By Adedapo Adesanya
United Airlines has relaunched its passenger flight operations from Washington, D.C. to Accra, the capital of Ghana, after a hiatus of about a decade.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Transport, Mr Kweku Ofori Asiamah, at a news conference held at the forecourt of the Kotoka International Airport.
He commended United Airlines for its decision to relaunch the Washington, D.C. route on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, expressing hopes that the operator would quickly commence daily flights.
United Airlines first came to Ghana on June 21, 2010, but left after a two-year operation in July 2012.
“We are thankful for the bold decision of United Airlines to return to the shores of Ghana at such a difficult time in the global aviation industry and for choosing Kotoka International Airport to once again promote closer ties between the two countries, given us a second direct entry point into the US,” the Minister said at the briefing.
He said even though the coronavirus had wreaked havoc on the aviation industry worldwide, the introduction of vaccines offered a shine of hope and Ghana was already on the road to recovery.
“We assure that government through the Transport Ministry will offer all stakeholders the needed support including the use of 5th freedom rights to expand routes to and from Accra to ensure the realisation of government’s vision of making Ghana a preferred aviation hub in West Africa,” he said.
He further guaranteed international passengers high-quality service anytime they chose Accra as their destination or transit port.
In a statement, the CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, Mr Jack Potter, said “The National Capital Region is home to one of the largest populations of native Ghanaians in the United States, and we are honoured to welcome United Airlines’ new route from Dulles International to Accra, as we work together to forge an important new link between our two countries.”
“Today, Accra joins nearly 40 other nonstop international destinations currently served from Dulles International, offering our customers more global connectivity as demand for air travel continues to rise,” he added.
United’s Washington Dulles hub MD, Mr Eddie Gordon, while emphasising the significance of this new route, stated that, “Altogether, the service is a reminder of the pent-up demand that the International community has to hit the skies to visit their loved ones. Therefore, United is glad to see a rebound across the industry.”
Business Post reports that the Chicago-based carrier followed Delta Air Lines with its earlier arrival at Accra, from New York, the day before.
Several other international powerhouses also serve the city. For instance, Qatar Airways, Air France, Turkish Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Air Cote d Ivoire, British Airways, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, KLM, Kenya Airways, TAP Air Portugal, and EgyptAir, all fly to the airport.
Accra is a strong hub in Africa. Along with Africa World Airlines’ presence at the airport, up to over three million passengers from across the globe pass through it.
