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Aviation This Week – October Edition 2

By Mark Ofosu
Aviation This Week – October Edition 2
09.10.2021 LISTEN

This week’s edition of Aviation This Week has some topical aviation industry stories between October 4 - 9, 2021 relevant to Ghana’s aviation space. Here are the highlights:

KIA Runway Overlay Postponed Indefinitely

The runway overlay works at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) which was expected to be done between November 2021 and April 2022, has been postponed by the Ghana Airports Company until further notice.

Qatar Airways Offers Customers Savings on Airfares to Celebrate One Year of Ghanaian Service

Qatar Airways this week celebrated its one year of service to Ghana by offering its customers who made bookings from Accra to over 140 of its destinations up to a 30% discount. The offer was limited to all bookings made by October 8, 2021 for travels before March 31, 2022.

GACL Observes Customer Service Week

The Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) joined other global corporate organizations to celebrate Customer Service Week. The week-long event saw management and staff promising to do their best to assist customers and stakeholders of GACL.

AWA Releases September 2021 Operational Results

Africa World Airlines’ (AWA) operational performance for September 2021 shows that 51, 955 passengers were transported on 1,141 flights. Flights delayed beyond 2hours were 80 (as against 21 in August) and 15 passengers (as against 5 in August) were denied boarding due to oversales.

The results of September 2021 compared to that of the previous month shows that AWA recorded a decline of over 4,000 passengers in September 2021.

Delta Seeking to Enhance Connectivity of Customers on Other Connecting Carriers

Delta Air Lines says it is working together with its global airline partners to ensure easier connectivity between carriers in key airports. By this, Delta is seeking to be located in the same terminal building as well as selecting boarding gates adjacent to its partners to help reduce the time spent in moving to catch connecting flights.

United Introduces PayPal Inflight QR Code Payment

United Airlines in partnership with PayPal has introduced a QR Code payment option for inflight purchases. The service can be used even when there is little to no WIFI connectivity and will be available on all United routes offering contactless payment options.

Ethiopian Airlines Denies Involvement in Tigray War

Ethiopian Airlines has denied a CNN report alleging that it has been involved in the Tigray War by shipping weapons at the request of the Ethiopian Government.

Ethiopian argues that the waybill cited by CNN represents that of “Foodstuff and Refill”. Furthermore, Ethiopian argues that it has always conformed to standard aviation protocols as a senior IATA and Star Alliance member and is therefore demanding a retraction by CNN.

United Appoints new Country Sales Manager for Ghana and Nigeria

United has appointed Oluwatomi Bola-Sadipe as its Country Sales Manager for Ghana and Nigeria. Her appointment comes ahead of United’s plans to relaunch operations in Nigeria and daily services to and from Ghana in December this year.

GCAA Seeking $10m to Complete Office Complex for ANS Agency

The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is seeking to raise an $10 million to enable it complete the construction of a new office that will oversee Air Navigation Services (ANS) in the country. The project when completed will see ANS been decoupled from the GCAA and managed by an agency as per international aviation standards.

Kumasi Airport to Get Fuel Farm

With a completion date scheduled for June 2022, the Kumasi Airport which is currently undergoing expansion works to enhance its international status is expected to have a fuel farm.

The project according to reports will be funded by GOIL and serve as a fuel hub for aircraft.

UK Government Relaxes Travel Restrictions in Latest Update

The UK Government has now relaxed its travel restrictions for its citizens travelling abroad and also nationals moving into the UK. Per the new update, Ghanaians amongst a list of other nationals who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 will receive the same treatment as UK nationals arriving back into their country by taking a day-two test on arrival as against ten days of isolation.

RwandAir, Qatar Airways Sign Codeshare Agreement

RwandAir and Qatar Airways have signed a codeshare agreement that will give their customers enhanced flexibility and connectivity on over 65 destinations. The agreement allows customers of both airlines to purchase connecting flights through a simplified reservation system that makes check-in, boarding, among others very simplified.

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