Kangala Air Shifts to Business Aviation in Burkina Faso
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Kangala Air Express (KAE, Ouagadougou) appears to have suspended its scheduled passenger operations, with both of its ATR72-500 aircraft currently grounded due to operational difficulties, according to reports from African aviation news site NewsAero.
XT-AMI (msn 722) was last tracked via ADS-B data landing in Ouagadougou on March 13, 2024 over a year ago. The second aircraft, XT-FAT (msn 708), is no longer traceable according to ch-aviation research. Additionally, Kangala Air Express's flight booking system is no longer functional on its website.
The carrier initially launched its own thrice-weekly domestic flights on February 8, 2024, operating XT-AMI between Ouagadougou and Bobo Dioulasso, alternating between its own services and ACMI operations on behalf of Air Burkina (2J, Ouagadougou).
Driven by ambitions to expand across the Sahel region, Kangala Air Express introduced international routes in Mali, starting with Bobo Dioulasso–Bamako on April 30, then Bamako–Kayes on May 14 in collaboration with local travel agency Afrikayes. On December 13, it added twice-weekly services on the Bamako–Gao–Niamey (Niger) route.
The suspension of scheduled services and Kangala Air’s pivot toward business aviation unlocks new investment prospects in a shifting regional aviation market. As demand rises for fast, secure, and tailored air transport—particularly across the mining, humanitarian, diplomatic, and corporate sectors private aviation offers a promising niche. This repositioning presents opportunities in aircraft leasing, bespoke charter services, aeronautical maintenance, and the development of regional logistics hubs. Additionally, digital innovations like on-demand flight booking platforms could enrich the local aviation ecosystem, positioning Ouagadougou as a strategic business aviation hub in West Africa.
