14th Oct 2014 15:24
LONDON (Alliance News) - Security company Westminster Group PLC Tuesday said airline Gambia Bird has been forced to suspend services on its London to West Africa routes until further notice, after the UK government changed its policy on routes to the region.
Westminster, which manages airport security at two airports in Ebola-hit west Africa, in Liberia and Sierra Leone, had said last week that Gambia Bird Airlines Ltd, the Gambia flagship carrier, was set to resume flights from London on October 17.
"The airline had received the necessary permits and permissions to operate the route again from the UK Civil Aviation Authority and had fully intended to restart service as of the above date. However, a shift in policy by the UK Government was taken to withdraw these permissions, barely a week before service was to resume. The airline said it would appeal against the decision, especially as its licence was only granted on 26 September," Westminster Group said in its statement Tuesday.
The UK has stepped up its measures against Ebola after a nurse in Spain and a US health care worker became the first people outside Africa to contract the disease. Both caught it from patients who had flown in to those countries with the disease. In the case of the Spanish nurse, the original patient had been flown to Spain for treatment.
Screening of passengers from Ebola-affected countries began at London Heathrow airport Tuesday, and will be extended to Gatwick airport and the Eurostar next week.
"We consider the ... decision disappointing," Westminster quoted Gambia Bird's official agent in the UK, McPhillips Travel, as saying. "Our view was that the need for a direct commercial service was clear from several standpoints. It would provide far easier, cost-effective access for humanitarian assistance to Sierra Leone in the form of Non-Governmental Organisation volunteers, medical professionals and supplies to combat the Ebola epidemic that the country is currently suffering. It would allow UK based businesses and workers who are still trying to access the country and contribute to boosting its badly damaged economy a reliable means of doing so."
"Gambia Bird had put in place extremely stringent health and safety procedures to protect both passengers and crew, combined with thorough checks of passengers at Lungi International Airport prior to exiting Sierra Leone. Public Health England was consulted throughout the planning process and was satisfied that measures being taken were adequately robust," the travel agent added.
Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Guinea are the countries worst affected by the Ebola outbreak.
The Ebola infection rate in West Africa will speed up to between 5,000 and 10,000 new cases per week in December, a senior World Health Organization official said Tuesday. The total number of Ebola cases in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone has risen above 8,900 and will surpass 9,000 this week, he said.
Westminster has said one of the two airports it supplies security services to has been affected by the Ebola outbreak, but never specified the airport.
Westminster Group shares were down 10.8% at 32.13 pence Tuesday afternoon.
By Steve McGrath; [email protected]; @stevemcgrath1
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