Ghana targeting South American airlines market ahead of Brazil 2014

Authorities in Ghana’s aviation industry have hinted of plans to target airlines operating in the South American continent into the country.

According to authorities, there are no airlines flying from the South American continent into the country and they deem it very important to get an airline from that region especially from Brazil into the country, especially as that country hosts the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Speaking on GTV’s ‘Talking Point’  May 15, 2011 which was monitored by ghanabusinessnews.com, Mrs. Doreen Owusu-Fianko, the Managing Director of Ghana Airports Company said, “South America is not here and this is our target especially when Brazil will host the World Cup in 2014.”

The discussion considered the issues of safety and security in Ghana’s Aviation industry.

The 2014 FIFA World Cup Tournament in Brazil is expected to draw millions of football fans to that country.

Some of the major airlines in the South American region are TAM from Brazil, Avianca in Colombia and Gol also from Brazil.  Others are LAN Airlines from Chile and Aerolíneas Argentinas from Argentina.

Mrs Fianko noted that authorities are also looking to get airlines from Australia and the Far East to operate from Ghana.

There are currently about 30 international airlines operating in the country both inter-continental and regional, she said.

Air Commodore Kwame Mamphey, the Director General of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), who was also on the show was optimistic that this year the industry will see aggressive marketing that will drive the airline business.

Mrs Ama Sagoe, Director of Citilink, a domestic airline company, revealed on the show that only 0.3% of the entire population of Ghana patronises domestic flights.

By Ekow Quandzie