The Deputy Minister of Transport, Hassan Tampuli, has revealed that the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has granted an initial licence for the eagerly awaited national carrier.
This approval follows the entry into an agreement with a private group, the deputy minister told journalists on the sidelines of a ceremony in Accra to mark Air France’s 90th anniversary – adding that the government has “already signed a shareholders’ agreement with them”.
“We have incorporated the company, and the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority has granted them the first level of licence,” Mr. Tampuli stated.
“We are currently waiting for the company to identify the type of aircraft they will use, and the final licence will be awarded after the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority inspects those aircraft. At present, we are still in the incubation stage,” he added.
Need for due diligence
When asked about timelines for issuance of the final licence and outdooring the carrier, his response was that it is challenging to provide an immediate timeframe because there is a substantial amount of due diligence to be conducted on the private company.
Additionally, Mr. Tampuli, who’s also the Member of Parliament for Gushegu said: “We need to assess our bilateral air service agreement (BASA) to determine which routes are available to Ghana. These considerations and calculations are crucial for understanding the business model that they [the private group] will be applying in partnering with government”.
Two more carriers seek entry into Ghana
The deputy transport minister also stated that government has received formal applications from two airlines – one based in Spain and another in Italy – seeking approval to establish direct services to Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
“So, yes, Ghana is open for business. Airlines are coming. They keep knocking on our door and we are ready; we have the infrastructure to accommodate them and give an experience that will make them come again,” he stated.
KIA is Currently served by 23 international and regional flights, with three domestic airlines – Africa World Airlines (AWA), PassionAir and GIAN AIR – offering scheduled and non-scheduled domestic flights.
Air France’s special fares to mark anniversary
In the meantime, Air France – headquartered in Paris – is commemorating its 90th anniversary by extending a 15 percent discount to the Ghanaian travel ling public for the upcoming winter season, commencing this week.
With a legacy of 65 years’ operation in Accra, Ghana, the airline is also introducing a new 3x weekly direct service to Accra for the winter season – discontinuing its stopover in Ouagadougou.
In collaboration with its sister company, KLM, the group now offers a total of 10 weekly direct flights to and from Accra, with seamless connections to over 300 destinations through Paris or Amsterdam.
“We would like to celebrate, of course, our birthday with you; and for that, we are offering all of you a 15 percent discount on our website AirFrance.com by using the discount code 90 elegance,” Country Manager for Air France-KLM, Mees Van Ojik, announced at a special event held at the French Ambassador to Ghana’s residence to mark Air France’s 90th anniversary.
