The Board of Directors and members of the African Tourism Board congratulated the government and good people of Sierra Leone on the commissioning of the ultra-modern Freetown International Airport on March 3, 2023.
The Sierra Leone Minister of Tourism, Dr. Memunatu Pratt, received HE President Dr. Julius Maada Bio at the opening ceremony of the newly constructed airport.
The new airport is equipped quay space, cranes, airfield ramp access, temporary storage sheds, customs offices, transport services, clearing and forwarding services, and adequate security and cargo inspection facilities to enable customs to be able to handle volumes of trade and passenger traffic and the collection of the much-needed revenue.
Facilities include Customs Offices for outbound and inbound passengers and enables customs to scan and inspect baggage, assess declarations, conduct preliminary investigations, store intercepted goods. There are scanners and x-ray facilities, cold rooms/storage facilities for refrigerated goods, and a mortuary for human remains.
The new airport meets International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards. This means the tourism sector may now accommodate Air Canada, Finnair, as well as other airlines to the Sierra Leone destination.
Freetown International Airport, locally known as Lungi International Airport, is an international airport located in the coastal town of Lungi, in the Port Loko district.
Freetown International Airport is the only international airport in Sierra Leone.
The Sierra Leone River separates Lungi International Airport from Freetown, the nation’s capital city.