Why the entire Dakar-Paris crew was suspended
On 17 September, Air Sénégal made a drastic decision: all flight attendants assigned to the Dakar-Paris route were grounded. According to an internal source, the measure aims to facilitate an internal inquiry and determine who is responsible. The trigger: suspicions that crew members were smuggling parcels for payment.
In practice, some staff allegedly agreed to carry goods for a fee per kilogram – an activity known as ‘GP’, strictly prohibited by the airline and associated with freight trafficking. The company has not disclosed what was inside the packages.
A Georgian airline steps in to fill the gap
Since the suspension, the private Georgian carrier MyWay has been operating the Dakar-Paris service using its own aircraft and crew on behalf of Air Sénégal. This stopgap solution highlights the operational strain on the Senegalese flag carrier.
Financial turmoil and damaged reputation
The incident compounds existing challenges for Air Sénégal. The airline has long faced criticism over service quality and is grappling with serious financial difficulties: several of its planes have been seized, and a leased MyWay Boeing is currently the only aircraft maintaining the link between the French and Senegalese capitals.
What lies ahead for the airline and its passengers
As the internal investigation continues, questions remain about how this suspension will affect passenger confidence, route capacity, and the airline’s fragile recovery. The coming weeks will be critical in determining whether Air Sénégal can restore normal operations and rebuild trust.
