Ahenfo Airlines - Direct ACC - New Jersey & Toronto

[Gunship]

Picked up a pamphlet at the hotel.
Ahenfo Airlines fly direct to New Jersey & Toronto for $1 250.00
60 kg baggage allowance.
Speedway Travel & Tours are the booking agents.

Nobody at the airport seems to know about the airline.

On the web site it calls itself Akwaaba Airlines

Schedules and more info on their web site

see : www.ahenfoairlines.com

Whoever goes first will make a killing .. scuse the pun ;)

[gac111]

Another 419 scam bites the dust.

After Ahenfo, GIA and Afra are their any more left in the region?

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Ottawa - June 23, 2005 - The Canadian Transportation Agency has issued a cease and desist order to Akwaaba Airlines & Tours and Ahenfo Airlines to stop advertising and selling air transportation services between Toronto and Accra, Ghana, without having proper authorization for the flights in question. The Canada Transportation Act specifies that no person shall sell, cause to be sold or publicly offer for sale in Canada an air service unless the person holds a licence issued in respect of that service.

The companies have responded indicating that they will take action to comply with the Agency's order. As of today, the Canadian Transportation Agency has not received an application by Akwaaba Airlines or Ahenfo Airlines for a licence or charter permit to operate the above-mentioned flights.

Anyone who has paid these companies in advance for transportation between Canada and Africa and has not received the service paid for is asked to contact the Canadian Transportation Agency's Ontario Regional Enforcement Office at:

4900 Yonge Street, Suite 300, Toronto, Ontario, M2N 6A5 Phone number: (416) 952-7895 Fax number: (416) 952-7897 E-mail: [email protected]

Akwaaba and Ahenfo Airlines have been advertising these air transportation services on Web sites. In a news release dated May 31, 2005, they announced that: "Akwaaba Airlines of North America (Ahenfoair of Ghana) wishes to inform Ghanaians, Nigerians, Africans, African Americans and the rest of the North American traveling public that it has started flying twice a week (Tuesdays and Thursdays) from New Jersey and Toronto direct to Accra, Ghana." Indications are that none of the Toronto advertised flights has taken place.

The Canadian Transportation Agency is an independent quasi-judicial tribunal that regulates various modes of transportation under Government of Canada jurisdiction, including air, marine and rail. Through its inspection and investigation program, the Agency monitors and enforces compliance with the Canada Transportation Act and related regulations.

[Engineer]

Spoke about Akwaaba Airliness (http://www.ahenfoair.com/aboutus.htm) in this thread (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?threadid=176997) on Afra airlines.

Interesting to see that the CTA has slapped an order on them. Just wonder how much money has been paid to the company in advanced ticket sales. Beginning to believe that Ghana aviation is slowly descending to the level of that in Nigeria. :{

[gac111]

At least Nigeria picked a known and proven quantity in SRB to run their national airline.

Ghana seems to have picked a group of con-men whose only experience seems to have been running a pedophile ring.

Wasn't one of the con artists from GIA also linked to Canada in some way? Is he related to this Ahenfo scam?

[shake rattle n roll]

Don't know if this has any bearing on the matter, but I am a contractor and have flown to numerous destinations in Africa, obviously I have used my credit card to pay for bills etc......now I get faxes to my home at 2 or 3 in the morning, telling me how if I will give my bank info they will guarantee me an enormous amount of interest etc. This is all conducted on a so-called banks official letter head. The biggest culprit originating in Nigeria. Now having dealt in Africa for the past 40 years I know that this is a scam, but how many others in Canada do not! What I would like to know is where in the blazes do they get the maililng lists, and how do we put a stop to this harassment.
It appears that the scams are now extending to the airlines.

[gac111]

From http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=84782

Do these guys have any shame? Do people still fall for these 419s?

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Akwaaba Airline Explains

The aftermath of Ghana Airways has seen many major airlines used and abused Ghanaian travelers with high air fares, strict restrictions and horrible customer service, uncomfortable seating and leg room. Many in the diaspora have complained about it and some have decided not to travel for a while as a result of their experiences unless there are airlines which understand the needs of the Ghanaian traveler.

Many have been dying for direct flights with great management and excellent customer service. As the creator answers prayers, Akwaaba Airlines surfaced and started advertising on various web sites. At the same time, North American Airlines were also planning to fly direct to Ghana and approached the community leaders to inform them about their services.

Many Ghanaians wondered who the operators of Akwaaba were and whether the airline does exist. No one knew any representation of Akwaaba Airlines. Then came the news release from the Canadian Transportation Authority (CTA) that Akwaaba Airlines of North America which is in partnership with Ahenfo Airlines Ltd of Ghana does not have any authority to operate in Canada nor does have authority to sell tickets. The news became somewhat confusing to the community and whether a 419 scam has been intercepted or unearthed. The question many asked was who operated Akwaaba Airlines and whether they really existed.

The representatives of Ahenfo/Akwaaba Airlines immediately wanted to set the records straight and with the efforts of Mr. Klenam Anatsui, Public Relations Manager of Black Star Travel and Tours put together all the necessary information needed for the Ghanaian community to know.

Akwaaba Airlines is putting this statement out to tell the community what their operations are what they are doing to offer the community excellent service.

Present at the interview was Mr. Thomas Nyarko, CEO of Black Star Travel and Tours who earlier had reached an agreement with Ahenfo/Akwaaba Airlines as an official travel agent.

Mr. Kingsley Whyte, CEO of Ahenfo/Akwaaba Airlines expressed his shock upon hearing of Ahenfo/Akwaaba's non existence.
Q: hy the press-release was sent and what should be told to the community?
Answer: "There is no doubt that if you go to Ghana, today and ask about Ahenfo Airlines, if you speak to any Government official, they will tell you we are an airline, Ahenfo Airlines is a licensed air carrier for the Toronto, Newark, Accra route, A copy of their licensed can be found on their web site, front page, left hand column, you will see ATOL - www.akwaabaair.com ". It is an international airline recognized by everybody in the world, issued by the government called ATOL. Anyone who is interested can call the Ghana Civil Aviation or Ghana Tourist Board to validate their license.

In North America they operate in an agreement with Worldwide Charters, a US based company with a US based license to operate from North America.

He continued that "The misunderstanding which has created this press release from the CTA was a document that they should have filed with their partners, Worldwide Charters which gives them authority to pass Canada because of their Toronto-Newark-Accra operations. But this application was not filed on time. (It is something normal) and unfortunately has been exploited by those who want spread fear about Ahenfo/Akwaaba Airlines' operations.

But they are expediting matters to file for that application to avoid any future news release.

As whether this news release from CTA is hurting their business, he said;

"Akwaaba exists because of the nature of transportation system of West Africans that exist in America. Sunday, June 18th was the beginning of a high season, if one purchases a ticket from Canada to Ghana it will cost $2,500 to make the trip that in reality only cost $1100 to operate. The prices are controlled by very powerful airlines and very powerful consolidators who want to maintain the system so they can keep abusing these people and charging them unnecessary rates just to transit to their countries.

In assuring the public, Mr. Whyte mentioned that they are in a competition because they are here to take the market from those major airlines. The competitors know it and have seen that Akwaaba is very popular and people like their product and their price. People like the fact that it is a new aircraft, only a few years old, the seat configuration, the comfort and the reliability will be very good with Akwaaba Airlines"

Mr. Whyte said, this is all part of the system trying to essentially keep Akwaaba Airlines from even taking off at all. There are people who have told Akwaaba Airlines that when they called the CTA, the CTA mentioned that Akwaaba/Ahenfo Airlines don't even exist.

"The CTA knows they exist and they have mentioned them in their publications that they have written to us and we have responded. We have received such a huge amount of interest in the program and this is why we are having these problems, when we came to the market place, we did not give privileges to people, we treat everybody the same, we have a fix price, we don't change our prices once we set them and it is an affordable price, under the old system, there are airlines and consolidators, the airlines gives the consolidators privileges, the consolidators put the prices out there at any rate they want to put out there, they gauge the market and put it in a frenzy. Every summer prices go up to ridiculous levels and when they come down, people don't understand why the price for the same flight to the same place changes".

Mr. Cudjoe Dorkenoo, Marketing Director of Ahenfo/Akwaaba Airlines also stressed that it was unfortunate there is a mishap in their operation and they are working hard to resolve the issue with the CTA. In the meantime, their Newark-Accra direct flight is on schedule.

Mr. Anatsui also remarked by making a reference to Coca Cola not undermining Pepsi offering the same product. In the end the consumer will have a choice as to who fits their needs. He said he is proud that the Ghanaian traveler now has a choice as who they should use for their traveling plans based on price and services, which is a great thing for the community. It is their job as an official travel agent of Akwaaba Airlines to strategically offer better services and the traveller will sell their best price and the excellent service to others.

The Ghanaian community now waits to see what Akwaaba delivers.

[Engineer]

Do these guys have any shame
Not where money is involved :ok:

If you work in any developing nation you need to get real unfortunately :{

[oneeyed]

Beginning to believe that Ghana aviation is slowly descending to the level of that in Nigeria.

Engineer, take it from me as an Expatriate with 14 yrs Nigerian experiance, that the Nigerian Aviation Industry has never declined to the level as low as the Ghanainan counterpart has managed to get down to in as little as 5 years. Thanks to a Dr. Condom-less Dick as Minister in charge, the Ghanaian CAA as well as the entire Industry was ruined in a matter of 4 years (just think of a revoked FOP to the US).

So with respect to the Nigerian side please refrain from comparing the two szenarios - although his Excelency the Hon. Yuguda may not be much different - but at least he got himself into bet with Sir R. - not a Padophile Mormon Preacher.

Cheers from the 1eyed

[Engineer]

oneeyed

Compare the two countries in question in this table (http://www.transparency.org/cpi/2004/cpi2004.en.html#cpi2004). Which is an independent view on corruption.

Ghana rates at 64 whilst Nigeria sits second from bottom :{

So unless there has been a rapid turn around this year (table produced in 2004) then the data may reflect current situation :ok:

The problem with being part of the system is that one has a tendancy to view objects with rose tinted glasses. :) May be it is time to look with both eyes oneeyed :8