Air Senegal returns to Mali after an 8-month absence
Following the lifting of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) embargo on Mali on 24 June, the Bamako hub is gradually seeing the return of sub-regional airlines, such as Air Senegal.
Air Senegal will resume flights to Bamako next month. From 2 August, the Senegalese national carrier will offer three flights a week (Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday) between its Dakar hub and the Malian capital.
Flight HC301 will leave Dakar at 18:00 and arrive in Bamako at 19:45 local time. On the return leg, flight HC302 will leave Mali at 20:45 to arrive at Blaise Diagne International Airport at 22:30.
The route will be operated by Airbus 220-300. Air Senegal will compete on this route with Mauritania Airlines.
As a reminder, air links were suspended between Mali and the 13 ECOWAS countries, including Senegal, on 9 January 2022 after the date of the presidential and legislative elections promised by the Malian junta was changed. Since the lifting of sanctions, Air Côte d'Ivoire has resumed flights to the country. The local carrier Sky Mali is also preparing to rebuild its sub-regional network, which has been reduced to a single service (Conakry) since the embargo.
