New airline launched in Accra

The Chinese-backed Africa World Airline (AWA), a new domestic and regional carrier, was launched at Kotoka International Airport (KIA) at the end of September.

The AWA is a joint venture between China's Hainan Airlines and the China-Africa Development Fund, and Ghana's Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and Strategic African Securities.

AWA operates between Ghanaian cities Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi and Tamale as well as cities in the west Africa sub-region such as Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso; Abidjan in the Ivory Coast; Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt in Nigeria; Dakar in Senegal; and Banjul in Gambia.

Ghana's deputy tourism minister Akua Sena Dansua said that the addition of AWA would bring competition to the aviation industry and lead to a reduction in fares.

The new airline pledged it would build its reputation on three platforms: safety, reliability and efficiency, and its ambition is to grow its fleet to about 400 craft.

AWA joins the four other domestic airlines operating in Ghana: Starbow, Fly 540, Citylink and Antrak.