CemAir

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CemAir
IATA ICAO Call sign
5Z KEM CEMAIR
Founded2005; 21 years ago (2005)
HubsO. R. Tambo International Airport
Focus citiesJohannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
Frequent-flyer programSkyRewards[1]
Fleet size30+ (2026)[2]
Destinations15, across South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe (2026)[3]
HeadquartersKempton Park, Gauteng, South Africa
Key peopleMiles van der Molen (CEO)[4]
Websitecemair.co.za

CemAir is a South African airline headquartered in Johannesburg. Founded in 2005, the airline operates scheduled domestic flights across South Africa as well as regional services within Africa.[5]

CemAir’s network includes key business and leisure destinations, and the airline is known for serving several smaller or underserved airports. As of January 2026, CemAir flies to 15 destinations, including 11 in South Africa, 2 in Botswana, and 2 in Zimbabwe.[3]

In addition to its scheduled operations, CemAir provides aircraft leasing, charter services, and ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance) solutions to other carriers.

The airline operates a fleet of over 30 aircraft that includes Bombardier CRJ, Beechcraft 1900, and De Havilland Dash 8 models, offering full-service amenities such as checked baggage and onboard catering. Over the years, CemAir has expanded its route network and service offering, positioning itself as a growing independent carrier in the Southern African aviation market.

History

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The company was formed in 2005 with the purpose of operating turboprop commuter aircraft, with the initial fleet consisting of 1 Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft and 3 Beechcraft 1900C aircraft.[citation needed]

In January 2018, the South African Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) withdrew the Certificate of Airworthiness for 12 of CemAir's aircraft, due to allegedly unqualified personnel certifying the aircraft as airworthy. It was subsequently forced by the authorities to suspend operations in late 2018.[6]

The airline successfully launched a High Court challenge, and the grounding was overturned. The CAA then again grounded the Airline in January 2019 and CemAir challenged the decision before the Civil Aviation Appeal Committee. On 29 April 2019, the CAAC issued a judgement in favour of the airline, calling the CAA's actions "irrational, arbitrary, unreasonable and procedurally unfair" and "factually wrong."[7][6][8][9]

In January 2021, CemAir signed an interline agreement with Ethiopian Airlines.[10]

Operations

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CemAir's hub in Johannesburg features a 1,800 sqm hangar, offices, and a 2,000 sqm private apron, for managing flight operations, maintenance (performed in-house), and administration.[2]

Destinations

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Charter operations

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Based at OR Tambo International Airport, South Africa, a large portion of the fleet is deployed outside of South Africa. The main foreign deployments are to the Caribbean and West Africa.[citation needed]

Scheduled destinations

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Most (11) of CemAir's 15 destinations are in South Africa, with 4 of them located elsewhere in Southern Africa. As of January 2026, CemAir operates flights to the following destinations:[3]

Domestic (South Africa)

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International

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Fleet

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CemAir Beechcraft 1900D CemAir Bombardier CRJ200

As of August 2025[update], CemAir operates the following aircraft:[11]

Aircraft In Fleet Orders Passengers Notes
Beechcraft 1900D 5 — 19
Bombardier CRJ100/CRJ200 9 — 50
Bombardier CRJ700 3 — 70
Bombardier CRJ900 9 — 90
De Havilland Canada Dash 8-100 1 — 37
De Havilland Canada Dash 8 Q300 3 — 50
De Havilland Canada Dash 8 Q400 4 — 78
Total 34 —

Accidents and incidents

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CemAir suffered two hull losses in 2008 with aircraft leased out to 3rd parties, one in South Sudan and the other in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

References

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  1. ^ "CemAir - SkyRewards". CemAir. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
  2. ^ a b "CemAir - About Us". CemAir. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
  3. ^ a b c "CemAir - Destinations". CemAir. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
  4. ^ https://za.linkedin.com/in/miles-van-der-molen-b6076a38?trk=pub-pbmap[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ "CemAir Homepage". CemAir. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
  6. ^ a b "CemAir grounded over safety concerns". Independent Online.
  7. ^ "Judgement" (PDF).
  8. ^ "CemAir flights still grounded after failed court bid". Fin24.
  9. ^ Mkentane, Luyolo (13 May 2019). "CAA's 'irrational' decision to ground CemAir is overturned". BusinessLIVE. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  10. ^ "Ethiopian Airlines – oft cited as a possible SAA saviour – just did a local deal".
  11. ^ "Global Airline Guide 2025 - CemAir". Airliner World. September 2025. p. 74.
  12. ^ "South Sudan declares three-day mourning for crash victims" Sudan Tribune 3 May 2008
  13. ^ "'No survivors' in DR Congo crash" BBC News 2 September 2008
  14. ^ Joe Bavier "Aid plane crashes in Congo, no sign of survivors" Reuters 2 September 2008
  15. ^ Air Serv press release Archived 2008-09-04 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ^ "Discussion about airplane crashed in Congo". 2 September 2008. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  17. ^ "Aid plane with 17 on board crashes in eastern DR Congo" United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 2 September 2008
  18. ^ "RDC: Un avion humanitaire de l'ONU avec 17 personnes à bord s'écrase dans l'est" (in French) United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 2 September 2008
  19. ^ "Crash d’avion près de Bukavu, 17 morts" (in French) Radio Okapi, 2 September 2008
  20. ^ "SA pilot killed in DRC crash" Archived 2008-09-08 at the Wayback Machine News24 2 September 2008
  21. ^ "Crash au Kivu: les secours n'ont pas encore pu atteindre l'épave, selon l'ONU" (in French) 3 September 2008 Archived September 6, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  22. ^ "ASN Aircraft accident Beechcraft 1900C-1 ZS-OLD Bukavu-Kavumu Airport (BKY)".
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