Somalia is preparing to revive its national airline in September 2026, marking a major milestone more than three decades after Somali Airlines ceased operations following the collapse of the country’s central government in 1991.
According to hiiraan.com, the planned return is expected to reconnect Somalia to regional and international aviation networks while restoring a national carrier that has been absent from the skies for 35 years
Ahmed Moalin, director of the Somali Civil Aviation Authority, said Saturday that preparations to relaunch the carrier had been completed and that flights were expected to begin next month.
The planned revival would restore a national airline service that has been absent for more than 35 years, although Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport is currently served by international carriers including Ethiopian Airlines, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines.
The government has previously announced plans to revive Somali Airlines but missed earlier targets for restarting operations.
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In July 2025, the government announced the purchase of two Airbus A320 aircraft as part of efforts to relaunch the national carrier. The agreement was signed at the office of Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre and announced by then-Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Mohamed Farah Nuuh, who said the aircraft would begin operating under the Somali Airlines name within two months.
In October 2025, the transport ministry said Somali Airlines would resume operations before the end of that year, with officials saying preparations were in their final stages.
Somali Airlines was established in 1964 and became the country’s flag carrier, operating domestic and international routes before its operations were disrupted by the civil war and eventually halted in 1991.
The planned relaunch comes as Somalia seeks to strengthen its transport infrastructure and expand links with regional and international markets.
