Madagascar Airlines (MGY, Antananarivo) has resumed direct flights between Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Antananarivo through a new codeshare agreement with Air France. The service officially restarted on February 4, following the signing of a special prorate agreement (SPA) between the two airlines in October 2024.
Flights will operate four to five times per week during the IATA winter 2024 season, with Air France operating the route using a Boeing 777-200ER. The agreement synchronizes flight schedules to improve connectivity for passengers, with onward connections from Antananarivo to regional destinations including Nosy-Be, Tulear, Tamatave, Sainte Marie, Tolanaro, and Majunga. Passengers departing from Paris will have access to ten onward destinations, including Marseilles, Lyon St. Exupéry, Milan Malpensa, Frankfurt International, Berlin Brandenburg, Barcelona El Prat, Budapest, Prague Václav Havel, Sofia, and Bucharest Henri Coanda.
The codeshare agreement aligns with Madagascar Airlines’ restructuring efforts under its “Phénix 2030” plan, backed by the World Bank. Since November 2023, the airline has focused on strengthening domestic operations while cutting costly ACMI long-haul services. The airline’s fleet currently consists of three ATR72-500s and one ATR72-600, with another dry-leased ATR72-500 expected to arrive in March 2025.
As part of its restructuring, Madagascar Airlines has terminated all wet leases, including a DHC-8-Q400 and DHC-8-Q300 from CemAir and an ATR72-500 from Jump Air. The airline aims to operate six ATR72-500s by summer 2025 and is actively seeking additional ATR72s or Q400s for short-term leases to meet seasonal demand.
“This partnership with Air France marks a strategic milestone for Madagascar Airlines, allowing our company to offer a broader and more competitive service, providing our passengers with better connectivity and greater travel flexibility while showcasing our national brand in the European market,” said CEO Thierry de Bailleul.
Madagascar Airlines joins several international carriers serving Antananarivo, including Air Austral from St. Denis de la Réunion, Air Mauritius from Mauritius, Airlink from Johannesburg O.R. Tambo, Kenya Airways from Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta, Ethiopian Airlines from Addis Ababa International, Emirates via Mahé, and Turkish Airlines via Mauritius.
