The Aviation Minister Cecelia Dapaah has cautioned British Airways to improve their services to Ghana or they will be sanctioned.

She is alarmed at the reports of bed bugs in some of the British Airways flight which has become a great source of worry to some Ghanaian passengers.

Cecelia Dapaah demanded an explanation and a reassurance from the airline that such an incident will never happen again.

“From your own staff to walk away from it because they felt threatened by the bed bugs is not good enough,” she told the airline officials at a meeting Thursday.

The Minister’s angry reaction follows reports by The Sun that a British Airways flight bound to Accra was grounded at London's Heathrow Airport for four hours after bed bugs were found crawling on the seats.

The cabin crew had walked out minutes before the scheduled take-off when they discovered the infestation, on Sunday.

A replacement plane was found and passengers were able to continue their journey only some four hours later.

Related: BA crew boycott bedbugs-infested plane headed for Ghana shortly before takeoff

On Thursday, the airline issued a release explaining that "the presence of bed bugs is an issue faced occasionally by hotels and airlines all over the world. 

"British Airways operates more than 280,000 flights on 280 routes every year, and reports of bed bugs on board are extremely rare. Nevertheless, we are vigilant and continually monitor our aircraft.

"The comfort of our customers is a top priority and a specialist team took immediate steps to resolve this issue." 

This, Mrs Dapaah, said is unacceptable and very disheartening that the airline which has enjoyed a monopoly of a direct flight from Accra to London over the years will subject Ghanaians to such a treatment.

She said Ghanaians have also been complaining about being moved from Terminal 5 to Terminal 3 at Heathrow which is frustrating for them.

“Again, I’ve had figures and I don’t know why we pay so much for our direct flight vis-à-vis our Nigerian neighbours,” the Minister said.

Nigerians pay around £900 from Heathrow to Lagos, their Ghanaian counterparts pay around £1300.

Regarding luggage allowance, Madam Dapaah said she has received complaints that Nigerians were favoured with more space than Ghanaians. 

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