DIYAARADDA SOMALI AIRLINE YAA ISKALEH?

🇸🇴 The rise of Somali Airlines Somali Airlines was founded on 5 March 1964, only a few years after Somalia became independent and united in 1960. The Somali government initially partnered with Italy's Alitalia, with each holding 50% of the airline. Alitalia provided technical assistance during the early years. The airline began flying in July 1964, initially using aircraft such as the Douglas DC-3 and Cessna 180 to connect Somali cities. Its first international service was to Aden in 1965. ✈️ The 1970s — the beginning of the golden age During the 1970s, Somali Airlines became much more ambitious. It moved from small propeller aircraft toward modern jet aircraft. In 1974, it began using a Boeing 720B, including on international routes. It subsequently acquired additional Boeing 720s and ordered Boeing 707s. In 1977, the Somali government bought Alitalia's remaining shares, making Somali Airlines 100% state-owned. This period is particularly remembered because Somali Airlines connected Somalia not only with neighboring African countries but also with destinations in the Middle East and Europe. 🌍 The 1980s — Somali Airlines at its height The 1980s were arguably the airline's most impressive period. By 1980, its fleet included: Boeing 707-320Cs Boeing 720Bs Fokker F27s DC-3s Cessna aircraft By 1985, Somali Airlines employed about 714 people and operated international routes from Mogadishu and Berbera to places including Rome, Frankfurt, Cairo, Jeddah, Abu Dhabi and Nairobi. In 1987, the airline expanded further, opening services to Banjul and Conakry. It also ordered an Airbus A310-300, intended to replace its Boeing 707s on European and Middle Eastern routes. So, at its best, Somali Airlines was not simply a domestic carrier. Mogadishu was connected to a substantial international network stretching across Africa, the Middle East and Europe. 👨‍✈️ Somali pilots and aviation professionals Another important part of the story was the development of Somali aviation professionals. Former Somali Airlines pilot Captain Osman Aden Ibrahim Burale recalled that Somali military pilots were retrained and given civilian qualifications to fly for Somali Airlines. Somali pilots subsequently became an important part of the airline's operations. The airline therefore helped create a generation of Somali pilots, engineers, cabin crew and aviation specialists. 💔 What ended the golden era? The airline's history was closely connected to the country's political history. As Somalia entered severe political and security turmoil at the end of the 1980s, maintaining a large international airline became increasingly difficult. When the central government collapsed and civil war began in 1991, Somali Airlines ceased operations. That ended a remarkable 27-year period, from 1964 to 1991, during which Somali Airlines grew from a small domestic carrier into an internationally recognized flag carrier. 🇸🇴 Why older Somalis remember it with pride For many Somalis, Somali Airlines represents more than airplanes. It symbolizes a period when: Mogadishu → Rome Mogadishu → London Mogadishu → Frankfurt Mogadishu → Cairo Mogadishu → Jeddah Mogadishu → Nairobi Mogadishu → Abu Dhabi were all part of Somalia's international aviation story. Historical timetable archives preserve Somali Airlines schedules from the 1960s through the 1980s, showing how its network developed over time. In short: the good days of Somali Airlines were especially the 1970s and 1980s, when Somalia had a modern national airline, Boeing jets, international routes, Somali pilots and engineers, and direct connections to major cities in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Its shutdown in 1991 was therefore a major loss not just for aviation, but for Somalia's national infrastructure and international identity.