Ghana Airports Company to Relocate Regional Airlines to Terminal 2 to Address Congestion at Kotoka International Airport
The Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) is set to relocate all regional airlines from the bustling Terminal 3 (T3) to Terminal 2 (T2) at Kotoka International Airport (KIA) as part of an effort to alleviate congestion at T3 and revitalise the underutilised T2.
The move, scheduled for December 1, 2024, will affect regional carriers including Air Cote D’Ivoire, ASKY Airlines, Ibom Air, Air Peace, and Africa World Airlines (AWA).
While the GACL aims to optimise terminal usage, affected airlines have raised concerns about the tight timeframe and the readiness of Terminal 2, which has been largely dormant since the relocation of international operations to T3 in 2018.
Airlines have emphasised the need for upgrades to facilities at T2 to meet the standards expected by passengers, particularly given the significant Airport Passenger Service Charge paid by their customers.
Passengers flying on regional routes from Accra, for instance, currently pay GHC 948 for services provided at KIA, comparable to what is charged by both African and international carriers.
AviationGhana sources have confirmed that while the airlines engaged in discussions with the GACL, the meeting ended inconclusively. Airlines have requested a detailed operational plan for the relocation before agreeing to the changes.
Terminal 2, which now primarily serves domestic flights, has seen limited use since international operations moved to Terminal 3. This underutilisation has prompted the GACL to look for ways to revitalise the terminal and increase its capacity, especially in light of growth in domestic passenger traffic.
In 2023, Africa World Airlines and PassionAir transported a total of 17,786 passengers through Terminal 2 on domestic routes.
The decision to shift regional airlines to Terminal 2 aims to better utilise the space while allowing Terminal 3 to focus on growing international traffic. However, the success of this plan hinges on ensuring that the facilities meet the expectations of passengers and airlines alike.
