Mali’s Approval and Revocation: Air France Faces Setback in Flight Restart Plans
Air France’s attempt to resume flights to Bamako was met with a temporary nod from Mali, only to face a sudden cancellation shortly after. On October 13, 2023, the airline announced the restart of its services to Bamako after more than two months of suspension, only to have the authorization withdrawn shortly thereafter. According to a military official, the initial permit was issued “without consulting the superiors,” as reported by the AFP news agency.
The French carrier had suspended its services to Bamako, along with Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso and Niamey in Niger, following the coup d’état in Niger in early August 2023. Tensions between these former French colonies and Paris escalated as military juntas took control in each country between 2020 and 2023. While flights to Niger remain indefinitely suspended due to explicit bans on French aircraft in its airspace, Air France has been engaged in discussions with Mali and Burkina Faso regarding the potential resumption of services. Both countries revoked the carrier’s traffic rights after the initial suspension, citing the adverse impact on local passengers due to the abrupt flight cancellations.
Air France’s planned services between Paris CDG and Bamako were intended to be operated with a B777-200ER wet-leased from euroAtlantic Airways (YU, Lisbon). The decision to use third-party aircraft and crew was influenced by the prevailing travel advice for French citizens against visiting Mali and the lack of available in-house capacity to restart the route.
Corsair International (SS, Paris Orly) currently maintains a connection between Paris Orly and Bamako with four weekly flights. Notably, Bamako does not have any other direct services to France or any other EU country.
As Air France navigates this setback, the dynamics of diplomatic relations and regulatory considerations in the region continue to impact the airline’s efforts to resume operations and reconnect with these West African destinations.