On 6 August 2023, the military junta shut down Niger’s airspace until further notice, citing the threat of a military intervention in the country. The spokesperson for the newly formed National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP) declared the airspace closure as the one-week ultimatum issued by the regional bloc Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for the reinstatement of ousted President Mohamed Bazoum expired the same day. The CNSP claimed that preparations for a military intervention in Niger were made in two central African countries without offering further details. ECOWAS had announced that plans for a potential military intervention in Niger were finalized on 4 August, but has made no official statements since the deadline to reinstall Bazoum expired on 6 August. In response to Niger’s airspace closure, Air France has suspended its flights to Bamako, Mali, and Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, until 11 August. The carrier is also expecting longer flight times for its aircraft operating to and from countries in Sub-Saharan Africa due to the now-required detour. Other European airlines, including British Airways, Brussels Airlines and Lufthansa, also anticipate longer flight times via alternative routes while operating to the region.