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The domestic airport in Ghana has been served by two (2) airlines (Africa World Airlines and Starbow) for a couple of years until mid-November 2017 when Starbow had an incident at Kotoka International airport. The newly acquired propeller aircraft ATR 72-500 bounding Accra to Kumasi veered off the runway when throttled to take-off. The incident was mild so no casualty was recorded. It was just minor injuries where some victims were sent to the nearby hospital for examination and medications.
Ever since the incidence, Starbow (S9) suspended all operations by releasing a press to the public which was done the then C. E. O Mr. Antwi. The air transportation business has become a monopoly where only Africa World Airlines (AWA) operates as the only domestic carrier. They operate with 6 Embraer ERJ145 aircraft with the registration numbers 9G-AEU, 9G-AFI, 9G-AET, 9G-AFB, 9G-AFK, and 9G-AFJ. AWA operates the following routes; ACCRA-KUMASI-ACCRA, ACCRA-TAMALE-ACCRA, ACCRA-TAKORADI-ACCRA, ACCRA-ABUJA-ACCRA, ACCRA-LAGOS-ACCRA, ACCRA-FREETOWN-ACCRA and later added ACCRA-SIERRA LEONE-ACCRA. AWA is trying to make its slogan (…Touching Africa, Touching the world) come to pass as every company would want to.
The public has shown several concerns about the increment in the fare but all proved futile until DAC AVIATION operating as PASSIONAIR started operations in August 2018. Passionair penetrated the market with the fare as low as Gh¢250 for a one-way trip and Gh¢402 for a return trip. This promotional fare is non-refundable but eligible for change/reschedule at a fee. The passenger load was quite low from the beginning but operating for almost a month, the passenger load increases as the public considered the fare to be very competitive. Passionair operates with one propeller, Bombardier Q400-800aircraft with registration number 9G-ACA until later added one in late September with the registration number 9G-PIA for Tamale route. In the third week of September 2018, AWA reduced its fare to Gh¢450 for return and Gh¢300 for one way as the lowest.
The general public was assured to patiently wait for another domestic carrier before the year 2018 ends. Grapevines are all over that it might be Unity Air which will also penetrate the market with the fare as low Gh¢225 for one-way.
The various domestic air carrier.
