You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Submit your comments on this article
Africa: Subsaharan
U.S. to Ghana Airways: Don't Sell Tickets
2004-07-31
Federal transportation officials said Friday they told Ghana's state-run airline to stop selling tickets for flights between the United States and Ghana and to charter planes to fly passengers stranded since the airline's operations were suspended. In an unprecedented action, Ghana Airways was barred by U.S. officials Tuesday from flying into and out of the United States during an investigation of allegations that it ignored orders to ground unsafe aircraft and flew on an expired license. Commercial flights remain suspended indefinitely until Transportation Department officials complete their investigation of the airline, according to a statement issued by the department.
"But we have the best Ukrainian pilots and aircraft!"
Ghana Airways directly links all of West Africa to the United States. The airline normally operates two roundtrip flights per week between Accra and New York and two roundtrips per week between Accra and Baltimore-Washington International Airport. Efforts to reach Ghana Airways for comment were unsuccessful.
Posted by:Steve White

#4  Sorry, should read MD-10 vice MD-11.

Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski   2004-07-31 9:48:52 AM  

#3  ...Interestingly enough, a bit of Googling says that GA flies a DC-10 (!), several DC-9s (not the later and much more advanced MD-11 versions, but four-decade old DC-9s)a 737, and 'some' 767s. The -10 evidently spent a LOT of time out in storage in the Mojave desert (the place SpaceShipOne was launched from). In addition, apparently aircraft condition is not the only problem - it seems GA pilots' English is not good and they are having serious problems communicating with ATC here in the states. Pre-9/11 that was an annoyance, post-9/11 that can get you a crater full of dead Ghanians.
I would have thought it was all ex-Soviet equipment or Airbus (not slamming Airbus quality, just Ghanian maintenance).

Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski   2004-07-31 9:45:50 AM  

#2  If I were an airport administrator, I would order a full FOD walkdown after each takeoff or landing of their aircraft. It sounds as if their planes might shed parts like a dandruff of shrapnel.
Posted by: Super Hose   2004-07-31 1:49:18 AM  

#1  Think Kofi flies Ghana Airways when he heads back to the homeland? Yeah, me neither.
Posted by: tu3031   2004-07-31 1:43:38 AM  

00:00