View source for Ghana Airways

{{Short description|Defunct national airline of Ghana, 1958–2004}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox airline
| airline        = Ghana Airways
| image          = GhanaAirwaysLogo.jpg
| image_size     = 
| IATA           = GH
| ICAO           = GHA
| callsign       = GHANA
| founded        = {{dts|format=dmy|1958|7|4}}
| commenced      = {{dts|format=dmy|1958|7|16}}<ref name="guttery"/>
| ceased         = {{dts|format=dmy|2005|6}}
| aoc            = 
| hubs           = [[Kotoka International Airport]]
| secondary_hubs = 
| focus_cities   = 
| frequent_flyer = 
| alliance       = 
| subsidiaries   = 
| fleet_size     = 2
| destinations   = 4
| parent         = [[Government of Ghana]]
| headquarters   = [[Accra]], [[Ghana]]
| key_people     = Charles Wereko-Brobbey (Chairman){{citation needed|date=February 2021}}
| website        = {{URL|https://web.archive.org/*/www.ghanaairways.com|ghanaairways.com}} (Archive)
}}

'''Ghana Airways Limited''' was the [[flag carrier]] of [[Ghana]], with its main base of operation and hub at [[Kotoka International Airport]] in [[Accra]]. The airline ceased operations in 2004, although plans were discussed to revive it in 2020 in partnership with [[Egyptair]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.logupdateafrica.com/egyptair-ghana-ink-pact-for-a-new-flag-carrier-aviation|title=EgyptAir, Ghana ink pact for a new flag carrier|date=22 October 2020 }}</ref>

==History==
===Formative years===
[[File:Ghana Airways VC-10 AMS 1965-8-1.png|thumb|A Ghana Airways [[Vickers VC-10]] at [[Amsterdam Schiphol Airport]] in 1965]]
[[File:Ghana Airways DC-10 9G-ANA ZRH 1988-2-18.png|thumb|A Ghana Airways [[McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30]] at [[Zürich Airport]] in 1988]]

Ghana Airways was founded on 4 July 1958 by the government of Ghana with a start-up capital of £400,000, with the government holding a 60 percent stake and [[BOAC]] holding the remainder. When the company was founded, a seven-year agreement between the airline and BOAC was signed, which saw BOAC personnel being seconded to Accra, and Ghanaian personnel being trained in order for them to take over management and operation of the airline.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1958/1958-1-%20-%200056.html|title=Ghana takes to the air|date=11 July 1958|work=[[Flight International]]|pages=58|access-date=14 January 2010}}</ref> Prior to the foundation of the company, BOAC and [[West African Airways Corporation]] were responsible for international services from Ghana, operating pool services from West Africa to London. For their initial operations, Ghana Airways joined the pool services, when BOAC began operating the [[Accra]]–London route on 16 July 1958 with a [[Boeing 377 Stratocruiser]], with the aircraft being operated with the [[flag of Ghana|Ghanaian flag]] and in a livery minimally adapted from that of the UK carrier.<ref name="guttery" /><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1958/1958-1-%20-%200278.html|title=Air Transport in the Commonwealth|date=22 August 1958|work=[[Flight International]]|pages=282|access-date=15 January 2010}}</ref> The airline's relationship with West African Airways ceased on 30 September, and on 1 October they began operating the domestic and regional flights formerly offered by WAAC. The airline's first aircraft, and hence the first aircraft to be registered in Ghana since the nation became independent, was a [[de Havilland Heron]] delivered on 30 December.<ref name="guttery">{{cite book|last=Guttery|first=Ben R.|title=Encyclopedia of African airlines|publisher=Ben R. Guttery|year=1998|location=New York City|pages=74–77|isbn=0-7864-0495-7}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=W8MlAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MfUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6074,5147850&dq=ghana-airways&hl=en|title=Ghana establishes its own airline|date=8 July 1958|publisher=[[Baltimore Afro-American]]|pages=14|access-date=14 January 2010|location=Accra}}</ref> At the end of the airline's first year of operation they had made a [[net profit]] of US$28,000.<ref name="mapexpansion">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1961/03/05/archives/ghana-airways-maps-expansion.html|title=Ghana Airways Maps Expansion|last=McLaughlin|first=Kathleen|date=5 March 1961|work=[[The New York Times]]|pages=F1|access-date=14 January 2010|location=[[United Nations]], New York City}}</ref>

A second Heron was delivered to the airline in 1959, and on 9 March, the first [[Douglas DC-3]] entered service. Flights to London employed [[Bristol Britannia]] 102s [[wet-lease]]d from BOAC from 16 April, leading to a reduction in [[Boeing 377 Stratocruiser|Stratocruiser]] services and the retirement of the type after its final departure for London, via Barcelona, on 31 August. (BOAC's own Stratocruiser services on the route had ceased on 31 May.) By the end of 1959, an order for two Britannias was placed and a service to [[Conakry]] was introduced. In 1960, three [[Vickers Viscount]]s were ordered on 20 April. [[President of Ghana|Ghanaian President]] [[Kwame Nkrumah]] was accused of being too aligned to [[Western world|the West]], and hence he [[Ghana–Russia relations|entered into agreements with the Soviets]] and on 18 August, six [[Ilyushin Il-18]]s, at a cost of £670,000 each, were ordered.<ref name="guttery" /> After having initially expected to be delivered on 20 November, the first two of six Il-18s was delivered to Accra on 3 December and were initially crewed and maintained by [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] personnel while Ghanaian personnel were trained. The aircraft entered service on routes from Accra to [[Lagos]] and [[Dakar]], to [[Addis Ababa]] via [[Kano (city)|Kano]], and [[Nairobi]] via [[Léopoldville]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1960/10/30/archives/ghana-to-get-planes-nov-20.html|title=Ghana to Get Planes Nov. 20|date=30 October 1960|work=[[The New York Times]]|pages=10|access-date=14 January 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1960/1960%20-%203007.html|title=Ghana gets its Il-18s|date=16 December 1960|publisher=[[Flight International]]|pages=959|access-date=14 January 2010}}</ref> Net profits for the year 1960 totaled US$462,000.<ref name="mapexpansion" /> In November 1960, the USSR also delivered a single [[Antonov An-12]] to Ghana Airways.

The airline placed an order with [[Boeing]] in January 1961 for two Rolls-Royce Conway-powered [[Boeing 707-420]]s, and an order was also placed for three [[Vickers VC10]]s.<ref name="guttery" /> The order for the two Boeings, valued at US$17,500,000, saw the airline planning flights to the United States from July 1962, with additional plans to begin flights to Tokyo and Sydney.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EsMlAAAAIBAJ&sjid=t_QFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1129,1234129&dq=ghana-airways&hl=en|title=U.S. trips planned by Ghana Airways|date=25 March 1961|work=[[Baltimore Afro-American]]|pages=6|access-date=14 January 2010|location=[[Tunis]]}}</ref> A weekly Britannia service to [[Beirut]], via [[Kano (city)|Kano]] and [[Cairo]], was inaugurated on 4 February 1961, making Ghana Airways the first West African airline to serve the [[Lebanon|Lebanese]] capital.<ref name="guttery" />

It was reported in January 1961 that the Nkrumah administration desired minimal foreign influence in Ghanaian affairs and saw Ghana Airways as a prime symbol of Ghana's statehood.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1961/1961%20-%200067.html|title=Ghana's status symbol|date=13 January 1961|work=[[Flight International]]|pages=65|access-date=15 January 2010}}</ref> On 14 February 1961, the Ghanaian government reached an agreement with BOAC to buy the latter out of their 40% share in the airline<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1961/02/16/archives/ghana-airline-all-stateowned.html|title=Ghana Airline All State-Owned|date=16 February 1961|work=[[The New York Times]]|pages=61|access-date=14 January 2010}}</ref> for a reported £160,000. The check was presented to Sir Duncan Cumming on 15 February, who at the same time signed a contract renewing the management assistance contract, which dated back to July 1958.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1961/1961%20-%200254.html|title=Ghana and BOAC|date=24 February 1961|work=[[Flight International]]|pages=256|access-date=15 January 2010}}</ref> On delivery of the second [[Bristol Britannia|Britannia]], in December 1960, the new turboprops took over service from the wet-leased BOAC aircraft on the airline's route to London. In June 1961, Ghana Airways commenced the first-ever non-stop Accra-London air connection, also using Britannias, and in July the government announced that the airline would be reorganized. The order for two Boeing 707s, which had been placed in January 1961, was cancelled in August due to difficulties in financing the purchase; in 1961 the airline lost US$800,000. The airline took delivery of the three Viscounts and an additional two Il-18s in 1962, for a total of eight Ilyushins. A weekly flight from Accra to [[Kumasi]], [[Tamale, Ghana|Tamale]], [[Ouagadougou]], [[Mopti]], [[Ségou]] and [[Bamako]] was inaugurated on 4 July 1962 utilising a [[Douglas DC-3]].<ref name="guttery" /> The pool arrangement with BOAC was terminated in November 1962, three years before its expected July 1965 expiry, after Ghana Airways signed a pool agreement with [[Alitalia]] covering flights between Accra and Rome. BOAC saw this arrangement with the Italian airline to be in competition with their agreement with the Ghanaian airline, under which Ghana Airways would be required to sell tickets for both airlines on the Accra-London route, which in the case of the Alitalia would be operated via Rome.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1962/1962%20-%201429.html|title=BOAC/Ghana Airways pool to end|date=16 August 1962|publisher=[[Flight International]]|pages=225|access-date=14 January 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1960/1960%20-%200125.html|title=Ghana's status symbol|date=22 January 1960|publisher=[[Flight International]]|pages=125|access-date=15 January 2010}}</ref> By January 1963 the relationship with BOAC was almost nonexistent, as [[British United Airways]] took over [[general sales agent]] duties for the airline in the United Kingdom and [[Cunard Eagle]] was responsible for major maintenance on the airlines' aircraft. However, BOAC continued to provide passenger ground handling services for the airline at Heathrow Airport.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1963/1963%20-%200084.html|title=BOAC's Break With Ghana|date=17 January 1963|work=[[Flight International]]|pages=76|access-date=15 January 2010}}</ref> By this time, the airline was operating domestic flights from Accra to Kumasi, [[Takoradi]] and Tamale, with regional flights being operated to [[Abidjan]], Bamako, [[Banjul|Bathurst]], [[Conakry]], [[Dakar]], [[Freetown]], [[Lagos]] and [[Monrovia]]. The airlines' international route network saw the airline flying to [[Addis Ababa]], [[Beirut]], [[Cairo]], [[Khartoum]], London, [[Rabat]], Rome and [[Zürich]].<ref name="guttery"/>

Flights to [[Asmara]] were added in early 1963, and the flights with Il-18s continued to [[Aden]] in the [[Aden Protectorate]], while in March the airline began flights to Switzerland and Moscow, although those flights were short-lived.<ref name="guttery"/> In September 1963, the airline joined the [[International Air Transport Association]], becoming its ninety-third member,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1963/09/22/archives/ghana-airways-joins-iata.html|title=Ghana Airways Joins I.A.T.A.|date=22 September 1963|work=[[The New York Times]]|pages=196|location=[[Montreal]]|access-date=14 January 2010}}</ref> and they returned four of their eight Il-18s to the [[Soviet Union]] after determining that they were surplus to the airline's requirements.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mlA0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=aH4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=4693,1320873&dq=ghana-airways&hl=en|title=Ghana to Return Planes to Russia|date=4 September 1963|publisher=[[The Milwaukee Journal]]|pages=13|access-date=14 January 2010|location=[[Accra]]}}</ref> In 1961, it was reported that in three months of operation on the Accra-[[Khartoum]] route, the airline had carried only 12 revenue passengers.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,938253,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110204222954/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,938253,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 February 2011|title=Ghana: Dirt Under the Welcome Mat|date=10 November 1961|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|access-date=14 January 2010}}</ref> It was also reported in 1962 that the airline was only utilising the aircraft collectively for no more than 36 hours of flight time per week.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1962/1962%20-%200928.html?search=ghana%20airways|title=Pruning in Ghana|date=14 June 1962|publisher=[[Flight International]]|pages=926|access-date=15 January 2010}}</ref> The airline signed a lease agreement with [[Swissair]] in October 1963 for the wet-lease operation of [[Convair 990]] jetliners on the Accra-London route.<ref name="guttery"/>

The Viscounts were put up for sale in November 1964, and the airline began a pool agreement with [[Nigeria Airways]], which saw Ghana Airways being given cabotage rights from Lagos to Cairo and Beirut via Kano and Addis Ababa. Midway through February 1965, the contract with Swissair came to an end, and the Vickers VC10 took its place. In the same month, the Britannias were withdrawn. The first VC10 was delivered to Accra on 18 December 1964 and initially conducted proving and training flights, before entering service on 15 February 1965 on the route to London. The second VC10 was delivered to the airline in June 1965, enabling services to Beirut to commence.<ref name="guttery"/> Ghana Airways operated the aircraft in a configuration of 20 first class and 87 economy class seats.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1965/1965%20-%200095.html|title=Ghana's long-haul jet|date=14 January 1965|publisher=[[Flight International]]|pages=59|access-date=15 January 2010}}</ref>

Following the February 1966 coup in which Nkrumah's regime was overthrown, the new [[National Liberation Council]] (NLC) took steps to eliminate loss-making routes from the Ghana Airways network, which Nkrumah had kept open in order to show the [[flag of Ghana|Ghanaian flag]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1966/03/08/archives/urgent-us-help-is-asked-by-ghana-emergency-food-requested-spare.html|title=Urgent U.S. help is asked by Ghana|last=Garrison|first=Lloyd|date=8 March 1966|work=[[The New York Times]]|pages=10|access-date=14 January 2010}}</ref> However, the NLC continued Nkrumah's policy of directing Ghana Airways to operate routes based upon politics but forced the airline to stop operations to Cairo because of the support for Nkrumah given by [[President of Egypt|Egyptian President]] [[Gamal Abdel Nasser]].<ref name="guttery"/>

The remaining Soviet aircraft, one [[Antonov An-12]] and four Il-18s, were retired in 1967. The route to Bamako, suspended since the February 1966 coup, restarted in conjunction with [[Air Mali (1960–1985)|Air Mali]] operating one of their Il-18s on the route. The airline also started a pool agreement with Nigeria Airways, under which Ghana Airways utilized Nigerian [[Fokker F27]]s on domestic routes and Nigeria Airways employed Ghana Airways Viscounts on their Lagos-Accra route.<ref name="guttery"/>

The first [[McDonnell Douglas DC-9]]s were delivered in 1975, and in 1976 the airline added Lagos as a stopover on their route from Accra to [[Cotonou]]. The same year the airline placed an order for a [[McDonnell Douglas DC-10]], and whilst awaiting delivery took a DC-10 on lease from [[KLM Royal Dutch Airlines]]. The airline's DC-10 was delivered on 24 February 1983, and the aircraft leased from the [[List of airlines of the Netherlands|Dutch airline]] was returned. At this time the airline had added new international destinations to their route network, which included [[Amsterdam]], [[Douala]], [[Frankfurt]], [[Jeddah]], [[Libreville]], and [[Niamey]]. The airline's DC-10 also visited the [[West Indies]] on behalf of [[Caribbean Airways]], thanks to a wet-lease contract, renewed in January 1986, which saw the aircraft operating twice-weekly services to [[Barbados]] from London's [[Gatwick Airport]] in between its regular Accra-London rotations.<ref name="guttery"/>

Flights to the United States began in September 1994, when the airline began operations to [[JFK International Airport]] in New York City with DC-10s leased from [[Skyjet Airlines|Skyjet]] on a twice-weekly basis. At this time, [[Düsseldorf]] and [[Harare]] were also featured on the airline's route network. For its flights to New York City, the airline would later lease a [[McDonnell Douglas MD-11]] from [[World Airways]]. In 1995, Speedwing, the consultancy arm of [[British Airways]], was awarded a two-year contract to manage the airline. Following Ghana's receipt of Category One status from the US [[Federal Aviation Administration]], Ghana Airways was able to operate flights to New York City from mid-October 1996 utilising Ghanaian-registered DC-10s.<ref name="guttery" /><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/1996/11/01/13487/ghana-clears-faa-hurdle.html|title=Ghana clears FAA hurdle|last=Cameron|first=Doug|date=1 November 1996|work=[[Airline Business]]|access-date=15 January 2010}}</ref>

===Towards its demise===
The airline inked a co-operation agreement with [[South African Airways]] on 25 March 1999, which would see the two airlines increasing flights to near daily between [[Johannesburg]] and Accra, in addition to offering more services between West and [[East Africa]] to the United States.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dispatch.co.za/1999/03/26/southafrica/SAA.HTM|title=SAA, Ghana Airways in venture|date=26 March 1999|work=[[Daily Dispatch]]|access-date=14 January 2010|location=Johannesburg|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041107162003/http://www.dispatch.co.za/1999/03/26/southafrica/SAA.HTM|archive-date=7 November 2004}}</ref> As part of the alliance, South African Airways ceased flights to [[Dakar]] in order to route their flights to the United States via Accra.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1999/1999%20-%200729.html?search=ghana%20airways|title=SAA widens alliance with Ghana Airways|date=31 March – 6 April 1999|work=[[Flight International]]|pages=9|access-date=15 January 2010}}</ref> Flights to [[Baltimore]] commenced in July 2000, with the [[Maryland]] city becoming the second United States destination for the airline.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/baltsun/access/56181819.html?dids=56181819:56181819&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jul+06%2C+2000&author=Paul+Adams&pub=The+Sun&desc=Reunion+in+Ghana%2C+rejoicing+at+BWI+New+flights%3A+Much-needed+new+business+comes+to+BWI%27s+international+terminal+with+the+launch+of+service+by+Ghana+Airways.&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120716102031/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/baltsun/access/56181819.html?dids=56181819:56181819&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jul+06,+2000&author=Paul+Adams&pub=The+Sun&desc=Reunion+in+Ghana,+rejoicing+at+BWI+New+flights:+Much-needed+new+business+comes+to+BWI's+international+terminal+with+the+launch+of+service+by+Ghana+Airways.&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 July 2012|title=Reunion in Ghana, rejoicing at BWI New flights: Much-needed new business comes to BWI's international terminal with the launch of service by Ghana Airways.|last=Adams|first=Paul|date=6 July 2000|work=[[The Baltimore Sun]]|pages=1D|access-date=15 January 2010|location=Baltimore}}</ref> Flights to [[Dubai]] in the [[United Arab Emirates]] were inaugurated in November 2000, along with the re-introduction of flights to Beirut, after a thirty-year hiatus.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.modernghana.com/news/11080/1/ghana-airways-operates-direct-flights-to-the-middl.html|title=Ghana Airways operates direct flights to the Middle East.|date=26 November 2000|publisher=Joy Online|access-date=15 January 2010}}</ref> [[Banjul]] in [[The Gambia]] was added to the route network in February 2001 in conjunction with [[Gambia International Airlines]], with flights continuing to [[Baltimore]], marking the first direct service between The Gambia and the United States.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200102130132.html|title=Ghana Airways Touches Down in Banjul|date=13 February 2001|work=The Independent (Ghana)|location=Accra|access-date=14 January 2010}}</ref> Operations to Banjul did not always operate smoothly. In January 2002 a group of disgruntled passengers due to travel to Baltimore threatened to burn the airlines' DC-10 and offices at [[Banjul International Airport]] after being stranded by the airline. The passengers were informed by employees of the airline that their 13 January flight was scheduled to arrive in Banjul at 10:00&nbsp;am, however, upon arrival at the airport they were informed that their aircraft had arrived at 3:00&nbsp;am and had already left for the United States. According to the passengers, Ghana Airways had flown a full aircraft into Banjul and had left for Baltimore. An official at the airport confirmed that a similar incident occurred on 6 January, after 40 passengers were stranded by the airline after the flight arrived in Banjul ahead of schedule.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.modernghana.com/news/19658/1/passengers-threaten-to-burn-ghana-airways.html|title=Passengers Threaten to Burn Ghana Airways|date=16 January 2002|work=[[The Daily Observer]]|access-date=15 January 2010|location=[[Banjul]]}}</ref>

[[File:Ghana Airways DC-10-30 9G-ANB DUS 2003-8-7.png|thumb|A Ghana Airways [[McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30]] at [[Düsseldorf Airport]] in 2003]]

One of the airlines' DC-10s was seized at [[Heathrow Airport]] in June 2002, after a British creditor of the airline got a legal judgement in order to recoup some £4 million in unpaid debts.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1396007/Plane-seized-at-Heathrow-over-debts-of-4m.html|title=Plane seized at Heathrow over debts of £4m|last=Simpkins|first=Edwards|date=2 June 2002|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|access-date=14 January 2010}}</ref> After the seizure, Sam Jonah, then-airline chairman, stated that Ghana Airways was some US$160 million in debt, and the airline would require a foreign partner if it were to survive. He also noted that the British creditor released the aircraft after the airline paid US$1 million.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2043152.stm|title=Ghana Airways seeks outside help|date=13 June 2002|work=[[BBC News]]|access-date=14 January 2010}}</ref> The Ghanaian government announced in September 2002 that it had signed a deal with [[Nationwide Airlines (South Africa)|Nationwide Airlines]] which would see the South African airline taking over the management of the airline, which would have been renamed Ghana Nationwide International Airlines. Nationwide, which beat out rival [[British Midland]], as part of the deal would not take on liabilities for the debts of the national airline.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-25929697_ITM|title=New Name for Ghana Airways.|last=Mensah|first=Kent|date=2 September 2002|work=[[Accra Daily Mail]]|access-date=14 January 2010}}</ref> In February 2003, [[Richard Anane]], the [[Minister of Roads and Transport (Ghana)|Minister of Roads and Transport]], announced that the government had withdrawn from the deal with Nationwide Airlines.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-22361483_ITM|title=Ghanair: These fits and starts won't do!|date=7 February 2003|work=[[Accra Daily Mail]]|access-date=14 January 2010}}</ref>

It was announced in June 2003 that British Midland had entered into an agreement with the Ghanaian government for the creation of Fly Ghana Limited. The company, of which the government would hold a [[golden share]], would operate for an indeterminate period as a separate entity to Ghana Airways, at which time both companies would be merged into a single company to potentially be named ''New Ghana Airways''. Under the plan, British Midland would supply to the airline an [[Airbus A330]] for use on flights to London, with an additional A330 being utilised on flights to New York City. Additionally, British Midland would operate a [[Fokker 100]] on the airline's regional route network, with the DC-10 being deployed on the airline's secondary international routes.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/economy/artikel.php?ID=37581|title=''Special Purpose Vehicle'' Company To Run Ghanair|date=10 June 2003|work=The Independent (Ghana)|access-date=15 January 2010}}</ref>

[[File:Ghana Airways DC-10-30 9G-ANE JFK 2004-4-10.png|thumb|left|A Ghana Airways [[McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30]] just departed from [[John F. Kennedy International Airport]] in 2004]]

In July 2004, the [[United States Department of Transportation]] banned the airline from operating flights into or out of the United States, whilst investigations were underway that the airline had ignored orders relating to the grounding of unsafe aircraft, and that the airline had been operating on an out-of-date licence. As a result, the airline was forced to cancel two weekly flights to [[JFK International Airport]] and two weekly flights to [[Baltimore–Washington International Airport]]. According to the spokesman of the USDOT, the airline had utilised an aircraft which the [[Federal Aviation Administration]] had ordered to be grounded on flights to New York City and [[Baltimore]] on 24 and 26 July, respectively.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2004-07-28-ghana-suspended_x.htm|title=Ghana Airways flights suspended in the United States|date=28 July 2004|work=[[USA Today]]|access-date=14 January 2010|location=Washington, D.C.}}</ref> The banning led to the Ghana Airways board being sacked by the government, and the government taking over full control of the airline. [[Kwadwo Mpiani]], the Presidential Chief of Staff, stated that the measures were necessary in order to prevent further damage coming to the national airline. He also stated that the government would insure that the airline would be turned around.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3561480.stm|title=Ghana state airline board sacked|date=13 August 2004|work=[[BBC News]]|access-date=15 January 2010}}</ref> The comments followed on from an incident the week previous when angry passengers took a Ghana Airways pilot hostage at Kokota International Airport, after they had waited for some days for their flights on the airline. In the aftermath of the incident, President [[John Kufuor]] held emergency meetings with officials from the airline and police.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3548158.stm|title=Pilot seized by angry passengers|date=9 August 2004|work=[[BBC News]]|access-date=15 January 2010}}</ref>

It was reported in April 2005 that [[Ethiopian Airlines]] was negotiating with the government in Accra to help keep Ghana Airways afloat, in a deal which would have seen the government keeping a 25% share in the airline, with 40% being sold off to the [[Ethiopia]]n national airline and [[Ghana International Airlines]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.modernghana.com/news/76481/1/ethiopian-airlines-rescues-ghana-airways.html|title=Ethiopian Airlines Rescues Ghana Airways|date=25 April 2005|work=The Statesman (Ghana)|access-date=15 January 2010|location=Accra}}</ref> Unable to keep up with its debt repayments, and due to the government refusal to pump more money into the airline, Ghana Airways was liquidated in June 2005.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ghananewsagency.org/s_economics/r_5205/|title=Former Ghana Airways employees to receive severance package|date=3 December 2008|agency=Ghana News Agency|access-date=15 January 2010}}</ref>

In December 2008, the government released some $2.25 million to the liquidator to pay the final instalment in severance claims to ex-employees of Ghana Airways. This tranche brought the total amount paid out to Ghanaian employees of the airline to some $7.8 million.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.modernghana.com/news/193233/1/ex-ghanair-staff-paid-final-claims.html|title=Ex-Ghanair Staff Paid Final Claims|last=Adadevoh|first=David|date=3 December 2008|work=[[The Ghanaian Times]]|access-date=14 January 2010}}</ref> The [[Nigeria]]n National Union of Air Transport Employees decried the payouts, claiming that Nigerian employees of the airline had only received 14% of their entitlements, whilst Ghanaian employees received their full entitlements. The Union also claimed that funds from the [[Lagos]] office of the airline were used to fund the office of the [[List of diplomatic missions of Ghana|Ghanaian High Commission]] in [[Abuja]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.myjoyonline.com/business/200901/25287.asp |title=Ghana Airways: NUATE threatens Atta-Mills |date=19 January 2009 |work=[[Daily Champion]] |access-date=14 January 2010 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090429073644/http://news.myjoyonline.com/business/200901/25287.asp |archive-date=29 April 2009  }}</ref>

=== Restart ===
In 2020, the Government of Ghana announced an MoU with [[EgyptAir]] to restart Ghana Airways.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Schlappig|first1=Ben|date=23 October 2020|title=EgyptAir To Launch New Flag Carrier In... Ghana?!|url=https://onemileatatime.com/egyptair-ghana/|access-date=24 August 2021|website=One Mile at a Time|language=en-US}}</ref> The airline will rehire former Ghana Airways staff and take delivery of 3 [[Boeing 787]] Dreamliners.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://onemileatatime.com/ghana-national-airline-787/|title=Ghana Ordering Three 787s to Launch National Airline|date=19 November 2019}}</ref> Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobbey was appointed as the chairman of the new airline, while technical support will be provided by [[Egyptair]] and [[Boeing]].{{citation needed|date=February 2021}} In 2025, [[TAP Air Portugal]] was announced as the new strategic partner for the relaunch of Ghana Airways.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Birns|first1=Hilka|date=17 July 2025|title=Ghana courts TAP Portugal to launch national airline|url=https://careers.ch-aviation.com/news/156089-ghana-courts-tap-in-bid-to-launch-national-airline|access-date=24 August 2021|website=ch-Aviation|language=en-US}}</ref>

== Destinations ==
As of 1994, Ghana Airways operated to these destinations:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ghana Airways |url=https://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/gh.htm |access-date=2022-07-15 |website=www.timetableimages.com}}</ref>

=== Africa ===

* '''{{BEN}}'''
** [[Cotonou]] – [[Cadjehoun Airport]]
* '''{{GAM}}'''
** [[Banjul]] – [[Banjul International Airport]]
* '''{{GHA}}'''
** [[Accra]] – [[Kotoka International Airport]] – '''Hub'''
* '''{{GUI}}'''
** [[Conakry]] – [[Ahmed Sékou Touré International Airport]]
* '''{{CIV}}'''
** [[Abidjan]] – [[Port Bouet Airport]]
* '''{{NGA}}'''
** [[Lagos]] – [[Murtala Muhammed International Airport]]
* '''{{SEN}}'''
** [[Dakar]] - [[Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport]]
* '''{{flag|Sierra Leone}}'''
** [[Freetown]] – [[Lungi International Airport]]
* '''{{flag|South Africa}}'''
** [[Johannesburg]] – [[O.R. Tambo International Airport]]
* '''{{flag|Zimbabwe}}'''
** [[Harare]] – [[Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport]]

=== Europe ===

* '''{{ITA}}'''
** [[Rome]] – [[Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport]]
* '''{{GER}}'''
** [[Düsseldorf]] – [[Düsseldorf Airport]]
* '''{{GBR}}'''
** [[London]] – [[Heathrow Airport]]

=== North America ===

* '''{{USA}}'''
** [[New York City]] – [[John F. Kennedy International Airport]]

Baltimore - Thurgood Marshall BWI airport.

==Fleet==
Ghana Airways formerly operated the following aircraft:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://aerobernie.bplaced.net/Ghana%20Airways.html|title=Ghana Airways fleet|website=aerobernie.bplaced.net|access-date=20 February 2021}}</ref>{{Verification needed|date=May 2025}}

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em auto; text-align:center"
|+ Former Ghana Airways fleet
|-
!Aircraft
!Total
!Introduced
!Retired
!Notes
|-
|[[Airbus A310-300]]
|1
|1995
|1995
|Leased from [[Air Afrique]]
|-
|[[Airbus A320-200]]
|1
|2002
|2003
|Leased from [[Lotus Air]]
|-
|[[Airbus A330-300]]
|1
|2003
|2003
|Leased from [[Skyservice Airlines]]
|-
|[[Antonov An-12BP]]
|1
|1961
|1962
|
|-
|[[Boeing 377 Stratocruiser]]
|6
|{{unknown}}
|{{unknown}}
|Leased from [[BOAC]]
|-
|[[Boeing 707-320]]
|1
|{{unknown}}
|{{unknown}}
|Leased from [[Luxair]]
|-
|[[Bristol Britannia|Bristol 175 Britannia]]
|5
|1960
|1972
|
|-
|[[Convair 990]]
|4
|1963
|1965
|Leased from [[Swissair]]
|-
|[[de Havilland DH.114 Heron]]
|2
|1958
|
|
|-
|[[de Havilland Comet 4]]
|1
|1961
|1962
|Leased from [[BOAC]]
|-
|[[Douglas C-47 Skytrain]]
|4
|1959
|1974
|
|-
|[[Douglas DC-8|Douglas DC-8-32]]
|2
|1976
|1977
|rowspan=2|Leased from [[Ranger Air Cargo]]
|-
|[[Douglas DC-8|Douglas DC-8-33F]]
|1
|1976
|1976
|-
|[[Fokker F-28 Fellowship]]
|5
|1971
|1996
|
|-
|[[Hawker Siddeley HS 748]]
|2
|1970
|1981
|
|-
|[[Ilyushin Il-18]]
|8
|1960
|1964
|
|-
|[[McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31]]
|1
|1976
|1976
|Leased from [[Hughes Airwest]]
|-
|[[McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32]]
|1
|1995
|1995
|Leased from [[Interstate Airlines]]
|-
|[[McDonnell Douglas DC-9-51]]
|6
|1978
|2005
|
|-
|[[McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30]]
|11
|1981
|2004
|One was converted into [[La Tante DC10 Restaurant]]
|-
|[[McDonnell Douglas MD-11]]
|1
|1994
|1995
|Leased from [[World Airways]]
|-
|[[Vickers VC-10]]
|2
|1965
|1980
|
|-
|[[Vickers Viscount|Vickers Viscount 800]]
|4
|1961
|1975
|
|}

==Accidents and incidents==
*On 24 April 1969, a [[Douglas C-47A Skytrain]] (registered 9G-AAF) was on final approach to [[Takoradi Airport]] and lost both engines and power, Captain David Tait, managed to turn the plane away from a ravine and bring it down it into a maize field. One passenger, Mr Moss of Messrs. A. Lang Ltd died, who was of British origin, out of the 33 passengers and crew. The aircraft was operating a domestic scheduled passenger flight from [[Kotoka Airport]], [[Accra]].<ref name=ASN240460b>{{cite web|url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19690424-1|title=9G-AAF Accident Description|publisher=Aviation Safety Network|access-date=9 February 2011}}</ref>
*On 12 April 1997, a [[McDonnell Douglas DC-9-51]] (registered 9G-ACM) veered off the runway of [[Félix-Houphouët-Boigny International Airport]] after attempting to land. The aircraft's landing gear collapsed and ran off. All 97 passengers and 7 crew members survived. The aircraft was damaged beyond repairs and was scrapped.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19970412-1|title=9G-ACM Accident Description|publisher=Aviation Safety Network|access-date=23 May 2017}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of airlines of Ghana]]
*[[Ghana International Airlines]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Ghana Airways}}
*{{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.ghana-airways.com|title=Ghana Airways official website|date=*}}

{{Portal bar|Africa|Aviation|Companies}}
{{Airlines of Ghana}}

[[Category:Defunct airlines of Ghana]]
[[Category:Airlines established in 1958]]
[[Category:Airlines disestablished in 2005]]
[[Category:Companies based in Accra]]
[[Category:Government-owned airlines]]
[[Category:1958 establishments in Ghana]]