Somali Airlines could resume flights in September after 35 years of shutdown

Somalia could once again have a national airline operating scheduled flights as early as September 2026, with the country’s Civil Aviation Authority saying preparations for the long-awaited return of Somali Airlines have been completed.

Civil Aviation Authority Director Ahmed Ma’allin said the airline is now nearing the point of resuming operations, more than three decades after Somali Airlines stopped flying in 1991.

“Somali airlines is on its final stages, the first flight will be around mid September,” he said.

The latest announcement marks another attempt by the Somali government to restore the former flag carrier. Plans to revive the airline have been announced several times in recent years, but previous deadlines passed without commercial flights taking off.

In July 2025, the government announced an agreement involving two Airbus A320 aircraft, describing the planes as the starting point for rebuilding Somali Airlines. Officials subsequently said the carrier would begin operations within a few months.

By October 2025, the government had again said the airline would return before the end of that year. That deadline was not met, leaving September 2026 as the latest target for the carrier’s return.

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The revival effort involves more than acquiring aircraft. Before an airline can operate commercially, it must meet safety and regulatory requirements, secure the necessary approvals and ensure qualified personnel are available to run its operations.

Systems for aircraft maintenance, insurance, flight planning and airport services must also be in place to support regular flights.

The two A320 aircraft secured under the 2025 agreement were intended to form the first part of a wider fleet. The government has indicated that additional aircraft could be acquired as the airline grows and expands its network.

Somali Airlines was established in 1964 and once connected Somalia to destinations across the region and beyond. Its operations came to an end in 1991 following the collapse of Somalia’s central government and the civil war that followed.

A return to service would have significance beyond restoring the country’s flag carrier. A functioning national airline could improve air connections for Somali travellers, including the large diaspora, while supporting trade and creating employment in aviation and related industries.

Somalia has also been working to rebuild its wider aviation sector, creating an environment in which the national carrier can eventually operate. Aviation authorities have made progress in restoring regulatory and operational systems that were disrupted during decades of instability.

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