlate 2014, for example, Habita Laklalech, deputy chief executive of Royal Air Maro, LA TROISIEME TENTATIVE SERA-T-ELLE LA BONNE ? ‘mauitanien Meharnd Ould Abdel Aviz.aanaoncéla ‘accused the Mauritania Government of deliberately curtailingaccess othe country. “We used tohave [a weekly allocation of 14 flights,” shesaid of the Casablanca-Nouakchott route. "Then the staterediced them 0 11, to nine 0 sevenand new five, Royal Ait Maroc hs, subsequently been allowed t deploy freighters once weekly onthe cit pir Bu its dwindling presence inthe passenger markt comes as Mariani Aielines International ramps up activity. now serving Casablanca thre ines week from the capital and evice week from Nouadhibou. Outbound services wer als previously operated from Zouerat While concernsabout protectionism will do Title toboost confidence nthe Mlagcarie, the Mauritania Airlines International planifie une croissance lente et réguliere. Martin Rivers et Vincent Chappard ov échanyé avec Mobamed Radlhy Ould Bennabi, DG de la nouvelle compagnie asrienne nationale de la Mauritanie. ‘orsque MouritanaAitinsInteratoaalaéerééeen decofbre 2010, coltlatrosiome ontate demetvesut ‘pled une compagnie aerenne natenale en Mauritanie {apris Mauritania Aways et AirMaritanie) “vec une économie oxée sur agreuure tune ‘population modest etconservtis le pays depose {elatios avectos pays dela reion. Sept campagaies abrienes trangires desserventaujourd bulla ‘apitaleNouakshot AiAlgerie Air Céted ire Air France, Bntr Canaria Royal Ai Maroc, Tussairt Turkish Ati). Le reratde a Mauritanie ge Een dcerbre 201 at secteur da wanspor arin ‘Nous vonsnvestet nous nous sommes 40 Te ouveau DG dela compagnie. Tot ‘monde aait de sn miaux pour sori de cat lise, ferdere nous Hoss sommes reroute ott anoees (Alger, Banjul Brazail, Pointe Noire ot Cotonou) puis rates. Dos vol domestiques sontactel ‘fue flote avons compa 727-700, un BP. S00 et un ERL-T45.Le président MAURITANIA problem sar from unique to Mauritania Trdeod, Royal Ai Maroc has tse hoe accused of restricive practices, reported lobbing the Rabat government not to grant Ait Arabia Maroc accesstowest Afsiean destinations, ‘Aller ust ix yeas of operations, it is too eatly soknow whether Mauritania third aternptat 3 flag-carvier will secure beter legacy than ts prodecessors. However, whereas Mauritania Airways was dependent on Tunisian investors, and Air Mauritanie spent its inl years courting ‘Moroccan bailout. the new flagcarrier is going it alone asa loealy funded entity. For beter o for ‘worse, suecess now hingeson the dedicationand sesoureefulness ofhome-grown Mauritanian exper desvols vers Brazzauliptdomarre unelisison vere Djeddah Pars poureaitogalementreiegrerle sea avec le nouveau B737 MAK Couverure det aéropontiteraional de Novakchot-Oumtounsyest également un élément determinant estcapablede iter deux million passagosparan - ‘devouement ett expertise des Mauritanies.