Tunisair

History

Tunisair was founded in late 1948 as Société Tunisienne de l'Air, with initial capital split between the Tunisian government (35%), Air France (35%), and private investors (30%), reflecting Tunisia's close aviation ties to France during and after the colonial period. The airline began commercial operations on 1 April 1949 using Douglas DC-3 aircraft transferred from Air France, and it grew steadily after Tunisian independence in 1956 to become the country's national flag carrier. Over subsequent decades Tunisair built a network connecting Tunis to Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, later adding a domestic-and-regional feeder subsidiary, Tunisair Express. The Tunisian state has retained majority control throughout the airline's history even as it went public on the Tunis Stock Exchange, while Air France has kept a small residual shareholding for decades. Tunisair achieved a notable long-haul milestone in July 2016 with the launch of its first transatlantic route, to Montreal, expanding beyond its traditionally European and North African focus.

Current Operations

Tunisair operates a mixed Airbus and Boeing fleet centered on A319, A320, and newer A320neo narrow-bodies for regional and European routes, complemented by Airbus A330-200 widebodies for its longer-haul and transatlantic services, alongside a small number of legacy Boeing 737s being phased out. As of an ownership update in October 2024, the Tunisian state holds roughly 65% of the airline directly, with state-owned funds and Air France holding smaller stakes and about 20% trading publicly on the Tunis Stock Exchange under the ticker TAIR. From its hub at Tunis-Carthage Airport, Tunisair serves roughly 24 countries across some 68 routes spanning Europe, the Middle East, and North America, with Montreal remaining its principal transatlantic destination. The airline maintains an extensive codeshare network with international partners including Emirates, Middle East Airlines, Royal Jordanian, Etihad Airways, and Air Canada, extending its global reach beyond its own route map. Tunisair continues a gradual fleet modernization program aimed at improving fuel efficiency and expanding capacity on its most competitive European and Maghreb routes.

Last verified 2026-08-22· Source: airline public disclosures, company press releases & aviation-industry reporting.

Serves These Profiled Airports33

Sample Routes8