The Malian authorities have decided to cancel Air France’s authorization to operate between Paris and Bamako after the company suspended its flights to and from this country in a region facing political instability, the AFP Civil Aviation learned on Friday.
On August 7, Air France suspended its flights to Mali (7 weekly flights) and Burkina Faso (5 weekly flights) following the closure of the airspace of neighboring Niger, the scene of a coup on July 26. This suspension was to last until Friday. But Air France said on Friday that it had extended it until August 18 “after the coup in Niger and because of the geopolitical situation in the Sahel region.”
The Malian authorities, whose military chiefs have stood in solidarity with the Nigerien coup leaders, cracked down on the company even before the suspension was extended, calling it a “glaring breach” of the terms of its license to operate. The National Civil Aviation Agency criticizes Air France for not having made any prior notification and for having caused “an inconvenience to passengers”, in a letter addressed to the company and authenticated by AFP.
For the “summer season”
“This failure leads to the cancellation of its authorization to operate flights,” he said. This cancellation applies to the “summer season” of Air France, he specifies. This period is supposed to last until October. “Your slot could be granted to another company that requests it,” says the agency, which asks Air France to present a new program before resuming its service. An Air France spokesperson confirmed this latest request to AFP.
Air France says that it is “in contact with the French authorities” to “permanently follow the evolution of the geopolitical situation of the territories served and overflown by its aircraft” and recalls that the safety of its customers and their crews is its absolute priority.
Relations between France, the former colonial power engaged militarily alongside the Malian army against jihadists since 2013, and Mali have deteriorated sharply since colonels forcibly seized power in Bamako in August 2020. The junta expelled the French forces in 2022 and shifted politically and militarily towards Russia. He expelled the French ambassador.
France and Mali this week suspended the issuance of visas to nationals of the other country by their respective consular services in Bamako and Paris.
Source: BFM TV
