Ghana International Airlines

History

The airline was set up in 2004 as a partnership between the government of Ghana and a group of private international investors. A team of executives led by Ralph Atkin, founder of SkyWest Airlines in the United States, was installed, which also included Brian Presbury, the former CEO of Kenya Airways.

Ghana International Airlines commenced operations on 29 October 2005 with daily flights between Accra and London Gatwick Airport using a Boeing 757 wet leased from Ryan International Airlines. The airline commenced seasonal service to OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2006. Flights to Düsseldorf, Germany, began in 2008.

It is owned by the Ghanaian government (70%) and US consortium (GIA-USA) (30%), but the shareholders have been engaged in a protracted legal dispute since 2006. The airline had 168 employees (at March 2008).

After a change in Government from the New Patriotic Party to The National Democratic Congress government on 7 January 2009. The government found it difficult to continue providing the $1,500,000 monthly subventions to the Airline which unduly affected its operations leading to the late payment of staff and service providers. Most of the passengers' refund was poorly administered resulting to many unpaid claims. The Ghana Ministry of Transport is yet to settle the remaining passengers' claims.

Destinations

Ghana International served the following destinations :

Partnership Agreements

Ghana International Airlines had interline partnerships with numerous international airlines including: Air Baltic, Air Namibia, Continental Airlines, flyBE, Kenya Airways, Air Nigeria and South African Airways.

Accidents and incidents