Camair-Co resumes int’l flights after several months of inactivity.

The crew, including pilots Alexandre Fochive, who is also Camair-Co’s Deputy Managing Director and Pascal Mbarga, had a hospitable welcome which was concluded with a press conference and a dinner.

Speaking during the press conference, the flight Captain, Alexandre Fochive, said it was imperative that Camair-Co returns to Cotonou.

“Our compatriots sometimes fly eight hours to get here as they pass through Kigali or Lomé before arriving in Cotonou. In an hour and a half, we are in Benin. We had to come back to transport our compatriots. The companies currently serving Cameroon are complaining,” Fochive stated. 

The Deputy Managing Director added that flights are expensive and they are already receiving good feedback that the return of Camair-Co internationally will solve a huge problem.

The next stop was Brazzaville, Congo on Saturday June 8. As the aircraft landed in Brazzaville, water jets were turned on to welcome it as it landed.

In Brazzaville, the Cameroonian delegation was received warmly by Cameroon’s Ambassador to Brazzaville, Louis-Marie Magloire Nkoum-Me-Ntseny.

The Ambassador said he was honoured to see a Cameroonian airline plane land at the Brazzaville international airport after a long time.

“This resumption was long-awaited, and it was with this grievance that I was welcomed here. This was one of the essential points of the letter of mission entrusted to me, to ensure that Cameroonian skies are connected to Congolese skies by direct flights and national airlines,” the diplomat revealed. 

The head of Cameroon’s diplomatic mission in Congo also pointed out that the two countries were champions of sub-regional integration and not a day goes by without important delegations wanting to leave Cameroon for Congo and vice versa.

“You can understand that in terms of bilateral ties, we are in the process of having a solution to a very important problem for us," the Ambassador remarked.

The next stop was in the Congolese economic city of Pointe-Noire, where the same emotions were shared. According to flight captain, Alexandre Fochive, it was the first time a Cameroonian aircraft had landed in the city.

Camair-Co's international return has pleased the company’s clients who say traveling out of the country will become less costly and much easier. 

“It’s a huge pleasure to fly Camair-Co again. The last time I flew on a Cameroonian aircraft was 40 years ago, in the days of Camair. I prefer flights with local companies because there is a huge difference in cost and booking a flight ticket is very easy,” said a Cameroonian living in Brazzaville.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post Issues No:3140 of Thursday June 13, 2024