Aviation History
Algerian civil aviation traces back to French colonial-era carriers that were merged in 1953 to form Air Algérie, which became the fully state-owned national flag carrier after Algeria's 1962 independence. Air Algérie has remained state-owned since, expanding its fleet through the jet age and building a network across Europe, Africa and the Middle East, though the 2014 loss of Air Algérie Flight 5017 remains a significant tragedy in its history.
French carriers including the Compagnie Générale de Transport began scheduled air services within French Algeria, laying groundwork for later national aviation.
Air Algérie was created through the merger of predecessor carriers operating in French Algeria, initially under joint French-Algerian ownership structures.
Following Algeria's independence from France, Air Algérie was fully nationalized and established as the country's flag carrier.
Air Algérie expanded its network and modernized its fleet with Boeing 727 and 737 jets, growing service across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
Flight 5017, operated by Swiftair on behalf of Air Algérie, crashed in Mali on July 24, 2014, killing all 116 people aboard.
Air Algérie continued modernizing its fleet with Airbus A330 wide-bodies and narrow-body orders, while remaining wholly state-owned.
Air Algérie · Tassili Airlines
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