Trans Air Benin was a Beninese airline that operated scheduled and charter passenger services. Established in November 2000, the carrier was headquartered in Cotonou and used Cadjehoun Airport as its primary hub. Trans Air Benin ceased operations in 2016.
History
The airline began operations shortly after its founding, initially employing a leased Boeing 737‑200 to conduct twice‑weekly round‑trip flights from Cotonou to Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, with an intermediate stop in Niamey, Niger. Throughout its existence, Trans Air Benin expanded its network to include several domestic and regional destinations across West and Central Africa.
Destinations
At its peak, the airline served a range of cities, including:
- Domestic: Natitingou, Parakou (International)
- Regional: Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire), Bamako (Mali), Brazzaville (Republic of Congo), Dakar (Senegal), Lomé (Togo), Pointe‑Noire (Republic of Congo)
Fleet
The carrier’s fleet comprised a mix of aircraft types, typically acquired on a lease basis. Known aircraft operated by Trans Air Benin included:
- 1 Antonov An‑24
- 1 Boeing 727
- 1 De Havilland Canada DHC‑6 Twin Otter
- 1 Let L‑410 Turbolet
Regulatory status
Trans Air Benin was listed among the air carriers prohibited from operating within the European Union, reflecting safety and regulatory concerns identified by EU authorities.
Closure
The airline discontinued all services in 2016, after approximately sixteen years of operation. The reasons for the cessation have not been publicly detailed in widely available sources.
See also
- List of defunct airlines of Benin
References
- “Trans Air Benin.” Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans_Air_Benin. Accessed 22 April 2026.
- European Commission, Regulation (EU) No 791/2010, establishing the list of air carriers banned within the EU.
Note: Information is drawn from publicly available encyclopedic sources; no additional independent verification was found.