Somali Airlines is expected to resume flights in September 2026, more than 35 years after it ceased operations following the collapse of Somalia’s central government in 1991.
Ahmed Moalin, director of the Somali Civil Aviation Authority, said preparations for the airline’s relaunch have been completed, with flights expected to begin next month.
The reinstatement of Somali Airlines could end Somalia’s more than thirteen-year absence of a national airline. Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport is currently served by international carriers, including Ethiopian Airlines, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines.
The Somali government has announced plans to revive Somali Airlines several times in recent years, but previous timelines for the relaunch have been delayed.
In July 2025, the government announced the purchase of two Airbus A320 aircraft, as part of a plan to restore the airline to national ownership.
The deal was signed in the office of Prime Minister Hamsa Abdi Barre and announced by then-Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Mohamed Farah Nuuh. He said the aircraft would operate under the name Somali Airlines within two months.
In October 2025, the Ministry of Transport said the airline would resume operations before the end of the year, with officials at the time indicating that preparations were in the final stages.
Somali Airlines was founded in 1964 and became the flag carrier of Somalia, operating domestic and international flights. Its operations were suspended after the civil war, and were finally shut down in 1991.
The company’s reinstatement comes at a time when Somalia is making efforts to improve its transport infrastructure, while strengthening the country’s connectivity to regional and international markets.
