Burundi's national carrier, formed by a government decision of 4 February 2021 by merging the assets of the former Air Burundi with the ground handling company SOBUGEA, with the government holding 92 percent. Its head office is at 13 Commerce Avenue, Bujumbura, and its main base is Bujumbura International Airport. The company took over Air Burundi's status as carrier and SOBUGEA's airport ground handling and cargo assistance capability. The published fleet is one MA60 turboprop in service and one on order, and no IATA two-letter or ICAO three-letter code is published. No direct cargo flights between mainland China and Burundi are published, so Chinese cargo usually connects through an East African or Middle Eastern hub to Bujumbura before distribution.
Chinese-language service provider: Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited, handling booking, customs declaration and end-to-end logistics for international air freight, on routes from China to Africa and all major continents.
Burundi Airlines is the national carrier of Burundi. It was formally established on 4 February 2021 by merging the assets of the former national carrier Air Burundi, which had stopped flying in 2009, with SOBUGEA, the airport ground handling and facility maintenance company owned by the Burundian government; the merged entity formed the government's contribution to the new company. The government holds 92 percent, with the remaining 8 percent split equally between a company linked to the Belgian airline SABENA and the state insurer SOCABU, at 4 percent each. Head office and main base are in Bujumbura, at Bujumbura International Airport (Melchior Ndadaye International Airport, BJM/HBBA).
The company's formation came from two cabinet meetings. On 26 May 2020 the cabinet put reviving national air transport on its agenda; on 28 December 2020 it decided to merge Air Burundi's assets with SOBUGEA's to form the government's 92 percent contribution to Burundi Airlines, and the company was established in February 2021. This path shaped its early profile: rebuilding passenger capacity takes time, while airport ground handling, cargo assistance and support capability came directly with SOBUGEA and became the most immediately practical part of the business.
On fleet, public sources list one MA60 turboprop in service and one on order; the type is a 52-seat twin-engine regional turboprop. The former Air Burundi took delivery of its first MA60 in June 2012 from AVIC International and Xi'an Aircraft International, and that aircraft became the basis for rebuilding capacity. At formation the company stated publicly that it would start operations with these aircraft and add more as demand required.
On codes and trading name, public sources list no IATA two-letter code, ICAO three-letter code, radio call sign, air waybill prefix or settlement code, which distinguishes it from the 8Y/PBU codes retained by the former Air Burundi. Chinese shippers should note the difference on documents and bookings: code succession follows the carrier's current publication, and tendering must use the name and document format given by the carrier and its authorized agents.
On China-related records, public sources list no route to mainland China or Hong Kong and no own office in China. Burundi is a landlocked East African country and no direct cargo flights between mainland China and Burundi are published; the usual path is from a Chinese airport to Addis Ababa, Nairobi or a Middle Eastern hub, then on East African regional capacity to Bujumbura, and finally by road to inland destinations. Burundi Airlines sits at the arrival end as carrier and ground handler, not as a provider of mainline capacity from China to East Africa.
| Airline | Burundi Airlines |
| Company type | National carrier, 92 percent government-owned |
| Country | Burundi |
| Global headquarters | 13 Commerce Avenue, Bujumbura, Burundi |
| Hub airport | Bujumbura International Airport (BJM/HBBA, Melchior Ndadaye International Airport) |
| Year established | 4 February 2021 (formed by merging Air Burundi's assets with SOBUGEA) |
| Shareholding | Government of Burundi 92%; Belgian company linked to SABENA 4%; state insurer SOCABU 4% |
| IATA two-letter code | Not listed in public sources |
| ICAO three-letter code | Not listed in public sources |
| Radio call sign | Not listed in public sources |
| Air waybill prefix | No publicly available information that can be cross-checked |
| Official lookup website | burundiairlines.bi |
| Aircraft type | MA60 turboprop, published reference seating 52 |
| Cargo aircraft | Public sources list one MA60 in service and one on order; no freighter listed |
| China services | No China routes or directly owned China office are publicly listed |
Compiled from public information. Formation and operating arrangements may change; the carrier's latest publication prevails.
Through the merged SOBUGEA the company inherited cargo assistance capability at Bujumbura airport, covering coordination of aircraft arrival, loading and terminal work for inbound cargo flights, and it is the direct ground contact for cargo arriving through Bujumbura.
SOBUGEA was the government-owned ground handling and airport maintenance company; once its ground handling capability was merged into the airline, the company can handle arrival and departure ground work for other carriers operating at Bujumbura International Airport.
Public sources list airport facility maintenance within SOBUGEA's scope; that function came into the company with the merger and complements ground handling, and it bears on the availability of cargo terminal space and apron resources at Bujumbura.
The company was formed on the assets of the former national carrier Air Burundi and inherited its carrier status and traffic rights base, which provides the institutional basis for opening scheduled passenger and belly cargo routes; the actual launch follows current publication.
Role note: ground handling and cargo assistance at the airport were folded into the company at formation, so its place in the chain is first as a support provider at Bujumbura airport and as the carrier at the arrival end. For Chinese cargo destined to Burundi the mainline must be flown by another carrier with East African capacity, and terminal and ground work after arrival at Bujumbura is taken up by the company and the relevant ground agents. Volume decisions and transit planning must be judged separately for each combination of mainline flight and ground support capability.
The fleet is small: public sources list one MA60 regional turboprop in service and one on order. The MA60 is a twin-engine turboprop with a high wing and published reference seating of 52, suited to short sectors and runways with limited conditions in inland East Africa. It is the same type Air Burundi received in 2012, and at formation the company stated that it would start operations with these aircraft and add more as demand required. Air Burundi also operated Caravelle, DC-3, DHC-6 Twin Otter and Beech 1900 types over more than half a century; these historical types are not part of the current fleet.
| Aircraft type | Number | Category | Platform characteristics (public reference values) | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MA60 | 1 in service | Twin-engine turboprop | High-wing layout, 52 seats, same type Air Burundi received in 2012 | East African regional sectors and belly cargo |
| MA60 | 1 on order | Twin-engine turboprop | Same type; delivery timing per public sources | Additional capacity |
| Beechcraft 1900C | Historical aircraft | Twin-engine turboprop | 19 seats, used during the Air Burundi period | No longer in the current fleet |
The table is compiled from public sources; platform characteristics are published reference values for the type and not the cargo capacity of a specific aircraft. Availability, airworthiness status and whether cargo can be carried must be confirmed with the carrier shipment by shipment.
The chart compares published fleet numbers. The small fleet is the basic premise for judging whether the carrier can take bulk cargo.
| Suitable stages | Ground handling at Bujumbura for freighter flights and belly cargo, including aircraft arrival, loading and cargo terminal coordination |
| Cargo types handled | Mechanical and electrical products, pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, project spares and relief goods arriving in Bujumbura via an East African hub |
| Carrier role | Published information describes it as a carrier at the arrival end with cargo assistance and ground handling, and does not list current self-operated scheduled cargo flights |
| Temperature-controlled cargo types | Public sources do not list a separate temperature-controlled zone, so each shipment must be confirmed individually |
| Available capacity | The fleet is one MA60 in service and one on order; availability must be confirmed per shipment |
| Out-of-gauge cargo | Cargo beyond hold dimensions or piece weight limits cannot be loaded; provide pieces, weight and dimensions in advance for review by the carrier or ground agent |
The chart shows published reference seat counts for the aircraft types involved, which illustrates the difference in seating class between them. The figures are type reference values, not the cargo capacity of an individual aircraft; usable payload has to be calculated after deducting fuel and passenger weight on the flight.
Public sources list no routes operated by the company in mainland China or Hong Kong, and no directly owned office in China. No direct freighter service between mainland China and Burundi is publicly listed.No public information availableCargo originating in China usually transits via Addis Ababa, Nairobi or a Middle East hub to Bujumbura before onward distribution.
Head office and main base are at Bujumbura International Airport (BJM/HBBA), in Bujumbura, Burundi's economic centre and largest city. The runway is asphalt, 3,600 m long, and takes turboprops and narrowbodies. The company handles ground services, cargo assistance and facility maintenance there, with terminal work and apron resources supported jointly with the airport operator.
Through the merged SOBUGEA the company inherited ground handling, cargo assistance and airport facility maintenance, and continues the base Air Burundi had in providing ground services to carriers such as Ethiopian Airlines and RwandAir. Ground work for cargo flights arriving at the airport is handled by the company and the relevant ground agents.
| Destinations | Airport code | Country | Service type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bujumbura | BJM | Burundi | Main base, ground handling center and company headquarters |
| Kigali | KGL | Rwanda | East African connection point, served by carriers with regional capacity |
| Entebbe | EBB | Uganda | East African connection point, connects to onward movement toward Uganda |
| Dar es Salaam | DAR | Tanzania | East African connection point for transit toward the Indian Ocean |
| Nairobi | NBO | Kenya | East African hub gateway and a common transit point for Chinese cargo |
| Addis Ababa | ADD | Ethiopia | East African hub gateway; scheduled services to Bujumbura connect through this hub |
| Kinshasa direction | — | Democratic Republic of the Congo | Regional connection point; public sources do not list the specific airport code |
| Mainland China and Hong Kong | — | China | No public information on freight flights |
Point details compiled from public sources; times are local. Schedules and capacity at regional connection points are published by the operating carrier and confirmed on the booking date.
Burundi is a landlocked East African country and the company does not operate routes to China, so Chinese cargo reaches Burundi in two stages: the first leg from a Chinese airport through an East African or Middle Eastern hub, then regional capacity to Bujumbura, with ground work after arrival taken up by Burundi Airlines and the relevant ground agents. The value of this structure is at the arrival end: handing cargo that arrives through the hub smoothly to the terminal, completing ground work before and after clearance, and distributing inland.
Operational note:For traffic to East Africa or the Middle East we match capacity with the main carrier on the relevant route. For cargo destined to Burundi, confirm the final delivery city and individual piece dimensions at booking stage, and confirm ground handling on the arrival leg; we quote on a single basis and handle customs declaration and the handover between legs.
| Corporate headquarters | 13 Commerce Avenue, Bujumbura, Burundi |
| Company telephone | +257 22 269 404 |
| Business email | info@burundiairlines.bi |
| Official lookup website | burundiairlines.bi |
| Carrier code | No IATA two-letter or ICAO three-letter code is published |
| Scope of cover | Ground handling, cargo assistance and airport facility maintenance at Bujumbura International Airport |
| Corporate history | Formed in February 2021 by merging the assets of Air Burundi with the ground handling company SOBUGEA; functions follow the company's current publication |
| China contact | No China office is publicly listed. Contact the airline's local agent in China, or ask us to coordinate on your behalf.No public information available |
| Information note | Contact details and office hours may change, so check the carrier's latest publication before handover |
The company has no published own office in China and no published IATA or ICAO code, so a Chinese shipper cannot easily book with it directly from within China. A local Chinese agent can handle booking and export declaration for the first-leg mainline and regional sectors, and coordinate with the Burundian ground agent for arrival ground work and inland distribution. A forwarder familiar with African lanes adds value mainly in the following:
The company is a national carrier 92 percent owned by the Government of Burundi, established by legislation and cabinet decision, and inherited the traffic rights base of the former national carrier, so its support role at Bujumbura airport rests on an institutional basis.
The company was formed from the former carrier's assets and the ground handling company, so carrier status and airport ground capability sit in one body, which concentrates coordination for transit support and helps shorten time on the apron and in the terminal at the arrival end.
Public sources list the company as able to provide cargo assistance for scheduled and non-scheduled cargo flights, covering coordination of aircraft arrival and loading, which makes it the direct ground contact for cargo arriving through Bujumbura.
Airport facility maintenance came into the company with SOBUGEA and complements ground handling; it bears on the availability of terminal space and apron resources and removes one external coordination step from the support chain.
Air Burundi's ground handling customers included Ethiopian Airlines and RwandAir, the main regional carriers into Bujumbura. The company continues that business base, and its relationship with regional capacity directly affects how arrival work is scheduled.
Public sources list one MA60 in service and one on ordera limited scale, with no freighter and no IATA or ICAO code published; it has no independent mainline capacity and is not suited to carrying bulk cargo.
Applicability: the strengths are carrier status and ground support at the arrival end at Bujumbura airport, that is cargo assistance, ground handling and facility maintenance together. For bulk cargo to Burundi we normally use other carriers for the mainline from China to an East African or Middle Eastern hub, a carrier with East African capacity for the hub-to-Bujumbura sector, and the company plus ground agents for arrival work, with costs calculated by stage.
Bujumbura International Airport sits in Burundi's economic centre, with an asphalt runway 3,600 m long and 45 m wide. The airport lies on the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika, close to the city, so road distances for distribution to the city and surrounding areas are short, which suits regional cargo on turboprops and narrowbodies.
Burundi is a landlocked East African country; surface access for imports and exports runs mainly through the corridor to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and the corridors via Rwanda and Uganda. Air access is concentrated at Bujumbura International Airport, with connections through hubs such as Addis Ababa and Nairobi, so time-critical cargo keeps a steady share on air.
No direct cargo flights between mainland China and Burundi are published, and no scheduled freighter service is published locally; air cargo moves mainly in the belly holds of scheduled passenger flights. Cargo from China usually goes first from a Chinese airport to Addis Ababa, Nairobi or a Middle Eastern hub and then by air to Bujumbura; ground work at arrival is taken up by Burundi Airlines and the relevant ground agents.
On the published trade structure, Chinese exports to East African countries are mainly mechanical and electrical products, building materials, light consumer goods and construction machinery parts, while imports are mainly minerals, agricultural produce and coffee. Air cargo arriving in Bujumbura is largely engineering spares, pharmaceuticals and relief supplies, and piece size and weight must match belly hold and road transport limits.
After booking confirmation, submit the air waybill consignee details, commercial invoice and packing list as the carrier requires. For cargo delivered beyond Bujumbura, state the final city and unloading arrangements in the plan and confirm the consignee can clear customs and move cargo locally; our quotation itemizes export clearance at origin, mainline air freight, the regional sector and delivery at destination.
Public sources list no IATA two-letter or ICAO three-letter code for Burundi Airlines, and the relationship between the 8Y/PBU codes retained by Air Burundi and the new company follows the carrier's current publication. Before tendering cargo, Chinese shippers should verify current channels, document names and code information through official contacts or through us, so that changed details do not affect the shipment.
Burundi Airlines is the national carrier of Burundi, formed on 4 February 2021 by merging the assets of Air Burundi with the ground handling company SOBUGEA, with the government holding 92 percent and head office and main base in Bujumbura. The company inherited the former national carrier's traffic rights base and its airport ground handling and cargo assistance capability.
No IATA two-letter code, ICAO three-letter code or radio call sign is published, and no verifiable air waybill prefix or settlement code is available. The base airport code is BJM and the ICAO airport code is HBBA. Before booking, check current codes and settlement details with the carrier or its authorized agent.
Public sources list no routes operated by the company in mainland China or Hong Kong, and no directly owned China office. No direct freighter service between mainland China and Burundi is publicly listed; Chinese shippers can contact its local agent in China or ask us to coordinate.
Through the merged SOBUGEA the company inherited ground handling, cargo assistance and airport facility maintenance, and can handle arrival and departure ground work for other carriers at Bujumbura International Airport and coordinate aircraft arrival for cargo flights. Arrival arrangements for cargo flights should be confirmed in advance with the carrier and ground agent.
Public sources list one MA60 turboprop in service and one on order, with published reference seating of 52 and no freighter. Availability, airworthiness status and whether cargo can be carried must be confirmed with the carrier shipment by shipment, and bulk capacity should not be assumed.
Arrival handling is arranged by flight batch and cargo type: regular belly cargo can arrive on scheduled passenger flights and be handed over at the cargo terminal, while non-scheduled freighter flights should have arrival slots and unloading agreed with the ground agent in advance; distribution to inland cities is mainly by road, with road conditions and vehicle loading capacity checked at the same time.
Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited is based in Shenzhen, China, and specializes in international air freight from China to Africa and major markets worldwide. We design air freight plans to Burundi and East Africa, with departure from major Chinese airports, connection through Addis Ababa, Nairobi or a Middle Eastern hub to Bujumbura, and arrival support and inland road distribution through Burundi Airlines and the relevant ground agents, covering quoting, export declaration, air freight, customs clearance and delivery. Routing options and rates are available on request.
Disclaimer:Prepared by Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited (Goodhope Freight). Airline names, codes, trademarks and brand marks mentioned here belong to their respective owners. We are an independent international freight forwarder and have no affiliation, agency or investment relationship with this airline. The information is compiled from public sources for reference only and does not form a contract of carriage or a service commitment. Space, rates and schedules are subject to actual confirmation by the carrier or its authorized agent on the day of booking.