The nation’s carrier, Ghana International Airline (GIA) is faced with a massive problem of patronage on its London – Accra route.
According to the Acting Chief Executive of the airline, Mrs. Mrs Gifty E. Annan-Myers figures relating to passengers from London to Accra on GIA flights in last April are the worse since the last two years.
Addressing a press conference in London the Chief Executive noted that the problem has come as results of “mischievous rumours being peddled by some unscrupulous elements in the travel and tours business in London.
She said over the past weeks, there have been rumours around London that the airline is not flying and debunked the said rumours saying “Ghana International Airline is flying and will continue to fly”.
Mrs Annan-Myers noted that the rumours have gained undue grounds and have indeed affected the smooth operations of the airline in recent times.
She blamed travel and tour operators who have been acting as agents over the years for the airline and are no longer working with them for the rumours as a desperate attempt to thwart the efforts of the airline operations.
The Chief Executive explained that some time last year, the airline went into a more modern and efficient system of ticketing which required only certain category of travel agents who have adequate facilities and knowledge to work with the airline.
Due to this, she observed, many of the agents were not able to meet the set requirement while others cheated on the GIA with the loop holes in the new facility.
“All these were dropped and they have turned against our operations with these mischievous rumours. Those who are not working with us at the moment are suspected to be peddling these mischievous rumours”. She added.
She appealed to the general public especially their cherished customers to ignore the rumours and contact the offices of the GIA or its accredited agents in London and other parts of Europe to the correct information about the airline.
The GIA Chief Executive announced that there is going to be a much more improvement in the operations of the airline when certain measures the government is working on are made known.
She said Government will soon come out with an business module for the airline to ensure its effective operations. With this the national carrier can favourably compete with other international airlines especially those on the same route with the GIA.
The business module to be outlined by the government according to the Acting Chief Executive will solely be the government’s decision which among other things will look at either retaining all its 70 percent shares in the airline, or offload some for a private strategic investor. “It is entirely up to the government”. She said.
Mrs. Annan-Myers said one of the most important factors which could lead to dry leasing of an aircraft for the airline has been overcome and that is the withdrawal of a monthly payment of 1.5 million US dollars towards work lease of an aircraft for GIA. This she said will facilitate the dry leasing of an aircraft for the airline which will be a major step towards the revamping of the airline.
According to her, there was the need for a bold decision to stop paying the amount monthly as a work lease and rather ensure an outright purchase of an aircraft and spend less money on it to ensure efficiency and good profits adding that that payment of 1.5 million US dollars went on for far too long.
“Currently we have developed our own crew, that is pilots and cabin crews who are all Ghanaians so we have moved ahead and getting ready to go into more improved form of leasing in airline operations”. The Acting Chief Executive said.
She further announced that government has also working hard to eliminate the dispute between it and the minority shareholder to facilitate improvement in the airline’s operations.
“This also is a laudable stride because nothing has happened at all positively due to the dispute and it is obvious that no one will want to work with an airline with a dispute hanging on its neck” She noted.
The Acting Chief Executive noted that there are three stages in the agreement to work out the disputes which are settlement, mediation and arbitration. The government since taking office in January has met with the other party three times to find solution to the impasse.
The Acting Chief Executive noted that plying on London route is just prestigious and cosmetic because the yielding from this route is not profitable and that was why the airline introduced the Düsseldorf route which is more profitable.
She said the airline is still considering the operating on the West Coast routes which are more viable and also has an enviable future prospect.
Mrs. Annan-Myers did not agree that landing at Gatwick airport in London was affecting the airline’s income. She however said after government had come out with the business module, GIA will work to get a slot at Heathrow airport saying the current available slot at Heathrow is not conducive for our passengers.
