Aviation History
Yemen's civil aviation history began in the early 1960s with the founding of Yemen Airways (Yemenia) in the north and Alyemda in the south, the two carriers merging into a single Yemenia after North and South Yemen unified in 1990. Decades of instability culminated in the civil war that erupted in 2014-2015, during which blockades and fighting closed Sana'a International Airport to most commercial traffic for years and forced Yemenia to operate a reduced network largely from Amman and other regional cities. As of 2026 the situation remains volatile and subject to rapid change; facts about current routes, airspace restrictions and airport status should be treated as time-sensitive.
North Yemen (the Yemen Arab Republic) establishes Yemen Airways, later rebranded Yemenia, as the country's first national carrier.
The People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (South Yemen) establishes Alyemda (Democratic Yemen Airlines), based in Aden, as a separate state carrier.
North and South Yemen unify into a single Republic of Yemen, leaving the new country with two parallel state airlines to be reconciled.
The two former national carriers merge into a single unified flag carrier, Yemenia (Yemen Airways), headquartered in Sana'a.
An Airbus A310 operating Yemenia Flight 626 crashes into the Indian Ocean near Moroni, Comoros, killing 152 people; a 12-year-old girl is the sole survivor, and the accident draws intense scrutiny of the airline's safety record.
Following the 2009 crash and broader safety concerns, the European Union places restrictions on Yemenia aircraft operating in EU airspace; the status of such restrictions has evolved over time and should be checked against current notices.
Escalating conflict and a Saudi-led coalition blockade close Sana'a International Airport to commercial civilian flights for years, severely constraining Yemenia's operations and Yemen's connectivity to the outside world.
Under a UN-brokered truce, limited commercial flights resume from Sana'a airport after roughly six years of blockade; service levels have remained fragile and dependent on the wider conflict's trajectory.
Yemenia (Yemen Airways) · Alyemda (historical, merged into Yemenia in 1996) · Felix Airways (defunct low-cost carrier)
Wikipedia, ICAO, news coverage of the Yemeni civil war (facts on ongoing conflict are time-sensitive)