SAA marks first milestone on Accra-DC route
The acting Chief Commercial Officer of South African Airways, Mr Aaron Munetsi, has pledged the commitment of the airline to support the Ghana government to introduce and run its own airline to other destinations.
Advertisement
"After 84 years in operation and also being the best African airline connecting people to Africa and taking Africa to the world, we gave what it takes to support Ghana revive its airline," he said.
Mr Munetsi made the pledge at a special dinner in Accra at the weekend to commemorate the first anniversary of South African Airways (SAA) direct flight from Accra to Washington, United States of America.
The occasion was graced by the Minister of Transport, Mr Fifi Kwetey, the Deputy Minister of Finance, Mrs Mona Quartey, the South African High Commissioner to Ghana, Madam Lulu Xigwana, members of the diplomatic corps, senior officials from the airline in the South African office, key customers of the airline among other personalities.
The SAA pledge comes at a time when the government is almost through with initial efforts to get the country’s own airline which is expected to begin with services within the sub-region before exploring other countries outside the continent.
Mr Munetsi said the SAA understood the African terrain and how airlines could relate with the rest of the world’s best airlines to make profitable business, noting that all such information and experiences would be shared should the government seek that assistance.
Success story
Mr Munetsi described the service of the airline on the Accra-Washington route as a major success that had boosted the confidence of the airline to explore other destinations from Accra.
According to him, many more business people are using his company’s airlines because of the reliability and direct linkage, and expressed the hope that that would go a long way to boost the fortunes of the Ghanaian economy.
More families are also relating because they can fly in and out directly without having to spend transit times at airports for hours," he added.
Govt open
Mr Kwetey commended the airline for its achievements and the various strides it continued to make in the aviation industry.
He said the government was ready to work with SAA to explore opportunities in the aviation industry as it prepared to start its own flights.
Mr Kwetey said the expansion works being undertaken at the Kotoka International Airport was a confirmation of the government’s commitment to making the country the aviation hub in the sub-region and the continent as a whole in the near future.