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Sky is the Limit Ghana and the United States signed an "open skies" agreement last month which will eliminate all restrictions on air services between the two countries within six years. This policy will be repeated elsewhere as Ghana pursues liberalisation of its aviation industry. As the national flag-carrier, Ghana Airways is preparing to face what it believes will be an era of increased competition and of greater opportunities to expand its business. "There will be a greater influx of passengers, although Ghana will not be their final destination," explains Emmanuel Quartey Jr, the chairman of Ghana Airways. "There is going to be a need to move them efficiently around the African continent. And there is only one carrier that can do that at this point in time in Ghana - that is Ghana Airways." During the past few years, the number of Ghana Airways passengers using the Kotoka Airport in Accra has been increasing. Last year the airline carried half of the 600,000 passengers using Kotoka. Mr Quartey is confident growth will continue, pointing to predictions of two million passengers passing through the airport in four years' time, a figure expected to climb further to nine million within 11 years. Meanwhile, Air Ghana, the country's leading air-freight carrier, handles nearly half the exports which leave Ghana by air. It flies to Western European destinations three times a week, offering lower prices than its competitors. In June, the number of flights is scheduled to increase to six a week, transporting an average of 100 tonnes of tropical fruit each month. Air Ghana also hopes to introduce flights to Eastern Europe, opening up a completely new market. Marwan Traboulsi, the chairman of Air Ghana, is untroubled by the introduction of the open skies policy. He says: "I love competition. It keeps you on your toes." |