Air Leone

Air Leone was a Sierra Leonean airline based in Freetown. Established in 1999, it operated regional passenger and cargo flights using Lungi International Airport as its operating base. The airline formed part of Sierra Leone's commercial aviation sector during a period when air transport connected the country with destinations in the wider West African region. Its business covered both scheduled or regional passenger activity and cargo carriage, although the available reference material does not identify its complete route network, ownership structure, management, or financial performance. Air Leone ceased operations and was shut down in 2005. At the time of closure, its reported fleet consisted of one Antonov An-28, one McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30, and one Yakovlev Yak-40. The aircraft mix combined smaller regional equipment with larger jet aircraft, reflecting the airline's passenger and cargo operating ambitions, but the available source does not provide detailed information on utilization, route assignments, or the precise chronology of fleet changes. Air Leone is therefore best understood as a defunct regional airline rather than an active international carrier. No current website, listed-company information, parent group, or surviving operating brand is identified in the supplied reference material.

Air Leone was founded in 1999 as an airline based in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Its operations were centered on Lungi International Airport, the principal airport serving the capital region. The carrier operated in two related aviation segments: regional passenger transportation and regional cargo carriage. This combination gave Air Leone a broader operating profile than an airline focused solely on passenger travel, although the available historical record does not specify the destinations served, flight schedules, cargo customers, or the regulatory and commercial arrangements under which the services were conducted. The source material also does not identify the airline's founder, corporate owner, senior executives, or any parent organization. During its operating period, Air Leone used a mixed fleet. At the time it closed, the reported fleet comprised one Antonov An-28, one McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30, and one Yakovlev Yak-40. The Antonov An-28 was a smaller turboprop aircraft suitable for regional operations, while the DC-9-30 and Yak-40 were jet aircraft associated with passenger service. The presence of these three aircraft types suggests that the airline maintained a varied fleet capable of serving different regional operating requirements, but the available reference does not establish which aircraft were active on particular routes or whether all were airworthy at the time of closure. Air Leone continued operating until 2005, when it was shut down. The supplied sources do not explain the immediate cause of the shutdown, provide financial results, or document a successor company. Following the closure, the brand became defunct. Its historical significance is limited to its role as a Sierra Leone-based regional passenger and cargo airline operating from the Freetown area during the late 1990s and early 2000s.

• 2005

  Operations end

  [1]Air Leoneen.wikipedia.org

  The airline is shut down after operating regional passenger and cargo flights from Lungi International Airport.

• 1999

  Air Leone is founded

  [1]Air Leoneen.wikipedia.org

  Air Leone begins operating as an airline based in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

A Sierra Leone-based regional carrier serving passenger and cargo aviation markets.

• Passenger aviation · 1999

  Regional passenger flights

  Air Leone operated regional passenger services from its Freetown base, using Lungi International Airport as its operating base. The available reference confirms the regional character of the service but does not provide a complete list of destinations, schedules, fare products, or cabin classes.

• Air cargo · 1999

  Regional cargo flights

  Cargo transportation was one of Air Leone's stated operating activities alongside passenger flying. The available source does not identify the cargo commodities carried, customer contracts, freight network, or whether cargo was transported in dedicated aircraft or in combination with passenger operations.

• Aircraft fleet

  Air Leone fleet

  At closure, the reported fleet consisted of one Antonov An-28, one McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30, and one Yakovlev Yak-40. These aircraft represented a mix of regional turboprop and jet equipment. The source does not provide registration numbers, acquisition dates, ownership details, or aircraft-by-aircraft operating histories.

• 2005

  Shutdown of the airlineStrategy

  Background

  Air Leone had operated regional passenger and cargo flights from Lungi International Airport since 1999.

  Action taken

  The airline was shut down and ceased operations.

  Aftermath

  Air Leone became a defunct airline. The available source does not state the reason for the shutdown or identify a successor.

  Source

• 2005

  Air Leone is shut down after operating regional services[1]Air Leoneen.wikipedia.org

  Bankruptcy

  Air Leone ceased operations in 2005, ending its regional passenger and cargo services from Sierra Leone.

1. 1Air Leoneen.wikipedia.org