South Africa Airways (SAA) has safely landed its maiden non-stop flight from Accra to Washington DC to the admiration of its passengers, Arline Officials and the aviation staff.
The flight carrying about 160 passengers which left the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) in Accra on the night of Sunday August 2, safely touched ground at the Washington’s Dulles Airport (IAD) early Monday morning with the crew, flight officials, passengers as well as Aviation staff beaming with smiles.
The approximately 11 – hour flight, which left the KIA at 1045 pm touched down at the IAD at 6.05 am local time to a chorus of Halleluiah, thank God, clapping, shouting and singing from the passengers to show their excitement as the crew directed the passengers who were mostly Ghanaians to the arrival hall.
Prominent among the passengers were, the Transport Minister, Mrs Dzifa Attivor, South African High Commissioner to Ghana, Ms Lulama Xingwana, Mr Kenneth Ashigbey, Managing Director of the Graphic Communication Group and Mr Tony Lithur, Board Chairman of the
Ghana Civil Aviation Authority.
In an interview with Ghana News Agency, Mr Ashigbey was full of praise for the SAA initiative and said he was impressed with the bold step taken by the Airline to launch a direct flight from Ghana to the United States (US).
He said though the service is not being provided by Ghana, it is still important and deserved to be praised because it was coming from a sister African country and that should spur others to improve on their aviation sectors.
Mr Ashigbey said the good services provided by the SAA under “this new arrangement should inspire Ghana to acquire a carrier to serve the interest of its nationals and other states to make good Ghana’s vision of making the country the aviation hub of West Africa”.
Mr Lithur said Ghana and her sister African countries have a strong desire to promote the African interest not only in the US but also in the international community and therefore the SAA flight was a bold step and a significant achievement in that direction.
“I am happy to be part of the whole process that has culminated in this step of promoting an African initiative in the world as a whole,” he added.
Lt General Henry Smith (Rtd), Ghana’s Ambassador to the US was on hand to welcome the passengers at the airport.
The SAA flights from Accra to Washington DC would be offered four times a week on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
The Washington-Accra flight would be the only nonstop flight between the two cities.
Source: GNA
