Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire) ↔ Douala (Cameroon)

Abidjan ↔ Douala

Route Status: Unserved
Route Type: Intra-African international
Region: West–Central Africa

1. Demand & Passenger Traffic

• Current demand (2024): ~88,000 passengers/year
  
  

• Past demand (2022): ~83,853 passengers
  
  

• Forecast demand (2026): ~92,252 passengers
  
  

• Annual growth rate: ~2.5% CAGR
  
  

• Main traveler types: Business, diplomatic, logistics, NGO, diaspora
  
  

• Top O&D substitute cities: Accra, Addis Ababa, Casablanca, Paris
  
  

• Total travel time saved with direct flight: 5–8 hours per trip
  
  

• Average ticket cost (2024): $700–$1,100 round trip
  
  

2. Revenue Projections

• Estimated average yield: ~$111 per passenger
  
  

• Estimated annual route revenue: ~$9.8 million
  
  

• Potential net revenue after ops costs: ~$2.7–4.2 million
  
  

• Pricing advantage: Non-stop fares could drop by 25–35%
  
  

• Seat load target: 65%+ breakeven within first 9–12 months
  
  

3. Economic Justification

• Côte d’Ivoire GDP growth: 6.2%
  
  

• Cameroon GDP growth: 3.9%
  
  

• Abidjan is a financial and shipping hub for West Africa
  
  

• Douala handles most of Cameroon’s imports and exports
  
  

• Both cities link major trade corridors between ECOWAS and CEMAC
  
  

• Traffic includes goods, banking, shipping, and government contracts
  
  

• Regional tourism interest in coastal cities and forest reserves is growing
  
  
  

4. Aircraft & Operational Details

• Aircraft types: Embraer E195-E2, A220-300, A320neo
  
  

• Flight time (direct): ~3hr 30min
  
  

• Range: Fully suitable for narrow-body aircraft
  
  

• Runway length: Both airports meet aircraft handling requirements for 120–160 seat jets
  
  

5. Proposed Launch Strategy

• Initial frequency: 3x weekly
  
  

• Scaling target: 5x weekly or daily if load factor exceeds 70% after 9 months
  
  

• Ideal timing: Late afternoon departures to align with ECOWAS business travel
  
  

• Feeder network: Connects with regional traffic from Bamako, Accra, Libreville, and Brazzaville
  
  

6. Strategic Value

• ECOWAS and CEMAC link with no direct air route
  
  

• Long overnight layovers on current options
  
  

• High volume of regional business and cargo flow
  
  

• Frequent travel by aid workers, consultants, and officials
  
  

• Missed economic opportunity between two major cities
  
  

• No consistent airline presence across both markets

7. Recommended Airlines

• Air Côte d’Ivoire (home carrier with regional growth plans)
  
  

• ASKY Airlines (strong in Togo–Côte d’Ivoire and westward ops)
  
  

• RwandAir (for long-haul to West Africa via Kigali)
  
  

Camair-Co (opportunity for strategic revival)