Air Côte d’Ivoire, the national airline of Côte d’Ivoire, established in May 2012 by the Ivorian government, is seeking to raise $170 million (approximately 104 billion CFA francs) from reliable local or international banks or financial institutions.
This funding will be used to cover the remaining balance for the order of two A330-900neo aircraft placed by the airline with the aircraft manufacturer Airbus ordered from Airbus on Oct. 25, 2022.
The expected aircraft will be configured in 4 cabins with 240 seats planned. According to the delivery schedule, the first should arrive in Abidjan in the fourth quarter of 2024 and the second to the first quarter of 2025.
Air Côte d’Ivoire has already paid 97% of the Pre-Delivery Payments (PDP) for these aircraft. The desired financing will have a minimum maturity of 10 years, with $85 million planned for December 2024 (corresponding to the delivery date of the first aircraft) and another $85 million for April 2025 (for the second aircraft).
Offers must be sent no later than Sept. 12, 2024, at 17:00 (UTC), and will be reviewed the following day at 10:30 (UTC). The legal documentation must be finalized and signed no later than Oct. 30, 2024, and the first disbursement of funds is scheduled for Dec. 2, 2024.
These two widebody aircraft will enable Air Côte d’Ivoire to launch its intercontinental flights. Currently, the carrier serves 21 destinations in West and Central Africa, and five cities in Côte d’Ivoire. It operates a fleet of eleven aircraft with an average age of 11.3 years. Founded in May 2012, the Ivorian flag carrier began its commercial operations on Jan. 15, 2013. Between 2013 and 2023, it generated cumulative revenues of 1,001 billion FCFA (1.65 billion USD).
As part of this expansion plan, the airline announced in January 2024, that it would like to acquire five Airbus aircraft in 2024. The plan to expand its fleet says it will have 18 aircraft by 2031.
