Air France Delays Sahel Flights to Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso

Air France has once again postponed its return to Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, with flights from Paris CDG now scheduled to resume in mid-September 2025. The airline had previously planned to relaunch services in July 2025 but has pushed back the restart due to ongoing regional instability.

According to its latest schedule, Air France will resume daily flights to Bamako starting September 16 using Airbus A350-900 aircraft. Flights to Niamey will operate four times weekly from September 17 with Airbus A330-200s, while Ouagadougou will see five weekly flights beginning September 17 on Boeing 777-200ERs.

The airline suspended operations to these Sahel countries in August 2023 after Niger’s military government closed the country’s airspace following a coup. Air France was forced to reroute flights around the region, increasing flight times and operational costs. A previously planned return in September 2024 was also cancelled.

The French government continues to designate Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso as “red zone” destinations due to significant security concerns. Travel advisories remain in place, warning citizens against visiting the region.

Air France’s prolonged suspension is widely seen as aligning with France’s diplomatic stance against the military juntas in the three countries. French authorities have urged a return to civilian rule, but the juntas have rejected those demands, leading to continued political tension and the absence of direct air links.

Air France has not provided additional commentary on the delays, and future resumptions will likely depend on geopolitical developments in the region.

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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com