2023-08-11 18:15:15
The Malian authorities have canceled Air France’s authorization to operate between Paris and Bamako, ensuring that they are responding to the suspension of flights announced by the airline.
Malian authorities have decided to cancel Air France’s authorization to operate between Paris and Bamako following the company suspended its flights to and from this country in a region facing political instability, learned the Civil Aviation AFP on Friday.
On August 7, Air France suspended its flights to Mali (7 flights per week) and Burkina Faso (5 flights per week) following the closure of the airspace of neighboring Niger, the scene of a coup d’etat on July 26. This suspension was to last until Friday. But Air France said on Friday that it had extended it until August 18 inclusive “following the coup d’etat in Niger and because of the geopolitical situation in the Sahel region”.
The authorities in Mali, whose military leaders have shown solidarity with the Nigerien coup leaders, cracked down on the company even before the extension of the suspension, which they described as a “notorious breach” of the terms of its operating license. 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 results in the cancellation of your authorization to operate flights,” she said. This cancellation applies to the “summer season” of Air France, she specifies. This period is supposed to extend until October. “Your slot might be granted to another company that requests it,” says the agency, which asks Air France to submit a new program to it before resuming its service. A spokesperson for Air France confirmed this latest request to AFP.
Air France says it is “in contact with the French authorities” to follow “permanently the evolution of the geopolitical situation of the territories served and overflown by its aircraft” and recalls that the safety of its customers and its crews is its absolute priority ” .
Relations between France, the former colonial power engaged militarily alongside the Malian army once morest the jihadists since 2013, and Mali have deteriorated sharply since colonels took power by force in Bamako in August 2020. The junta pushed French forces out in 2022 and turned politically and militarily towards Russia. She 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.
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