Brussels Airlines, a subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group, has announced the suspension of its flights to Angola following the closure of Niger’s airspace.
According to airspace-africa.com, the closure, the result of a coup and political crisis in Niger, has required flights to Luanda to be diverted around Niger, making them more complex and expensive.
The airspace closure was ordered by Niger’s military regime and has seriously affected airline operations crossing north and west Africa. Brussels Airlines operates a triangular flight between Brussels, Kinshasa and Luanda and was serving Angola twice weekly through this route.
The closure has also caused delays for airlines operating in the region, including those travelling to Southern Africa.
Flights to 12 different destinations have had to be extended, resulting in longer travel times, ranging from one to three-and-a-half hours on journeys across the continent. Furthermore, the detours may require stopovers for refuelling, further complicating the journey for passengers.
Brussels Airlines says its decision to suspend flights to Angola will be evaluated weekly. The airline expects the flights to return by August 26, at least. The airline notes that very few passengers will be affected, as it estimates there are only 30 passengers per flight.
The airline says affected passengers are to be given alternative flights on Lufthansa.
