africanflyer

Pending government approval, Ghana International Airlines will begin service to Dusseldorf, Germany from its base in Accra, Ghana on November 29. Flights will operate once per week on Saturdays using B752 aircraft.

G0156 ACC - DUS: 2245 - 645
G0157 DUS - ACC: 1425 - 2025

Ghana International Airlines has leased a B763 from Icelandair. The aircraft was originally delivered to EgyptAir, operated for Eritrean Airlines, and most recently for Santa Barbara Airlines.

Ghana International is reportedly planning an increase in service to London from the current daily to 9x per week. This will be facilitated with the expected addition of a second aircraft which will also enable the airline to operate to Johannesburg.

[Edit: correction to aircraft specifics and new routes]

Ghana International Airlines will start services to Johannesburg, South Africa October 29. Flights will be operated twice per week using B752 aircraft.

G0500 ACC - JNB: 2335 - 735 Wednesdays, Sundays
G0501 JNB - ACC: 1310 - 1725

[Edit: Removed Monrovia service information, following removal of relevant entries from online schedules]

Ghana International Airlines has announced plans to start services between Accra, Ghana and Abuja, the capital city of Nigeria starting on August 18. The service, which is going to be a first to link the two cities, will be operated on Mondays and Fridays using the airline’s sole B752 with adequate timing for connections to/from London.

G0690 ACC - ABV: 1845 - 2100
G0691 ABV - ACC: 2145 - 2200

Ghana International Airlines today took delivery of its first aircraft, a B752 on lease from Ryan International. The airline will also operate its maiden flight today between Accra and London Gatwick.

Ghana International Airlines is set to start services to Dusseldorf, Germany from Accra as of December 30. Flights will be operated nonstop on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays using a B763.

G0151 ACC - DUS: 2359 - 800
G0150 DUS - ACC: 1200 - 1800

Ghana International Airlines is set to start services to London Gatwick from Accra in October. The daily flights will be operated initially with a B752, to be replaced early in 2006 by a B763.

G0101 ACC - LGW: 2245 - 555
G0100 LGW - ACC: 1100 - 1800, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays
G0100 LGW - ACC: 1200 - 1900, Saturdays
G0100 LGW - ACC: 1445 - 2145, Mondays, Thursdays

As posted earlier, Ethiopian Airlines had been in negotiations with the government of Ghana and Ghana International Airlines (Ghana Airways’ successor) for a stake in the new airlines. It appears that the parties have come to an agreement this week, with Ethiopian poised to take a 20% ownership in GIA through cash investment.

The Chief of Staff and Minister for Presidential Affairs said: “Ghana believes that Ethiopian Airlines can and will add tremendous strength to the start up of GIAL, as it is an experienced well-managed airline in Africa.”

J. Ralph Atkin, Chief Executive Officer of GIAL said, “GIAL is excited about reaching this agreement with Ethiopian, the most respected name in African aviation…Ethiopian’s eastern hub in Addis Ababa is a perfect complement to our planned western hub in Accra and makes them a natural fit as a partner for GIAL.”

Mr Girma Wake, CEO Ethiopian, said: “This partnership is a major milestone in the aviation history of Africa and will create an exemplary success model for cooperation among Africans in the spirit of Pan-Africanism.”

Accusations and name callings have marred all those associated with Ghana Airways lately, with newspaper headlines regularly attacking the likes of Minister for Road Transport Richard Anane and those in charge of the new airline’s establishment. At issue are furloughed Ghana Airways staff and their payments, alleged mishandling of the bidding process for GIA and everything else in between.

Latest developments include Ethiopian Airlines’ interest in acquiring an up to 40% share of Ghana International Airlines:

Ethiopian Airlines is putting on the negotiating table training agreement, maintenance facilities, a possible cost sharing between West African and the US and investments in Ghana Airways.

While announcements were made regarding the startup of services by GIA this summer, or fall, published schedules still show those of the now defunct Ghana Airways’, effective November 2004.