Some international airlines have applied to the Government of Ghana for permission to operate direct flights from various destinations to Kumasi International Airport.

This move has been prompted by the increasing number of passengers who arrive at Kotoka International Airport in Accra and then continue to Kumasi, as well as the development of infrastructure to international standards.

Deputy Minister of Transport, Alhassan Tampuli, disclosed this during an event celebrating 90 years of Air France around the world at the residence of the French Ambassador to Ghana, Jules Armand Aniambossou.

The Deputy Minister also stated that the government is expediting work at Kumasi International Airport to ensure it is ready to accommodate these airlines once their applications are approved.

“The Work on Aviation Infrastructure is only targeted at the Kumasi Airport, but all the regional facilities as well as Kotoka International Airport,” The Minister added.

“We are also targeting work at Domestic terminals as well” The Deputy Minister added

Mr. Tampuli noted that government is committed to making Ghana the hub for regional operations for these airlines and passenger travel.

The Deputy Minister of Transport added that the scale of infrastructure development has led to an increase in scheduled flights by most of the international airlines flying to Accra.

In a later interview with JoyBusiness, the Deputy Minister of Transport announced that the number of passengers flying to Accra has now surpassed pre-pandemic levels, with more than one million arrivals.

The Minister attributed this to the increase in scheduled flights and government policy measures aimed at improving aviation infrastructure in the country.

The Deputy Minister also disclosed that there are more applications from other airlines seeking to operate flights into the country.

“We have received applications from Spain and Italy in terms of airlines wanting to fly directly to Accra,” he added.

Dealing with passenger concerns

The Deputy Minister of Transport also talked about how government has come very far in reducing the processes that passengers have to go through when it comes to departure and arrivals at the Kotota International Airport.

“We have digitized the process that will no longer require passengers to fill a form when travelling from our airports and arriving in Ghana,” the Minister disclosed.

The Deputy Minister noted, “In all, we had about 13 different steps, now that has been reducing 4 steps to reduce the stress that passengers have to through before travels.”

“We have done away with filling of forms before travel and arriving in Ghana via our airports,” Alhassan Tampuli disclosed.

Speaking at the same programme the French Ambassador to Ghana Jules Armand Aniambossou the close economic and political relationship between Ghana and France over the years and how AirFrance has played a critical role in this development.

He added that “French Business investment in Ghana has now reached over 2 million dollars and we believe that it’s going to increase in the coming months”

The French Ambassador also talked about how the airline has contributed to commercial exchanges between Ghana and France.

Country Manager for AirFrance-KLM Mees Van Ojik also announced that AirFrance is now flying direct from Paris to Accra and will not be making any stopover in Burkina Faso.

He also announced that they are increasing three times a week direct flights a week to Accra.

Mr. Ojik also announced that they are offering a 15 per cent discount on flights booked with their anniversary code.