Ghana International Airlines (GIA),the aviation consortium formed after the collapse of Ghana Airways, began operations last Saturday with its maiden flight from Accra to Gatwick, London.

Later reports, however, had it that passengers, excited at the return of a Ghanaian flight, had their excitement affected for some hours as the baggage compartment failed to open.

The Boeing 757-200 aircraft is said to have had similar problems when it made a belated landing earlier in the day at the Kotoka International Airport.

Instead of the expected time of 11.30 a.m.,it arrived at 2.20 p.m., and left Accra with 160 passengers on board, marking the beginning of a daily flight schedule.

GIA is a consortium of international private investors and was incorporated in the country in 2004 when it was given the mandate to start a new airline.

Before that,the former national carrier,Ghana Airways,had run into debt of over $200 million.GIA was given the nod when it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the government of Ghana on May 11,2004 after it had won the bid against two other airlines.

The two other competitors in the bid to restructure Ghana Airways were the Fidelity Group comprising Kenya Airways Limited and KLM and the Ghana Air Partners.

At a ceremony to inaugurate the flight at the airport,the Chief of Staff,Mr Kojo Mpiani,said the government was not going to interfere in the operations of the airline, adding that the administration was ready to help the airline to achieve its aim.

Among the dignitaries who boarded the aircraft for the maiden flight were the Minister of Harbours and Railways, Professor Christopher Akumfi-Ameyaw,the Greater Accra Regional Minister,Sheikh I. C. Quaye,the Deputy Minister for Tourism and Modernisation of the Capital City,Mr Stephen Asamoah Boateng;the Greater Accra Municipal Chief Executive,Mr Stanley Adjiri Blankson,as well as some media personnel.

Mr Asamoah-Boateng said the maiden flight had put to rest all the frustationsin the negotiations between GIA-Ghana and the Government.

He predicted that the commencement of the daily flight would help boost tourism in the country.The Deputy Director-General(Technical) of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA),Mr Simon Allotey,said GIA was the 20th scheduled international airline serving the country and assured all of the GCAA’s maximum co-operation and support.

He said to ensure flight safety and passenger facilitation, the GCAA had put in place the necessary infrastructure to facilitate the airline’s operations, saying that with the support of the government,a total of $80 million had been spent to improve air navigation systems and facilities at the airport.

Earlier,about a hundred people made up of Ghanaians and other nationals gathered at the tarmac of the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) to witness the maiden landing of the aircraft piloted by Captain Neil Jackson.

Amidst cheers and cries of joy from the people the aircraft landed at 2.20 pm with 30 officials of GIA made up of two pilots,one Federal Aviation (FA) official,eight cabin crew,one engineer and 18 technical and other workers on board.

Traditional, Muslim and Christian prayers ushered the aircraft into the country.Reverend Stephen Adu-Kwaning of the Christ the King Church,Accra,sprinkled holy water on and in the plane to ask for God’s guidance throughout its operations.

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