Captain Samir M. Al Sayed Al Hashemi, chairman and chief executive officer of Legacy Aviation, an aviation consulting firm, is organising start-up funds of up to $40 million (Dh146.8 million) to kick-start a new airline in April 2012 for South Sudan, and sees the return on investment as being in the double to triple range.
The airline is being set up in partnership with investors from South Sudan. They have already deployed a Boeing 727 aircraft and negotiations are ongoing for a number of 737-400s.
The airline, the first private carrier for the nine-month-old country, will be based in Juba Airport — the only international airport in the country where there is a plan to upgrade facilities and expand the runaway to handle larger aircraft.
Captain Al Hashemi said his company is mobilising resources for a US and a Spanish company to build a hangar that will take care of light maintenance of the airline's fleet. One of Juba Air's first destinations will be Dubai.
New Airline for South Sudan next month with help from the UAE
