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Air Sierra Leone debuts London Gatwick flights with longest nonstop 737 service

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Air Sierra Leone debuts London Gatwick flights with longest nonstop 737 service
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Air Sierra Leone | Official Website

Air Sierra Leone has announced the launch of its first flights to London Gatwick Airport. The new airline, with an IATA code of YD, will operate a Boeing 737 MAX 8 leased from Ascend Airways for this service. Initially, the Freetown to London Gatwick route will start with round-trip services in April and will move to a regular schedule in June.

Because Air Sierra Leone is currently facing a UK ban, it must use a UK operator to fulfill the route requirements. Stewart Wingate, CEO of London Gatwick Airport, confirmed that Air Sierra Leone will be the fourth carrier to join their ranks this year, further expanding their services network.

Once operational, the 2,627 nautical mile journey will mark London's longest nonstop service flown by a Boeing 737. This will rank as the third longest from the UK overall, after flights from Edinburgh to Toronto and Edinburgh to Montreal.

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London remains a key destination for Freetown travelers, previously dominated by Royal Air Maroc and Brussels Airlines who served an annual high of 22,000 local round-trip passengers at Heathrow. Air Sierra Leone aims to capture this market, offering fares inclusive of two 23kg baggage allowances.

Last year's average fare from London to Africa was $877 one way, influenced by Sierra Leone's mineral and energy sectors. Air Sierra Leone also plans to offer connections via Freetown to Lagos and potentially other cities in the region.

Ascend Airways is tasked with providing aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance under a wet lease arrangement. The aircraft lineup includes three 737 MAX 8 and one 737-800. The single-class cabin setup has 189 seats in a 3-3 configuration. However, Air Sierra Leone's own specifications suggest an option for premium economy seats, though details remain scant.

The two longest 737-operated routes, Toronto to Edinburgh and Montreal to Edinburgh, will both increase flights, with WestJet planning up to 11 weekly services to Toronto. Air Canada has announced the Montreal service, destined to begin on June 26, and will only operate during the summer months.

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