Prior online payment for mandatory COVID-19 test at KIA begins today

From today, September 15, 2020, passengers travelling to Ghana will be required to make an online payment for the compulsory COVID-19 test.

The passengers will have to show proof of payment to the airlines before boarding flights to Ghana.

However, some airlines operating within Ghana’s airspace say the directive will not be feasible until communication to that effect is made clearer.

The airlines also say, the notice was too short for them to implement the directive.

The Kotoka International Airport was reopened to international travel on September 1, 2020 after government closed down the airport in March to stop the spread of the Coronavirus.

With huge numbers of people expected in the country, they are mandated to undertake a mandatory COVID-19 test at a fee of $150 which was to be paid on arrival at the airport.

However, following a new directive from Frontier HealthCare and Ghana Airports Company, which was circulated to all airlines on Friday, all passengers travelling to Ghana from Tuesday, September 15, are required to make an online payment for the compulsory COVID-19 test.

The passengers will also have to show proof of payment to the airlines before boarding flights to the Ghana.

Since the reopening of the airport, it has been reported that some passengers on arrival have refused to pay for the test for various reasons.

According to the airlines, compliance to the directive may be a challenge as the directive came at a short notice.

An airline operator told Citi Business News on anonymity that for this directive to be fully implemented, the airlines need to be given prior notice to afford them ample time to communicate the directive to their respective customers.