Pamela Djamson-Tettey, the Managing Director of Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), has commended the management of Ethiopian Airlines for introducing the night flights service.
The four times weekly additional flights, which depart Accra in the evening, will bring the airline’s customers more convenient options to enjoy immediate connections to its vast intra-Africa network and to Middle East, the Asian cities.
The increase in flight frequency will also allow the airline to provide more travel options to passengers’ onboard sister airline, ASKY Airlines, who seek to connect flights in Accra to various destinations in the world.
According to the Managing Director of Ghana Airports Company Limited, the new evening service would undoubtedly offer more connectivity options for travellers in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Pamela Djamson-Tettey expressed the hope that this would provide the needed competition and offer travellers affordable fares. “As operators and managers of Kotoka International Airport (KIA), Ghana Airports Company Limited is delighted and encouraged by this development,” she added.
The managing director asserted that the GACL would continue to provide the needed facilities and services for a pleasant travel experience, in line with its mission of providing world-class facilities and services for the benefit of its stakeholders. “We appreciate the role of our stakeholders in the realization of our vision, which ties in with the broader vision of government for the aviation industry,” she said.
Positioning Ghana As The Preferred Aviation Hub
Djamson-Tettey expressed the belief that together, they could achieve the vision of positioning Ghana as the Preferred Aviation Hub and Leader in Airport Business in West Africa.
Djamson-Tettey assured management of Ethiopian Airlines that they would provide them with the needed support for a smooth facilitation at Kotoka International Airport.
Aniley Eshetu, area manager of Ethiopian Airlines for Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, said the four additional night flights would further make Ghana the most connected country in the West Africa sub-region and boost trade and tourism.
“Thickening our capacity in Ghana with additional frequency is also a continuation of the same commitment to better serve the Ghanaian travelling public,” Aniley Eshetu said.
Moreover, these new additions coupled with the daily morning flights will enable us to connect Accra eleven times a week to our expanding global network spreading across five continents.
Currently, deploying 143 modern aircraft, Ethiopian Airlines serves 131 international passenger and cargo destinations, including 63 African cities with daily and multiple flights with a minimum layover in Addis Ababa. Ethiopian also has 35 ultramodern aircraft on firm order.
Aviation is a 24/7 business where the clock is little more than a number for the departure or arrival of planes flying at night. Certain segments of the industry kick into high gear once the sun sets, particularly freight operations and air ambulances or medical evacuations.
While night flying brings certain concerns into play, it also offers numerous benefits for pilots. As daylight heating gives way to nighttime cooling, the air generally becomes smoother and convective weather dissipates, providing a better ride for passengers and less work for pilots.
A lower number of aircraft in the skies reduces the workload for air traffic controllers and frequently allows pilots more options for shorter, more direct routes. Therefore, resumption of night flights will give the airline an added advantage.
