Truncated Accra-bound Starbow flight wasn’t in danger – CEO

Management of indigenous airline, Starbow, has refuted claims that one of its Accra-bound domestic flight S9103 returned to Kumasi because it endangered the lives of its passengers.

A Starbow flight S9103 en-route to Accra from Kumasi, had to return to Kumasi last Sunday due to bad weather conditions in the capital, Accra.

The captain decided to return to Kumasi as a safety precautionary measure and all the passengers were disembarked safely without any incident and the flight was not in any danger at all,” a statement from the company noted.

Reports indicate that, the airplane was unable to land in Accra as scheduled because of a storm, and hovered in the air for over an hour before returning to Kumasi.

According to the report, some passengers on the flight suddenly entered into a tumultuous prayer session after they were informed about the development and a subsequent sharp downward pitching of the aircraft.

Meanwhile, Starbow the statement signed by the Chief Executive Officer of Starbow, Mr. Hames Eric Antwi, explained that, “due to the change in weather at the destination, the captain entered a holding pattern together with other aircraft that were also due to land in Accra, hoping for conditions to subside.”

“When conditions did not improve, the captain opted to fly back to Kumasi so they could return to Accra when the conditions were better. Due to this, the captain decided to return to Kumasi as a safety precautionary measure and all the passengers were disembarked safely without any incident and the flight was not in any danger at all.”

The statement added that, the sudden change in weather is consistent with the changing of the seasons and cannot certainly be anticipated.

The company further apologized to its passengers for the incident.

“Starbow apologizes to its cherished guests, especially those who were in its flight S9103 on Sunday April 9, 2017, for any inconvenience this incident might have caused,” the statement added.

The report also indicated that, a Member of Parliament as well as a member of the Council of State were all on-board the aircraft.