Good News for S/Leonean Travelers… AIR SENEGAL NOW FLIES TO USA

By Alhaji Dauda Musa Bangura

One of the newest and efficient airlines in the world, Air Senegal on 2^nd September, 2021 started operations in the United States of America.

It is welcome news for passengers wishing to travel direct to the United States. With Air Senegal, passengers will no longer need to go through Brussels, as Air Senegal flies from Freetown straight to the United States.

Air Senegal services to Washington DC is now operational from BWI – Baltimore/Washington International Airport exclusively. The carrier will maintain its original two weekly flights to USA.

These flights now operate in conjunction with Hi-Fly. With regards to services to New York JFK Airport and all flights shall operate out of Terminal 1 exclusively.

Speaking at the airline’s inauguration sealing the first flight to the United States, Ricky Smith, Executive Director BMI Marshal Airport welcomed the team from Senegal and said it is an historic day for the State of Maryland. He announced the operations of Air Senegal to USA as historic. He added that Air Senegal is an example of the strength of Maryland and the success of the entire National Capital region. He said the new international service they are celebrating reflects the continuous successful growth of BWI Marshall Airport.

He went on to say that as the busiest airport in the national capital region, it is the airport of choice for millions of passengers each year, because it is a world class facility that is efficient to use and that their airline partners provide excellent range of domestic and international air services.

Speaking in a very happy mood, the CEO of Air Senegal Ibrahima Kâne revealed that his passion for Air Senegal is to make travel easier for Africans across the globe.

**PHOTO: The proactive CEO of Air Senegal Ibrahima Kâne**

“We start our flight with two shuttles per week to Dakar/ New York/ Washington. Assuming the flights are 100% full, including the English-speaking market, including Nigeria and Ghana, we have a potential of 1.15 million passengers per year,” adding that Air Senegal expects a potential of 300,000 passengers per year on its new service to the United States.

He noted that, “On the Dakar/New York/Washington flights; considering the passengers that are around Senegal through the Air Senegal network, we have a potential of around 300,000 passengers per year”.

The CEO further stated that customers are at the center of their company’s strategies.

“This will be a major project that we call Chantier Teranga for which it is a question of deploying the same energy that we have deployed to install the Air Senegal network. That was a necessary phase, because it is this new line that will start to showcase our second aircraft, A 330 NEO ’’, explained Kâne.

He indicated that this phase of consolidation will be accompanied by the consolidation of the company’s capabilities, in terms of training new pilots and mechanics.

Ultimately, the Senegalese national company will have 21 domestic, regional and international destinations, according to Ibrahima Kâne the CEO.

The airline also hopes to facilitate the growth of inbound business, trade and tourism from USA to Senegal and within the region as Senegal offers world class beaches, history and culture that has appealed to the American travelling public for decades.

As far as freight uplift from USA to West Africa is concerned, Air Senegal has the capability to carry up to 12 tons of cargo per flight out of USA to the West Africa region. The airline is keenly looking forward to working with freight forwarders and receivers in the air cargo market segment to boost its presence accordingly.

The schedule offers convenient two-way connectivity via Dakar to Abidjan (ABJ), Bamako (BKO), Conakry (CKY), Banjul (BJL), Ziguinchor (ZIG), Nouakchott (NKC) and Freetown (FNA).

One the managers of the flight disclosed that special introductory promo fares in economy and business class cabins have been filed from Dakar and that all connecting West African destinations will stimulate demand. In addition, passengers who purchase their tickets to/from USA by 31^st October 2021, are entitled to free 3-piece baggage allowance across all cabin classes.

Several Sierra Leoneans that took the flight from USA to Sierra Leone via Senegal expressed their happiness about the flight attendants and crew which experience they said cannot be compared to other airlines.