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The first ITA Airways flight from Rome Fiumicino arrived at Kotoka International Airport in Accra, Ghana. The aircraft, an Airbus A321neo, was welcomed with a water arch salute.
The inaugural ITA Airways flight from Accra Airport to Rome Fiumicino departed at 11:45 p.m. local time.
To celebrate the launch of this new intercontinental route, the Company’s first destination in sub-Saharan Africa, an increasingly strategic market, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the arrival gate C8 in Terminal 3 of Accra Airport. The ceremony was attended by Yvonne Nana Afriyie Opare, Managing Director for Ghana Airports Company Limited, Daniela d’Orlandi, Ambassador of Italy to Ghana and Togo, Merene Benyah, Ambassador of Ghana to Italy, Rev Stephen Wilfred Arthur, Director, Business Development and Economic Regulations of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Pierfrancesco Carino, Vice President International Sales ITA Airways, and Benedetto Mencaroni, Regional Manager for Asia, Middle East, and Africa ITA Airways.
“We are proud to inaugurate the new direct flight between Accra and Rome,” said Emiliana Limosani, Chief Commercial Officer of ITA Airways and CEO of Volare. “The launch of this new flight, the only direct connection between Ghana and Italy, represents a significant step forward for the Company: it is the first new flight to the African continent, a market with a great potential, of the current Summer season and will enable ITA Airways not only to gain a strategic entry for point-to-point traffic but also to reach other destinations within both Countries, thereby combining leisure and business travel.”
Reacting to the news,Yvonne Nana Afriyie Opare, Managing Director of Ghana Airports Company Limitedon behalf of the Board, Management and Staff, expressed excitement about the new airline whose entry adds to the diverse portfolio of airlines arriving and departing from Kotoka International Airport. “We look forward to ITA Airways’ inaugural flight on June 6, 2024, just in time for the summer peak travel season’’, she said. She further assured of GACL’s readiness to facilitate operations and processes in working collaboratively with all agencies at the airport together with ITA Airways to give passengers a smooth travel experience through Kotoka International Airport.
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.
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.
