Flying domestic airlines in more obscure countries is definitely something that some people love and some people hate. Often as long as you don’t read the Wikipedia article about their safety rating and crash history you’ll be fine. For avgeeks though this can be one of the most exciting part of the trips! New liveries, smaller more rare types of passenger aircraft and strange regional airports can all be part of the excitement.
If you find yourself in Equatorial Guinea, and you’re planning on heading to the mainland then chances are you too will have to fly unless you want to brave the crossing on the local ferry.
What domestic airlines are there?
You have 2 options for flying domestically in Equatorial Guinea they are: Ceiba Intercontinental or Cronos. Haven’t heard of them before? Well, we don’t blame you. While Ceiba Intercontinental used to fly to Europe and some other destinations in Africa they now only do domestic as do Cronos.
If you are flying internationally into Malabo, chances are you will be flying on Afrijet (Air Gabon), Air France, Royal Air Maroc, Ethiopian, Asky or Valuejet.
What to expect when flying?
Based off our personal experience delays are common, so just roll with the punches. When we recently flew with Cronos, we were delayed for 7 hours because our plane had been used to go to Ghana? It was quite a confusing experience as the local airport manager couldn’t give us a straight answer on where it was, however, a lady selling souvenirs outside the airport did say it had gone to Ghana. We used flightradar to check and it indeed was in Accra, Ghana on its way back to Malabo and then to Bata to collect us.
Can I book with them online?
Technically yes and no. They both don’t seem to have a working/reliable payment system. So, while the flights will get reserved you will struggle to pay. If you are planning on flying domestically, we can arrange this with a private tour, or come with us on a group tour and we will take care of all the difficult parts.
What are the airlines actually like?
Honestly, just fine. They will offer you a drink and a snack, however the flight itself is so short there’s really not much to comment on. We have definitely had worse service on Ryanair, Jetstar or Spirit. If you are travelling to the mainland either airline is fine and both have the same chances of being delayed.
What is Bata Airport like?
Bata Airport has a very large international terminal, which we are yet to see as it was not open. You will instead visit Bata’s domestic terminal which is basically a big shed type building. Security here is a bit odd as they will ask you to finish drinks and food before taking them in, however you can just tell them you will eat in the waiting area. We sat here for about an hour or so before finding out our flight would be later in the afternoon. All the staff had left (including security) so we could come and go as we please. Overall, the atmosphere is very chilled.
What else to note?
When you arrive and leave the mainland they will want to check your passport for your Equatoguinean entry stamp. This stamp is often faded and not very prominent so mark where it is in your passport so you can easily show them.
If you would like to come and experience the joy of flying domestically in one of Africa’s least visited countries then check out our Equatorial Guinea tours on our website. To join us on tour, send an email to [email protected] .
