(Posted 18th August 2026)
Somalia’s national carrier is set to return to the skies after more than three decades on the ground. On July 28 2025 the federal government officially revived Somali Airlines, signing a purchase agreement for two Airbus A320s with Lema Holdings in Mogadishu. Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Mohamed Farah said the aircraft were bought by the Somali government for the Somali people and that flights would begin within two months, starting with regional routes before expanding further.
The relaunch follows years of planning and marks the third attempt to bring back the airline, which was founded in 1964 with help from Alitalia and once flew Boeing 707s and Fokker F27s to cities including Cairo, Rome, Frankfurt, Jeddah, Nairobi and Djibouti. Operations stopped in 1991 when civil war broke out and Somalia lost control of its airspace, which was managed from Nairobi by ICAO until authority was restored in January 2023 after the country received a Category A safety rating from ICAO.
The revival is being framed as both an economic and symbolic step for the country. Officials say the goal is to reduce reliance on foreign carriers like Turkish Airlines, Ethiopian, flydubai and Qatar Airways, improve connectivity for the large Somali diaspora, create jobs for young professionals, and support broader national development under President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. The initial two A320s are the foundation, with plans to add two or three more aircraft in 2026 and eventually larger jets for international routes.
The government is also upgrading Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu and renovating 15 of the country’s 72 airports to meet international standards. Somali pilots and aviation staff trained abroad are being recruited, and the diaspora is expected to play a key role in rebuilding technical capacity. For many Somalis the return of the flag carrier, once a source of national pride that employed pioneers like Captain Asli Hassan Abade, represents a tangible sign of stability and recovery after 35 years without a state airline.
