Air Sierra Leone Launches London Service

On Monday, the airline operated its first scheduled flight from its Freetown hub to the British capital, London. This is its first intercontinental route.

Engine on a 737 MAX
A CFM LEAP-1B engine on a 737 MAX (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)

Sierra Leone’s national carrier, Air Sierra Leone, has commenced flying to the United Kingdom.

On Monday, the airline operated its first scheduled flight from its Freetown hub to the British capital, London. This is the airline’s first intercontinental route.

The service is operated with a Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, leased from U.K.-based Ascend Airways. The narrowbody aircraft seats up to 189 passengers in an all-economy class cabin.

First Intercontinental Route

The airline intends to operate a year-round service on the route, with up to three weekly rotations between Freetown and London Gatwick in the peak season. There is a significant number of Sierra Leone nationals residing in the United Kingdom.

Sierra Leone’s newly formed flag carrier operated its maiden flight in January between Freetown and Lagos, Nigeria. The route is operated with an Embraer E145 aircraft.

The airline has plans to expand its route network once it grows its fleet. It plans to add services to other West African capitals such as Accra, Monrovia, Abidjan, Dakar, Conakry, and Banjul in the future.

Lorne Philipot

Lorne is a South Africa-based aviation journalist. He was captivated and fascinated by flying from the day he took his first airline flight. With a passion for aviation in his blood, he has flown to destinations in all corners of the globe. Lorne has traveled extensively and lived in various countries. Drawing on his travels and passion for aviation, Lorne enjoys writing about airlines, routes, networks, and new developments.
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