The Sudanese government announced on Saturday receiving a rehabilitation and operations plan from the European aeronautics company, Airbus, to serve its national carrier Sudan Airways for the upcoming 10 years.
The initiative was inked at a meeting held in Dubai and with each of the Sudanese Transport Minister representatives of the French company.
Transport Minister Makkawi Mohamed Al-Awad expressed in a press statement his hope that Sudan Airways would recapture its global status after having suffered long-term stalemate in world markets.
He considered the initiative with Airbus a step towards development and boosting competition for international airlines.The plan includes open options either through partnership, or sales, he added.
According to the minister, the restructuring of the Sudanese airliner is a part of a national plan to expand a fleet of civil aircraft over the next three years, noting that the Airbus plan is promising for the revival of Sudan Airways.
In preparation for the makeover, Sudan Airways carried out last month a huge employee survey and shuffle which saw the hiring of new personnel.
“Sudan Airways could have been bankrupt. It has not performed well in recent years and has difficulties in to pay back its debts to clients, including the Sudanese civil aviation authorities,” Awad said in an earlier interview.
The Airbus plan was prepared when Sales Director Airbus Middle-East & North Africa Cyrille Picard visited Khartoum two months ago with a large team of experts, Sudan Airways sources said.
Arrangements are under way for the purchase of a new air fleet comprising seven aircraft units.
In November 2017, Khartoum signed a contract with a Chinese company on buying two planes at $60 million.
It is worth noting that Sudan Airways’ partnership with the Islamic Development Bank helps greatly in financing a part of the new aircraft deals.
