Bujumbura (Burundi) ↔ Freetown (Sierra Leone)

Bujumbura (Burundi) ↔ Freetown (Sierra Leone)

Route Status: Underserved
Route Type: Intra-African international
Region: East–West Africa

1. Demand & Passenger Traffic

• Current demand (2024): ~13,000 passengers/year
  
  

• Past demand (2022): ~12,378 passengers
  
  

• Forecast demand (2026): ~13,663 passengers
  
  

• Annual growth rate: ~2.5% CAGR
  
  

• Main traveler types: NGO staff, development contractors, diplomats, humanitarian workers
  
  

• Top O&D substitute cities: Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Casablanca, Abidjan
  
  

• Total travel time saved with direct flight: 15–25 hours per trip
  
  

• Average ticket cost (2024): $800–$1,100 round trip
  
  

2. Revenue Projections

• Estimated average yield: ~$185 per passenger
  
  

• Estimated annual route revenue: ~$2.4 million
  
  

• Potential net revenue after ops costs: ~$600K–1.1 million
  
  

• Pricing advantage: Reliable single-hop service for critical travel
  
  

• Seat load target: 53%+ breakeven on smaller regional aircraft
  
  

3. Economic Justification

• Burundi GDP growth: 3.8%
  
  

• Sierra Leone GDP growth: 2.9%
  
  

• Freetown: West African policy and humanitarian base
  
  

• Bujumbura: East African NGO coordination and regional agency center
  
  

• Frequent travel demand from UN, World Bank, ECOWAS, and IGAD affiliates
  
  

4. Aircraft & Operational Details

• Aircraft types: Dash 8 Q400, Embraer ERJ-145, ATR 72
  
  

• Flight time (direct): ~5hr 30min
  
  

• Range: Within limit for all listed aircraft
  
  

• Runway length: Adequate for turboprops and regional jets
  
  

5. Proposed Launch Strategy

• Initial frequency: 1–2x weekly
  
  

• Scaling target: 3x weekly if load factors exceed 60%
  
  

• Ideal timing: Midweek flights to match institutional travel patterns
  
  

• Feeder network: Taps into NGO traffic from Bujumbura, links Freetown with East Africa's humanitarian air flows
  
  

6. Strategic Value

• Quicker routing for aid groups and global agencies
  
  

• Connects two development-focused capitals
  
  

• Easier movement for peacekeeping and donor delegations
  
  

• Addresses a long-standing East–West air access gap
  
  

7. Recommended Airlines

• Ethiopian Airlines
  
  

• ASKY Airlines
  
  

• UT Air Express
  
  

• Air Burundi