The signals are all red for the national carrier Air Senegal. The company, created in 2016, had the ambition of becoming one of the flagships of West African air transport. But to no avail. The company is sinking into crisis due to the high cost of leasing aircraft.
Until now, the fleet has included 7 devices. Except that the company was no longer honouring payments on four of its aircraft. The carrier was crushed by the burden of its debt due to the leasing of its aircraft. According to the local press, this debt amounts to some 100 billion CFA francs (more than 152 million euros).
According to the airfleets website, the airline will now operate only two Airbus A319s, one Airbus A321 and one Airbus A330. The airline has returned or grounded three aircraft: an Airbus A321 and two ATR 72-600s. The reason: one of its lessors, Carlyle Aviation, has obtained an order from the American courts to ground four aircraft leased by Senegal's national airline. This includes the A330.
So the company has taken the initiative. From 15 September, it will suspend its two weekly frequencies to New York.. Air Sénégal has also decided to to stop its two weekly flights between Dakar and Cotonou/Douala/Libreville on the same date.
However, services to Paris CDG will be maintained - at least for the time being. Paris is now the carrier's only European stopover. But with the clouds gathering for Air Senegal, it may be prudent to look for other carriers to fly to Dakar...
