Resumption of Air Travel Routes Between Algeria and Mali
Since April 2025, certain flights operated by Air France and Corsair connecting to West Africa had been rerouted, bypassing Algerian airspace. For instance, flights from Paris to Abidjan were redirected westward, traversing Spain, Morocco, and Mauritania before finally reaching their destination. This detour through Moroccan airspace added approximately 30 to 45 minutes to the usual flight duration. Consequently, this route not only increased fuel consumption and operational costs but also elevated the risks of delays. However, it positioned Morocco as a crucial transit point for several European connections to sub-Saharan Africa.
The rerouting stemmed from a diplomatic crisis initiated when the Algerian military destroyed a Malian drone. In response, Algeria had closed its airspace to flights originating from or destined for Mali. Bamako reciprocated by banning flights coming from Algeria, compelling airlines to alter their flight paths significantly.
Normalization of Air Relations
On July 10, 2026, Algeria and Mali took significant steps towards normalizing their air transport relations. Algeria reopened its airspace to all flights traveling to and from Mali, regardless of their international route. Mali reciprocated this decision, allowing civilian and military aircraft linked to Algeria to enter its airspace. This thaw in relations paves the way for the reinstatement of previous flight corridors that included crossings through Algeria and Mali. Airlines can now explore more direct flight plans to cities like Abidjan, Lomé, and Cotonou, rather than rerouting their aircraft through Morocco and the Atlantic coast.
However, the transition back to these traditional routes may not occur immediately. Each airline will need to consider flight overflight permissions, security assessments, and its own operational constraints. If the former routes are indeed reinstated, many of the aircraft that had been required to cross Moroccan airspace for the past fifteen months are expected to gradually cease their operations in that region.
As reported by bladi.net.
