■ GHANA: Antrak Air mulls quitting Ghana citing market-overcrowding, exhorbitant costs.

The CEO of Ghanaian domestic operator, Antrak Air (O4), Alhaji Asuma Banda, says he is seriously considering pulling out of the country as the presence of too many carriers on the Ghanaian domestic scene has rendered it almost impossible to operate an airline profitably.

► NIGERIA: Ghana's Africa World Airlines eyes Nigeria ops from October; claims rights granted.

In yet another development related to Ghanaian carrier, Africa World Airlines (AW), Chief Operating Officer, Mr Apiigy Afene, has revealed that the airline has at long last been granted rights to serve Nigeria by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. Flights are scheduled to commence in October he said.

► GHANA: Africa World Airlines boosts Accra - Tamale to 12x weekly.

Ghanaian domestic carrier, Africa World Airlines (AW), has added an additional 5x weekly frequencies to its current daily Accra - Tamale service. The maiden morning flight for the route was yesterday, Monday August 19. All flights operate on-board an ERJ145.

► NIGERIA: Ghana's Africa World Airlines confident of gaining Lagos, Abuja rights despite delays.

Africa World Airlines (AW) has joined the growing list of Ghanaian carriers eager to break into the lucrative Nigerian market but which has thus far encountered various bureaucratic obstacles.

■ GHANA: Fuel shortages ground domestic airlines 'til Tuesday; international operators forced to make other plans.

An ongoing jet fuel crisis caused by supply problems in Togo and exacerbated by lack of reserve at the national oil refinery in Tema, has compelled Ghana's domestic operators to suspend flights for the next three days (Sunday included), say reports out of Accra.

► GHANA: SSNIT to inject USD3million into Africa World Airlines.

Ghana's fifth and newest carrier Africa World Airlines (AW), the joint venture between China's HNA Group, the China-Africa Development Fund, SSNIT (Ghana's Social Security and National Insurance Trust) and SAS Finance Group, which launched its domestic operations between Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi and Tamale on Friday 21 September, received a further shot in the arm on Saturday when the SSNIT revealed it would inject "between three and four million dollars into the new airline."

► GHANA: (Pics) Africa World Airlines first Embraer ERJ145 finally arrives in Accra.

After a long delivery flight that was routed Tianjin - Changsha - Kunming - Kolkata - Ahmedabad - Abu Dhabi - Djibouti - Entebbe before finally arriving at Accra's Kotoka International Airport at 11.22am today, Ghana's Africa World Airlines (AW) new Embraer ERJ145 (c/n 14500996 | 9G-AET) was greeted with a traditional water cannon salute by the airport's fire department.

► CHINA: See (teasing) pics of Ghana's Africa World Airlines first Embraer ERJ145 fresh out the paint shop.

On track for its much anticipated September launch, Ghana's Africa World Airlines (AW) has released a photo of its first Embraer ERJ145; one of two ex-Tianjin Airlines (GS) Embraer ERJ-145s (c/n 14500996 and c/n 14500992) to enter service from Accra to Kumasi, Takoradi and Tamale.

Ghana's Africa World Airlines' Embraer ERJ145 '9G-AET' in Xi'an, China.

According to Africa World, the Embraer ERJ-145 aircraft is now ready and is awaiting its delivery flight to Ghana next week from  Xi'an Xian Yang International Airport, China. In July, the Ghanaians entered into a joint venture with Haiku (China) based Hainan Airlines (HU) which sees the Chinese carrier having a controlling stake in the fledgling African carrier.

See this post: ► GHANA: (Pics) Africa World Airlines first Embraer ERJ145 finally arrives in Accra.

► GHANA: Africa World Airlines inks deal with Hainan Airlines; aims to launch in September.

Ghanaian startup Africa World Airlines (AWA) has entered into a joint venture with Haiku based Hainan Airlines (HU) which will see the Chinese carrier taking a controlling stake in the soon-to-be launched Low Cost Carrier, the third of its type  to launch in Ghana after Starbow Airlines, fly540 Ghana and CTK CiTylinK.

Under the deal, management for AWA will be sourced from HNA Carriers, Hainan Airlines' parent company.

An Africa World Airlines (AWA) advertisement.

Other shareholders in the joint venture in addition to Hainan Airlines will be the China-Africa Development Fund, Ghana SAS Financial Group and Ghana Social Security and National Insurance Trust of Ghana.

"The Chinese carrier said that “big market demand for air transport industry in Ghana and other parts of West Africa triggered by the backwardness of ground traffic” is the main reason it decided to launch AWA. But industry analysts also pointed out that “instability of political situation and harsh natural environment in Africa” would present some challenges for the successful operation of the new Joint Venture."

Source [ATW]

Founded by Ghana's Togbe Afede XIV, a king from eastern Ghana's Asogli state, Africa World Airlines aims to launch in September with two Embraer ERJ145LR aircraft from Tianjin Airlines, with its initial route network set to focus on its Accra, Ghana hub and domestic destinations, before expanding into the region, pending regulatory approval.  Should it be feasible, AWA's international expansion would only likely occur after five years, a sufficiently long-term date to quell any immediate concerns about 'over-reaching' - a major mistake that has been the undoing of many African carriers in the past, mostly due to its allure and prestige.