As I said before on posts Ghana Airways had / still has the potential to become an absolute market leader in the West Africa region but greed and absolute miss management will have their final downfall very soon (Prophet Gunship) ... here is a shortened account of my LAST (Yes absolutuly f......n final !)
Flight that I had with them !
"Hi all,
This is just a quick update from me as I sit @ 37 000' flying as passenger on a DC-10 Of Ghana Airways roughly over the equator, midnight SA time on Monday morning 20 June 2002. I also have a new laptop to try out seeing that my old trusted friend finally said good bye (3 years of great friendship).
I think I must just share my LAST experience with Ghana Airways with you as well. Last Saturday the flight never arrived in Freetown. Lotus Air that shares the African experience with them withdrew their code sharing after non - payment. During the week I could not confirm my flight as well, due to the fact that Ghana Airways could not be traced on the International Database due to no - payment of the computer program.
Make a long story short after I arrived at Lungi Int Airport I got told that I am on the waiting list (after confirmation thereoff the morning). In front of me was areporter from L***** Times and 3 other journalists that where told the same thing. They where even in the offices of Ghana Airways where the booking was confirmed by the manager who now tells them they are on the waiting list... The L*****Times reporter just could not face another day in Africa and tried to head - but the manager who escaped injury when a Dutch TV presenter stopped him in his track. This lead to padamonium where he was chasing the manager. (I later learnt to know that the man spent two days on the toilet instead of covering the Sierra Leone elections after a bout of Sierra Leonean food poisoning.
I must admit when I went to the manager I actually got preferential treatment as I was sure I had the look on my face of damaging his skull.... he also knows what type of aircraft I fly :o So eventually 4 hours late but on our way ... just to arrive in Monrovia (Liberia) in a massive storm. After closing the doors we waited another hour in swelltering heat (no aircon boet) for the storm to go past. An uneventfull journey followed to Accra.
All went well there, checked in and ready to go ... just to be told at the BOARDING gate that the aircraft has not left the UK YET ! Well, well now it was chaos with the Times reporter completely loosing it, so did I and a few others well. This after waiting for 4 hours at the airport. Now $20 must be paid for transit visa which we all refused to pay so Ghana Airways said they will .. but they do not have money (wow !) So no problem they will keep our passports at ransom and then give it back when we leave on Sunday.
Eventually at 0100 on Sunday morning we got in a bus and they took us to the hotel (the first bus half an hour earlier was too small).
At the hotel it took them 45 minutes to check in11 people just to tell me and the remaing 3 people that the hotel is full and we have to wait for another bus to take us to another hotel. Oh in the mean time I got hold of a bottle of Jack and immediately made friends with a Cape Town based world - remowned photographer .. by now it was his 47th birthday as well ... so needless to say when I arrived at the new hotel the legs were wobbly (shows you what small - small sleep does to you ;-))
The Hotel was a mess - I mean I have more Ghana transit Visa stamps in my passport than In / Out Stamps so I know all the hotels but this was a mess. Eventually at 0315 my lights went off with a generator under my bed .. I later found out it was the airconditioner that only blew out hot air.... even so I must have slept an hour or two ...
Sunday morning ... and between the babbalas min sleep I found the toilet just to find no seat and after doing the bit found no toilet paper ... uhhmmm yes that is interesting 3greens from America ... no problem just phone recepetion ....... well needless to say the handset had no cord to the phone and the wall plug was also missing. What is new by now ?
So eventually got a man there that went to the shop and bought me a bar of soap (they do not have), toothbrush and toothpaste and underarm. $17 later he arrived back and I happilly opened the bath tap to realise that it was in my hand in spurting hot water all over me .... typical boer makes a plan ..... leatherman out and fix the problem (by now without the tap) ... I then realise after a while that I had two preying eyes at the whiteman showering (naked 3 greens) with no curtains on .. and being in Africa I just carried on... uhmm with the shower part.
By now not much more can happen ... I mean ...
Breakfast was greeted with 4 pieces of one inch thick toast and black coffee (no milk and sugar (obviously). So I waited another half an hour for the main course .. to be greeted by ... lunch is at 1 sir !
I then remebered I have not eaten for two days and being in Africa for 40 years ... gave the cook $10 to buy eggs and cheese and voila I had a cheese ommelette .... now we are cooking... while I was on a roll I asked for another room as the generator sound of the aircon became unbearable as it sounded now like a bearing went and the exhaust fell off as well.
Believe it or not ... at 10 in the morning I got the Hotel's "Presidential suite" ... Bathroom the size of Carnegy Hall, own DSTV (with remote) .. flat screen TV , bar stocked with Chivas and caviar ... and suddenly I woke up with the now well known sound of the aircon ... bad dream ... bad dream !
The morning was passed at reception (only area that had a power plug) and split aircon (34 degr outside and humidity at 100%) so I decided to format my new laptop. This and two movies later made the afternoon short when the bus arrived at 1600 and took me and the other pax to the airport.
At the airport the fun really started as I met my reporter friend again ... by now totaly out of control as his stomach cramps and little sleep on a mattres that was apparently thinner than the sheet he was lying on did not go down well. By now it was clear that Ghana Airways did not want to / can not pay to release our passports.... after another two hour stand off we lost the poker game and had to pay our transit visa's ourselves ... just to find them sharing the $300 as we walked through the departure hall (we could see them throught the glass office sharing and joking as we obviiosly did not receive receipts (they held the plane up for us). So we paid customs and then Ghana Airways also paid them end then they all shared in the glory. So a quick $600 profit from Stupid White men In Africa. This "offence" was handed over to the DC-10 captain by the Brit reporter.
Well since then All is going well as the plance bounces over The DRC by now (after my fish and potato evening meal) ... so if you did not get this mail you will know that I did not make it ... and if you DO get this mail be advised that I WILL return to Freetown via SAA / Virgin / whoever that flies to London. From there a day or two and off to SL with Sierra National Airlines.
The ticket is three times higher but ... Good Bye Ghana Airways ... I HAD ENOUGH !
Sorry for the spelling and the complaining but I had to get it out and share it with you.
Best regards,