National Carrier: Ghana Orders Three 787-9 At $877.5 million… Six Dash 8-400

In her quest to establish a National Carrier Republic of Ghana and Boeing has signed a Memorandum of Understanding on three airplanes with a list price value of $877.5 million.

The West African country is also going for Six (6) Dash 8-400 from De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited.

Both deals were sealed at the ongoing Dubai Air Show.

Boeing said the MoU with Ghana is in line with the country’s desire at she  ‘intends to re-launch an airline starting with the 787-9 Dreamliner.’

"There is a growing demand for air travel to and from Ghana and we believe the advanced 787-9 Dreamliner gives us an efficient and flexible machine to launch a regional network and eventually serve international destinations in the future," said Joseph Kofi Adda, Honorable Minister of Aviation and Member of Parliament, Republic of Ghana. "The 787 has an excellent reputation for its operational performance, fuel efficiency and passenger experience and we are confident that we have the right partner for our new carrier."

Adda says the carrier, to be based in Accra, would establish the capital city as a strategic hub that serves cities across West Africa. Future routes would include destinations in Europe, North America and Asia and the long-term plan is to open the airline to private investment and operation.

"Africa boasts a growing, young workforce and vast natural resources. We see the demand for air travel continuing to rise across the continent. Boeing is honored to work with Ghana in helping re-launch an airline to serve this vast market," said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president of Commercial Sales & Marketing for The Boeing Company. "We look forward to working with the government on an integrated solution that includes the 787-9 Dreamliner and aviation services to support the new airline and provide a superior experience for its future passengers."

Also, De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited (“De Havilland Canada”) announced that the Republic of Ghana has signed a Letter of Intent to purchase up to six Dash 8-400 aircraft. The country recently announced plans to launch a home based carrier in Accra, Ghana to serve domestic, regional and international routes.

“We are very excited to be working with De Havilland Canada to develop our fleet with a modern aircraft that will support the development of our new national airline and provide a strong foundation as we work to build a broader network and become the aviation hub of West Africa,” said Joseph Kofi Adda, Minster of Aviation, Ghana. “The Dash 8-400 aircraft provides the proven reliability and performance we are seeking and will be a great asset to our airline.

“We are committed to offering our communities state-of-the-art air transportation, and the Dash 8-400 aircraft offers the perfect mix of passenger amenities, cargo capacity, operational economics and environmental credentials to meet our requirements. We are looking forward to finalizing a purchase agreement with De Havilland Canada in the near future and securing up to six Dash 8-400 aircraft for our fleet,” added the Minister.

“It is always a source of pride when our Dash 8-400 aircraft is selected by a new operator and we welcome this opportunity to work with the people of Ghana as they establish their home based carrier,” said Todd Young, Chief Operating Officer, De Havilland Canada. “The advanced Dash 8-400 aircraft continues to prove its capabilities across Africa’s diverse landscape and we are confident that its hot-and-high performance, as well as its short take-off and landing capability will meet the demands of Ghana’s warm, dry coastal areas, its hotter, more humid regions, as well as any challenging airport operations.”