By: Tamba Lamin
The new Freetown International Airport Terminal can be considered a First class airport. From the outside and inside, it is first class when you think of infrastructure. I observed and experienced the following in December 2023.
The airport infrastructure is new, and it has a decent first-class or business-class lounge, is more secure when it comes to people allowed inside, is modern, and is refreshing when compared to the previous terminal and the others in the sub-region.
However, The habits, attitudes, practices, processes, procedures, and everything else about the airport have not changed. The struggle to cross over via boat, ferry or drive the long way continues. For me, It’s the same airport wrapped inside a new building.
The airport does not accept electronic payments of any kind from passengers. It has no website with official information about what to expect when using it. The service providers, including terminal managers, are still choosing the dollar notes to accept for security payments and other airline payments. They will charge in dollars, but when you pay with dollar notes, they only accept new notes.
I recommend the following to the authorities in charge.
International airports provide services to international passengers. In this day and age, the airport must accept all popular forms of electronic payments via visa, master card, etc. Please install payment systems and make them the first choice for payment.
If an airline or the airport charges a fee in USD currency, it must be ready and willing to accept such payment in USD notes that are considered legal tender in the USA. This is not a problem in Liberia or Guinea, but it is in Sierra Leone. The banks in the airport and the foreign exchange bureau refusing to accept legal foreign currency notes should be removed from the airport. Visitors and tourists will not like any part of this.
Customer service at the terminal is currently a big miss, in my opinion. Terminal managers and agents representing various airlines and airports must know customer service best practices. And that they are serving the public and not themselves. The airport is the first port of entry. A bad experience at the airport will go a long way for visitors.
If you plan to travel to Sierra Leone via the new airport, do the following;
- make sure you have new USD notes to pay the security charges and any other charges
- make sure you have enough cash to pay for any charges. Keep extra cash.
- reduce your expectations when it comes to customer service. Expect the same service or a little better than the previous one.
- be prepared to cross over to Lungi like you did before. Nothing has changed.
I will be sharing my total experience at some point. For now, enjoy the new airport infrastructure.
