OAG Travel News

Madagascar is the fourth-largest island in the world.  Situated in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa, Madagascar is approximately the size of France and is home to 20 million people. Madagascar is most well-known for its diverse ecology – the country is home to more than 250,000 species, of which 70 percent are found nowhere else on Earth.  As a result, Madagascar boasts numerous national parks, wildlife reserves and nature reserves.  Could its air service be equally as diverse?

Airports
Madagascar is home to 25 scheduled commercial service airports.  The largest airport – accounting for over 40 percent of the country’s total air service – is in the capital city of Antananarivo.  Seven airlines operate an average of 30 daily flights to 24 destinations from Antananarivo’s Ivato International Airport (TNR).  The second-busiest airport is located on Nosy Be, a small island just off the northwest coast of the main island.  Fascene Airport (NOS) in Nosy Be serves the largest and busiest tourist resort in Madagascar and accounts for nearly 10 percent of Madagascar’s total flights.

Airlines
Over 85 percent of Madagascar’s air service is on national carrier Air Madagascar.  Air Madagascar’s fleet consists of 11 aircraft which includes aircraft manufactured by Boeing, ATR and de Havilland.  Eight foreign-flag carriers provide the balance of air service to, from and within Madagascar: Air France, Air Austral, Air Italy, Air Mauritius, Comores Aviation, Corsair International, Kenya Airways and South African Airways.

Domestic & International Service
Nearly three of every four flights in Madagascar is domestic flight.  The country not only has varied geography, but a generally poor road infrastructure leading to the need for domestic flights to connect cities.  In addition, the main island is surrounded by smaller islands – such as Nosy Be – that require access by air.  Not surprisingly, Air Madagascar provides all of the domestic service, and the capital of Antananarivo accounts for one-third of Madagascar’s total domestic flights.

Six airports in Madagascar have nonstop flights to international destinations.  Again, the dominant airport is Ivato International in Antananarivo with service to nine international cities including Johannesburg, Paris (both Orly and DeGaulle airports), Marseille and Nairobi.  Nearly one-third of all international flights from Madagascar – not just Antananarivo – travel nonstop to St. Pierre on the island of Réunion located east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean.  Réunion is an overseas region of France and is part of the European Union.

The only two international cities not served from Antananarivo are Rome and Anjouan, Comoros.  Both cities are served nonstop from Nosy Be – Air Italy provides service to Rome, and Comores Aviation provides service to Moroni, Comoros.

Final Thoughts
As this quick analysis shows, Madagascar’s air service is not nearly as diverse as its ecology.  Nonetheless, it’s still near the top of my list as a place to visit!  For a map of Madagascar, follow this link: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/africa/madagascar/.


Source: Official Airline Guide (OAG) Schedule Tapes for July 2009 only, unless otherwise noted; flights include both departures and arrivals; Air Transport Intelligence; www.wildmadagascar.org; U.S. Department of State; Lonely Planet.                

Original article by Laura Jackson