Khalifa Airways

Khalifa Airways (Arabic: الخطوط الجوية الخليفة‎) was a passenger and cargo airline based in Algiers, Algeria which was founded in June 1999 by Rafik Khalifa and ceased flying in 2003.

History

The airline was founded in June 1999 (1999-06). Authorisation to launch services was given by the government in August 1999 (1999-08); operations started that month. A Boeing 737-400 was leased from Pegasus Airlines late that year.

In 2001, Khalifa Airways ordered three Airbus A340-300 aircraft, along with five A330-200s and ten A320s, scheduled for delivery in 2004.

Khalifa Airways had stopped most flying by mid-March 2003 after it failed to meet lease payments. In the Arab press that month it was reported that the airline was only operating "a dozen aircraft at the most," out of the 30 it previously had in its fleet. Lufthansa and Pegasus Airways (4 Boeing 737s) reclaimed their leased aircraft, and aircraft on order were cancelled. The Bank of Algeria had appointed an administrator to manage the affairs of Khalifa Bank (also owned by Abdelmoumene Rafik Khalifa), thus denying funds to the airline to meet lease and insurance payments. By April 2003, the 8 remaining aircraft were grounded as insurance contracts expired. The airline was liquidated by a French court on 10 July 2003 after it failed to make an EUR 5 million payment to creditors.