Sierra Leone’s national carrier, Air Sierra Leone, is facing an imminent shutdown of operations after its sole aircraft provider, UK-based Ascend Airways, collapsed into liquidation on April 27, leaving the airline without any planes to operate its routes.

Checks by Sierraloaded on Air Sierra Leone website show no flights currently available for April on any of its routes, including Freetown, London, Banjul, and Lagos. The last flight on the London-Freetown route operated on Monday, April 20.

There was no flight on April 27, and no official statement or explanation has been posted on the airline’s website. The next available flight on the London Gatwick South Terminal to Freetown route is listed for May 31 — though with its partner now in liquidation, that schedule appears not feasible.

The airline’s social media accounts have been silent since April 13. Flight records also indicate there has been no operations on the Freetown-Lagos route since 2025.

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Ascend Airways, which operated for just three years under its current name, supplied aircraft to carriers including Oman Air, Air Sierra Leone, and TUI Airways before stopping flights with immediate effect on April 27. The airline, originally launched as Synergy Aviation in 2004 before rebranding in 2023, operated a fleet of one Boeing 737-800 and six Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft at the time of its collapse.

Crew were informed of the shutdown the same day and issued letters confirming the company had entered liquidation. A public announcement was delayed until a flight from Muscat landed safely at London Stansted Airport.

In an internal email, the company cited economic pressures, rising UK costs, and a lack of contracts as reasons behind the collapse.

Sierraloaded reported how Air Sierra Leone launched its London-Freetown service in June 2025 with significant fanfare, using a Boeing 737 MAX 8 wet-leased from Ascend Airways. The service was described as the longest nonstop 737 route in the world at the time.

Under the wet-lease arrangement, Ascend Airways provided not just the aircraft but also the flight crew, maintenance, and insurance. This made Air Sierra Leone entirely dependent on its UK partner for its intercontinental operations.

The airline had initially operated a mix of regional flights using an Embraer E145 on the Freetown-Lagos route, but those services had already ceased in 2025.

Hopes of securing an IOSA licence for Ascend Airways in March, which would have allowed expansion into global routes, failed. Attempts to keep the airline operating also collapsed after potential partners refused to take on enough aircraft.

Parent company Avia Solutions Group confirmed the decision to surrender the airline’s UK Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) and return its fleet, citing a “challenging outlook” going into the summer.

Air Sierra Leone has not issued any official statement regarding the collapse of its aircraft partner or the future of its operations. The airline’s website continues to list flights starting May 31, but with Ascend Airways now in liquidation and its fleet returned to lessors, those flights cannot operate.

The collapse leaves Sierra Leone without a national carrier just as the country marked its 65th Independence Day anniversary. Passengers with bookings on future Air Sierra Leone flights are advised to contact the airline or their travel agents, though no contact information has been provided for refunds or rebooking.

Attempts to reach Air Sierra Leone management for comment were unsuccessful.