ITA Airways has successfully launched commercial flight operations to Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
The inaugural flight touched down at approximately 1939 hours to a water cannon salute by the Resue and Fire Fighting team of Ghana Airports Company Limited.
In her welcome address, the Managing Director of Ghana Airports Company Limited, Mrs Yvonne Nana Afriyie Opare, congratulated the ITA team on the launch.
She indicated that the commencement of flight operations on the Rome/Accra/Rome route was a clear indication of the confidence in Ghana’s aviation industry and significantly enhances efforts at positioning Ghana as a Preferred Aviation hub and Leader in Airport Business in West Africa.
The Managing Director noted that the introduction of the direct flight route signified a new era of convenience and efficiency for travelers, both for business and leisure purposes, offering passengers more options and seamless connectivity between these two vibrant cities.
She touched on the recent commissioning of Tamale International Airport and Prempeh I International Airport in Kumasi and encouraged interested airlines to explore the opportunities in those markets and tap into all its possibilities.
She gave the assurance that as the Operator and Manager of all airports in Ghana, Ghana Airports Company Limited was committed to providing unwavering support to ensure ITA Airways consistently achieves a high on-time departure and arrival performance.
‘’Our expectation is that ITA Airways will go the extra mile to deliver exceptional customer service, ensuring a seamless travel experience to passengers’’ she said.
Mrs Opare urged stakeholders to continue to support Ghana Airports Company Limited as it makes giant strides towards achieving its vision, which dovetails into the broader government vision for the aviation industry.
Other speakers at the event included the Vice President Sales, Pierfrancesco Carino, Ghana’s Ambassador to Italy, H.E. Merena Botsio Benyah, Ambassador of Italy to Ghana and Togo, H.E. Daniela d’Orlandi and Reverend Stephen Wilfred Arthur, Director, Economic Regulations and Business Development, Ghana Civil Aviation Authority.
Daniela d’Orlandi, Ambassador of Italy to Ghana, welcomed: “The start of ITA Airways’ direct connections between Accra and Rome will further strengthen the already excellent collaborative relationship between Italy and Ghana in all areas and will bring our peoples even closer”.
Merene Benyah, Ambassador of Ghana to Italy said: “This renewed direct flight service by ITA Airways is indeed a measure of the growing business and commercial interests between Ghana and Italy; and will no doubt enhance trade, investment, tourism, and cultural links between the two Countries. Ghana has often been described as the gateway to Africa due to its strategic geographic location, democratic credentials, conducive business environment, healthy respect for the rule of law, and the proverbial warm hospitality of its people. The decision of ITA Airways to re-commence services between the two Countries is a testament to this”.
The Accra–Rome route, the only direct connection between Ghana and Italy, is the first step for the Company in establishing a greater presence in West Africa, a key destination for both leisure and corporate traffic.
Following the Accra route, a new flight from Rome Fiumicino to Dakar will be inaugurated in July.
ITA Airways’ arrival in Ghana makes it the 24th International Airline to operate to Kotoka International Airport. The airline will operate four weekly flights on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from Italy to Accra.
The new route operates with the following schedule: Accra to Rome with three weekly frequencies, increasing to four in July: departure from Kotoka International Airport is scheduled at 11:45 p.m. (local time), with arrival at Rome Fiumicino at 7:35 a.m. in the morning after departure from Ghana (local time).
Rome to Accra with three weekly frequencies, increasing to four in July: departure from Rome Fiumicino is scheduled at 3:30 p.m. (local time) with arrival in Ghana at 7:15 p.m. (local time).
Flights to and from Accra will be operated with the new Airbus A321neo, a new-generation, technologically advanced aircraft.
The A321neo is the largest aircraft in the Airbus A320neo family and offers exceptional range and performance. Efficient and quiet, the new A321neo boasts 20% lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions per seat.
It is the first narrow-body aircraft configured with three separate cabins: Business Class (12 seats), Premium Economy (12 seats), and Economy (141 seats, including 12 dedicated to Comfort Economy).
The cabin interiors, entirely designed by Walter de Silva, perfectly embody the elegance and style typical of Italy.
Distinctive features of the A321neo include the Airspace Cabin with new colors and materials, the latest generation of seats, new ITA Airways customized interior lighting and XL overhead bins.
Each seat is equipped with the latest entertainment system, featuring “on-demand” video and audio, 17.3” (Business), 15.6” (Premium Economy) and 13.3” (Economy) low reflectivity and 4K resolution touchscreens for a simple, smooth and intuitive user experience.
With this new route, ITA Airways will operate 57 destinations in the current summer season, including 16 domestic, 26 international, and 15 intercontinental.
Additionally, during the peak of the summer, the airline will fly to 12 additional seasonal destinations, selected among the most popular Mediterranean tourist spots, including Greece, Spain, Croatia, and the Italian islands, accessible with direct flights from Rome Fiumicino and Milan Linate.
The new flights can be purchased through ITA Airways’ sales channels, including the official website www.ita-airways.com, the airline’s Customer Center, travel agencies, and airport ticket offices.
About ITA Airways
ITA Airways is a company totally owned by the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance for the exercise of business in the air transport sector.
ITA Airways aims at creating an efficient and innovative air carrier that will become a reference point in providing Italy with quality connectivity both in terms of international destinations, thus boosting tourism and foreign trade, and within the Country, also taking advantage of the train-air integrated mobility.
ITA Airways will place the best customer service at the center of its strategy (through a strong digitization of processes that ensure a best-in-class experience and personalized services), combined with sustainability, in its environmental (new green and technologically advanced aircraft, use of sustainable fuels), social (equality and inclusion for a gender-neutral company) and governance (integration of sustainability into internal strategies and processes) aspects. ITA Airways is a member of SkyTeam alliance as of October 2021.
