Tunisia Aviation 

The Civil Aviation sector in Tunisia plays a key role in promoting the tourism sector and represents a catalyst for the national economy. Indeed, this sector contributes to 2% of the Gross Domestic Product, creates more than 15 thousand direct jobs and 20 thousand indirectly, and contributes to regional development. In addition, more than 52% of tourist arrivals are by air.

The stakeholders in this sector, placed under the supervision of the Ministry of Transport, are: 

The Civil Aviation Authority 

The general directorate of civil aviation is the civil aviation authority in Tunisia. Its missions are set by decree n ° 410-2014 of January 16, 2014 on the organization of the central services of the Ministry of Transport.

It is responsible in particular for:

• Develop and monitor the implementation of government policy and development plans in the field of civil aviation,
• Organize the field of air transport, airports and civil aviation activities and work towards its development,
• Manage Tunisian airspace in coordination with the competent military authorities,
• Oversee the safety and security of civil aeronautical activities in Tunisia,
• Study the constitution files of civil aviation companies and issue the authorizations necessary for the exercise of their activity,
• Develop legislative and regulatory texts relating to civil aviation,
• Conduct bilateral, regional and international negotiations in the field of civil aviation,
• Control aeronautical personnel, aircraft and the various activities of civil aviation,
• Supervise the training system in the field of civil aviation.

To this end, it includes the following structures:

• The direction of air transport,
• The management of civil aviation activities and training,
• The Directorate of Aviation Safety,
• The civil aviation security department,
• The office of studies and coordination of search and rescue.

The strategic directions of Civil Aviation in Tunisia

• Strengthen the role of the supervisory and regulatory authority 
• Strengthen the technical and administrative capacity of aeronautical managers
• Bring the legislative and regulatory framework of the sector in harmony with international norms and standards
• Support progressive liberalization of air transport services
• Strengthen the competitive capacities of Tunisian air transport companies,
• Develop and modernize airport infrastructure
• Promote regional airport service

Objectives adopted within the framework of the 2016-2020 Five-Year Plan

• Consolidate the role of the aviation safety supervisory and regulatory authority in accordance with international technical requirements,
• Foster governance of the aeronautical sector by reorganizing the civil aviation services and setting up an independent and autonomous authority,
• Develop performance and improve operational capacities and skills of aeronautical personnel;
• Provide the air transport sector with a legal and regulatory framework that meets international requirements,
• Continue negotiations with the European Union for the conclusion of the OPEN SKY air transport services liberalization agreement,
• Strengthen the competitive capacities of Tunisian air transport companies for a gradual entry into liberalization with the EU,
• Develop and modernize airport infrastructure.

Link of Tunisian Airports List

Key airport information: https://worldaerodata.com/countries/Tunisia.php
Annex 2.1: Government Contact List

In Tunisia, four (4) Airlines listed legally by the government (Link):

1. Société Tunisienne de l'Air-Tunisair (Tunisie) TU Airports : Tunis-Carthage, Paris, all airports (CDG, ORY, BVA, XCR), Paris-Orly, Djerba-Zarzis Airport, Monastir, Nice-Côte d'Azur, Lyon - Saint-Exupéry (Satolas), Milan, all airports (MXP, LIN, BGY)
2. Nouvelair Tunisie (Tunisie) BJ; Airports: Monastir, Djerba-Zarzis Airport, Tunis-Carthage, Paris - Charles de Gaulle, Paris, all airports (CDG, ORY, BVA, XCR), Lyon - Saint-Exupéry (Satolas), Jeddah-King Abdulaziz International Airport, Saint Petersburg - Pulkovo
3. TunisAir Express (Tunisie) UG; Airports: Tunis-Carthage, Tozeur, Malta, Palermo-Punta Raisi, Djerba-Zarzis Airport, Naples, Gabes
4. Jasmin Airways (Tunisie) JO 

 Link de la Liste des toutes les compagnies aériennes étrangères qui desservent la Tunisie

Link on Skyscaner- companies list to Tunisia

Procedures for Foreign Registered Aircraft

In Tunisia the issuance of an Aircraft Registration Certificate is following the conditions and requirements:

Conditions for obtaining the service:

• A civil aircraft can only be registered in Tunisia if it belongs for at least 51% to a Tunisian person or natural or legal persons
• The Minister responsible for Civil Aviation may authorize, on an exceptional basis, the registration of aircraft which do not fulfill this condition
• Payment of aeronautical fees

Documents required:

• A request on free paper stating:
• Name and address of aircraft manufacturer
• The make and type of aircraft
• The serial number and year of construction of the aircraft
• The use for which the aircraft is intended (type of activity planned)

This request must be accompanied by the following documents:

• Original purchase contract or certified copy of the original
• National identity card of each natural person
• Status of each legal person taken into account during registration
• Certificate of cancellation from the foreign registry (if the aircraft has been registered in a foreign country)
• Customs certificate stating that customs requirements have been met
• Copy of the aeronautical fees’ payment receipt.

Special case: For airplanes not belonging to natural or legal persons of Tunisian nationality, the applicant must provide in addition to the above documents:

• Aircraft mortgage and rental contracts signed and registered
• A copy of the aeronautical fees’ payment receipt

Place of deposit of the file: Airworthiness Division at the Airworthiness Directorate. Address: Office of Civil Aviation and Airports - Tunis-Carthage Airport

Deadline for granting the service:

• 72 hours from the date of receipt of the file containing all the requested documents.
• Note: A provisional registration certificate could be issued pending the completion of the administrative file or the establishment of the final certificate

Legislative and / or regulatory references:

• Law n ° 59-122 of December 28, 1959 relating to the accession of the Tunisian Republic to the Convention on International Civil Aviation signed in Chicago on December 07, 1944.
• Law No. 98-110 of December 28, 1998 relating to the Office of Civil Aviation and Airports, as amended and supplemented by Law No. 2004 - 41 of May 3, 2004.
• Civil Aviation Code promulgated under Law No. 99-58 dated June 29, 1999, as amended and supplemented by Law No. 2004-57 of July 12, 2004.
• Decree No. 59-201 of July 4, 1959 regulating air navigation as amended by Decree No. 94-15 of January 3, 1994.
• Decree n ° 2001-2806 of December 6, 2001 fixing the list of documents which must be on board civil aircraft.
• Decree n ° 2002-515 dated 27 February 2002 fixing the amounts and the methods of collecting the fees provided for by article 143 of the civil aeronautics code.
• Order of the Minister of Communication and Transport Technologies dated June 16, 2004, fixing the apparent marks of nationality and registration of civil aircraft.
• Order of the Minister of Communication and Transport Technologies dated June 16, 2004, fixing the model of the registration certificate and the indications which this certificate must bear.

Link of the ICAO Manual (French version) 

It to be noted that a civil aircraft can be registered in Tunisia only if it belongs for at least 51% to a Tunisian person or natural or legal persons;

• The Minister responsible for Civil Aviation may authorize, on an exceptional basis, the registration of aircraft not fulfilling this condition;
• A request to reserve the registration of an aircraft in the registration register of civil aircraft established on printed form according to the attached model;

Link of Civil aircrafts registration procedure