I’m always excited to see new airlines launching, and this is no exception.
In this post:
Liberia to revive national airline after 30 years
The government of Liberia and Goldstar Air of Ghana have signed a strategic partnership to revive the country’s national airline.
The new national airline of Liberia will be named Lone Star Air, and the motto will be “Wings of Liberia.” The plan is for the airline to initially fly from Monrovia to 11 destinations in West Africa, including Accra, Abidjan, Abuja, Banjul, Bissau, Conakry, Dakar, Freetown, Lagos, Ouagadougou, and Sao Tome.
Rendering of Lone Star Air’s plane
Liberia’s national airline ceased operations about 30 years ago, in 1990. Now “after years of consultation,” the president of Liberia has decided on Goldstar Air management services.
The goal is for the country to use the airline as a driver of social and economic transformation, with the major objective being that the airline will bring more visitors to Liberia. The airline plans to be a low cost carrier, with a focus on tour operators.
As Goldstar Air’s services are described:
“Goldstar Air Management Services as part of the joint venture with the country’s government will ensure that the right goods, in the right quantities, in the right condition are delivered to the right place at the right time for the right cost, taking into account that our primary focus as a trend-setting airline will be to focus on top quality, short turnaround time and promoting highly competitive prices and ensuring excellent customer service.”
Signing ceremony for new venture between Liberia & Goldstar Air
There’s only one problem…
Like I said, I love airline startups, and I’d love to see this work. But after “years of consultation” on Liberia’s part, “His Excellency has settled on Goldstar Air management services.” What other airlines was he considering, Baltia Air Lines and Global Ghana Airlines?
For those not familiar with Goldstar Air, it’s the not-particularly-real airline from Ghana. For years the airline has been claiming it will launch global operations shortly, flying to all kinds of long haul destinations (including Baltimore), and even setting up hubs in London and the Caribbean. Yet the airline hasn’t ordered any planes, and for that matter seems to have a limited budget for photoshopping and geography…
I guess the entire photoshop budget went to Lone Star Air?
Miss Teen South Carolina vibes
What’s hilarious is that just yesterday I wrote about how Goldstar Air had a ceremony to name one of its (non-existent) planes after the president of Liberia, and I guess now we know why.
Nothing more fun than having non-existent planes named after you!
What I find interesting is that two of the guys involved in this venture are said to be from E-Station Cargo, and I can’t figure out exactly how legitimate that company is, and how that plays into all of this.
Bottom line
Goldstar Air and Liberia are working together to revive the national airline of Liberia. His Excellency made an interesting choice by contracting Goldstar Air’s services, given that the management team hasn’t been able to get an airline off the ground in Ghana, much less Liberia…
So, what are y’all putting the odds at of Lone Star Air launching?
Sad times for LIBERIA. We are yet to get Lonestar Airways off the ground and other flights are cancelling their routes to LIBERIA.
There's a time for everything in Life. Rome was not built overnight.
As they say in Liberia, "One fine day" Liberia will resurrect to its rightful standing in the world. Unfortunately, our leaders have not always made the right choices. But let me remind you this, "he who is without...cast the first stone." Believe Again!
https://youtu.be/Jhxoe8MI2U8
Well.. Most nasty comments were from hopeless opposition party members who knew they were cut off their regular cake. Waoh...cake, sweet cake they miss too much and are upset they want free cake back between their cheeks... But no thanks... No cake...go straight home...
Having said that, I went to Liberia twice this year and it's still like a war zone. Every two or at the most five kilometres is a road block and terrible...
Well.. Most nasty comments were from hopeless opposition party members who knew they were cut off their regular cake. Waoh...cake, sweet cake they miss too much and are upset they want free cake back between their cheeks... But no thanks... No cake...go straight home...
Having said that, I went to Liberia twice this year and it's still like a war zone. Every two or at the most five kilometres is a road block and terrible looking people looking into your pockets as if your pockets were made for them
They will accuse you of being with diamonds as you leave and carrying cocaine as your u come in. To save your head, bless your soul, you must PAY. I was wondering what the use for a president was in the first place, because those boys should be sent to go and work, instead of harassing visitors who could have loved to bring investors to the country.
They harassed me so much, and stole lots of stuff from me. I am too disappointed in the Sirleaf woman who did almost nothing after changing the law so she could be there for twelve whole years. Nothing done. No roads, nothing.
This WEAH guy is like starting a New Country, because I saw nothing the old woman was able to achieve, order than post former rebels in every corner.
WEAH must remove them and send them to some farms and make money. Let themselves stop creating hate for their country. I honestly don't wanna be there again. It's like the wars are still hanging out with those criminals everywhere there using government uniforms.
Will the legacy MD-11 from World that did Houston-Atlanta-Angola be wet-leased?
Most of the comments above are from non-Liberians, who have never been to the country.
One day you will wish to travel to Liberia and you will be on a waiting list for years. Laugh all you want now, but it is one of the most beautiful places in Africa. International airlines will scramble for spots at Robert's International Airport. Watch and see.
From your mouth to the creator's ears, Family.
The ignorance of Liberia exhibited in a lot comments above is astounding.
Suffice to say if this project does get off the ground (pun intended) it will good for Liberia and the region.
I love that Ghangzou is now Baghdad and Banjul Miami!
What a tragedy for the Homeland... Our country has become a laughing stock...
@Lucky Thank you for the background check.
Once again Chinese envolved this.Why I said once again?
The comments are hilarious. You guys know so little about Liberia to be making these outrageous comments, lol.
@ Derek
Well don't joke: For decades they had a daily Panam 747 to /from JFK. The route was JFK - DKR (old Dakar airport) - ROB (Monrovia) - LOS (Lagos) - NBO (Nairobi). I am not sure whether Delta ever took over for some time.
I used it many times. It probably was one of Panam's most unpleasant routes, with F seats both in Monrovia and Lagos regularly snatched from boarding passengers and...
@ Derek
Well don't joke: For decades they had a daily Panam 747 to /from JFK. The route was JFK - DKR (old Dakar airport) - ROB (Monrovia) - LOS (Lagos) - NBO (Nairobi). I am not sure whether Delta ever took over for some time.
I used it many times. It probably was one of Panam's most unpleasant routes, with F seats both in Monrovia and Lagos regularly snatched from boarding passengers and given to anybody who paid a "dash", passengers regularly disappearing during the trip between Monrovia and the airport (far away), and a strange cabin crew announcement landing in Lagos "Transit passengers to... (Monrovia or Narobi) may disembark if they wish but we strongly advise them not to. I always wondered 1) how they got away with it and 2) why they simply did not forbid disembarking. I probably still have the Panam menus from the time.
As to the former Liberian airline, I have seen a few plane caracasses but am not sure it ever really existed, given that it was a domestic airline and that Liberia doesn't have other airports than the 2 in Monrovia. More likely than not, the planes were only used to smuggle arms into the country and diamonds out. Tough place if there ever was one...
When are they going to start taking applications for flight attendants?
@Sean M. Oh my! What have they done to Roberts?! They deserve an Emirates A380 daily to DXB and a Delta 777 to JFK!
HAH. I completely forgot about Miss Teen South Carolina. Thanks for bringing it back!
This is all a very nice way to siphon off Liberian public money, you gotta say. Starting an airline in this time? Hope those pilots are trained in time ;)
Ben, have you covered some hotel management changes in the UAE? Emirates Palace now by Mandarin Oriental, and the hotel at Etihad Towers’ (prev. Jumeirah) now managed by Conrad? You can update them to help points spenders, maybe
@derek - You obviously haven't been to Roberts anytime recently. The runway is completely refurbished (although the ILS calibration could use a bit of work) and the new terminal is one of the nicest small airports in the region with multiple jetways and an excellent lounge.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Mvh7j9juY4T6Tweq9
Spriggs is also undergoing renovation which was supposed to be complete by mid-2020 but has been delayed for obvious reasons. That renovation involved extending the runway and the...
@derek - You obviously haven't been to Roberts anytime recently. The runway is completely refurbished (although the ILS calibration could use a bit of work) and the new terminal is one of the nicest small airports in the region with multiple jetways and an excellent lounge.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Mvh7j9juY4T6Tweq9
Spriggs is also undergoing renovation which was supposed to be complete by mid-2020 but has been delayed for obvious reasons. That renovation involved extending the runway and the installation of navaids to enable regional jet operations. Hopefully will be ready by next year.
This has the makings of an awesome "American Greed" episode even though it's Africa. I'd love to know where the money trail on this one leads. The president has to know this airline has no airplanes, so why sign this agreement?
i know right! I flew GoldStar Airlines from Kuwait to Washington DC. Damn, I loved their complimentary chauffeur car service and their G-Suites OMG! When I arrived in Washington, I felt relaxed and GoldStar Platinum members don't even have to quarantine because everyone gangsta until GoldStar 777 comes into the tarmac with full flaps and no landing gear! No competition at all... Rumours have it saying that they could be the Skytrax 2021 Airline of the Year!
Classic. The pics look like they were edited with MS Paint.
Give people in Monrovia, Liberia some sympathy. Their air service is lousy. I believe there are only two airports with non-grass runways, their version of LGA and JFK, except in bad shape, terminals and runways. If you live in Monrovia and have to get to Lagos or Dakar by air, good luck! Even flights to Europe are not common, maybe once a week???
On the other hand, they are poor. Should the 1% give them...
Give people in Monrovia, Liberia some sympathy. Their air service is lousy. I believe there are only two airports with non-grass runways, their version of LGA and JFK, except in bad shape, terminals and runways. If you live in Monrovia and have to get to Lagos or Dakar by air, good luck! Even flights to Europe are not common, maybe once a week???
On the other hand, they are poor. Should the 1% give them money? Where's Bernie? Americans in poverty are the rich compared to the poor in Liberia. Some urban houses don't have toilets or reliable trash collection.
I love how the National Airline of Liberia has Monrovia in Ecuador on the route map. SMH.
Interesting Gold Star airplane. No front wheel and main gears are facing the camera while plane is facing to the left nice oh .. and full flaps on tarmac
I can't wait for them to add Austin and San Antonio.