page_title: Air Algérie
section_title: Formation and early years
hierarchical_section_title: Air Algérie / History / Formation and early years
caption_attribution_description: English: Lockheed L749A Constellation F-BAZE of Air Algerie at Paris Orly Airport in 1957
context_page_description: Air Algérie SpA is the national airline of Algeria, with its head office in the Immeuble El-Djazair in Algiers. With flights operating from Houari Boumedienne Airport, Air Algérie operates scheduled international services to 39 destinations in 28 countries in Europe, North America, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, as well as domestic services to 32 airports. The airline is a member of the International Air Transport Association, the Arab Air Carriers Organization, and of the African Airlines Association since 1968. As of December 2013, Air Algérie was 100% owned by the government of Algeria.
  Air Algérie is in the process of aligning its codeshare agreements, frequent flyer programs, and airport lounge agreements with each of the SkyTeam carriers in order to meet SkyTeam's membership application requirements. The company reported that they applied to join Star Alliance or SkyTeam and also began working in partnership with Lufthansa.
context_section_description: In 1946, Compagnie Générale de Transports Aériens (CGTA) was established. It started flights between Algeria and Europe on a charter basis in 1947, but by the end of the decade scheduled flights serving Algiers, Basle, Bône, Geneva, Marseilles, Paris, Philippeville and Toulouse were operated. Three 34-seater Bretagnes joined a fleet of seven DC-3s in 1952. Compagnie Air Transport (CAT), subsidiary of Air France and Compagnie Générale Transatlantique, was formed in the late 1940s to connect Basle, Lyon, Marseilles, Paris and Toulouse with Algiers, Constantine and Oran. Seasonal London–Deauville and –Le Touquet flights were also undertaken. Following the drop in traffic after 1951, a merging partner was under consideration.
  CGTA and CAT merged on 23 May 1953 to form the Compagnie Générale de Transports Aériens Air Algérie, with a combined fleet that included one Breguet 761, six Bretagnes, five DC-3s and three DC-4s. Following merger, Air Algérie commenced seasonal services to Ajaccio, Clermont, Montpellier and Perpignan. Furthermore, Switzerland was added to the regular schedule, a stop at Palma was performed on a weekly basis in partnership with Aviaco, and most of the trans-Mediterranean routes were operated in a pool agreement with Air France, with the French carrier flying 54% of these services and the remainder was left for Air Algérie. Flights to the Cote d'Azur were added in the late 1950s.
  Two Noratlas aircraft were acquired in July 1957, with a third entering the fleet in July the following year. The carrier became the first French private one in ordering the Caravelle in early 1958, the first of which was handed over by the manufacturer in January 1960. Following delivery, the aircraft was deployed on the Algiers–Paris route. The type was also used to fly Paris–Bône and Paris–Oran services in the subsequent months. By April 1960, the aircraft park consisted of three Caravelles, three DC-3s, ten DC-4s, two Lockheed L-749 Constellations, and three Noratlases. The Caravelles were gradually deployed on the routes previously flown with the Constellations and the DC-4s, which were used for cargo services or sold.
caption: A France-registered Lockheed Constellation in Air Algérie markings at Paris Orly Airport in 1957.
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