Barran Press
Yemenia Airways, the national carrier of Yemen, has renewed its calls for the Houthi group, designated as a terrorist organization by several countries, to release a detained Airbus A330 aircraft and to release frozen funds belonging to the airline.
In a statement released on Thursday, June 20, 2024, and seen by Barran Press, Yemenia Airways accused the Houthis of holding the aircraft at Sana'a International Airport for over a month, preventing the company from accessing its funds to pay for essential maintenance, including engine repairs.
The statement further emphasized Yemenia Airways' rejection of any Houthi interference in its financial and administrative operations, asserting its independence based on its founding protocol.
The airline described the detained aircraft, named "Aden," as a 277-passenger capacity aircraft that has been grounded in Sana'a for over a month. It accused the Houthis of blocking the company from withdrawing funds from its accounts to cover the necessary maintenance.
Yemenia Airways expressed its strong protest against the international silence surrounding this incident, which it deems a violation of international aviation norms and laws.
In recent days, the Houthis in Sana'a have escalated their actions against Yemenia Airways, accusing the airline of "subservience to foreign powers" following a decision to restrict ticket sales to points of sale outside Houthi-controlled areas. This decision came after the Houthis seized funds belonging to the airline.
On June 5, the Yemeni Ministry of Transport, recognized by the international community, instructed Yemenia Airways to transfer its previous and current sales revenue to its bank accounts in Aden, the temporary capital of Yemen, or to its accounts abroad.
The ministry's statement, published on its official website, attributed this decision to the need to shield the airline's funds from the control of the Houthi group, allowing the company to operate, develop, and modernize its fleet. This move was prompted by the Houthi seizure of over $100 million in Yemenia Airways' accounts in Sana'a banks.
The ministry cited previous correspondence on this matter, which was based on a presidential decree to relocate all government ministries and institutions to Aden. The decision also drew upon decisions by the Central Bank in Aden, which suspended transactions with commercial banks due to their failure to relocate to Aden. These banks are used by Yemenia Airways offices and agents in provinces under Houthi control.
The ministry's directive instructed Yemenia Airways to implement measures to deposit ticket sales revenue into its accounts in Aden or abroad, effective June 2.
The Beginning of the Crisis
The crisis between Yemenia Airways and its branch in Sana'a dates back to October 2023, when Sana'a airport authorities prevented an Airbus 320 aircraft from taking off at the behest of the Houthis.
This detention followed the airline's demand for the Houthis to unfreeze its accounts in Sana'a banks, which held approximately $80 million.
No information was released regarding the Houthis' release of the aircraft until Yemenia Airways' recent statement regarding the release of another Airbus aircraft.
The airline is facing a shortage of aircraft, leading it to purchase two new planes recently. However, it is struggling to purchase engines and maintain its fleet due to the Houthis' continued seizure of its funds.