Liberia Public Radio has reliably learnt that Liberia’ Minister of Transport, Samuel Wlue, is returning from France after holding talks with officials of Air France to maintain its flight to the country.
The French airliner is reportedly cutting off Liberia as of March 28 due to poor quality of services at the Roberts International Airport which include dark runway, lack of electricity at the airport and bad jet fuel being supplied.
These challenges faced by the airline in Liberia has been compounded by the crisis in Mali. The Airline’s service to Liberia was a continuation of its service to Mali.
According to source, the airline’s operation in Liberia is not viable without Mali.
In January, Air France left hundreds of passengers stranded at the RIA for two days in a row due technical faults on the plane and the poor quality of jet fuel.
In late February this year, Royal Maroc had to abruptly abort a landing at the RIA due to sudden blackout on the runway and the control towers.
Air France resumed flights to Monrovia and Paris Charles de Gaulle with a seven-day flights to the country transiting through Bamako, Mali.
Air France KLM suspended flights to and from Mali as of Jan. 13. This was in accordance with the decision of the French authorities.
Poor services in Africa
While Air France is preparing to cease flight to the RIA, several passengers who spoke to Liberia Public Radio in recent time have complained that the airline on several occasions delay their luggages to deliver to them for several weeks.
According to the passengers the delay by Air France sometimes cost them thousands of dollars and other losses.
“Air France service is very poor for we Africans, this nonsense they don’t it to Europe, for several weeks I am yet to get my suitcases from Air France”, said Alphonso Zean Soe, a passenger from Boston, USA through Paris to Monrovia.
He said the delay by the airline to deliver his suitcases in time cost him some financial losses as well as some valuables.
Another passenger from Boston, USA to Monrovia who beg for anonymity told LPR that for more than one month Air France couldn’t deliver her suitcases until her return to the United states-thus incurring some huge losses and financial debts.
In 2012, Air France carried 77.4 million passengers and 1.4 million tons of cargo around the world according to information on its website.
