The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has issued an advisory notice warning the general public not to conduct any business with either of local start-up Goldstar Airlines (Accra) or the US-based virtual carrier, Global Ghana Airlines (Chicago O'Hare).
In the notice published last week, the regulator said it had noted advertisements flighted by either firm for commercial flights connecting Ghana with other parts of the world despite neither possessing an Air Operator's Certificate (AOC).
"The ... advertisements are misleading and the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority takes a very serious view of this," GCAA Director General, Simon Allotey, said. "In light of the above, the general public is hereby advised not to conduct any business with these companies, as they do not have the necessary approvals from the GCAA to commence such air operations."
Goldstar Airlines CEO Eric Bannerman has since lashed out at Allotey's statement claiming it to be "misleading". He contends that although his start-up is still in the process of securing its AOC, the fact that it has an Air Services Licence (ASL) is proof enough that it is "duly certified".
"It is a plot to tarnish our image with a non-existent airline which was used as a basis for this press release," he said referencing Global Ghana Airlines. For its part, Global Ghana Airlines is owned by one Johnnie O'Toole and claims to be in the process of starting 3x weekly Chicago O'Hare-Accra, Ghana, flights with effect from November 1, 2017.
