Boureima Amadou
A full crew grounded: what prompted the drastic move?
On 17 September, Air Sénégal took the extraordinary step of suspending every flight attendant assigned to its Dakar-Paris route. The decision, confirmed by an internal source at the airline, was made to allow a thorough internal investigation and to determine who was responsible. At the heart of the matter are suspicions that crew members agreed to carry parcels in exchange for payment per kilogram — a practice known in the industry as ‘GP’, which Air Sénégal explicitly prohibits and which is associated with illicit cargo trafficking. The airline has not disclosed what was inside the shipments.
Who is flying the route now?
Since the suspension, the Dakar-Paris service has been operated by crew from MyWay, a private Georgian carrier, using one of its own aircraft on behalf of Air Sénégal. The arrangement keeps the route alive but raises questions about the airline’s operational capacity and its reliance on a foreign partner.
A reputation under strain
The incident compounds existing criticism of Air Sénégal’s service quality and comes amid serious financial difficulties. Several of the company’s aircraft have been seized, and the Boeing now flying between the French and Senegalese capitals is leased from MyWay. For passengers and industry observers alike, the episode highlights the fragile state of the national carrier and the potential risks to its long-term viability.
What lies ahead for the airline and its passengers?
With an internal inquiry underway, the focus will be on whether the airline can restore confidence in its operations. The suspension of an entire crew is a rare and severe measure, and its aftermath will likely shape Air Sénégal’s reputation and its ability to maintain critical routes. For now, travellers on the Dakar-Paris line continue to be served by a foreign crew, while the airline navigates both a reputational and a financial crisis.
