Two regional airlines have threatened to halt flights to South Sudan, citing inconveniences caused to their staff at Juba Airport.

Speaking to reporters after the cabinet meeting in Juba on Friday, Information minister Michael Makuei Lueth said the threats came from Kenyan and Ethiopian airline companies after passengers allegedly complained of delayed or missing luggage at Juba Airport.

“The Minister of Transport, John Luk Jok, informed us that he has received complaints from Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways, threatening to withdraw or stop their flights to South Sudan. This is because of the inconveniences that are usually caused to the staff of the two airlines,” Makuei said.

“As you know very well, when you board a plane and your luggage is loaded, it may remain behind and when it remains behind, it is the duty of the airline to find it out and bring it to you. In case it is proved to be lost, they compensate you for that, but for us here in South Sudan if I arrive and my bag in not there, I immediately take action against the poor guy who is a station master here,” he added.

Makuei, who is also the government spokesman, admitted that harassment of airline staff at the airport repeatedly occurs, warning those doing so to stop it.

 “Anyone found to be doing that [harassing staff] will definitely be made answerable to it… luggage getting lost is something that happens all over the world and South Sudan is not an exception,” he stressed.

Makuei urged passengers to follow the right procedures in South Sudan.