Sierra Leone’s Cheif Minister, Dr. David Moinina Sengeh, has reacted to the decision of Air Farnce to suspend its operations in Sierra Leone.
In a recent development, the prominent French national airline, has announced the suspension of its operations to Sierra Leone. The decision comes as a result of low traffic volume in the region, according to the airline.
Dr. David Moinina Sengeh, the newly appointed Chief Minister, has taken an interest in the matter and personally reached out to the General Manager of Air France West Africa to gain insights into the decision.
Expressing his concern over the suspension, Minister Sengeh took to Twitter, stating, “Had a good call with @AirFrance Fr GM West Africa to understand the decision to suspend some routes in the region [Freetown and Banjul] starting this winter. Long-term impact of Covid, flight availability, and volume of travelers were discussed. We thank AF and remain ready to welcome them again!”
Rodney Michael, in response to the Minister’s tweet, expressed his worry, stating, “This cannot be good. With fewer options, costs will increase. I hope you are able to convince others to provide options. Otherwise, costs will become unbearable to travel to Europe. Good luck handling the options, especially with the new world-class terminal.”
Commenting on the situation, popular journalist Umaru Fofana suggested that Sierra Leone reevaluate its tax policy. Currently, passengers pay higher fares to travel to Sierra Leone compared to other destinations in the West African sub-region.
Fofana pointed out that travelers could save several hundred dollars by flying from Europe or the US to other destinations instead.
He attributed the high costs to taxes imposed by the airport, including an alleged exorbitant security fee of $50.
The Civil Aviation Authority, responsible for managing airports and airlines in the country, anticipates a reduction in costs by the end of the year. This projection follows the successful passing of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) audit by the airport, thanks in part to the recently constructed modern terminal. It is hoped that this achievement will attract more flights to Sierra Leone, thereby increasing revenue and subsequently leading to a reduction in the high cost of traveling to Freetown from other destinations.
Fofana highlighted the consequences of the suspension, stating, “So, it’s a no-brainer that many passengers would rather travel to Guinea by road or boat and fly from Conakry.”
Air France, with a fleet size of over 245 aircraft and serving 201 destinations in 78 countries, was one of the few airlines offering non-regional flights to Freetown at least once a week. The suspension raises concerns about limited travel options and the potential for increased costs for passengers.
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