NAIROBI
Three international airline companies: Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines and Regional Air on Wednesday suspended flights to the Burundi capital, Bujumbura, as a result of intense fighting between the government and rebel FNL during the past fortnight. All three airlines confirmed to IRIN on Thursday that services to Bujumbura were suspended for what they described as general security reasons.
An Ethiopian Airlines official said it would reconsider "as soon as the situation on the ground calmed", while both Regional Air and Kenya Airways said the suspension would run until the end of the month, when the situation would be reassessed. A Regional Air spokesman said it was predominantly affected by low passenger demand, probably linked to the military-political climate in Bujumbura, and to a lesser extent by insecurity on the ground in the Burundi capital.
Air Burundi and Alliance Air, the latter flying Kigali-Bujumbura, were virtually the only operators now serving the Burundi capital, according to airline sources. The flight suspension was "a logical step" given the security situation, and the wonder was it had not been taken before Wednesday, when the situation was worse - including near the airport, humanitarian sources told IRIN on Thursday.
The situation was much quieter on Thursday, perhaps as a result of a government curfew [8pm to 6am] taking effect, but the flight suspensions were still a powerful symbol of the seriousness of the current situation in Burundi, they added. The situation in Bujumbura appeared to be stabilising but people were still keeping their heads down, residents of the capital said on Thursday. The situation in the suburbs of Kinama and Kamenge remained fluid and somewhat volatile, they added.
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions