List of government-owned airlines
Overview of government-owned airlines
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The following is a list of government-owned airlines. The practice of government ownership of airlines, particularly flag carrier airlines, occurs in many countries. The following is a list of both airlines currently owned by a government, and former government-owned airlines.
Current government-owned airlines
List of former government-owned airlines
This is a list of airlines which were formerly government owned. They have since been privatized or have ceased operations.
| Airline | Country | End of government ownership |
Fate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adria Airways |  Slovenia |
2019 | Bankrupt |
| Aer Lingus |  Ireland |
2015 | Ryanair & Government held shares sold to IAG |
| Albanian Airlines |  Albania |
1995 | |
| Austrian Airlines |  Austria |
2009 | |
| Armenian Airlines |  Armenia |
2003 | |
| Aero Caribbean |  Cuba |
2015 | Merged into Cubana[39] |
| Aeroflot-Cargo |  Russian Federation |
2010 | Merged with Aeroflot |
| Aeroméxico |  Mexico |
2007 | Privatized |
| Aerotaxi | Cuba |
2009 | Ceased operations |
| Air Bissau |  Guinea-Bissau |
1998 | Liquidated[40] |
| Air Burundi |  Burundi |
2009 | Ceased operations[41] |
| Air Gabon |  Gabon |
2006 | Bankrupt |
| Air Guinée |  Guinea |
1992 | Privatized 1992, dissolved 2002 |
| Air India |  India |
2021 | Privatized |
| Air Ivoire |  Ivory Coast |
2011 | Ceased operations |
| Air Jamaica |  Jamaica |
2011 | Sold to Caribbean Airlines 2011, ceased operations 2015 |
| Air Liberia |  Liberia |
1990 | Ceased trading |
| Air Malawi |  Malawi |
2013 | Voluntary liquidation |
| Air Mali (1960-89) |  Mali |
1989 | Shut down[42] |
| Air Niger |  Niger |
1993 | Ceased operations[43] |
| Air Rwanda |  Rwanda |
2002 | Taken over by and rebranded to RwandAir |
| Air Sénégal International |  Senegal |
2009 | Operations suspended[44] |
| Air Vanuatu |  Vanuatu |
2024 | Ceased trading[45] |
| Air Zaïre |  Zaire |
1995 | Bankrupt[46] |
| Alitalia |  Italy |
2021 | Bankrupt and rebranded to ITA Airways[47] |
| Berkut Air |  Kazakhstan |
2011 | Rebranded |
| British Airways |  United Kingdom |
1987 | Privatised[48] |
| Cabo Verde Airlines |  Cabo Verde |
2019 | Privatized[49] |
| Cameroon Airlines |  Cameroon |
2008 | Ceased operations |
| Cyprus Airways (1947–2015) |  Cyprus |
2015 | Bankruptcy |
| Czech Airlines |  Czech Republic |
2024 | Shut down |
| Donavia | Russia |
2016 | Merged with Rossiya Airlines |
| Ecuato Guineana |  Equatorial Guinea |
~ 2007 | Unknown |
| Eurocypria Airlines | Cyprus |
2010 | Bankruptcy[50] |
| Gambia Airways |  Gambia |
1996 | Bankrupt |
| Gambia International Airlines | 2007 | Shut down | |
| Ghana Airways |  Ghana |
2004 | Ceased operations |
| Guine Bissau Airlines | Guinea Bissau |
2003 | |
| Iberia (airline) |  Spain |
2001 | Privatized |
| Indian Airlines | India |
2011 | Ceased operations |
| Japan Airlines |  Japan |
1987 | Privatized[51] |
| Korean Air |  South Korea |
1969 | Privatized |
| LAN Chile |  Chile |
1994 | Privatized |
| Lina Congo |  Republic of Congo |
2002 | Dissolved |
| Lufthansa |  Germany |
1994 | Privatized[52] |
| Merpati Nusantara Airlines |  Indonesia |
2014 | Ceased operations |
| Nordica |  Estonia |
2019 | Privatized, then Ceased operations in 2024 |
| Norfolk Air |  / Norfolk Island, Australia |
2011 | Ceased operations[53] |
| NorOntair |  / Ontario, Canada |
1996 | Ceased operations[54] |
| Olympic Airlines |  Greece |
2009 | Shut down |
| Pakistan International Airlines |  Pakistan |
2026 | Privatized |
| Qantas | Australia |
1992 | Privatized[55] |
| Royal Swazi National Airways |  Eswatini |
1999 | Ceased operations |
| Sierra National Airlines |  Sierra Leone |
2004 | Ceased operations[56] |
| Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) |  Denmark Sweden Norway |
2001 | Since 2001, +50% stocks are publicly traded. The Norwegian government confirmed it sold its stake in 2018.[57] In 2024, the Norwegian government once again received a stake, when SAS used stocks to repay part of a 2020 loan.[58] Government stakes remain: 14.24% (Danish government)[59] |
| South Africa Express |  South Africa |
2020 | Liquidated[60] |
| South African Airways | South Africa |
2022 | Privatized[citation needed] |
| Kenya Airways |  Kenya |
1996 | Government owns minority stake (48.9%)[61] |
| TAME |  Ecuador |
2020 | Liquidated[62] |
| TANS Perú |  Peru |
2006 | Shut down[63] |
| Toumaï Air Tchad |  Chad |
2012 | Ceased operations[64] |
| Uganda Airlines (1976-2001) |  Uganda |
2001 | Liquidated[65] |
| Ukraine International Airlines |  Ukraine |
2011 | Privatized |
| Ukrainian Cargo Airways | Ukraine |
2009 | Shut down[66] |
| Varig |  Brazil |
1999 | |
| Royal Tongan Airlines |  Tonga |
2004 | |
| Zambia Airways |  Zambia |
1994 | Ceased operations[67] |
