ASKY Airlines outdoors three new aircrafts

ASKY Airlines, a passenger airline which was founded in June 2008 by a group of private investors and the Ethiopian Airlines started operations on January 15, 2010 with three destinations but  now serves 22 countries within Western and Central Africa.

Since the start of operation, ASKY  operates  more than 200 flights every week in the African sky has carried almost 920,000 passengers including 392,000 in 2012. Fully growing into a Community Airline, today ASKY employs almost 300 people from 25 African nations.

The Chief Executive Officer of ASKY Airlines said the airline had come this far due to the dedication and hardwork of its staff.

He said some time ago, to travel from one country to a nearby country in the region one needed to transit through Paris, London, Amsterdam, Casablanca but with Asky Airlines one can go from one point to another in the region without having to go through another continent.

According to him ASKY has developed a network which facilitates movement from one point to another within a day period, in its regional area.

He said all the new generation aircraft were leased from ASKY’s  Strategic Partner, Ethiopian Airlines adding that the fleet and network would keep growing in strength as time went on.

“The event we are commemorating today was of major importance because it is very uncommon in our Sub-Saharan region to see an Airline Company order brand new aircraft from a Manufacturer. ASKY has one of the youngest fleets in the continent; this must be saluted. ASKY will endeavor to keep its fleet always young”, he said.

He asserted that beside these encouraging results ASKY was, however,  conscious of the huge challenges ahead but was confident that with the support of all, we would be able to build this strong airline, resolutely Pan African, to serve the peoples of the continent.

Launching the new aircraft, the Minister of Transport of  Togo, Mr Dammipi Noupokou  said Indeed, the progress made by the Airline ASKY since its launch on January 14, 2010, under the chairmanship of the Head of State was a source of great satisfaction.

He indicated that  the Head of State Faure Essozimna GNASSINGBÉ attached great importance to resolving the problem of transport in the region and his personal involvement in the creation of the Regional Airline recommended by the ECOWAS Conference of Heads of State and Government.

He indicated that evidence of this commitment, on December 26, 2011, the Head of State, His Excellency Faure Essozimna GNASSINGBÉ  cut the first sod to mark the start of work on modernisation and redevelopment of GNASSINGBE Eyadema International Airport in Lome.

Mr Tewolde Gebremariam, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ethiopian Airlines said with the collapse of gaint airlines like Ghana Airways, Nigerian Airways and Air Afrique passengers from Western and Central Africa found it very difficult to travel.

He said Africa was growing at a fast rate and countries within the region needed to act fast otherwise outsiders would take advantage.

He said 80 per cent of Africa’s market share in the Aviation industry was controlled by others and therefore called for partnerships between private and public institutions in order to at least control 50 per cent of market.

Mr Gabrenariam indicated that the West African region had remained unserved for a longtime and this prompted Ethiopian Airlines to come out with a strategy to connect the West and Central African countries to promote trade and investment.

Mr Gervais Koffi Djondo Chairman of the Board of Directors of ASKY Airlines indicated that since it started operating, in spite of obstructions to obtaining traffic rights to certain destinations, a difficult environment characterised by fierce competition, very high fuel prices, and a region known to be one of most expensive in the world as far as airline operation is concerned, the Community Airline, ASKY,  had made remarkable and encouraging progress.

He said through its extensive network, ASKY has facilitated movement of people and goods in the regions of West Africa and Central Africa and all this was made possible by its shareholders and promoters who believed in the project, and on the other hand to the partnership between Ethiopian Airlines and ASKY.

According to him, ASKY has also received support and understanding from their partners, namely: ASECNA, SALT, ST HANDLING, ANAC-TOGO and express  their appreciation and gratitude to all of them.

Story by Mary Mensah