Air Congo Unveils Kinshasa–Brussels Route Launching July 2026

Air Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s restructured national carrier, will begin five-weekly flights between Kinshasa and Brussels on 1 July 2026 – its first-ever route to Europe and a direct challenge to Brussels Airlines’ 15‑year dominance on the corridor.

The service will use Boeing 787-8 aircraft supplied by Ethiopian Airlines, which holds a 49% stake in Air Congo and manages its daily operations. The Congolese government owns the remaining 51%. Flights are scheduled to mirror Brussels Airlines’ timings: departing Kinshasa at 22:00 and arriving in Brussels at 07:00, with the return leg leaving at 10:00 and landing in Kinshasa shortly after 17:00.

The launch marks a historic return to European skies for a Congolese carrier. The original Air Congo (later Air Zaïre) operated long-haul flights, including Boeing 747s, until the mid‑1990s. The revived airline began domestic operations in December 2024 and has already captured 43% of the DRC’s domestic market. Regional international services to Johannesburg, Entebbe, Douala, Cotonou and Dar es Salaam launched earlier in 2026.

Air Congo currently operates five aircraft: two ATR 72-600s (recently added for domestic feeder routes) and three Boeing 737-800s for regional flights. The Kinshasa–Brussels route will be its first intercontinental operation.

A significant hurdle remains: all DRC‑based carriers, including Air Congo, are banned from EU airspace due to concerns over the Congolese aviation authority’s safety oversight. However, Ethiopian Airlines’ operational involvement – including maintenance and crew training – may help address European regulators’ concerns before July.

If approved, the route will offer an alternative to Brussels Airlines’ daily A330-300 service, which carried over 85,000 passengers on the route in 2025. For the DRC, the flight is a strategic move to restore national pride, attract diaspora investment and position Kinshasa as a Central African hub.