Yemenia

Yemenia - Yemen Airways ( الخطوط الجوية اليمنية‎) is the national airline of Yemen, based in Sana'a. It operates scheduled domestic services as well as international services to more than 30 destinations in Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. Its main base is Sana'a International Airport, with a hub at Aden International Airport.

Yemenia is a member of the Arab Air Carriers Organization.

History

The airline was established on 4 August 1961 as Yemen Airlines and started operations in 1962. Its head office was in the Ministry of Communication Building in Sana'a. It was reorganized and renamed Yemen Airways in 1972, following nationalisation. The Yemenia name was adopted on 1 July 1978, following the joint establishment early in 1977 of a new airline by the governments of the Yemen Arab Republic, now Republic of Yemen, and Saudi Arabia.

In 1990, the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen joined the Yemen Arab republic to form one state. Yemenia merged with South Yemen's Yemen Airlines on 15 May 1996. Following the PDRY airline's merger with Yemenia, many employees lost their posts either through retirement or dismissal.

The airline is presently owned by the government of Yemen (51%) and the government of Saudi Arabia (49%).

In 2001, a fire burned the Yemenia headquarters in Sana'a.

On 20 January 2010, British prime minister Gordon Brown announced that, owing to concerns of terrorist activity in Yemen, flights between the UK and Yemen would be suspended for the foreseeable future. It is envisaged that these restrictions will be lifted when UK government advisers in Yemen are satisfied that the security situation has improved.