Mali reverses Air France’s clearance to resume flights

The military government of Mali has recently declared that flights to and from the country operated by Air France will continue to be suspended until a thorough review of their previous authorization is conducted.

Air France recently announced that they will be resuming all flights to Mali, beginning on Friday, October 12th.

“In coordination with the French DGAC (Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Editor’s Note) and the Malian authorities, Air France will resume service to Bamako from Paris-Charles de Gaulle from October 13, 2023,” said a spokesperson from the company to AFP.

On August 7, Air France suspended operations in Mali and Burkina Faso. This decision was made in response to the public support expressed by the governments of these countries for Niger’s coup d’état earlier this year.
The relationships between Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and France have become increasingly contentious due to a series of coups that took place between 2020 and 2023.

According to a statement from the Transport Ministry, the National Aeronautical Authority of Mali is currently reviewing Air France’s request to resume flights.

“Flights to the country remain suspended during this file review,” the statement added.

They also accused the airline of suspending its flights to Mali without giving notice or adequate information to Malian authorities or Air France customers.

According to an interview with TRTAfrika, the previous decision to allow Air France to resume flights was made without consulting “all interested parties within the junta.” As a result of this, Mali’s director of civil aviation has been dismissed from his position.

France’s foreign ministry has also reiterated to French citizens not to go to Mali, including aircrew, due to possible security issues following Mali’s announcement.

Air France has also said that it hopes to resume operations in Burkina Faso, although no formal plans from the airline or Burkina Faso have been announced as of now.