Air Afrique began a gradual decline within the early Eighties. Mismanagement, corruption, and also the downturn within the aviation trade once the eleven September 2001 attacks led the airline to a crisis that ended with its liquidation in early 2002.
Less than a year earlier the corporate had concerning four,600 staff to service a fleet of simply six planes; at the time of closure the carrier was 35%-owned by Air France, and it had one leased operative aircraft. At that point, the corporate partially owned Air Burkina (17%), Air Mali (11.5%) and Air Mauritanie (32%).
Even though there have been plans to revive the airline with the creation of a brand new company, they never materialised, because it was succeeded by short-lived Afrinat International Airlines. Air France took over most of Air Afrique routes.