Tunisair facts for kids
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| Founded | 1948 |
|---|---|
| Commenced operations | 1 April 1949 |
| Hubs | Tunis–Carthage International Airport |
| Frequent-flyer program | Fidelys |
| Fleet size | 30 |
| Destinations | 44 |
| Headquarters | Tunis, Tunisia |
| Key people | Khaled Chelly (CEO) |
Tunisair (Arabic: الخطوط التونسية) is the main airline of Tunisia. It started flying in 1948 and now flies to many countries on four different continents. Its main hub, or central airport, is Tunis–Carthage International Airport. The company's main office is also in Tunis, close to the airport.
Contents
How Tunisair Started and Grew
Tunisair was started by the government of Tunisia in late 1948. It was first called Société Tunisienne de l'Air. The airline began flying on April 1, 1949.
At first, Air France helped Tunisair by giving it some Douglas DC-3 planes and routes. These routes included flights from Tunis to places like Algiers, Nice, Rome, and a cargo flight to Marseilles.
Expanding Flights in the 1950s
In the early 1950s, Tunisair added more destinations along the coast. By 1951, it was flying to Casablanca, Ghudamis, and Tripoli. A new flight from Tunis to Tripoli and Sabhah started in May 1951. This route later included stops in Sfax and Djerba.
The flight to Ghudamis stopped in 1952, and Air France took over the Casablanca route. In 1953, the flight to Marseilles was extended to Paris. By 1954, Tunisair started using a larger Douglas DC-4 plane for its Paris flights.
By March 1955, Tunisair had three Douglas DC-3s, one Douglas DC-4, and a SNCASE Languedoc plane. In 1955, the airline carried over 92,000 passengers. By 1957, the Tunisian government owned more of the airline (51%), and Air France owned less (15%).
Entering the Jet Age
Tunisair got its first jet plane, a Sud Caravelle III, on August 31, 1961. A new flight to Frankfurt started in October but stopped in March the next year because it wasn't making enough money. A second Caravelle jet joined the fleet in March 1964.
Flights to Frankfurt restarted in April 1966, working with Lufthansa. In 1969, the Nord 262 plane joined the fleet. With these new planes, Tunisair could stop using its older DC-3 and DC-4 planes.
By March 1970, Tunisair had 888 employees. Its fleet included four Caravelles, two Cessna 402s, a DC-3, and a Nord 262. These planes flew to cities in Algeria, Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Libya, Morocco, and Switzerland.
Tunisair received its first Boeing plane, a Boeing 727-200, on March 12, 1972. It was first used for flights between Tunis and Paris. On April 1, 1972, a Boeing 707 (rented from Sabena) started the Tunis–London route. New flights to Luxembourg and Jeddah also began that day. Over the next few years, Tunisair ordered more Boeing 727s. These new planes helped Tunisair replace its Caravelles and stop using the remaining DC-3s.
Modern Era and New Routes
In 1995, Tunisair started selling some of its shares on the Tunis stock exchange. This meant that people could buy small parts of the company. In 1999, Tunisair launched new flights to Amman and Beirut.
By April 2000, the airline had 7,259 employees. Its fleet included various Airbus and Boeing planes, such as the Airbus A300B4-200, Airbus A319-100, Airbus A320-200, Boeing 727-200 Advanced, Boeing 737-200 Advanced, Boeing 737-500, and Boeing 737-600. These planes flew to many cities across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
In July 2011, Tunisair started flying to Moscow (Domodedovo Airport). In July 2016, the airline launched its first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, from Tunis to Montreal, Canada.
How Tunisair is Run
Ownership and Management
The government of Tunisia owns about 74% of Tunisair. As of December 2016, Colonel Elyes Mnakbi was the CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of the company. He was chosen by the Ministry of Transport.
Head Office
Tunisair's main office is located on Route X, very close to Tunis–Carthage International Airport in Tunis.
Where Tunisair Flies
Tunisair flies to many places in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. Its main airport for flights is Tunis–Carthage International Airport.
As of November 2023, Tunisair serves 24 countries with 68 different flight routes.
Tunisair's Fleet (Airplanes)
Current Fleet
The Tunisair fleet includes the following airplanes, as of March 2023:
| Aircraft Type | Number in Service | On Order | Passengers | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business | Economy | Total | ||||
| Airbus A319-100 | 4 | — | 16 | 90 | 106 | |
| — | 144 | 144 | ||||
| Airbus A320-200 | 16 | — | — | 162 | 162 | |
| Airbus A320neo | 1 | 4 |
|
These planes were delivered in 2021–2022. | ||
| Airbus A330-200 | 2 | 2 | 24 | 242 | 266 | |
| Boeing 737-600 | 7 | — | — | 126 | 126 | |
| Total | 30 | 6 | ||||
Past Airplanes
Tunisair has also used these planes in the past:
- Airbus A300-600
- Boeing 737-500
- Boeing 747
New Airplane Orders
In October 1997, Tunisair was the first airline in the Arab World and Africa to order the Airbus A319 plane. They ordered three A319s and four Airbus A320s. Later that year, they also ordered four Boeing 737-600s. These new planes were meant to replace older Boeing 727s and Boeing 737s. Tunisair received its first A319 in August 1998. By April 2001, they had seven Boeing 737-600s.
In 2000 and 2001, Tunisair bought three used Airbus A300-600R planes. In July 2008, Tunisair ordered three Airbus A350 XWBs, three Airbus A330-200s, and ten Airbus A320s. However, in 2013, they canceled the order for the A350s. Tunisair received its first Airbus A330-200 in June 2015. In 2016, they changed their Airbus order again, removing one A330 and four A320s, and instead ordering four Airbus A320neo planes.
Incidents and Accidents
Tunisair has never had a fatal accident since it started in 1948. However, there have been three times when planes were damaged beyond repair:
- On January 12, 1979, a Boeing 727 was taken over by hijackers who wanted a Tunisian union leader to be freed. The plane was flown to Libya, where the hijackers gave up. Everyone on board was safe.
- On February 11, 1992, a Boeing 727 rolled out of its hangar at Tunis–Carthage International Airport during an engine test. This happened because technicians forgot to set the plane's brakes. The plane was too damaged to be fixed.
- On February 6, 2013, an Airbus A320 (Flight 712) went off the runway while landing at Tunis–Carthage International Airport. All 83 people on board survived, but the plane was too damaged to be used again.
See also
- TunisAir Express
- Transport in Tunisia
