< Reveal sidebar

Air Côte d’Ivoire Seeks $170 Million to Finalize Purchase of Two Airbus A330-900s

The airline is looking to grow its long-haul fleet.

An Airbus A330neo demonstrator aircraft. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

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.

Victor Shalton

Author

  • Victor Shalton

    Born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya, Victor’s love for aviation goes way back to when he was 11-years-old. Living close to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, he developed a love for planes and he even recalls aspiring to be a future airline executive for Kenya Airways. He also has a passion in the arts and loves writing and had his own aviation blog prior to joining AirlineGeeks. He is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business administration at DeKUT and aspiring to make a career in a more aviation-related course.

    View all posts

Subscribe to AirlineGeeks' Daily Check-In

Receive a daily dose of the airline industry's top stories along with market insights right in your inbox.

Related Stories
ANA 787

ANA Orders New Airbus, Boeing, and Embraer Jets

After years of suspending fleet growth, All Nippon Airways Holdings confirmed plans to enhance its fleet by adding 77 aircraft, including 68…

Airbus Hamburg

Why U.S. Airlines Could Face More Airbus Delivery Delays

Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury said the company could prioritize deliveries to its non-U.S. customers if tariffs impacted its American imports.…

Malaysia Airlines Takes Delivery of Second Airbus A330neo

Malaysia Airlines has added a second Airbus A330-900neo to its fleet. The aircraft arrived in the Malaysian capital on Tuesday,…