<![CDATA[GhanaFlights.info - Airline and Flight News Updates]]>Mon, 02 Jan 2023 08:07:46 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[Kumasi airport will be a total waste if 3rd phase is not completed — Minister reveals]]>Fri, 08 Feb 2019 02:01:02 GMThttp://ghanaflights.info/airline-and-flight-news-updates/kumasi-airport-will-be-a-total-waste-if-3rd-phase-is-not-completed-minister-revealsThe Kumasi Airport will be a complete waste without the third phase and as a result may not be able to serve the intended purpose according to the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah.
​He disclosed that it is incumbent on the government to have the phase three of the project executed alongside the ongoing second phase because it may not serve the intended purpose for the expansion if that is not done.
Speaking to Kwame Adinkra on Pure Fm in Kumasi, the Minister who recently visited the area together with Otumfuo Osei Tutu II fears the airport may cease to operate upon successful completion of the second phase.

“We visited the airport to inspect ongoing work on the phase two project together with the Senior Minister but we realized that after completion of the project, the airport will not be functional. The phase three will accommodate the fire station and the reader but if you complete the current one without these things, the airport will not work as expected”, he made the stalling revelation. 
Mr Simon Osei-Mensah underscored the need for both the phase two and three to be implemented concurrently as a way of making the airport operate in full capacity upon completion indicating that an agreement and tje necessary documents have been prepared through cabinet and is awaiting parliamentary approval.

“I will not say it was an error on the part of the previous government but the financial constraints. After study of the project, we realized there will be trouble if we allow the second phase to be completed without working to have the final stage incorporated”, he revealed.
According to him, both the second and third phases of the project will take up 30 months technically barring other unforeseeable challenges promising that it will become a fully-fledged international airport capable of accommodating two Boeing 737.

“That is if the two aircrafts are parking at the same time taking into the maneuvering into consideration but for stationary ones, it can take more than two. There is also room for expansion because the passenger traffic has increased”, he revealed. Source: mynewsgh. com
Kumasi International Airport
]]><![CDATA[The new "Baby Jet Airlines" to begin operations next month]]>Wed, 23 Jan 2019 08:00:00 GMThttp://ghanaflights.info/airline-and-flight-news-updates/the-new-baby-jet-airlines-to-begin-operations-next-monthAsamoah Gyan: "I can confirm 95% of work has been done and hopefully between December and latest by January 2019, the airlines will fully be operational,”
The much anticipated Baby Jet Airlines is expected to fully begin operations in February.

Deputy Minister for Aviation, Kwabena Otchere Darko announced that Baby Jet Airline is among other Airlines expected to commence work next month.
"This year, we are looking at new operational areas that will bring in more customers or tourists, so we are linking more of our projects with the tourist centres,” Mr. Darko stated.

He added: “Apart from Passion Air, we also have Unity Air now operating, and we are expecting Baby Jet Airlines, which will be on stream by next month, and we have others also going through the processes, so, at least, we should have about five by close of the year."

It would be recalled that President Akufo-Addo announced in 2017 that Asamoah Gyan had acquired a licence to operate an airline in Ghana.

This was during the African Airshow held at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).

The footballer himself later disclosed that 95% of work to get the Baby Jet airlines started has been done.

“I can confirm 95% of work has been done and hopefully between December and latest by January next year, the airlines will fully be operational,” Gyan told Accra-based Okay FM in December.
]]><![CDATA[Qatar Airways soon operating to Ghana]]>Sun, 20 Jan 2019 08:00:00 GMThttp://ghanaflights.info/airline-and-flight-news-updates/qatar-airways-soon-operating-to-ghana​African countries including Ghana are under-served but have huge potential and therefore Qatar Airways is looking at Africa in a positive way by giving incentives to new entrants and other assistance to those who wanted to do business with Qatar.
Qatar Airways, the national airline of Qatar, is expected to soon complete arrangements to fly Ghana this year.

“We have already gone far with talks with the Aviation Authorities in Ghana and will be flying to that country by middle of 2019”, Abkar Al-Baker, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Airline, told journalists in Doha.
He was answering questions after a press briefing on the sidelines of the 2018 Doha Forum, held at the weekend in Doha, the capital of Qatar.

The annual forum, the 18th in the series, created the platform for business executives, academia, and world leaders among other groups, to discuss policy guidelines to propel global growth and development.

“Shaping Policy in an Interconnected World”, was the theme chosen for the event, which deliberated on issues about security, peace and mediation, economic development and trends and traditions.

Akbar Al Baker said though the initial negotiations with Ghana bordered on the need for his country’s assistance to run a national airline for Ghana, Qatar planned to make Ghana one of its destinations, from next year, to begin with, while further discussions continued.

According to him, Qatar Airways had targeted to add 15 new destinations to its network, next year, and to also procure 36 new aircraft's for that purpose.

Beaming with smiles and backed by the confidence of his government, Akbar Al Baker was optimistic that the projections of the airline would be achieved, and said the “blockade on Qatar has failed to stop the growth of Qatar Airways”.

He added that the blockade did not have a toll on the airline because “We quickly developed new routes and though 18 routes were blocked, they were replaced with 24 destinations in Europe, Africa and Russia”.

The destinations, he said, had now increased to 30 and “We are still searching and networking to reach our target of 250 destinations as planned and also to send the message to the world that we will keep on marching forward and nothing will stop us”.

He said African countries including Ghana were under-served but had huge potential and therefore Qatar Airways was looking at Africa in a positive way by giving incentives to new entrants and other assistance to those who wanted to do business with Qatar.

“The world will see the rapid progression of Qatar Airways as we have lined up more than 15 destinations to be announced step by step, next year, while we wait for airport slots”, he said, adding that, the 36 new aircraft's would be received in the next 12 months.
Source by 3news. com
]]><![CDATA[How to secure an passenger aircraft: Ghana explores sourcing aircraft for home-based carrier]]>Sat, 19 Jan 2019 08:00:00 GMThttp://ghanaflights.info/airline-and-flight-news-updates/how-to-secure-an-passenger-aircraft-ghana-explores-sourcing-aircraft-for-home-based-carrierGhana is exploring the option of sourcing aircraft from Canada and Ethiopia to make up the fleet for the national home- based carrier, the Minister of Aviation, Mr Joseph Kofi Adda, has hinted.
Although the number of aircraft to make up the fleet has not yet been firmed up, discussions currently centre around eight, according to the minister.

He said four of the planes would be sourced from Canada and the rest from Ethiopia.

Mr Adda dropped the hint when he interacted with journalists after the Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana, Ms Heather Cameron, paid a courtesy call on him in his office in Accra. 

The meeting was held behind closed doors.

Discussions

The visit was to discuss potential areas of collaboration between Ghana and Canada to strengthen the aviation sector.

Apart from discussing issues related to the home-based carrier, they also discussed issues of capacity building and export credit facilities that Ghana could source from Canada.

Mr Adda expressed satisfaction with the long years of bilateral relations between Ghana and Canada and appealed to the government of Canada to support Ghana's aviation sector towards becoming the aviation hub of West Africa

Mr Adda said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo had made aviation a priority sector because of the positive impact a strong aviation sector had on the economy.

Canada, he said, had a good track record in aviation, particularly in the manufacture of aircraft at the Bombardier Plant in Toronto.

“Our discussion was also about credit facilities that will help us acquire the aircraft and support in building capacity, such as the training of pilots and acquiring equipment for schools for the training of pilots and support services,” he said.

Mutual benefit

For her part, Ms Cameron said the closed-door meeting with the minister was part of plans to kick off the year with discussions on what the two countries could accomplish in the aviation sector together.

She said Canada and Ghana had had a very important and long-standing partnership and the two countries continued to work towards strengthening the relationship for their mutual benefit.

The diplomatic relations between the two countries date back to Ghana’s independence, and Ghana was Canada’s first international development partner, she recalled.

“Aviation is an important sector in Canada and also important to Ghana’s economic development and we are pleased we have the Canadian Bombardier flying here in Ghana. There are lots of potential for growth,” she said.

Ms Cameron said Canada and Ghana would discuss other strategies, including data collection through training, and the provision of other services.

The envoy said working together would be mutually beneficial for the two countries.

Ghana last year signed Air Service Agreements with Canada and two other countries to boost the former’s aviation sector.

The move is expected to enhance passenger numbers to the respective countries since airlines would soon be able to fly directly from Accra to the partner countries.
]]><![CDATA[New Try of Ghana, to operate own airline, by March - NPP Aviation Minister]]>Fri, 18 Jan 2019 08:00:00 GMThttp://ghanaflights.info/airline-and-flight-news-updates/new-try-of-ghana-to-operate-own-airline-by-march-npp-aviation-ministerGhana will be operating its own home-based air carrier by the second quarter of this year, the Minister of Aviation, Mr Joseph Adda, has stated.

He said the ministry had already entered into an understanding with Ethiopian Airlines and was also engaging with some investors who wanted to participate in the effort.
He disclosed that there would be further negotiations held in February that would be concluded by the end of March when “hopefully the operation of a home-based carrier will commence”.

Mr Adda made the disclosure at a stakeholders meeting held at Aburi in the Easter Region last Wednesday on the theme: ‘Aviation – catalyst for Ghana’s Socio-Economic Development’. 

Safety

He said in line with ensuring safety in the airline’s operations, services provided by the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) would be upgraded to meet global standards.

“We’re going to review what is happening in other parts of the world and would add up new technology to already existing ones to enable us provide safe navigation, and the GCAA is going to feed us with information on how to undertake that,” he said.

According to the minister, the GCAA would ensure that all services that went with operating an airline: pilot, cabin crew, technicians, hangar and so on were modelled in a manner that would serve the country’s purpose. 

He added that the authority was working with investor partners to come up with the best model.

Training schools

Mr Adda further revealed that investors in the business would set up pilot training facilities and cabin crew training programmes in Ho and Tamale.

“This would be an opportunity for those Ghanaian youth who are technology inclined and would like to become pilots and airline technicians to get themselves trained to achieve their goals,” he said.

The Aviation Minister said, together with the Ministry of Finance, a portfolio was going to be set up to add up to the Student Loan Trust, so that intelligent but less endowed Ghanaians who are technically skilled would come by funds to train as pilots and airline technicians.

Airport transformation

He said the ministry had also secured funding for work on phase two of the Kumasi Airport project which hopefully would be completed soon for work on phase three to begin. Furthermore, he said, work on phase two of the Tamale Airport expansion which include the construction of a Hajj and cargo village terminal would commence soon.

Terminal 3

The Minister of Aviation nonetheless expressed his displeasure over the state of the Terminal 3 at the Kotoka International Airport. 

He said the terminal required some modifications to provide further safeguards and a Ghanaian touch to the structure.

Presently, he said, there was no separate route or tunnel that ensures incoming passengers were safe and secure and stressed that the phenomenon was below global standards and required further work to be done on it.

He said the work must include a touch of Ghanaian culture such as Adinkra symbols and the national colours on the air side and land-side to distinguish it from other airport terminals around the world.

“This is important to make the first-time visitor to Ghana perceive a difference from other countries.

“The terminal is beautiful but I think something more could be added and am urging the Ghana Airport Company to work on it,” he added.  Source by Daily Graphic Ghana
]]><![CDATA[Passion Air suspends operations to Takoradi (Western region, Ghana)]]>Wed, 16 Jan 2019 08:00:00 GMThttp://ghanaflights.info/airline-and-flight-news-updates/passion-air-suspends-operations-to-takoradi-western-region-ghanaPassion Air has announced, suspending all flight operations to Takoradi until further notice, following its first flight to the capital city of Western region of Ghana, just December 2018.
​A statement from Passion Air explains that the Takoradi route is essentially a corporate route hence the Airline will need to restructure its approach in order to allow it to make gains on the Takoradi route.

According to sources, this development has come about due to low passenger numbers on the route.
However, sources say the Airline will resume scheduled flights to Takoradi after the restructuring.

In December, the company made an inaugural flight to Takoradi as it readies to commence scheduled flights to the region.

The new route was expected to bring to three the total destinations frequented by the airline since it commenced operations in August 2018.
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