Government treads cautiously with national airline

Even though government has given approval for the establishment of a national airline, the Aviation Ministry, says it does not want to rush into any deal that is likely to restage the experiences of the defunct Ghana Airways.

Deputy Aviation Minister, Kwabena Darko Mensah, who said the venture would be private sector-led, told journalists in Accra that “we are now working throughout the processes to make sure that we set up an airline that is sustainable, so we are not in a rush. Now that we’ve gotten the approval, ours is to make sure that we open up the system in a transparent process and make sure the right people get in and they can partner the government to set up the national airline.”

He said Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has received interests from about 20 airlines to partner government for the establishment of the national carrier, including Qatar Airways, to start operations in the country.

He said his outfit could start granting approvals from 2018.

Mr Darko Mensah was speaking to journalists at a ceremony to receive Ethiopian Airline’s Airbus A350 to Accra’s Kotoka International Airport (KIA) recently.

He said with the Flyby wire technology and the glass Paperless cockpit, the A350 is the most modern aircraft in the air.