An Aviation analyst, a former Chief Operating Officer (COO) of African World Airlines, Sean Mendes, has cast doubt on reports of a direct flight from London to Kumasi saying it is rather a one-off charter by Ethiopian Airlines and not a commercial service.
Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) had last week Thursday, announced that starting tomorrow, Tuesday, December 3, 2024, air travellers will enjoy direct flights between London (Gatwick) and Kumasi Prempeh I International Airport, following a new partnership between it and Ethiopian Airlines.
Coincidentally, Ethiopian Airlines is yet to make an official announcement on the matter making people suspect this claim from the GACL to be another election week gimmick.
However, Mendes has clarified that the purported direct London-Kumasi flight is a charter and not an operationalization of a commercial standard service as circulated.
Reports widely circulated suggested that there is going to be a new direct flight service between London – Gatwick Airport to the new Kumasi International Airport; a service operated by Ethiopian Airlines.
More Read
These reports have generated an intense debate over the veracity of the claims.
The GACL announcement, said that the collaboration between it and Ethiopia Airlines introduces a direct flight service aimed at enhancing travel options and convenience for passengers. The initiative marks a significant milestone in Ghana’s aviation and tourism sectors, improving connectivity between Europe and the Ashanti Region, a hub of cultural heritage and economic activity.
The inaugural flight from Kumasi Prempeh I International Airport is scheduled for December 15, 2024, just in time for the festive season, providing a seamless travel option for visitors to the Ashanti Region during Christmas.
The flight schedule departure from London Gatwick: is 2:10 am and arrival at Kumasi Prempeh I International Airport: is 9:05 am while departure from Kumasi Prempeh I International Airport is at 11:00 am with arrival at London Gatwick at 6:00 pm.
But Ex-Chief Operating Officer (COO) of African World Airlines, confirmed to The High Street Journal, an online publication that the purported flight is a charter service or a one-off operation Ethiopian Airlines is rendering.
A charter flight is a flight that is not part of a regular airline’s scheduled service. Instead, it is arranged specifically for a group of travellers or cargo, typically for a particular destination and time. Charter flights are often used for specialized purposes, such as transporting sports teams, corporate groups, or vacationers, and may involve smaller aircraft.
Some industry insiders have suggested that this is a special flight possibly part of the inaugural activities for Kumasi’s new international airport.
“There is a single charter flight arranged for 3rd December 2024 from London to Kumasi and return. It is just a charter flight,” Sean Mendez said in a written response to The High Street Journal.
He further revealed that due to the peculiarity of this flight, the flight- Boeing 737-800 which has a capacity of 189 seats will only have 80 – 120 seats. In addition, tickets cannot be bought directly from Ethiopian Airlines but only through the charter agent confirming it is a special service.
“The flight will be on a Boeing 737 and will be direct, but it will be restricted on the number of passengers and bags which can be carried. So out of a total possible capacity of 189 seats on a Boeing 737-800, they will only be able to sell between 80-120 seats. the seats cannot be bought directly from Ethiopian Airlines but rather only through a charter agent.” Sean Mendez detailed.
Meanwhile, aviation experts have expressed scepticism about the practicality of such a service. One expert, speaking anonymously to The High Street Journal, argued that Kumasi’s runway might lack the capacity to handle planes capable of undertaking long-haul flights without refuelling.
This operational limitation reinforces the likelihood that these flights are specialized charter services rather than a regular, permanent route offering.
