Company: Air Algérie
Country: Algeria
Sector: Aviation (state)
CEO: Hamza Benhamouda
Website: Not publicly listed
Careers Page: Not publicly listed
LinkedIn: Not publicly listed
Email: Not publicly listed
Headquarters: Algiers, Algeria
Founded: 1946 (as Compagnie Générale de Transports Aériens); current entity formed by 1953 merger
Valuation/Revenue: National flag carrier of Algeria; 100% state-owned, not separately market-valued (Wikipedia; company has historically operated at a loss and does not disclose a public market capitalization)
Air Algérie is the national flag carrier of Algeria, a wholly state-owned airline headquartered in Algiers that operates scheduled passenger services to dozens of domestic and international destinations across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America.
What Does Air Algérie Do?
Air Algérie provides scheduled passenger air transport, serving approximately 33 domestic destinations within Algeria and around 42 international destinations, making it one of the most extensive route networks of any airline based in North Africa. As the national carrier, it plays a significant role in connecting Algeria’s regions — including remote Saharan towns with limited alternative transport links — as well as serving Algeria’s large diaspora communities in France and other European countries.
How Old Is Air Algérie?
Air Algérie’s origins trace to 1946, when it was established as Compagnie Générale de Transports Aériens (CGTA). The airline in its current form was created on May 23, 1953, through a merger of CGTA with Compagnie Air Transport, giving Air Algérie more than seven decades of continuous operating history spanning both the French colonial period and independent Algeria.
Who Owns Air Algérie?
Air Algérie is 100% owned by the Government of Algeria, making it a wholly state-owned enterprise rather than a publicly traded company. This state ownership reflects the broader structure of Algeria’s economy, in which strategic sectors including energy, telecommunications and transport remain substantially under government control.
Who Is the CEO of Air Algérie?
Hamza Benhamouda has served as the airline’s chief executive, per public records reviewed as of August 2024. As with many state-owned North African carriers, leadership appointments at Air Algérie are subject to government decisions and can change with broader ministerial or political developments.
How Big Is Air Algérie’s Fleet?
As of August 2025, Air Algérie operated a fleet of roughly 50-plus aircraft, including Boeing 737s, Airbus A330 widebodies, and ATR turboprops for shorter regional routes. The airline has placed additional orders for next-generation aircraft including Airbus A330-900s, Airbus A350-1000s, and Boeing 737 MAX jets, signaling a fleet modernization and expansion program aimed at growing long-haul capacity, particularly toward Europe, the Gulf and potentially new long-range markets.
Is Air Algérie Profitable?
Air Algérie has historically been described as a loss-making carrier, a common characteristic of state-owned national airlines that balance commercial performance against public-service route obligations and national-prestige considerations. Historical data shows the airline achieved a profit of $14.5 million in 1992 following a restructuring that addressed prior losses totaling $64 million in 1990, but current-year profitability figures were not independently verifiable through the research tools available for this profile. As a wholly state-owned entity, Air Algérie does not carry a public market capitalization the way listed African Business Top 250 companies do.
Where Is Air Algérie Headquartered?
Air Algérie is headquartered at the El-Djazair office block, 1 Place Maurice Audin, in Algiers, Algeria’s capital.
How Does Air Algérie Compare to Its Competitors?
As a North African flag carrier, Air Algérie is most directly comparable to Royal Air Maroc (Morocco), Tunisair (Tunisia), and EgyptAir (Egypt) — all state-owned or state-linked national airlines competing for regional traffic, European connections, and diaspora travel demand. Air Algérie’s route network, weighted heavily toward destinations serving Algeria’s large expatriate population in France, gives it a somewhat different commercial profile than carriers like Royal Air Maroc, which has invested more heavily in building Casablanca as a transit hub for sub-Saharan African connections. Air Algérie’s ongoing fleet-renewal program, including its A350 and 737 MAX orders, is broadly in line with similar modernization efforts underway at its regional state-carrier peers.
Links
Website: Not publicly listed
Careers Page: Not found
LinkedIn: Not found
Email: Not publicly listed
FAQ
What does Air Algérie do?
Air Algérie is Algeria’s national flag carrier, operating scheduled passenger flights to about 33 domestic and 42 international destinations.
Who owns Air Algérie?
Air Algérie is 100% owned by the Government of Algeria.
Who is the CEO of Air Algérie?
Hamza Benhamouda, as of the most recent public records reviewed (August 2024).
How old is Air Algérie?
Its origins date to 1946, with the current entity formed via a 1953 merger.
Is Air Algérie publicly traded?
No, it is a wholly state-owned enterprise and does not trade on any stock exchange.
Where is Air Algérie headquartered?
Air Algérie is headquartered in Algiers, Algeria.