City Bird has suspended its weekly services between Brussels and Congolese capital Kinshasa after local authorities levied a $1 million landing charge at the airport. There have also apparently been threats that City Bird's Boeing 767-300ER may be blown up or seized if it lands at Kinshasa.
City Bird inaugurated services to Kinshasa last April, on a wet-lease contract for local airline Lignes Aériennes Congolaises (LAC). Having been advised of the landing fees hike, City Bird cancelled services after also receiving threats that its aircraft would be blown up.
The developments are believed to be linked to the crash of an LAC-chartered McDonnell Douglas DC-8-62F at Kinshasa on 16 October, which was inbound from Ostend, Belgium. City Bird says it has no connection with the aircraft. A Congolese delegation was due to discuss the situation in Brussels at the end of October.
Source: Flight International
