Air transport: First Lady Dominique OUATTARA takes delivery of Air Côte d’Ivoire’s new A330neo
On Wednesday, September 3, 2025, in Toulouse, France, the national airline Air Côte d’Ivoire took delivery of its very first Airbus A330-900neo aircraft. The ceremony was a pleasant, colorful, and emotional event attended by Mrs. Dominique OUATTARA, First Lady of Côte d’Ivoire, accompanied by Minister of Transport Amadou KONE, Minister of Communication Amadou COULIBALY, and Minister of Culture and Francophonie Françoise REMARCK.
On this occasion, the First Lady was pleased at this solemn moment, which she said marked a memorable page in the history of Ivorian aviation. “For the first time in its history, our country has acquired a latest-generation, energy-efficient, connected wide-body aircraft that offers passengers a level of travel comfort worthy of the world’s leading airlines,” said Mrs. Dominique Ouattara. She went on to emphasize that this new airline will improve access to Côte d’Ivoire and facilitate travel for the Ivorian people to other continents. “It opens up many opportunities, especially for our young entrepreneurs,” she insisted.
As for the Minister of Transport, Amadou KONE, he took this opportunity to pay tribute to the President of the Republic, His Excellency Alassane OUATTARA, for his enlightened leadership and vision, which have enabled Côte d’Ivoire to regain its place in the concert of nations and increase its attractiveness. “Air Côte d’Ivoire benefits from an environment conducive to its development. That is why, after its launch only 13 years ago, on May 12, 2012, Air Côte d’Ivoire has been the leading airline in West Africa for several years, accounting for more than half of the total passenger traffic,” said Minister Amadou KONE, while pointing out that the airline’s launch of long-haul flights is part of an initial deployment plan, not only to support the country’s economic progress but also to consolidate the economic viability of Air Côte d’Ivoire.
Before the Minister of Transport, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Air Côte d’Ivoire, General Abdoulaye COULIBALY, and the President for Africa and the Caribbean, Mr. Gabriel Semelas, highlighted the features of the new aircraft, which is well suited to the realities and ambitions of Côte d’Ivoire. The Airbus A330-900neo has 242 passenger seats distributed as follows: 4 in First Class, 44 in Business Class, 21 in Premium Class, and 173 in Economy Class. It also has a large-capacity baggage hold.
The flagship of the long-haul range, the A330-900neo is renowned for its energy efficiency and environmental performance. It offers superior comfort for passengers, with state-of-the-art onboard systems.