GCAA urges domestic airline operators to create more visible customer service points

Air Commodore Kwame Mamphey, Director General of Ghana Civil Aviation Authority(GCAA) has charged domestic airline operators to create more visible customer service points.

In addition, they should initiate measures that would enhance customer travelling experience as well as staff and customer interactions including informing booked passengers prior to cancellation of flights.

Air Commodore Mamphey made the call at the second Stakeholders Meeting with domestic airline operators in Accra as part of scheduled quarterly meetings for 2012.

He said domestic airline operators could tailor their services and adjust their approaches towards meeting the respective needs of the customers.

Representatives of the four domestic airlines; Antrak Air, CitiLink, Starbow and Fly540 were present at the meeting.

After a discussion with the GCAA, the airline operators agreed that despite the desire to satisfy communication needs of all customers by introducing local languages on local flights; the airlines could not afford to translate all on-board information to passengers in the various Ghanaian languages due to time constraints on the domestic routes and cost.

The GCAA, however, tasked them to consider producing a documentary on flight information in the local Ghanaian languages which would be shown at the waiting areas of the domestic terminal to educate all passengers even before they board any aircraft on the domestic routes.

The Director-General stated that in spite of the existing competition, domestic airline operators should find a way of working together to be able to transfer passengers from one airline to another where and when necessary and thus build the confidence of passengers to travel by air, which still remained the safest mode of transportation.

GCAA introduced to the airlines a new customer complaint form which would be available on its website and at vantage points around the airport.

Mrs Catherine Hoffman, Director of Economic Regulations, GCAA, who took the representatives through the complaint forms said they were intended to empower passengers to make formal complaints aimed at developing the aviation industry.

When launched, passengers and the general public would be encouraged to use this avenue to formally complain on conditions of aircraft, customer service and any other issues that affect the development of the industry.

She asked the airlines not to view the complaint forms as a reporting tool but rather see it as one of the ways by which they could grow their airlines.

Mr Daniel Acquah, Director, Safety Regulation, GCAA, presented the new Civil Aviation Regulations which was enacted in December 2011 to the airline operators and urged them to acquire copies for their airlines and operate within the limits of the law.**