Sudan Airways - History

History

The airline was formed in February 1946 with the technical assistance of Airwork Limited, and the commercial support of Sudan Railways. The first scheduled operations were launched in July 1947. Khartoum became Sudan Airways' hub from the very beginning. From there, the carrier started flying four different services all across the Sudanese territory, as well as to Eritrea. The first routes the company flew linked Khartoum with Asmara, Atbara, El Fashir, El Obeid, Geneina, Juba, Kassala, Malakal, and Port Sudan, all of them served with de Havilland Dove equipment.

In 1954 the airline incorporated the Douglas DC-3 into its fleet; the boost in capacity allowed the company to carry both passengers and mail, and also to introduce new routes to Cairo and Wad Medani. Likewise, it also started operating charter flights to Jeddah during the Hajj season. By 1958 the DC-3 fleet grew to 7.

Long-haul services started in June 1959 between Khartoum and London via Rome, the so-called «Blue Nile» service, using a Vickers Viscount that was acquired new in a joint venture with British United Airways. At this time, Beirut was also added to the destination network. Also in 1959, the airline joined IATA.

In early 1962 the airline expanded its fleet with the acquisition of three Fokker F27s, appointed to operate domestic routes. Two Comet 4Cs were also acquired, intended as a replacement of the Viscount service.

In 1967, the company became a corporation run on a commercial basis; Also during that year the airline had continued to replace its DC-3s with Fokker F27s, the last passenger DC-3s leaving the fleet in 1971.

The Twin Otter joined the fleet in 1968. Subsequently, the fleet was modernised with Boeing 707s, Boeing 737s, Airbus A310s, Airbus A300s, Fokker 50s, and more recently, the airline has acquired three Airbus A320s through lease-finance.

Sudan continues to suffer a civil war which restricts areas of the country that can be served. In addition, there is a UN embargo against the country resulting in curtailment of European services and the sale of two Fokker F50s.

In 2007, the Sudanese government privatised the airline, maintaining only a 30% stake of the national carrier. The Kuwaiti private group that owned 49% of the shares since then sold its stake back to the state in 2011.

On June 2008 (2008-06), the airline was grounded following an indefinite suspension of its operating certificate by the Sudanese government. The decision followed the crash of Sudan Airways Flight 109, despite it was stated it had nothing to do with the accident. This decision was later rolled back, and the company resumed operations.

In late March 2010 (2010-03), all Sudan-based airlines were banned by the European Union from flying into the member states.