Barbados starts Black History Month by welcoming new flight from Ghana

Barbados could not have started Black History Month any better than by yesterday’s first ever direct charter flight from Ghana in West Africa which touched down at Grantley Adams International airport at 4:20 am yesterday morning. The last time anybody brought people here from across the Atlantic in such numbers was about 175 years ago compliments of some enterprising British and European folks who provided free one-way Caribbean cruises for Africans only.

De Standpipe Crew welcomes to Barbados both this new direct link to Africa and our latest African visitors. We hope that in the weeks and months ahead Ghana International Airlines will develop this route into a regular weekly service catering to the needs of both Ghanaians/West Africans and Bajans/Caribbean people. Though Barbados is closer to the westernmost coast of West Africa than it is to England, and though Ghana is nearer to us in miles than the USA and Canada, our minds have been conditioned to think of Africa as some faraway place which takes forever to get to, when in reality Ghana is only a six hour trip away (including a fuel stop in Sierra Leone).

De Standpipe Crew

http://www.nationnews.com/story/346688878182273.php Touchdown!
Published on: 2/1/08.

Buddy Larrier, from the Commission for Pan African Affairs helping passengers get through their paperwork.

THE PLAN FOR A direct fight between Barbados and Ghana, Africa, literally got off the ground, yesterday.

In fact, the pilot flight landed at Grantley Adams International Airport around 4:20 a.m. yesterday morning. However, not everything has been finalised as yet; so no further flights are planned until later into the year.

The local agent involved with making it possible are Remac Tours Limited. They have been trying for the past seven years to make the flight a reality, said George Knight, their marketing and sales director.

The Ghanaian side was being handled by Seasons Travel and Tours and the man responsible for bringing the two companies together is Dr Ntui Okey of the Trans-African Centre for Trade.

In his first Press conference as Minister of Tourism convened at the Sherbourne Conference Centre, Two Mile Hill, St Michael, Richard Sealy, pledged Government’s support and praised the involvement of the private sector in the initiative.

“People think Africa as a far-off continent . . . but this bridges the gap. It keeps with the thrust for heritage tourism and the uniqueness of our product,” he said.

Director of the Pan African Commission, Dr Ikael Tafari, said the flight was a way to “reconnect the umbilical cord after thousands were ripped from the womb of Africa”.

“In light of globalisation, we need to look to new frontiers. I suggest the business of opening new heritage destinations in Africa is important . . . Tourism will be the greatest beneficiary,” he said.

Currently, a flight from Ghana includes stops in either London, Frankfurt or Brazil and takes nine hours and about US$4 000 (BDS$8 000). With a direct flight, travel time would be cut to six hours and the cost to US$1 999 (BDS$4 000).

The initial flight was made with a smaller plane and brought 149 passengers from Accra, Ghana, and Lagos, Nigeria, to Barbados while the finalised flight would have 230 passengers.

Also attending the Press conference were president of the Barbados Tourism Authority, Stuart Layne; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Andrew Cox, and chief executive officer of Remac, Reynold McClean. (CA)

http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/news-5810–26-26–.html

Barbados creates history with first flight from Africa

Published on Saturday, February 2, 2008

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: Barbados turned over a new chapter in its aviation history following the historic arrival of a Ghanaian International Airlines commercial jet, which touched down at Grantley Adams International Airport on Friday.

The charter flight B757-200, carrying 160 passengers, departed Accra, Ghana, West Africa on February 1, which included a fuel stop in Sierra Leone, and continued en route to Barbados.

Ghanaian International Airlines

Speaking on Friday at a Press Conference, Barbados’ Minister of Tourism, Richard Sealy, said that the historic flight will open a gateway of opportunities for Barbados.

“Barbadians share many cultural and historic similarities with many Africans, particularly those in the Western part of the continent. Given these similarities, Barbados as a destination would be able to capitalize on this opportunity and appeal to the heritage and cultural niche market segments in Ghana and Nigeria.

Similar comments were echoed by Stuart Layne, President and CEO of the Barbados Tourism Authority (BTA), who expressed delight at the flight, which coincided with the start of Black history month.

“We are delighted that we finally made a breakthrough into the African market. The BTA has pledged its support to Remac Limited to access this market.”

Barbados, the most easterly island in the Caribbean island, is the closest country to Africa in the region.

The Ghana charter, which may become a regular service to the island, will make its return journey on February 15, 2008.

Of the 160 passengers on board, 40 were expected to proceed to St Lucia and Trinidad.