London Stansted has announced the launch of UK’s only direct service to the Senegalese capital, Dakar, by Air Senegal starting this summer.
Dakar is the latest destination recently announced by Stansted, after Mumbai, Tel Aviv, Amritsar, Istanbul and Reykjavik. The city known for its long-distance rally, Dakar is located on the Cape-Vert peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland.
Air Senegal is set to operate its first ever UK service from London Stansted, and will operate three flights a week starting on June 26. Operating on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, flights will leave Stansted at 7.50am, arriving at Dakar’s Blaise Diagne International Airport at 2.05pm. On the return they depart Dakar at 12.15am and arrive at Stansted at 6.25am.
The route will also benefit the 400,000 people in London Stansted’s catchment area who currently travel to Dakar and other key African cities from other UK airports. The flight times will also allow passengers to connect to several countries across Africa, including the Gambia, Sierra Leone, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Mali, Republic of Guinea and Nigeria.
London Stansted’s Chief Commercial Officer, Aboudy Nasser, said: ‘We are delighted that Air Senegal has chosen London Stansted for their first and only direct service from the UK to Dakar. It’s another new long-haul destination to add to London Stansted’s departure boards which will connect people and businesses from the region to a new and important market.
‘We know that 400,000 people in London Stansted’s catchment area currently travel to Dakar and other key African cities every year from other UK airports, so this new service will not only provide greater choice but help cut down unnecessary journeys.
Air Senegal will use an Airbus A321 on the route offering economy seats and fully reclining flat beds in business class. The flight will also provide people and businesses the opportunity to connect onto flights to several countries across Africa via its Dakar hub, including the Gambia, Sierra Leone, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Mali, Republic of Guinea and Nigeria.
