In Summary:
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A popular critic of the government, Jefferson Chesson, claimed that Delta Air Lines has placed Liberia on its cargo embargo list and banned flights to the country following the recent US$19 million drug seizure at Roberts International Airport.
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A review of the airline website confirms that Liberia is among 12 countries subject to a cargo embargo. The embargo was announced in October 2024 and applies only to cargo operations and does not constitute a passenger flight ban.
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Delta suspended passenger service to Liberia in 2014 and has not resumed flights since then.
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However, there is no evidence that a new cargo embargo was announced after the recent drug seizure
On June 30, J Jefferson Chesson, a supporter of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), claimed in a Facebook post that Delta Air Lines had placed Liberia on its cargo embargo list and banned flights to the country.
Chesson made the claim in connection with the recent seizure of 198 compressed plates of cocaine valued at an estimated US$19.2 million at the Roberts International Airport (RIA).
He argues that the alleged decision was based on the seizure of the drugs at Liberia’s Airport.
The Claim
Chesson wrote this to Facebook: “Finally, Liberia is banned from USA Delta Air Lines and listed amongst the narco state for drugs trafficking & transit!”
Rating Justification
To verify the claim, we reviewed information published on Delta Air Lines’ official cargo website. We found an October, 2024 notice stating that Delta has placed a complete embargo on all cargo to, from, or through 12 countries, including Liberia, on Delta or its Connection aircraft, regardless of the air waybill stock.
However, the notice specifically refers to Delta Cargo operations and does not relate to passenger flights. Furthermore, the notice does not state that Liberia has been banned from passenger travel, nor does it provide a reason for Liberia’s inclusion on the cargo embargo list. A cargo embargo is not the same as a passenger flight ban.
In aviation and logistics, a cargo embargo is a restriction or prohibition on the transportation of certain cargo, or all cargo, on an airline’s network, while a passenger flight ban is a restriction preventing airlines from operating passenger services to or from a particular country, airport, or region.
Our research also found that Delta Air Lines suspended its passenger service to Liberia in 2014, citing weak passenger demand. Since that suspension, the airline has not resumed passenger flights to the country.
According to a May 17, 2024, press release from the Liberian government, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai visited Atlanta, Georgia, during a trip to the United States and initiated negotiations with Delta Air Lines for the resumption of direct flights to and from Liberia. Despite the President’s negotiations, we could not find any evidence that the airline has officially announced a return to Liberia or resumed passenger service as of now.
Conclusion
Based on the available evidence, we conclude that the claim that Liberia appears on Delta Cargo’s embargo list is out of context. The cargo embargo was placed on Liberia in October 2024, and it is not linked to the recent drug bust at the Roberts International Airport (RIA).
Our research shows that Delta Airlines has not imposed a passenger travel ban on the country and suspended flights to Liberia since 2014.
The Cargo Embargo placed on Liberia and other countries happened in October 2024 and is not connected to the recent drug situation at the Roberts International Airport.
