Somalia's government announced that Somali Airlines was preparing to restart scheduled flights in mid-September, reviving a national carrier that had been inactive since civil war and the collapse of the central government halted operations in 1991.
Ahmed Maallin, director of the Somali Civil Aviation Authority, said preparations were in their final stages and that the first flight was expected in the middle of September 2026. The announcement described a target rather than a completed relaunch, and the supplied reports did not confirm a ticket-sale date or first destination.
The initial plan centred on two Airbus A320 aircraft. Dawan Africa said they were expected to support domestic and regional services, while AirlineGeeks reported that two A320s had been ordered. Dawan said operations would be based at Aden Abdulle International Airport in Mogadishu. AirlineGeeks likewise considered Mogadishu the likely base but said intended routes remained unclear.
Government preparations extended beyond the aircraft to safety systems, certification, operating approvals, maintenance and flight-management procedures, according to Dawan. Officials presented the project as part of broader work to strengthen Somalia's aviation institutions and infrastructure.
Somali Airlines was founded in the 1960s and previously linked the country to destinations including Frankfurt, Cairo, the Seychelles and Dubai. AirlineGeeks reported that its fleet over time included Boeing 707 and 720 jets, an Airbus A310 and smaller turboprop aircraft. The carrier suspended operations when Siad Barre's government was overthrown in 1991.
For more than three decades after the shutdown, private and foreign carriers provided most air services in Somalia. AirlineGeeks said smaller private airlines largely filled regional needs but that international options remained limited. The federal government said a restored flag carrier could improve domestic and regional links, support trade, connect the Somali diaspora and create employment. Those were official expectations, not outcomes established before flights began.
Efforts to restore the airline had continued for more than a decade. AirlineGeeks reported that the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation committed to bringing back the brand in 2025 and appointed a new chief executive around that period.
The August announcement set a mid-September objective after a 35-year interruption. Whether the planned aircraft, approvals and initial schedule would all be ready by then remained to be demonstrated by an operating flight.
