Bahrain Airshow: New Sudanese start-up gets aircraft support from low cost carrier

The airline – Blue Nile Airways – will start operations with an Airbus A320, wet leased from the Bahraini low-cost carrier Bahrain Air.  

The Khartoum-based start up is also being backed by Bahraini investment house HMA and a Egyptian/Sudanese company AFAQ.  

Details of the start-up were given at the Bahrain Air Show this morning.  

“We will supply Blue Nile with "technical know-how and expertise", said Ibrahim Alhamer, the Manama-based airline’s managing director. The other investors have added some $20 million of capital which will enable the airline to launch services on domestic routes in Sudan and internationally to Egypt and the Gulf. He said Blue Nile could become the "airline of choice" in Sudan, adding: "Professionalism and safety will be our number one concerns."  

Speaking at the show, Abdulhakim Allawy, HM’s chairman and chief executive said Blue Nile is looking to acquire three more A320s this year, wet leased through Bahrain Air.  

The three could be from the six aircraft that Bahrain Air has signed a letter of intent to buy from Airbus, The airline was expected to convert that LOI into an order at the show but instead said any decision would wait until the second half of the year.

Alhamer said "Financing has been a strain, as it has been for lots of airlines, so we have pushed it back." He was asked if moving one of the aircraft to Sudan would cause pressue on Bahrain Air. "We think five aircraft is okay for 2010," he replied.

Meanwhile Allwy outlined the plan for Blue Nile. He said the vision for the start-up was to create "a regional carrier" for north east Africa. "It is a new concept for this part of the world. That is why we chose the generic name Blue Nile."  

Because of Western sanctions against the Sudanese government, manufacturers and lessors will not or cannot supply new or leased airliners or parts to the country.  

Allawy said this would not be an issue as the aircraft would be maintained at HM's subsidiary Gulf Aviation Technology in Bahrain.