The US Embassy in the Liberian city of Monrovia has released a statement to the American public advising that travel to the country's Roberts International Airport (ROB) may be unsafe. The announcement comes following several audits of the airport. These audits revealed several areas where the airport was not up to code with international standards. Let's take a look at the audit findings and the embassy's advisory.
Health and safety warning
The embassy released the advisory on February 2nd after it had determined that travel to the airport posed several risks to US citizens not posed at most other international airports. The recent audits discovered shortcomings regarding operational standards, airport security, and safety. According to the audits, the airport falls behind international standards and far behind US standards in terms of airport safety and security.
The Liberia Civil Aviation Authority, Liberia Airport Authority, and executives of ROB have noted the issues. However, no significant changes have been made at ROB to fix the shortcomings. In the statement, a spokesperson for the embassy stated,
"We are aware that RIA, the Liberia Airport Authority, and the Liberia Civil Aviation Authority have begun steps to address these shortcomings in recent months. However, U.S. citizens contemplating air travel into or out of RIA, which is Liberia's only international airport, should be aware that few if any of these shortcomings have been adequately resolved to date, and that several airport safety, security, and emergency response capabilities remain below international standards."
Due to the noted hazards, the embassy has advised travelers to check all travel plans with airlines as it is unaware of any schedule changes that airlines made following the audit. It has also advised travelers to make contingency plans should travel plans change. Additionally, it has recommended preparing for delays and carrying extra funds to cover them. Lastly, it has been advised that all travelers should regularly monitor airline and travel agency websites along with local media coverage to stay well-informed.
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Flight services to ROB
Liberia is a developing country that has yet to establish a significant aviation presence. However, there are a handful of airlines that regularly fly into ROB. According to FlightsFrom.com, the airlines that operate regularly scheduled flights to ROB include Kenya Airways, ASKY Airlines, Air Cote D'lvoire, Royal Air Maroc, Air Peace, and Brussels Airlines. The airline with the largest presence at the airport is ASKY Airlines, with 30 monthly flights.
The most popular route flown from the airport, according to FlightRadar24.com, connects ROB with Ghana's Kotoka International Airport ACC. This route is serviced 14 times per week. The longest route from ROB connects the airport with Brussels Airport (BRU). This route is operated by Brussels Airlines on an Airbus A330. The flight takes approximately 6.5 hours and is flown 18 times per month. So far, none of these routes have had schedule changes following the recent airport audit. However, it is advised that passengers verify flight schedules with their airline.
What do you think of this warning from the US Embassy? Let us know in the comments below.
Source: FlightRadar24, FlightsFrom