PM Seeks to Improve Air France Services As Camair-Co struggles

Cameroon’s Prime Minister, Chief Dr. Joseph Dion Ngute, has held discussions with Air France Country Director, Denis Perrot, aimed at improving the company’s services.

The discussions held at the Star Building in Yaounde recently after Air France users reportedly complained about the quality of services.

After the meeting, the PM posted on X: “Paris-Yaoundé-Paris, soon on board the latest model Boeing 787. I discussed this new service offer on October 31, 2024, with the Country Director of the French airline, @AirFranceFR.

“Thus responds to the demand of Cameroonians who requested better treatment of the fleet that serves the two capitals, Paris and Yaoundé,” he added.

Poor Treatment From Air France

In June, Cameroonian travellers raised concerns about poor treatment from Air France, one of the major airlines flying on Cameroon’s airways.

The users complained of outdated aircraft, high-priced flight tickets, and constant delays and cancellations of flights.

Many of them travelling to Paris complained Air France was not treating them fairly.

Air France’s Commitment

In June this year, the Cameroon Employers Union, known by its French acronym GECAM, tabled passengers’ complaints to the Minister of Transport, Jean Ernest Massena Ngale Bibehe.

As a result, the Minister summoned a meeting in Yaounde attended by Air France’s Director General and the company’s directors in Africa and Cameroon.

As a result, Air France committed to updating its aircraft, and explained concerns about the price of flight tickets, and constant flight reschedules.

So, between June and November, Air France met their commitment by bringing an upgraded Boeing 787, which the PM just announced.

Camair-Co in “Shambles”

While PM Dion Ngute is keen on ensuring Air France improves its services, he seems to have turned a blind eye to Cameroon’s national airline corporation, Camair-Co, whose passengers and workers have raised repeated complained.

Many who have boarded the airline, including Cameronian MP and opposition leader Cabral Libii, have complained of unprofessionalism. 

Camair-Co operates domestic and international regional flights within the CEMAC zone.

MMI has reported complaints from passengers of how their luggage was left behind owing to overload and was brought back many days later.

Others like Cabral Libii recently complained about poor communication and undue flight delays.

According to Libii, he paid for a ticket for a domestic flight, and Camair-Co rescheduled the flight thrice but did not inform him each time, despite registering his contacts.

Passengers’ complaint is not the only issue Camair-Co faces. Earlier this year, the airline’s pilots announced they were going on strike over poor working conditions.

The company acknowledged the strike notification and assured users it wasn’t going to affect traveling.

The issues facing Camair-Co have triggered a comparison to the Cameroon Airlines, which used to operate flights to Western countries, unlike the localized Camair-Co.

Owing to managerial issues and corruption, Cameroon Airlines was renamed Camair-Co, but the challenges never left and seemed to have deteriorated.