Aviation History
Benin's civil aviation history has been marked by a series of short-lived national carriers rather than one enduring flag carrier: Air Bénin operated from 1978 to 1987, followed by successors including Trans Air Bénin and Aero Benin, none of which survived long-term amid financial and safety difficulties (Aero Benin was banned from EU airspace in 2009). Cotonou's Cardinal Bernardin Gantin International Airport remains the country's principal gateway, served mainly by foreign carriers such as Air France, Ethiopian Airlines and Royal Air Maroc. As of early 2026, Benin had licensed a new prospective national carrier, Amazone Airlines, as part of a fresh push to establish a stable flag carrier — a status that remains unproven and worth watching for updates.
Air Bénin was established as Benin's flag carrier, commencing scheduled service in 1979 with Fokker F27 and F28 aircraft from Cotonou.
Financial difficulties forced Air Bénin's closure; Transports Aériens du Bénin emerged as a successor operator.
Aero Benin, a Benin-based carrier registered in Germany, was placed on the EU air safety blacklist over compliance concerns.
The carrier shut down entirely, leaving Benin without a functioning national airline for over a decade.
Benin's civil aviation authority (ANAC) granted an operating license to Amazone Airlines in February 2026, positioning it as the country's prospective new national carrier; commercial launch details remained undisclosed at licensing.
Air Bénin (defunct, 1978-1987) · Trans Air Bénin (defunct) · Aero Benin (defunct) · Amazone Airlines (licensed 2026, not yet an established operating history)
Wikipedia, ch-aviation, Ecofin Agency, ATQ News
Aviation Firsts
Cardinal Bernardin Gantin International Airport (Cadjehoun) — Cotonou: Benin'in en büyük ve ana uluslararası havalimanı; 2021'de Kardinal Bernardin Gantin anısına yeniden adlandırıldı. Erişilen hiçbir kaynakta (Wikipedia, Logistics Cluster, Cotonou zaman çizelgesi) açılış yılı bulunamadı — uydurmak yerine bu alan boş bırakıldı. Benin'de daha eski bir havalimanı da bulunamadığı için varsayılan olarak en eskisi bu. · Wikipedia ↗
Air Benin (1978): Benin'in 1978'den (uçuşlar 1979'da başladı) 1987'ye kadar bayrak taşıyıcısıydı, tek bir Fokker F27 işletti. Wikipedia bunu açıkça 'Benin'in ilk havayolu' olarak adlandırmıyor ve daha eski bir Beninli havayolu bulunamadı. · Wikipedia ↗
Menzies Aviation (United Kingdom): Menzies Aviation'ın kendi ağ sayfası Cotonou Cadjehoun'da (COO) yer ve kargo hizmeti verdiğini doğruluyor — Benin'de bulunan tek adlandırılmış yabancı yer hizmeti şirketi. Ancak sayfa bir giriş tarihi vermiyor ve 'ilk' olduğunu iddia etmiyor; bu yüzden en iyi belgelenmiş aday olarak, 'ilk' onayı olmadan raporlanıyor. (best-documented candidate found — not source-confirmed as literally first.) · Menzies Aviation ↗