Air Senegal and Asky Sign Codeshare Deal to Expand Regional Routes

AFRICAN BUSINESS AND ECONOMYJuly 17, 2025 at 4:36 PM UTC

TLDR

Air Senegal and Asky Airlines signed a codeshare agreement on July 17, 2025, to strengthen air connectivity across West and Central Africa
The deal allows each airline to sell seats on the other’s flights, expanding destination access for passengers
The agreement will expand from August 15 to include São Tomé, Kinshasa, Johannesburg, Luanda, Nairobi, Libreville, and Pointe-Noire

Air Senegal and Asky Airlines signed a codeshare agreement on July 17, 2025, to strengthen air connectivity across West and Central Africa. The deal allows each airline to sell seats on the other’s flights, expanding destination access for passengers.

Air Senegal can now offer tickets to cities operated by Asky, including Bissau, Lomé, Douala, N'Djamena, and Bangui. The deal also increases Air Senegal's frequency to Praia. In return, Asky will integrate Air Senegal destinations such as Nouakchott, Banjul, Casablanca, Paris, Praia, and Sal into its Lomé-based network.

The agreement will expand from August 15 to include São Tomé, Kinshasa, Johannesburg, Luanda, Nairobi, Libreville, and Pointe-Noire. Air Senegal began operations in 2018 and flies six aircraft to 13 destinations. Asky, launched in partnership with Ethiopian Airlines, is privately owned and serves around 30 destinations in 25 countries.

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Key Takeaways

The Air Senegal–Asky codeshare reflects a wider trend among African carriers seeking operational scale through alliances. Limited aircraft fleets, high operating costs, and regulatory hurdles often constrain growth across the continent. By partnering, airlines like Air Senegal and Asky can extend market reach without adding capacity. Similar moves have been made by Kenya Airways and South African Airways through the African Airlines Association and via bilateral MOUs. IATA estimates only 9% of African air traffic is intra-African, partly due to low connectivity. Strategic partnerships are seen as a workaround until broader initiatives like the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) take full effect. For West and Central Africa, this agreement offers more direct routes, reduced layovers, and a step toward integrating fragmented networks in the region.

Senegal

Air Senegal

Aviation

Asky Airlines