Aviation History
Burundi's aviation history began with Air Burundi, founded in 1971 and flying scheduled regional routes from Bujumbura from 1975, but the carrier was repeatedly disrupted by civil conflict and financial troubles before permanently suspending operations in 2009. A new flag carrier, Burundi Airlines, was formally established in February 2021, majority-owned by the Burundian government, to revive scheduled international service from Bujumbura's Melchior Ndadaye International Airport.
Established in April 1971 as Société de Transports Aériens du Burundi, the carrier was later renamed Air Burundi.
Air Burundi began scheduled regional flights to Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda from its Bujumbura hub.
Burundi's civil war and resulting international sanctions devastated Air Burundi's operations; flights resumed in February 1999 once sanctions were lifted.
The airline permanently halted flights in September 2009 after reaching maximum flight hours on its aircraft and lacking funds for a mandated overhaul costing roughly $1 million.
A new, majority government-owned flag carrier was formally launched on 4 February 2021 to replace the defunct Air Burundi.
Air Burundi (defunct, 1971-2009) · Burundi Airlines (est. 2021)
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