Qatar Airways has commenced operations in Ghana with its first flight arriving at the Kotoka International Airport on the morning of September 29, 2020.

The airline will operate four weekly flights to Accra, Ghana via Lagos, becoming the 4th new destination launched by the national carrier of the State of Qatar since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In an interview with Citi Business News after the arrival of the flight, Minister of Aviation, Joseph Kofi Adda said the arrival of the airline signals confidence the airline has in the management of the country’s economy amidst COVID-19.

He also noted that it will be a stepping stone in the recovery of the country’s aviation and tourism industry.

“We are very happy precisely because it is coming in the wake of the COVID-19 and the re-opening of the airport. It is an indication of confidence in what is going on in Ghana and the aviation sector. Our efforts to make sure that we are able to take samples and tests and contain the importation of the virus into the country, tells us that Qatar is happy. It is also a manifestation of the prudent management of the economy. For us, we are looking at it as an indication of competition,” he said.

Meanwhile Chief Executive of the Ghana Investment Promotion Center (GIPC), Yoofi Grant, is confident that Ghana is well positioned to attract more foreign investors towards the country’s tourist and economic development.

“It’s been two years of fruitful engagements with the State of Qatar. The investment potential is huge and indeed, Ghana is opened for business,” he added.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner features 22 seats in Business Class and 232 seats in Economy Class.

According to the Group Chief Executive of Qatar Airways, His Excellency Akbar Al Baker, the choice of Ghana’s capital is due to its “fame for local hospitality and highly sought after agricultural exports”.

“We look forward to working closely with our partners in Ghana to steadily grow this route and support the recovery of tourism and trade in the region,” he added.

The airline will allow unlimited date changes, and passengers can change their destination as often as they need if it is within 5,000 miles of the original destination.

The airline will not charge any fare differences for travel completed before 31 December 2020, after which fare rules will apply.

All tickets booked for travel of up to 31 December 2020 will be valid for two years, from the date of issuance.

Source: Citi FM