Air Zaïre airline was also operating Curtiss C-46s and DC-4s equipment, leased from Aerovias Panama Airways to complement the Sabena-leased aircraft. After the Republic of the Congo gained independence from Belgium in 1960, the Belgian national airline Sabena continued to operate routes in the country. Plans for the formation of a Congolese airline were delayed due to the Congo Crisis; however, in January 1961 a protocol was signed with Sabena for the creation of a limited liability company to be named "Air Congo". On the company was formed, and incorporated on 28 June with Sabena providing technical assistance and personnel. The Congolese
CanJet and merged with Canada 3000 in May 2001 shortly before Canada 3000's bankruptcy. CanJet was relaunched on June 20, 2002 as an independent airline. The relaunched airline flew to three destinations, but quickly expanded. Canjet operated a fleet of nine Boeing 737-500 — seven of which were previously operated by United Airlines and one by Sabena airlines — and one Boeing 737-300. These airframes date back to the early 1990s. There were plans to expand the airline's fleet of Boeing 737-500 aircraft to 20 by 2006; however, the plans were not realized. In April 2004, CanJet launched services at Hamilton/John