In response to mounting complaints and safety concerns from Liberian travelers, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ways, Means, and Finance, Senator Prince Kermue Moye Sr., has disclosed plans to summon the management of ASKY Airlines for questioning before the Liberian Senate.
ASKY Airlines is a private multinational passenger airline serving West and Central Africa, with its head office in Lomé, Togo, and its hub at Lomé–Tokoin International Airport. The airline is a strategic partner of Ethiopian Airlines, and has been consistently profitable since 2017.
However, Senator Moye’s decision follows a series of troubling incidents involving ASKY Airlines—also known as The Pan-African Airline—which operates throughout West and Central Africa, with its headquarters and main hub in Lomé, Togo. These incidents have triggered a wave of public outcry over flight delays, emergency landings, and missing luggage.
Among the most alarming was a recent flight from Ghana to Monrovia that suffered serious mid-air technical difficulties, forcing an emergency landing in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Passengers were left stranded for hours during repairs and were eventually flown to Liberia—but without their checked baggage.
Several travelers on that flight say only their carry-on items arrived with them, while their luggage was left behind. Adding to the frustration, airport staff at Roberts International Airport—not affiliated with ASKY Airlines—informed some passengers that their bags might arrive on a later flight, though no official communication from the airline was issued at the time.
Among those affected by the growing unease was Julius Jeh, a journalist with OKFM, who was due to travel on an ASKY flight from Accra to Monrovia just hours after the emergency landing.
“It was the same ASKY we were to board on Friday from Accra to Monrovia. Imagine the concern and fear in us,” Jeh said. “That flight was delayed by more than an hour before landing in Accra to pick us up, heightening our wariness and anxiety.”
The controversy has been further fueled by a near-tragic event involving Liberia’s Minister of Information, Jerelimak Piah. The minister and several senior government officials were aboard ASKY Airlines flight #1520 returning from China when the aircraft was reportedly caught in violent turbulence.
“It was one of the most frightening experiences of my life,” Minister Piah recounted. The turbulence was so intense that it prompted the Liberian government to arrange alternative transportation for the delegation’s safe return.
Senator Moye, who spoke to journalists in Gbarnga, Bong County on Sunday, said the situation cannot be ignored—especially as he is personally scheduled to travel with ASKY Airlines soon on a flight to Lomé, where he will connect to Ethiopian Airlines en route to the United States.
“Given the repeated incidents, I am genuinely concerned about the safety and reliability of ASKY Airlines, particularly as I prepare for my own trip,” Moye said. “It’s imperative that we engage their management directly to understand what steps they’re taking to address these failures.”
According to the senator, he intends to formally collaborate with fellow lawmakers to ensure that ASKY Airlines is summoned to appear before the Senate to account for its performance and safety record. The legislative inquiry will focus on the airline’s technical standards, baggage handling practices, crisis response mechanisms, and customer service procedures within Liberia’s airspace.
As public frustration intensifies, many believe this intervention is long overdue.
“People are afraid to fly, and they deserve better,” said one traveler at RIA. “This is not just about inconvenience—it’s about lives.”
ASKY Airlines, a strategic partner of Ethiopian Airlines, has built a reputation across the region as a key connector between African cities. However, recent developments in Liberia could tarnish that reputation unless corrective actions are taken.
With the Liberian government now stepping in, ASKY Airlines faces increasing pressure to review its operational practices and restore public trust amid growing scrutiny from lawmakers and the traveling public.
