The route was created in 1936 in order to unite in the fastest way the newly created Italian Empire in eastern Africa with the Kingdom of Italy.
Initially the flight reached only Addis Abeba in Italian Ethiopia, but the route was soon enlarged until Italian Somalia: in 1940 it was Rome-Benghazi-Cairo-Karthoum-Asmara-Addis Abeba-Mogadiscio [REF].