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Antigua Blocks First Air Peace Lagos Flight Amid Ebola Precaution, Barbados Now Expected to Receive Aircraft

TIMES CARIBBEAN | ST. JOHN’S, ANTIGUA — Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne has confirmed that the first scheduled Air Peace flight from Lagos, Nigeria, will not be permitted to land in Antigua on Monday, May 25, as his government adopts what he described as a cautious and conservative public-health posture.

The flight, which was initially expected to operate from Lagos to Antigua and then onward to Barbados, is now expected to bypass Antigua and land directly in Barbados instead. Reports out of Antigua indicate that approximately 25 passengers destined for Antigua may still be transported to the twin-island state via alternative regional arrangements.

Prime Minister Browne said the decision was not taken lightly, but was guided by heightened concern over the active Ebola outbreak affecting parts of Africa. The current outbreak has been identified by international health authorities as affecting the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, not Nigeria. The World Health Organization declared the Ebola disease outbreak caused by Bundibugyo virus in DRC and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on May 17, 2026.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the outbreak response is focused on remote areas of DRC and Uganda, while the overall risk to the American public and travellers remains low.

Still, Browne said Antigua and Barbuda would proceed carefully before formally activating travel facilitation measures connected to the new route. He noted that the government has not activated the transit visa waiver protocols for the Lagos-Antigua service and would continue to monitor developments before making further decisions.

The Air Peace route had been promoted as a major milestone in reconnecting West Africa and the Caribbean, with scheduled service linking Lagos, Barbados and Antigua. Air Peace’s own route information describes the service as connecting Lagos to Barbados with onward connection to Antigua.

The decision now places Barbados at the centre of the route’s first operational phase, while Antigua and Barbuda weighs public-health readiness, border protocols, and the diplomatic and tourism value of the new air bridge.

For Antigua and Barbuda, the issue is delicate: the new route offers significant potential for tourism, trade, diaspora connection and South-South cooperation. But Browne’s government appears determined to avoid any perception that the country is moving ahead without adequate safeguards.

The Prime Minister’s message was clear: Antigua and Barbuda is not rejecting the promise of Africa-Caribbean air connectivity, but it is choosing caution first.