On 20 October 2015, DR Congo national carrier Congo Airways flew its first ever commercial flight, connecting capital city Kinshasa to Lubumbashi, in the country’s South-Eastern province of Haut Katanga.
Mr Jérôme Maillet, Congo Airways Deputy Managing Director, indicated that “the company will be conducting daily flights between the capital Kinshasa and Lubumbashi, before travelling to other destinations”.
According to AFP, this first flight was two hours behind schedule, much to the dissatisfaction of the 159 first passengers. However, Mr Maillet promised that future flights would be taking off on time, while stressing that passengers should avoid delays when completing their pre-flight formalities.
The one-way fare to Lubumbashi is 260 US Dollars.
The aircraft landed in Lubumbashi at 10 past 12 o’clock GMT, completing what passengers called a “pleasant two-hour flight”. An hour later after landing, the plane took off back to Kinshasa.
Congo Airways first took to air on 9 October 2015.