Cargolux Boeing 747-800 freighter makes maiden touchdown at KIA

Cargolux Airlines International’s Boeing 747-800 Freighter on Tuesday made its maiden touchdown at the Kotoka International Airport from its Luxembourg- Germany base via La Cote d’Ivoire.

The aircraft is the newest generation of B747 aircrafts and the most modern B747 all cargo to enter service and to be welcomed in Ghana. Cargolux is the first carrier to operate it.

Cargolux International, one of the largest cargo carriers in the world, is represented in Ghana by Air Ghana and has been operating in Ghana for the past 16 years, providing what Air Ghana Chairman, Mr. Marwan Traboulsi referred to as “consistently reliable service and support” to the Ghanaian import and export cargo markets.

Mr. Michael Maguire, Managing Director of Air Ghana, speaking to journalists at the KIA said the aircraft was the fifth of six B747-800Fs that Cargolux had purchased and they were hoping to operate it on all their routes instead of the B747-400F.

He said the new aircraft, which has the capacity to carry 139 tons of cargo-10 pallets more than existing aircrafts, would help serve Ghana’s agricultural, mining oil and gas industry with regular high cargo movements to and from the country.

The B747-800 also consumes less fuel and has a quieter engine in spite of its huge size.

“It is a message to Ghana that Cargolux, as one of largest cargo carrier recognizes Ghana’s strategic position in the West Africa.

“Ghana serves as one of the prime markets in Africa and we see a tremendous future here,” Mr. Maguire stated.

Air Commodore Kwame Mamphey, Director General of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) said they expected about 10 per cent growth in the cargo industry in 2013.

He noted however that the internal cargo industry might not grow as much due to the high expenses involved in domestic cargo.