Booking Internal flights
Hi travelers,I hope you can help! I have been trying to book an internal flight in Ghana from Accra to Tamale. The lonely planet recommends Antrakair, which I have tried to book online multiple times, but every time I try and register (from the UK) it fails and won't let me.
Then I was recommended Starbow by one of the hotels I am staying at. They don't have an online booking form, so I rang them today. After a long wait and long conversation I got my reservation, then they said I need to pay by the 24th October (I am in the UK at the moment) - they don't accept credit cards or paypal etc. so I have no way of doing this!
There is another airline, fly540, which is a low cost airline. That makes me a bit nervous a low cost African Ryanair, so I haven't looked at that!
Has anyone else managed to book flights from the UK / abroad?
Many thanks!
Paul
2
I plan to take the bus for the rest of my trip (Tamale to Mole, Mole to Wa, Wa to Kusami, Kusami to Cape Coast, Cape Coast back to Accra) but I wanted to save some time to get up to Tamale (also recommended in the Lonely Planet) as I only have 2 weeks....Cheers
Paul
3
You don't say when you want to flyThere's Antrak, Africa World Airlines, Starbow, Fly540 & Citylink, they're all now lo-cost carriers
Currently none of them have an online booking form, that will come soon, particularly Starbow & AWA ...
Your best bet is to book as soon as you arrive, but in the meantime an online booking site might be on the net
Kira
5
Paul,I don't think you need worry about booking that far in advance: things in Africa don't work like that!
It is interesting that Kira has not commented on the safety of flying within Ghana. When I worked in West Africa (I left less than two years ago) flying was a good deal less safe than bus travel, and so people who knew would not take to the skies for a journey within Ghana. There have been big changes since then, with a number of new airlines entering the market. Kira will know whether they are adequately supervised to maintain safety standards: if so, this is a new development.
6
Voyager has a valid point, but things have changed dramatically!Domestic flights in Ghana have improved vastly, safety isn't messed with & the aircraft are in good condition, particularly the three new entrants to the market. Fly540 have good aircraft as do Starbow who have just received another aircraft; Africa World have excellent aircraft too!
The main problem for airlines in this (& other regions) is the insurance costs ... however Ghana is getting stronger & stronger in it's aviation sector!
Kira
7
Kira, do you know if this Fly540 is the same as the East African company?Similar logos, but the 2 separate websiites make me unsure - moreso since you pointed out the dodgy Afriqiyah website the other day!
If they are the same, they're fine (and much nicer than Ryanair....)
I've used Fly540 in Kenya a couple of times, you can book the flights online and pay with a UK card no probs.
8
Fly540 was a franchise operation in Ghana & AngolaThey will become Fastjet later, currently the Fastjet operations in E.Africa for the old Fly540 company there are well underway ... Ghana is in the process of being changed
2013 is going to be eye-opening for the aviation industry both in E & W Africa, a lot of competition happening!
Great news for clients if there's a price war!
Kira
9
I took two fly540 flights in Tanzania (Stonetown - Arusha and Dar es Salaam - Kigoma) last year. They were both fine. I booked the first online and reserved the second by telephone (and had to pay for the ticket at the office in Dar es Salaam before departure).Good luck.
