Sudan’s Badr Airlines has recently appointed Network Airline Services (NAS) as its cargo GSA (General Sales and Service Agent) for the UK and Ireland. The move comes after the airline launched scheduled passenger flights between London Gatwick and Khartoum at the end of February 2023.
Badr Airlines, formerly known as Sarit Airlines, is currently the largest airline in Sudan. It operates a fleet of ten Boeing 737 aircraft, flying to neighboring countries as well as Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey.
NAS, a cargo GSSA and airline representative company, will sell Badr Airlines’ cargo capacity in the UK and Ireland. The airline’s direct flight between Europe and Sudan provides a vital link for shippers not only to Sudan but also to other destinations in need of additional capacity from Europe, such as Chad, Eritrea, South Sudan, and Ethiopia.
Badr Airlines’ Plans to Commence Flights to UK Gatwick Airport
Earlier in February, Badr Airlines announced plans to commence flights to London Gatwick Airport, with the first flight scheduled for February 24th. The route was scheduled to operate twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays, with a stopover in Istanbul on the way to London.
However, the airline was banned from flying to the UK by the UK Civil Aviation Authority. As a result, the flight to London Gatwick was operated by AirExplore, a Slovakian charter airline, on behalf of Badr Airlines. The airline’s Boeing 737-800 made a stopover in Istanbul for approximately three hours.
The return flight from London to Khartoum was non-stop, with a flight time of around 7 hours and 50 minutes. In 2019, about 33,000 passengers travelled from London to Khartoum with London being the unserved European market from Khartoum. Meanwhile the flight was scheduled to operate via Cairo, Egypt for fuel recharge but sometimes flew non-stop depending on the wind and payload.
Badr Airlines has made significant progress in expanding its operations, both in terms of passenger and cargo services. The appointment of NAS as its cargo GSSA in Europe will undoubtedly help the airline to grow its cargo business in the region. The airline’s indirect service between Sudan and the UK via Istanbul provides a vital link for passengers traveling between the two countries.
