Barbados’ Tourism Minister, Ian Gooding-Edghill, met with Togolese Mayor Akoeté Adanbounou to explore the possibility of direct air travel between Barbados and Togo.
According to thestkittsnevisobserver.com, Currently, travelers can book flights from West Africa to Barbados with ASKY Airlines, but these routes include multiple stops and connections with other airlines.
Travelers typically need to take connecting flights, often through European cities like London. The total travel time, including layovers, can range from approximately 15 to 18 hours, depending on the specific route and duration of stopovers, so a direct flight would be a big timesaver.
The meeting took place yesterday at the Ministry’s office in St. Michael. Since Barbados and Togo already have a visa waiver agreement, the main topic of yesterday’s meeting was establishing a direct flight, which would take about eight to nine hours.
Minister Gooding-Edghill expressed Barbados’ openness to this idea, emphasizing that the first step would be negotiating an Air Services Agreement (ASA). He highlighted the benefits of direct flights, including increased tourism, trade, investment, and improved cargo transport.
Mayor Adanbounou supported the idea, saying a direct link would make travel and cargo transport easier. He also suggested that Togo could serve as a hub for flights between West Africa, Barbados, and the wider Caribbean. Asky Airlines, in partnership with Ethiopian Airlines, would provide the service.
ASKY Airlines is a passenger and cargo airline based in Lomé, Togo. It was established in 2008 with the support of West African governments to improve regional air connectivity. The airline operates as a pan-African carrier, providing flights to multiple destinations across West and Central Africa.
ASKY is strategically partnered with Ethiopian Airlines, which provides technical and management support. The airline operates a fleet of Boeing aircraft and serves major cities like Lagos, Accra, Abidjan, Dakar, and Douala.
No representatives of Asky Airlines or Ethiopian Airlines appeared to be at the meeting, as far as could be determined.
Gooding-Edghill proposed forming a working group with officials from the Ministries of Tourism and Economic Affairs, along with Invest Barbados, to develop a plan for advancing the agreement and setting up the airlift service. He encouraged the Togolese officials to do the same, so both teams could collaborate on logistics.
The meeting also included Permanent Secretaries Francine Blackman (Tourism) and Charley Browne (International Transport), along with other ministry officials and members of the Togolese delegation, so it seems that the concept is being taken seriously on both sides.
