Aviation History
The Republic of the Congo's aviation history runs from Lina Congo (founded 1961, majority state-owned by 1965) — which was dissolved in 2002 after years of heavy losses — to its state-backed successor Equatorial Congo Airlines (ECAir), launched in 2010. ECAir suspended all operations in 2016 after accumulating hundreds of millions of euros in losses and unpaid debts, before a modest, limited restart of domestic service beginning in 2024.
The carrier that would be renamed Lina Congo in 1965 began charter and feeder operations from Pointe-Noire.
Reorganized and renamed to distinguish it from Zaire's national airline, with the Congolese government holding roughly 66% ownership.
A Lina Congo de Havilland Twin Otter crashed near Etsouali during a thunderstorm, killing three crew members while five passengers survived.
The Congolese government dissolved Lina Congo after it sustained heavy sustained financial losses, ending over four decades as the country's carrier.
Equatorial Congo Airlines began operations in September 2010 as a new majority state-owned national carrier, with Boeing 737 and later wet-leased widebody aircraft.
ECAir halted all flights in October 2016 after its air navigation service provider cut off support over unpaid debts, following losses reported at over €450 million since 2011.
ECAir resumed flying in March 2024 with a single Boeing 737 on domestic routes, later adding regional destinations such as Douala, Yaoundé, and Libreville in 2025.
Lina Congo (historical) · Equatorial Congo Airlines (ECAir)
Wikipedia, AirlineGeeks, Simple Flying, The Africa Report