By the Logis-T Africa Editorial Team
As airport platforms increasingly assert themselves as strategic links in logistics and transport in Africa, baggage handling has become a key indicator of service quality and passenger experience. In Abidjan, faced with recurring complaints over baggage delivery delays, the Ivorian authorities have decided to take decisive action and impose a clear timetable on all stakeholders across the airport value chain.
Anticipating periods of heavy traffic — the year-end mini peak season and the major summer peak — the Ministry of Transport, through the Directorate General of Air Transport (DGTA), has launched a process aimed at identifying operational failures and implementing sustainable corrective measures at Félix Houphouët-Boigny International Airport in Abidjan. The stated objective is a full return to normal operations no later than the end of February 2026.
A high-level meeting to streamline the baggage logistics chain
It was against this backdrop that a strategic high-level meeting was held on Monday, 29 December 2025, at the ministerial offices located on the 21st floor of the Postel 2001 building in Plateau. All entities operating on the Abidjan airport platform were mobilized: ANAC, AERIA, SODEXAM, AVISECURE, and MENZIES, a key ground handling operator.
Led by Ahmed Djibril Coulibaly, Director General of Air Transport (DGTA), the working session was chaired by Dioman Coné, Chief of Staff to the Minister of Transport, with the participation of the Ministry’s Directorate of Communication and Public Relations. The challenge was clear: to streamline the baggage logistics chain, from check-in counters to the arrival carousels.
Clearly identified operational shortcomings
Discussions reviewed the entire baggage process: check-in at departure, loading into aircraft holds, handling of transfer baggage, and delivery on arrival. Several bottlenecks were identified, particularly in outbound baggage conveyance, leading to delays, passenger dissatisfaction and disruptions to flight punctuality.
In response, the Ministry of Transport and airport stakeholders agreed to immediately roll out corrective actions, with an ultimatum set for the end of February 2026 to fully resolve the operational failures. This deadline is considered critical to preserving the attractiveness of the Abidjan air hub, which is expected to play a central role in air transport in West Africa.
A monitoring committee to strengthen governance
Another key decision was the establishment of a ministerial monitoring committee tasked with strengthening operational coordination among all stakeholders. Placed under the coordination of the DGTA, the committee will include two representatives from each entity operating at the airport.
Its mandate will be to steer, coordinate and arbitrate baggage-related operations and, more broadly, airport service quality. To this end, participants approved the introduction of a daily report on airport activities and operations, as well as the creation of a Daily Operational Coordination Center (DOCC), designed to ensure real-time information sharing—an essential requirement for efficient airport logistics.
Increased pressure to enhance the passenger experience
At the close of the meeting, all stakeholders at Abidjan airport committed to taking every necessary measure, within their respective areas of responsibility, to meet the agreed timetable. Beyond the issue of baggage handling alone, this collective effort reflects a strong determination by the Ivorian authorities to make service quality a key driver of competitiveness for transport in Africa.
In Abidjan, the February 2026 ultimatum marks a turning point: improving baggage delivery has become a full-scale test of stakeholders’ ability to modernize airport logistics in Africa and to strengthen Côte d’Ivoire’s position as a leading regional air hub.
