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| Founded | 2005; 21 years ago (2005) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hubs | O. R. Tambo International Airport | ||||||
| Focus cities | Johannesburg,Gauteng,South Africa | ||||||
| Frequent-flyer program | SkyRewards[1] | ||||||
| Fleet size | 30+(2026)[2] | ||||||
| Destinations | 15, across South Africa,Botswana, andZimbabwe(2026)[3] | ||||||
| Headquarters | Kempton Park, Gauteng, South Africa | ||||||
| Key people | Miles van der Molen (CEO)[4] | ||||||
| Website | cemair | ||||||
CemAir is aSouth Africanairline headquartered inJohannesburg. Founded in 2005, the airline operates scheduled domestic flights acrossSouth Africa as well as regional services withinAfrica.[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 inSouth Africa, 2 inBotswana, and 2 inZimbabwe.[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 30aircraft that includesBombardier CRJ,Beechcraft 1900, andDe 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.
The company was formed in 2005 with the purpose of operating turboprop commuter aircraft, with the initial fleet consisting of 1Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft and 3Beechcraft 1900C aircraft.[citation needed]
In January 2018, theSouth African Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) withdrew theCertificate 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 aHigh 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 aninterline agreement withEthiopian Airlines.[10]
CemAir's hub inJohannesburg 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]
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Based atOR Tambo International Airport,South Africa, a large portion of the fleet is deployed outside ofSouth Africa. The main foreign deployments are to the Caribbean and West Africa.[citation needed]
Most (11) of CemAir's 15 destinations are in South Africa, with 4 of them located elsewhere inSouthern Africa. As of January 2026, CemAir operates flights to the following destinations:[3]
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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 | — | ||
CemAir suffered two hull losses in 2008 with aircraft leased out to 3rd parties, one inSouth Sudan and the other in theDemocratic Republic of the Congo.
Media related toCemAir at Wikimedia Commons
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