Lufthansa to resume flights to Accra

Accra, July 24, GNA - Lufthansa German Airlines is to resume daily flights between Accra and Frankfurt "within the next few days" after the resolution of problems that led to the suspension of the flights, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority and Lufthansa announced on Monday. A joint statement by the two parties said a mutually beneficial resolution of the pending issues involving Ghana Airways, the defunct national carrier, had been agreed. "Lufthansa will do its utmost to start operating again between Ghana and Germany within the next few days to the benefit of its customers," the statement said.

Lufthansa Airlines said it was looking forward to celebrate its 40 years of long and dedicated commitment to Ghana in grand style. Reliable sources told Ghana News Agency that flights between Accra and Frankfurt would resume on Thursday.

Lufthansa Airlines last week said it had been forced to suspend flights between the two cities after the Ghanaian authorities refused to approve a license securing daily flights, citing technical difficulties. However, Ms. Gloria Akuffo, Minister of Aviation, lashed out at Lufthansa for its withdrawal from the Accra route saying the manner in which it was executed smacked of bad faith.

"Lufthansa's withdrawal and the manner in which it was executed smacks of bad faith which the Ministry regards as rather unfortunate," she said in a statement issued in Accra."

She stressed that the Ministry of Aviation did not order either the stoppage or withdrawal of Lufthansa's operations into Accra. A number of business travellers and holiday makers the Ghana News Agency spoke to at the Kotoka International Airport and some travel agencies expressed delight at the news.

They said they were happy that the situation had been resolved and flights were going to resume.

"I am glad that our authorities, who were not happy initially, have now been able to smoke the peace pipe. But we must make sure that we do the right things at the right time to ensure we are not overtaken by events," Mark Asante a traveller said.