Air Senegal signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Tuesday for the acquisition of eight Airbus A220-300 aircrafts.

The MoU was signed at the Dubai Airshow in the presence of Senegal's Minister of Tourism and Transport Senegal, HE Alioune SARR.

With deliveries expected to begin in 2021, the deal is expected to enable the national carrier to venture into more routes internationally as it continues its quest to become a bigger player in the international aviation sector.

"These new 220 aircrafts will contribute to develop our long-haul network to Europe and our regional network in Africa. Combined with our recent A330neo aircraft, this new Airbus fleet reveals Air Senegal's ambition to offer the best travel experience for our passengers," said Ibrahima Kane, Air Senegal's CEO.

On his part, the Chief Commercial officer Airbus, Christian Scherer, said the Airbus A220-300 aircrafts offer low operating costs, making them a good choice for Air Senegal which is still growing.

"The number of A220s operation on the African continent is steadily growing and we are proud to add Senegal’s new flag carrier in our list of A220 African customers. Offering the lowest operating costs in its category, the A220 is the best aircraft for airlines to launch new domestic and international routes efficiently." he said.

Air Senegal was founded in 2016 and flies to limited destinations due to the small fleet it currently has.

Source: Airbus