List of government-owned airlines

The following is a list of government-owned airlines. The practice of government ownership of airlines, particularly flag carrier airlines, occurs in many countries. The following is a list of both airlines currently owned by a government, and former government-owned airlines.

Current government-owned airlines

Airline Country Stake
Aeroflot Russia Russian Federation As of July 2025: 73.8%[1]
Aerogaviota Cuba Cuba 100%
Aerolíneas Argentinas Argentina Argentina As of December 2014: 100%[2]
Afriqiyah Airways Libya Libya 100%[3]
Air Algérie Algeria Algeria As of December 2013: 100%[4]
Air Astana Kazakhstan Kazakhstan 51%
Air Botswana Botswana Botswana 100%
Air Calédonie New Caledonia New Caledonia (France) 52.45%
Air Cambodia Cambodia Cambodia 51%
Air Canada Canada Canada 6.4%
Air China China China 53.46%[5]
Air Côte d'Ivoire Ivory Coast Ivory Coast As of April 2017: 58%[6]
Air Djibouti Djibouti Djibouti Djibouti Government minor shareholder[7]
Air France France France 28.6% (through the Air France–KLM holding company). Dutch state has a 9.3% stake[8]
Air Greenland (Greenlandair) Greenland Greenland 100%[9]
Air Kiribati Kiribati Kiribati 100%[10]
Air Koryo North Korea North Korea 100%
Air Macau Macau Macau 66.9% Air China (majority shareholder - Chinese government)
5% (minority shareholder - government of Macau)[11]
Air Madagascar Madagascar Madagascar
Air Mauritius Mauritius Mauritius
Air New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand As of March 2020: 52%[12]
Air Niugini Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea 60%[11]
Air Serbia Serbia Serbia 100%[13]
Air Seychelles Seychelles Seychelles 100%
Air Tanzania Tanzania Tanzania 100%
Air Zimbabwe Zimbabwe Zimbabwe 100%[14]
AirBaltic Latvia Latvia 80%
Aircalin New Caledonia New Caledonia 100%
Alliance Air (India) India India 100%
Ariana Afghan Airlines Afghanistan Afghanistan 100%
Arkaim Russia Russia
Aurigny Guernsey Guernsey 100%
Azerbaijan Airlines Azerbaijan Azerbaijan 100%
Bahamasair The Bahamas Bahamas 100%
Belavia Belarus Belarus 100%
Biman Bangladesh Airlines Bangladesh Bangladesh At least 51%
Boliviana de Aviación Bolivia Bolivia 100%
Caribbean Airlines Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago 100%
Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Hong Kong 6%
Cayman Airways Cayman Islands Cayman Islands 100%
CEIBA Intercontinental Equatorial Guinea Equatorial Guinea [15][16]
China Airlines Taiwan Republic of China 31.05% China Aviation Development Foundation (CADF)
8.64% National Development Fund (NDF)[17]
Conviasa Venezuela Venezuela 100%
Croatia Airlines Croatia Croatia 100%
Cubana de Aviación Cuba Cuba 100%
Druk Air Bhutan Bhutan 100%
Dubai Royal Air Wing Emirate of Dubai Government of Dubai (UAE) 100%
EgyptAir Egypt Egypt 100%
Emirates Emirate of Dubai Government of Dubai (UAE) 100%
Eritrean Airlines Eritrea Eritrea 80% Eritrean government
20% Ethiopia Airlines (Ethiopian government)
Ethiopian Airlines Ethiopia Ethiopia 100%
Etihad Airways Emirate of Abu Dhabi Government of Abu Dhabi (UAE) 100%
Fiji Airways Fiji Fiji 52%
Finnair Finland Finland 55.8%
Flydubai Emirate of Dubai Government of Dubai (UAE) 100%
Garuda Indonesia Indonesia Indonesia 60.54%
Gulf Air Bahrain Bahrain
Heli Air Monaco Monaco Monaco 100%[18]
Iran Air Iran Iran 60%
Iraqi Airways Iraq Iraq 100%
ITA Airways Italy Italy 100%[19]
KM Malta Airlines Malta Malta 100%
KLM Netherlands Netherlands 9.3% (through the Air France–KLM holding company).
French state has a 28.6% stake[20]
Kuwait Airways Kuwait Kuwait 100%
LADE Argentina Argentina 100%
LAM Mozambique Airlines Mozambique Mozambique 100%
Lao Airlines Laos Laos 100%
Libyan Airlines Libya Libya 100%
LOT Polish Airlines Poland Poland 100%[21]
Malaysia Airlines Malaysia Malaysia 100%[22]
Mandarin Airlines Taiwan Taiwan Fully owned subsidiary of Taiwan's China Airlines
Mexicana de Aviación Mexico Mexico
MIAT Mongolian Airlines Mongolia Mongolia
Middle East Airlines Lebanon Lebanon 100%
Myanmar National Airlines Myanmar Myanmar 100%
Myanmar Airways International Myanmar Myanmar
Nauru Airlines Nauru Nauru
Nepal Airlines Nepal Nepal
Oman Air Oman Oman
Pakistan International Airlines Pakistan Pakistan
Philippine Airlines Philippines Philippines
Qatar Airways Qatar Qatar
Qatar Amiri Flight Qatar Qatar
Qatar Executive Qatar Qatar
RAM Cargo Morocco Morocco
Régie Malagache Madagascar Madagascar
Riyadh Air Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia 100%[23]
Rossiya Russia Russia
Royal Air Maroc Morocco Morocco
Royal Brunei Airlines Brunei Brunei
Royal Jordanian Jordan Jordan
RwandAir Rwanda Rwanda
Satena Colombia Colombia
Saudia Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia
Singapore Airlines Singapore Singapore 55.53%[24]
Solomon Airlines Solomon Islands Solomon Islands 100%[25]
SriLankan Airlines Sri Lanka Sri Lanka 99.11%[26]
Sudan Airways Sudan Sudan 79.00%[27]
Surinam Airways Suriname Suriname 100%[28]
Syrian Air Syria Syria 100%
TAAG Angola Airlines Angola Angola 90.00%[29]
TAP Portugal Portugal Portugal 97.75% (91.8% directly owned by the government and the remaining 8.2% owned by the TAP Group, where the government has a total share of 72.5%)[30]
TAROM Romania Romania 97.22%[31]
Thai Airways International Thailand Thailand 51.00%[32]
Tunisair Tunisia Tunisia [33][34]
Turkmenistan Airlines Turkmenistan Turkmenistan
Uganda Airlines Uganda Uganda 100%[35]
Uzbekistan Airways Uzbekistan Uzbekistan
Vietnam Airlines Vietnam Vietnam 86.10%[36]
Yemenia Yemen Yemen 51.00%[37]

List of former government-owned airlines

This is a list of airlines which were formerly government owned. They have since been privatized or have ceased operations.

Airline Country End of
government
ownership 		Fate
Adria Airways Slovenia Slovenia 2019 Bankrupt
Aer Lingus Republic of Ireland Ireland 2015 Ryanair & Government held shares sold to IAG
Albanian Airlines Albania Albania 1995
Austrian Airlines Austria Austria 2009
Armenian Airlines Armenia Armenia 2003
Aero Caribbean Cuba Cuba 2015 Merged into Cubana[38]
Aeroflot-Cargo Russia Russian Federation 2010 Merged with Aeroflot
Aeroméxico Mexico Mexico 2007 Privatized
Aerotaxi Cuba Cuba 2009 Ceased operations
Air Bissau Guinea-Bissau Guinea-Bissau 1998 Liquidated[39]
Air Burundi Burundi Burundi 2009 Ceased operations[40]
Air Gabon Gabon Gabon 2006 Bankrupt
Air Guinée Guinea Guinea 1992 Privatized 1992, dissolved 2002
Air India India India 2021 Privatized
Air Ivoire Ivory Coast Ivory Coast 2011 Ceased operations
Air Jamaica Jamaica Jamaica 2011 Sold to Caribbean Airlines 2011, ceased operations 2015
Air Liberia Liberia Liberia 1990 Ceased trading
Air Malawi Malawi Malawi 2013 Voluntary liquidation
Air Mali (1960-89) Mali Mali 1989 Shut down[41]
Air Niger Niger Niger 1993 Ceased operations[42]
Air Rwanda Rwanda Rwanda 2002 Taken over by and rebranded to RwandAir
Air Sénégal International Senegal Senegal 2009 Operations suspended[43]
Air Vanuatu Vanuatu Vanuatu 2024 Ceased trading[44]
Air Zaïre Zaire Zaire 1995 Bankrupt[45]
Alitalia Italy Italy 2021 Bankrupt and rebranded to ITA Airways[46]
Berkut Air Kazakhstan Kazakhstan 2011 Rebranded
British Airways United Kingdom United Kingdom 1987 Privatised[47]
Cabo Verde Airlines Cape Verde Cabo Verde 2019 Privatized[48]
Cameroon Airlines Cameroon Cameroon 2008 Ceased operations
Cyprus Airways (1947–2015) Cyprus Cyprus 2015 Bankruptcy
Czech Airlines Czech Republic Czech Republic 2024 Shut down
Donavia Russia Russia 2016 Merged with Rossiya Airlines
Ecuato Guineana Equatorial Guinea Equatorial Guinea ~ 2007 Unknown
Eurocypria Airlines Cyprus Cyprus 2010 Bankruptcy[49]
Gambia International Airlines The Gambia Gambia 2007 Shut down
Ghana Airways Ghana Ghana 2004 Ceased operations
Guine Bissau Airlines Guinea-Bissau Guinea Bissau 2003
Iberia (airline) Spain Spain 2001 Privatized
Indian Airlines India India 2011 Ceased operations
Japan Airlines Japan Japan 1987 Privatized[50]
LAN Chile Chile Chile 1994 Privatized
Lina Congo Republic of the Congo Republic of Congo 2002 Dissolved
Lufthansa Germany Germany 1994 Privatized[51]
Merpati Nusantara Airlines Indonesia Indonesia 2014 Ceased operations
Nordica Estonia Estonia 2019 Privatized, then Ceased operations in 2024
Norfolk Air Norfolk Island/Australia Norfolk Island, Australia 2011 Ceased operations[52]
NorOntair Ontario/Canada Ontario, Canada 1996 Ceased operations[53]
Olympic Airlines Greece Greece 2009 Shut down
Qantas Australia Australia 1992 Privatized[54]
Royal Swazi National Airways Eswatini Eswatini 1999 Ceased operations
Sierra National Airlines Sierra Leone Sierra Leone 2004 Ceased operations[55]
Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) Denmark Denmark
Sweden Sweden
Norway Norway 		2001 Since 2001, +50% stocks are publicly traded. The Norwegian government confirmed it sold its stake in 2018.[56]
In 2024, the Norwegian government once again received a stake, when SAS used stocks to repay part of a 2020 loan.[57]
Government stakes remain:

14.24% (Danish government)[58]
2.1% (Norwegian government)[57]
14.82% (Swedish government)[58]

South Africa Express South Africa South Africa 2020 Liquidated[59]
South African Airways South Africa South Africa 2022 Privatized
Kenya Airways Kenya Kenya 1996 Government owns minority stake (48.9%)[60]
TAME Ecuador Ecuador 2020 Liquidated[61]
TANS Perú Peru Peru 2006 Shut down[62]
Toumaï Air Tchad Chad Chad 2012 Ceased operations[63]
Turkish Airlines Turkey Turkey 2006 Privatized[64]
Uganda Airlines (1976-2001) Uganda Uganda 2001 Liquidated[65]
Ukraine International Airlines Ukraine Ukraine 2011 Privatized
Ukrainian Cargo Airways Ukraine Ukraine 2009 Shut down[66]
Varig Brazil Brazil 1999
Royal Tongan Airlines Tonga Tonga 2004
Zambia Airways Zambia Zambia 1994 Ceased operations[67]

See also

References

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