Ethiopian Airlines has affirmed its commitment to serve the Ghanaian travelling public with more convenience and time efficiency.
The veteran Pan African Airlines committed to connecting Africa together and to the rest of the world has introduced four additional flights to its existing seven flights per week to connect Accra to the rest of the world.
Mrs Aniley Eshetu, the Area Manager for Ethiopian Airlines to Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, speaking at an event to commence the inaugural night flight, said the additional flights
would be operated on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
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, and 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.
She said these new additions coupled with its daily morning flights would enable the airline to connect Accra eleven times a week to its expanding global network spreading across five continents.
” It is an honour to serve this great nation and great people,” she added.
The area manager said the airline, which commenced its maiden flight to Ghana on November 8, 1960, has since then provided uninterrupted service for more than six decades.
She said that over the decades, the airline had established itself as a leader in all facets of the aviation business, technology leadership, network expansion, and aviation mentoring.
She said the airline had been playing vital roles in enabling air transport services, thereby contributing to the social, economic, and political development of the African continent.
She commended the government for the support throughout the journey. ” With your continued patronage, we project towards more successful and commendable service years ahead.”
Mr Fredrick Obeng Adom, a Deputy Minister of Transport, said Africa had made significant improvement in the areas of
telecommunication, technologies, transport infrastructure, and many more.
He said, however, there was more to be desired from the African on this continent.
The Deputy Minister said it was not economically wise for a traveller to travel two continents just to connect to a neighbouring country via air travel.
Mr Adom said the story of air connectivity on the African continent must definitely change.
He said coupled with the existing daily flights, the airline would offer customers more convenient options to enjoy immediate connections to its intra-Africa network to foster trade and tourism on the continent.
He said, “it is no doubt that in the achievement of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Ethiopian Airlines stands tall when it comes to connecting the countries on the
continent and bringing tourism and trade closer to the people.”
The Deputy Minister said the airline’s effort in the aviation space on the continent could not go unnoticed.
He assured management of the airline of government’s unflinching support to promote the interconnectivity of flights on the continent.
Mrs Pamela Djamson-Tettey, the Managing Director of Ghana Airports Company Limited, commended the management of the airline for introducing the night flights.
She said the new evening service would undoubtedly offer more connectivity options for travellers in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
She expressed the hope that this would provide the needed competition and offer travellers affordable fares.
“As Operators and Managers of Kotoka International Airport, Ghana Airports Company Limited is delighted and encouraged by this development,” she added.
The Managing Director said 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.
She 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.
Mrs Djamson-Tettey assured Management of Ethiopian Airlines that they would provide them
with the needed support for a smooth facilitation at Kotoka International Airport.