Air Sierra Leone
 | |
| Founded | 2024 |
|---|---|
| Commenced operations | 2025 |
| Operating bases | Freetown International Airport |
| Fleet size | 1 |
| Destinations | 2 |
| Key people | Emmanuel Iza (CEO) |
| Website | flysierraleone.com |
Air Sierra Leone is the flag carrier of Sierra Leone. The airline commenced operations with its maiden flight from the Sierra Leonean capital Freetown to Lagos, Nigeria, in January 2025.[1] The airline originally announced that its first flights would be to London, a route that has previously been operated by British Airways and latterly by Fly Salone. It was also reported that the airline would launch flights to the USA.[2]
History
[edit]Air Sierra Leone had announced that it would commence flights between Freetown and London Gatwick Airport in December 2024 using a Boeing 737-8 chartered from Ascend Airways. This did not happen because of delays in gaining regulatory approval and launching a ticket sales platform.[3]
Instead, Air Sierra Leone's first flight was from Freetown to Lagos to Freetown on 22 January, 2025.[4] The flight used a smaller Embraer ERJ-145 which does not have the range to fly to London.[1][5]
The airline has plans to expand to other West African capitals including Accra, Monrovia, Abidjan, Dakar, Conakry and Banjul in future.[5] It is banned from flying in the European Union.[6]
Destinations
[edit]| Country | City | Airport | Notes | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nigeria | Lagos | Murtala Muhammed International Airport | ||
| Sierra Leone | Freetown | Freetown International Airport | Hub | |
| United Kingdom | London | Gatwick Airport | [7] |
Fleet
[edit]Air Sierra Leone's fleet consists of one leased Embraer ERJ-145 registered as 5N-BZZ. The airline is reportedly is in the process of acquiring a larger plane for flights between Sierra Leone and the United Kingdom.
| Aircraft | Number | Orders | Passengers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Embraer ERJ-145 | 1 | — | 50 | Wet leased from XEJet in Nigeria. |
| Total | 1 | — | ||
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Koiki, Olusegun (23 January 2025). "Competition Enhances On Lagos-Sierra Leone Route As Air Sierra Leone Commences Direct Flights". Independent Nigeria. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
- ^ "The Leone Ranger".
- ^ Birns, Hilka (15 January 2025). "Air Sierra Leone to debut with regional flights early 1Q25". ch-aviation. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
- ^ "Air Sierra Leone Airline Profile". CAPA - Centre for Aviation.
- ^ a b Fambuleh, Usman (23 November 2024). "Air Sierra Leone Aircraft not yet in Freetown, not flying to London". Dubawa. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
- ^ Kef, Amin (10 January 2025). "Air Sierra Leone's Regional Routes Unaffected by EU Ban, Says SLCAA". The Calabash Newspaper. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
- ^ "Air Sierra Leone revises Freetown – London service in June/July 2025". aeroroutes.com. 10 June 2025.
