Ariel view of Juba International Airport. Credit | Obaj Okuj/Eye Radio

Some local aviation companies have started selling flight tickets in US dollars instead of South Sudanese pounds, the Director of Juba International Airport has said.

Mr Kur Kuol says international companies such as the Ethiopian Airlines, Rwanda Airlines and others have been taking only the US dollars since 2015.

He says these companies also doubled the prices of the tickets to about 600 US dollars during the crisis.

But national companies like Golden Wings have started charging travelers in dollars because they are paying landing fees and other fees in Khartoum, in dollars.

“So…it remains in the hands of the government to decide what to do, but otherwise, that’s what they have started,” he told Eye Radio.

Mr Kuol said charging people in dollars will affect travelers because the exchange rate is so high.

However, he urged the people not to panic and travel outside the country because the situation has normalized.

However, security fears have been reported in other areas such as Yei and Mundri.