Former Chief Operating Officer of Africa World Airlines (AWA) and aviation expert, Sean Mendis, has cautioned government against dictating to foreign companies how to run their business in the country.
Mr Mendis assertion follows calls on government to retaliate and sanction British Airways given the airlines’ independent decision to switch its London-Accra-London route from Heathrow to Gatwick Airport.
“Whether the decision is a good or bad one, it is a decision that a private company has made and government should not try to dictate to private foreign companies, especially on how to run their businesses,” he stated.
“If moving flights from Heathrow to Gatwick is going to be a bad thing for British Airways, they are going to learn their lesson if passengers start deserting them for other airlines,” he added calling for broader stakeholder consultations on the issue.
“I don’t expect this to flare up into a big issue, I hope both sides are mature enough to be able to work out their differences,” he stated further.
British Airways earlier this year announced its decision to start operating flight services from the Gatwick Airport instead of the Heathrow Airport for flights using the Accra – London route.
Reacting to the airlines’ decision, Ranking Member on Parliament’s Road and Transport Committee, Governs Agbodza, intimated that the move is a downgrade of travelling experience for Ghanaian passengers and encouraged government to employ every possible strategy to foil the plan.
