Nigerian airline Dana Air is set to begin operations in Ghana on November 10, 2015.
[contextly_sidebar id=”xgLGjOghyV0w7e4ZAf8xMSwl3sFvFLq0″]The airline which is looking to ply the Accra-Lagos route and later Accra – Abuja route as well has hinted to Citi Business News of starting of passenger operations on November 10 after approval by the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).
This comes after the Dana Air signed a formal agreement with Guaranty Trust Bank Ghana (GT Bank) to receive payment for the Lagos-based airline’s tickets purchased in Ghana.
Speaking to Citi Business News Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank (Ghana) Limited Lekan Sanusi said Dana Air’s entry into the West Coast will improve competition along the Accra-Lagos route as GT Bank puts conveninece at the doorstep of passengers.
“The more the better and essentially it will improve competition along the Accra – Lagos route, what we are meant to do as a bank is to facilitate which is our primary responsibility. What we thought we should be able to do is to put convinence on the door step of passengers who of course could be our customers so they can book online and then they can go to any branch of GT Bank and pay for their ticket that is just what our bank is mandated to do.”
Dana Air’s entry into Ghana makes it the third airline from Nigeria in the sub-region to ply the Accra – Lagos route.
Commercial Senior Manager, Dana Air Sydney Silveira in an interview with Citi Business News said Dana will begin with daily flights from Lagos to Accra, and this will be expanded to Lagos-Accra-Abuja flights. Dana Air currently operates domestically with flight from Lagos to Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Uyo using its fleet of five Boeing McDonnell 83 and Boeing B737-500 aircraft.
Accra is the first destination the airline will fly outside Nigeria to, as it seeks to develop a strong presence in the West African sub-region.
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By: Norvan Acquah – Hayford/citifmonline.com/Ghana