Private jet to Guinea

Guinea, often called Guinea-Conakry to tell it apart from its neighbours, is one of the world's largest producers of bauxite, and most private flights to the country are booked by mining companies, engineers, investors and government delegations. Almost all of them land at Conakry Gbessia, also named Ahmed Sékou Touré International (CKY / GUCY), on the peninsula about 13 km from Kaloum, the city centre. The runway is about 3,300 m long, customs and jet fuel are listed, and a Praetor 600 reaches it from Paris, Geneva or London without a stop.

Conakry has about 3.4 million inhabitants, roughly a fifth of the population, and the country's main port. French is the working language and the currency is the Guinean franc. Leisure travel is small; the Îles de Los off the tip of the peninsula and the cooler Fouta Djallon highlands inland are the usual side trips.

Tell us the dates, the passengers and where the programme goes after Conakry, and a consultant replies with the aircraft and the price.

Why companies fly privately to Conakry

What a flight to Conakry costs

Prices are for the whole aircraft, one way, with an aircraft available near the departure airport. Handling, landing and parking, permits, passenger taxes and crew nights are added in the quote. The flight time is that of the first aircraft in each row.

From European hubs and Istanbul

Madrid - Conakry is the shortest of these sectors at 4:58 h and EUR 35,000 in a Praetor 600. Nice costs EUR 41,000, Paris EUR 43,000 and London EUR 45,000 for 6:29 h. From Istanbul the Praetor 600 still flies without a stop, 7:19 h for EUR 50,000. A Challenger 650 for a delegation of up to twelve costs EUR 58,000 from Paris, and a Falcon 7X EUR 74,000.

From Lisbon, Gran Canaria and Casablanca

A Citation Latitude covers Lisbon - Conakry in 4:39 h for EUR 29,000. From Gran Canaria the price is EUR 22,000, and from Casablanca in Morocco EUR 26,000.

Within West Africa

Freetown in Sierra Leone is a 0:40 h hop at EUR 7,500 in a Citation CJ3. Dakar costs EUR 10,000, Abidjan in Côte d'Ivoire EUR 12,000 and Accra in Ghana EUR 14,000.

From the Gulf and southern Africa

Johannesburg - Conakry takes 7:25 h in a Falcon 7X for EUR 92,000; Dubai is 9:02 h and EUR 110,000. Both are flown without a stop.

On departure from Europe, passenger taxes are added. France charges a solidarity tax per passenger that rises with distance, about EUR 1,015 on a flight to West Africa compared with about EUR 420 within Europe. Italy charges EUR 200 per passenger on sectors beyond 1,500 km and Austria EUR 12. Germany and the UK have departure taxes too; in the UK, aircraft under 5.7 t are exempt from APD, and the higher rate applies only to aircraft of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats. Guinean charges are listed in the quote.

Business jet price per flight hour

Heavy Jets from EUR 8,300 / hour

Light Jets from EUR 3,200 / hour

Ultra Long Range Jets from EUR 12,000 / hour

Super Midsize Jets from EUR 6,300 / hour

Very Light Jets from EUR 2,500 / hour

Long Range Jets from EUR 9,800 / hour

Midsize Jets from EUR 4,500 / hour

Turboprops from EUR 2,000 / hour

Two typical trips

Per-person cost

Splitting the aircraft price among the travellers:

Calculator

For another departure point or a return with nights on the ground, use the calculator.

Conakry Gbessia and the regional airfields

Conakry is listed open around the clock, but access can be restricted, so a night arrival is planned only when the handler confirms in writing that the airport will receive the aircraft at that hour. There is no business aviation terminal; supervising agents arrange the handling, fuel from a single Jet A-1 supplier, crew hotels and ground transport, and access to a VIP lounge where available. Where the party clears immigration is confirmed before departure.

Permit services give 24 to 48 working hours for a complete file and recommend 48 to 72 hours, longer over a weekend. The file includes the certificates of registration and airworthiness, insurance and a noise certificate; a change of aircraft, date or route means a revised permit. Domestic legs to Kankan or Kamsar are flown by a local operator or by the mining company's own aircraft, not by the jet from Europe.

Aircraft for the route

• Up to eight passengers from the hubs: a super midsize Praetor 600, non-stop.
• Delegations of up to twelve or a lot of baggage: a heavy jet such as the Challenger 650.
• From northern Europe, Istanbul or Johannesburg: a long-range jet such as the Falcon 7X.
• From the Gulf with more cabin space: the Gulfstream G650 or the Global 7500.
• From Lisbon or the Canaries: a midsize jet such as the Citation Latitude.

Leave your number and a consultant will call you back about the permit and the aircraft.

Climate and the travel calendar

Conakry receives about 3.7 m of rain a year, almost all of it between May and October. The dry season from December to April is the best time to travel; January and February are the driest months, and April is the hottest at about 32 degrees. From June to September the rain is heaviest, with more than a metre in each of July and August, and roads can flood even in the larger towns. Empty Legs are rare on this route at any time of year.

Korité, Tabaski, Maouloud and Easter Monday move each year. For trips near these dates the permit request goes in early, with written confirmation that it will be processed.

Entry, customs and safety

Medical care is basic, and serious cases are evacuated to Europe, so insurance with evacuation cover is essential. On the way home, the first airport in the Schengen area or the UK handles passport control and customs, as Guinea is outside both.

Dogs and cats

A pet flies in the cabin once the operator approves it. No import scheme is published; the usual requirements are an ISO microchip, a rabies vaccination given at least 21 days before travel to an animal of at least 12 weeks, and a government veterinary certificate issued within 10 days of arrival, with an antibody test and import permit for cats from some countries. Entry is through Conakry, and we confirm the conditions with the veterinary service in writing before the flight.

Empty Legs from and to Conakry

Empty Legs on this route are rare. When one appears, it is usually an aircraft returning to Europe after dropping a group that stays for several days, or an aircraft repositioning from elsewhere in West Africa. Send your route and dates to empty-legs@jets.flights, and we write when a matching leg is offered.

How a booking goes

1. You send the dates, the passengers with nationalities and the onward plan in Guinea.
2. We select operators that accept Conakry and confirm their insurance, and ask the handler about the arrival hour.
3. You receive the options with operator, aircraft, flight time and full price.
4. The contract is signed with the operator and paid; the e-visas and the permit file are completed.
5. Before departure we send the handler's details, the permit number and the car plan.

Questions about private flights to Guinea

• • What is the price of a private jet to Guinea?

  • From EUR 35,000 one way for the whole aircraft, Madrid - Conakry in a Praetor 600. Paris costs EUR 43,000 and London EUR 45,000, plus charges and taxes.

• • How long is the flight to Conakry?

  • 6:17 h from Paris, 6:29 h from London and 4:58 h from Madrid in a Praetor 600 without a stop.

• • Which airport do private jets use?

  • Conakry Gbessia (Ahmed Sékou Touré International), with a runway of about 3,300 m, customs and jet fuel.

• • Is there a VIP terminal?

  • There is no business aviation terminal. The handler meets the aircraft and can arrange VIP lounge access where available.

• • Do we need a visa?

  • Yes, EU and UK citizens apply online for an e-visa and collect the visa on arrival with the registration receipt. Processing for EU passports can take several weeks; we check it for each passport.

• • How far in advance should we book?

  • The permit needs at least three working days, longer over weekends and holidays. The visas set the real lead time: processing for EU passports can take several weeks, checked per passport.

• • Can we fly on to Kankan or Kamsar?

  • Not in the jet from Europe. A local operator or the mining company's aircraft flies these legs, after the airfield is confirmed for the type.

• • Can we bring a dog?

  • Yes, in the cabin with a microchip, a rabies vaccination and a vet certificate; the conditions are confirmed with the veterinary service in writing.

• • Are there Empty Legs to Guinea?

  • Rarely. Send your route to empty-legs@jets.flights and we tell you if one comes up.