Antigua and Barbuda Suspends Planned Air Peace Arrival Amid Ebola Concerns in Africa

Prime Minister Gaston Browne has announced that the first scheduled Air Peace flight from Lagos, Nigeria, which was expected to arrive in Antigua and Barbuda on Monday, May 25, will no longer land in the country as authorities closely monitor the evolving Ebola situation in parts of Africa.

Speaking on the Browne and Browne Show on Pointe FM on Saturday, Browne said the government had taken what he described as a “conservative” approach in order to minimize any potential public health risks linked to the Ebola outbreaks currently affecting countries including Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Under the original arrangement, the Air Peace flight was scheduled to travel from Lagos to Antigua before continuing onward to Barbados. However, Browne revealed that the aircraft will now likely land directly in Barbados instead.

The prime minister stressed that Antigua and Barbuda remains committed to strengthening air connectivity between Africa and the Caribbean, noting that the country has long been at the forefront of efforts to establish an airbridge between the two regions. However, he said protecting public health must remain the government’s top priority.

Authorities have also confirmed that transit visa waiver protocols are not being implemented at this time for the trans-Atlantic route. Browne said the government intends to continue monitoring developments surrounding the Ebola outbreaks before making decisions on future flights.

The move comes amid heightened international concern over Ebola cases reported in parts of Africa. Health officials on the continent have been working to contain outbreaks that have already resulted in multiple infections and deaths, particularly in Uganda, where authorities previously confirmed fatalities linked to the virus.

The Democratic Republic of Congo has also faced recurring Ebola outbreaks in recent years, prompting continued regional and global surveillance efforts.

Locally, Antigua and Barbuda has already begun strengthening monitoring measures at its ports of entry. The Ministry of Health recently confirmed enhanced surveillance protocols, including increased screening and travel history checks for incoming passengers, as part of broader efforts to guard against infectious diseases entering the country.

Browne also referenced the controversy surrounding the arrival of African migrants on Antigua Airways flights in late 2022, saying that experience had influenced the government’s cautious position on the new Air Peace route.

Air Peace had earlier announced plans to operate twice-monthly flights between Lagos and the Caribbean, with Antigua and Barbados included as destinations on the route.