L'Inter: Air Senegal, top sub-saharan airliner, Senegalese president says

Air Senegal, born out of partnership with Morocco's carrier (RAM), is today the top Sub-Saharan airliner, achieving in three years what had been projected in five, said Senegalese President Abdullaye Wade.

"When elected at the presidency of state, I was ready to sell Air Senegal at a symbolic Franc to get rid of it as a matter of fact, until I met the Moroccans and we both decided to launch this company that's today the top Sub-Saharan airliner," said Wade in an interview published Wednesday by Ivorian daily "L'Inter."

While underlining the successful performance posted by the company, as a result of a fruitful cooperation between Morocco and Senegal, Wade deplored a "lack of management, dishonesty and squandering" that had plagued "Air Afrique" company before partnership with Moroccan RAM. This situation led to halting this company's activity. Air Afrique is no longer operating in African skies.

Air Senegal International (ASI) is a Moroccan-Senegalese air company in which Moroccan state-owned company, Royal Air Maroc, holds 51% of its capital.

ASI posted sales of 11 billion CFA in 2001 (655.9 CFA Frances equal one Euro) and was expecting 26 billion by the end of 2002.

The company which started its activities in February 2001 will also be servicing, starting this January, using the code-share formula, the Dakar-New York and Dakar-Johannesburg routes.