Domestic flight operations finally resume at the Sunyani Airport Monday, with a call the business community, local investors and entrepreneurs to patronize and sustain the services of PassionAir, a domestic air transport company.

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo inaugurated the first phase of the rehabilitation and expansion of the Airport on August 3, 2022 and assured his government’s commitment to facilitate construction works on the second phase of the project.

     Mr Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, the Minister of Transport who made the call said the government was investing hugely to ensure the Sunyani Airport meet international standard so as to boost airport transport and spur socio-economic growth and development of the region.

    According to the management of PassionAir, its aircraft would airlift passengers from Sunyani to Accra four times in a week with introductory fare of GHC600 one-way on the route.

    The airline would fly on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in the morning, as well as Sundays in the afternoon, 

    Addressing a colourful durbar in Sunyani, Mr Asiamah advised the management of the airline to render quality services, avoid flight delays, and improved customer care to sustain the interest and confidence of passengers.

   “You must endeavour to treat your customers with respect and decorum. It’s only that they would continue to patronize your products”, he advised.

     Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Bono Regional Minister said she was optimistic air and road transport systems would complement each other to accelerate the economic growth of the region and stimulant trade and investments.

     She expressed gratitude to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuf-Addo for the rehabilitation and reopening of the airport and prayed “we will all patronize the airport to propel the commencement of the second phase of its upgrading to international standards”.

    Mr. Samuel Ato Hagan, the Managing Director, PassionAir, noted the depreciation of the Ghana cedi against the major foreign trading currencies and the continuous increase in aviation fuel prices were directly affecting air transport operations in the country.

     “Our tickets sales are in cedis but over 98 percent of our transactions with vendors and suppliers are in foreign currencies. The price of aviation fuel seems to be flying just as high as our aircraft and this is a major challenge for us as a domestic operator”, he said.

     PassionAir, he added remained the only domestic airline with the largest route network in the country, operating five out of six of the country’s regional airports, saying “it is our goal to connect Ghana one city at a time while providing the best quality service to bring a memorable in-air and on-ground experience through leadership, excellence and accountability”.

     The Sunyani Airport was originally constructed as an Airstrip and later upgraded into an airport in 1969 and it currently has a total runway length of about 1,520.

      In 2015, GACL and the GCAA shut down the airport as a precautionary measure to forestall any disaster.

Source: Sompaonline.com/98.9FM/K.Peprah