Several international airlines have submitted applications to the Government of Ghana for authorization to operate direct flights from various global destinations to Kumasi International Airport. This development has been influenced by the increasing number of passengers arriving at Kotoka International Airport in Accra and then traveling to Kumasi, as well as the enhancement of infrastructure to meet international standards.
Alhassan Tampuli, Deputy Minister of Transport, revealed this information during a celebration of Air France’s 90 years of global service at the residence of the French Ambassador to Ghana, Jules Armand Aniambossou. The Deputy Minister also emphasized that the government is accelerating efforts to prepare Kumasi International Airport to accommodate these airlines once their applications are approved.
“The work on aviation infrastructure is solely focused on Kumasi Airport, along with all regional facilities and Kotoka International Airport,” the Minister stated. He added that work on domestic terminals is also a priority.
Mr. Tampuli stressed the government’s commitment to establishing Ghana as a regional hub for these airlines and passenger travel. He noted that the scale of infrastructure development has led to an increase in scheduled flights by most international airlines operating in Accra.
In a subsequent interview with JoyBusiness, the Deputy Minister of Transport revealed that the number of passengers arriving in Accra has now exceeded pre-pandemic levels, with more than one million arrivals. He attributed this to the increase in scheduled flights and government policies aimed at enhancing aviation infrastructure in the country.
The Deputy Minister also disclosed that additional airlines from Spain and Italy have expressed interest in operating direct flights to Ghana.
Furthermore, Mr. Tampuli discussed the government’s efforts to streamline departure and arrival processes for passengers at Kotoka International Airport. He mentioned that the digitization of procedures eliminates the need for passengers to fill out forms when traveling from Ghana’s airports or arriving in the country, reducing the number of steps and simplifying the process for passengers.
The celebration also highlighted the strong economic and political relationship between Ghana and France over the years, with Air France playing a crucial role in this development. The French Ambassador to Ghana, Jules Armand Aniambossou, expressed optimism about the increasing French business investment in Ghana.
Country Manager for Air France-KLM, Mees Van Ojik, announced that Air France is now offering direct flights from Paris to Accra, with no stopovers in Burkina Faso. Additionally, they are increasing direct flights to Accra to three times a week and providing a 15% discount on flights booked with their anniversary code.
Source: Myjoyonline