The return of Air Madagascar rekindles hope for a revival, despite heavy debts and financial difficulties. The challenge remains to regain the trust of travelers.
On October 31, 2026, the Malagasy national airline is set to officially return under its historic name, “Air Madagascar,” abandoning the commercial name “Madagascar Airlines,” which has been in use since 2021.
Founded in 1961 as Madair before adopting the name Air Madagascar in 1962, the company is attempting to reconnect with an identity rooted in collective memory after a decade of turbulence. For the company’s veterans, the contrast is painful. In the 1990s, under the leadership of the late René Rasata Rainiketamanga, Air Madagascar emerged from the red by focusing on training and human resources. A retired technician in Ivato recalls: “We had planes that left on time and crews trained locally. Today, my grandchildren only know the company through cancellations.”
Between 2002 and 2009, a partnership with Lufthansa Consulting helped turn the situation around, but the 2009 crisis, the 2011 European blacklist, and chronic instability led to a decline. In 2021, Madagascar Airlines was created to take over the business of Air Madagascar, which was placed under judicial reorganization. However, the company’s liabilities, estimated at around $100 million, remain a major obstacle.
The merger with Tsaradia reportedly increased the debt to $340 million by the end of 2023. Despite the “Phoenix 2030” plan supported by the World Bank, financial difficulties persist. Under the current management, the airline is attempting a gradual network recovery, including the reopening of the Antananarivo–Mahajanga–Moroni route and plans to resume flights to Reunion Island, Marseille, Bangkok, and Guangzhou.
General Manager Rado Rabarilala, appointed in May 2026, remains realistic: “If we are putting Air Madagascar back on track, it is not just a simple change of commercial signage. We plan to restore the national airline to its former strength. It is a recovery that will take time.”
Captured & Published at: 2026-10-31 05:54:13 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/10/transport-aerien-air-madagascar-le-pari.html
