Africa 24 news

By Hassan Conteh

Sierra Leone’s airport tariff is arguably too expensive than most airports tariff in the world, according to the views of many oversea travellers.

The Turkish private company, Summah Group, is running the Freetown International Airport of Sierra Leone. But many Sierra Leoneans have become particularly intrigued by the exorbitant air flights charges impose on inbound and outbound passengers.

Lots of critical comments have been poured out by a number of people on the situation.

The complaints are ranging from the expensive airfares and heavy taxes paid by passengers for security checks at Freetown International Airport.

Malick Sesay has had a bad experience as his luggage went missing while travelling from Sierra Leone to the United States of America this year.

Mr Sesay, who lives in Freetown and his family in US, told us he had written Air France and Freetown international Airport management to secure his lost baggage but never succeeded in getting his items back.

Several travellers like Sesay had suffered a similar fate as they complain of some missing baggage.

While a number of inbound and outboard passengers have equally raised some growing concerns about the bloated airplane tariffs charged by aircrafts to Sierra Leone, owing to airport increasing taxes on private flights.

They claimed, however, that despite they’re asked to pay up extra security fee on luggage but couldn’t get assured services as baggage sometimes get missing without a trace.

The heavy taxes paid by travellers have given cause for many to en route to Guinea Conakry airport to travel.

And the impacts have shown badly on the country’s aviation revenue stream as a global flight, Air France, had called off operations in July, 2023.

BBC’s Umaru Fofana posted on social media saying that, “passengers complain about an exorbitant $ 50 security fee, adding to the travel expenses…travellers could save several hundred dollars by choosing to fly from Europe, the USA, Australia, or South America to other locations, due to lower ticket costs.”

On Air France’s shutting down flight operation, a statement reads, “Over the past months, the flight’s customer base to Freetown International Airport has significantly dwindled, leading to this unfortunate development.”

“Air France suspended its operations to Sierra Leone, citing low traffic volume as the reason behind the decision,” bnn news had written.

It’s hoped then that government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Transport and Aviation will engage the management of Freetown airport to cut down the costs of airfares and other extra charges as taxes at Freetown’s airport on flights and passengers.

This way government is able to recoup State losses of money by travellers using Guinea’s airport, Sierra Leone’s neighboring country.