A leading member of the New Patriotic Party and former Ashanti Regional Communications Director, Edmund Kyei, has publicly criticized Africa World Airlines (AWA) and other local carriers over what he describes as poor customer service, exploitative pricing, and a general lack of accountability in domestic air travel operations.
Kyei’s comments stem from a frustrating personal experience on Saturday, May 10, 2025, when he attempted to travel from Accra to Kumasi aboard an AWA flight.
According to him, he booked flight AW112 with reference number ESCJLV and ticket number 3940231057054, scheduled to depart Kotoka International Airport at 2:10 p.m. and arrive in Kumasi by 2:50 p.m.
“I arrived at the airport around 11:30 a.m., well ahead of the scheduled time,” he recounted.
“But at 2:20 p.m., AWA issued a communique indicating a delay, followed by an official apology around 4:30 p.m.”
According to Kyei, passengers were finally ushered onto a replacement flight at 6:00 p.m., only for the airline to cancel it three minutes later, citing a supposed curfew in Kumasi due to a program being held by the Asantehene.
The cancellation sparked chaos among frustrated passengers, who initially refused to disembark.
“I had to step in and calm tensions, pleading with passengers to cooperate. Management assured us that full refunds would be issued,” Kyei explained. However, that refund has yet to materialize.
Seeking alternatives, Kyei booked a PassionAir flight set to depart at 6:30 p.m.
The airline kept to its schedule, and he arrived in Kumasi without incident. After making further inquiries, he discovered that no curfew had been imposed on Kumasi-bound flights that evening — raising questions about the credibility of AWA’s excuse.
In the days following the incident, Kyei lodged official complaints at both the Kumasi and Accra AWA offices and submitted the required documents — including his boarding pass, Ghana Card, and booking reference — via email. Despite several follow-ups, he reports that no refund or substantive response has been received.
“This is not just about me,” he said. “Many Ghanaians go through these frustrations without justice.”
He also expressed concern about the high cost of domestic airfares, which he described as unjustified. Kyei compared his one-hour-and-forty-minute flight on Air Canada from JFK Airport in New York to Pearson Airport in Toronto — costing $390 (about GH¢4,000) — to AWA flights within Ghana, which often charge comparably high fares for significantly shorter and less comfortable trips.
“It is unacceptable for domestic flights in Ghana, which take less than an hour, to cost more than or equal to international flights with better service and comfort,” he emphasized.
Edmund Kyei concluded his statement by calling on the government to regulate airfares and ensure local airlines are held accountable for service failures.
He urged Ghanaians to begin voicing their dissatisfaction through protests, petitions, or even boycotts if necessary.
“The aviation industry must be fair, accessible, and reliable. We cannot allow a few players to milk the masses and derail business and economic growth,” he warned.
This public outcry adds to growing concerns about transparency and customer protection in Ghana’s domestic aviation sector, where complaints about flight delays, poor communication, and exorbitant pricing are becoming increasingly frequent.
