US embassy cable - 04ACCRA1644

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ACCRA 001644 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO FAA AND DOT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR, GH, aviation 
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON GHANA AIRWAYS CRISIS AND FAA SAFETY 
REASSESSMENT 
 
REF: A. STATE 160345 
 
     B. STATE 168352 
     C. ACCRA 1583 
     D. ACCRA 1550 
     E. BANJUL 518 
 
Summary 
------- 
1. (U) Ghana Air's management has finally gained some measure 
of control over the crisis that stranded up to 5,000 
passengers in Ghana, the U.S. and The Gambia (see reftels A, 
C, D, E for background).  The third repatriation flight, on 
wet-leased World Air, left August 9 for Baltimore (BWI).  The 
passenger check-in process was calm and orderly, and Ghana 
Air published flight information and contacted ticket holders 
ahead of time.  Two additional flights to New York/JFK are 
scheduled for August 11-14.  Post has assisted irate and 
frustrated Amcits to get on the correct lists, procure over 
the counter medicines, and get in contact with the often 
unreachable Ghana Air staff.  The Ghana Civil Aviation 
Authority (GCAA) requested in writing that the FAA delay its 
safety reassessment mission until mid-October (Ref A). 
Transport Ministry, GCAA, and Ghana Air officials are 
planning an official trip to the U.S. to meet with USG 
agencies, although no date has been set.  End Summary. 
 
Ghana Air Passenger Repatriation 
-------------------------------- 
2. (U) Every Amcit in contact with Post to date has departed 
Ghana.  This includes two children from Liberia who are being 
adopted by families in the U.S.  The children were first-time 
travelers on Ghana Air, and were therefore rejected by Ghana 
Air staff holding to Department of Transportation's (DOT) 
orders that these flights were for returning passengers only. 
 However, DOT, State and Post officers were able to get last 
minute authorization to Ghana Air and the children departed 
on the August 7 flight.  Post is unlikely to receive many new 
requests for assistance because the remaining Amcits appear 
to have reached a sufficient comfort level with the 
repatriation process not to need Embassy support. 
 
3. (U) The repatriation process got off to a rocky start on 
August 4.  Ghana Air put out a public notice to passengers at 
the last minute, and only at Post's urging.  Ghana Air 
managers also failed to get representatives out early to deal 
with long lines of passengers waiting to check-in, and then 
did not have adequate security on hand to deal with unhappy 
and confused passengers.  Post's RSO had to call in 15-20 
police he had pre-positioned nearby to calm the situation. 
 
4. (U) Ghana Air Acting CEO Ms. Akua Sarpong and other Ghana 
Air managers seemed to learn from their mistakes, and are now 
disseminating information sooner and using more people to 
manage the check-in process and handle passenger inquiries. 
As a result, the August 7 and August 9 flights went smoothly. 
 Sarpong assures Post that Ghana Air is planning additional 
repatriation flights this week, with the first one scheduled 
to depart August 11 for JFK, and the second flight to leave 
near the weekend, also en route JFK airport. 
 
5. (SBU) Ms. Sarpong is concerned that the repatriation 
flight loads are down, and Ghana Air is nearing the point 
where it will not be economical to continue the wet-lease 
arrangement just for returning passengers.  The flights from 
the U.S. are already only half full, and Sarpong expects this 
will also be the case by this coming weekend for return 
flights to Baltimore and New York.  She hopes to reach some 
kind of accommodation from DOT in the near future to allow 
Ghana Air to fly newly ticketed passengers.  Otherwise, Ghana 
Air will need to find cheaper means to return the few 
remaining stranded passengers, such as book them on other 
airlines through Europe. 
 
More Trouble for Ghana Air 
-------------------------- 
6. (SBU) Ghana Air's August 8 morning flight to London was 
abruptly canceled due to technical problems with its 
remaining DC-10.  More than 50 stranded travelers besieged 
Ghana Air's headquarters and refused to let airline staff 
depart.  Local press referred to it as a hostage situation, 
but Ghana police and security forces, along with officials 
from the airline and Ministry of Roads and Transport, quickly 
defused the situation.  According to Sarpong, Ghana Air has 
grounded the DC-10 indefinitely and is seeking other means of 
transporting the stranded passengers to London.  (Comment: 
Ghana Air is negotiating with Jordanian Air to lease a Boeing 
767 to handle its European routes.  End Comment). 
 
FAA Request to Assess GoG Safety Oversight 
------------------------------------------ 
7. (SBU) Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) finally 
responded to Ref A demarche regarding the FAA request to 
perform a comprehensive reassessment of the GCAA's (and 
GoG's) safety oversight.  Post has faxed the GCAA's written 
response to FAA Rep in Dakar and to Department.  Although FAA 
asked to perform the reassessment within 45 days, GCAA 
Director General, Captain Joe Boachie, has requested a delay 
to mid October or later.  He argues that the new Civil 
Aviation Law will redress many of the FAA's concerns, but 
Parliament will not meet to vote on it until early September. 
 Under this timetable, the law would go into effect in late 
September.  Boachie also points out that key GCAA personnel, 
whose presence would be required for the assessment, plan to 
attend the ICAO Universal Safety Oversight Audit Program and 
General Assembly meetings in Montreal, Canada, in September 
(Ref B). 
 
GoG Official Visit to Washington 
-------------------------------- 
8. (SBU) Roads and Transport Minister Dr. Richard Anane has 
indicated a desire to head an official delegation to the U.S. 
to meet with State, DOT, and FAA officials.  The purpose of 
the visit would be to arrange (or finalize) an agreement to 
allow Ghana Air to continue with regular service to the U.S., 
either by continuing with wet-leased aircraft or with its own 
aircraft.  GCAA Director General Captain Joe Boachie and 
Ghana Air Acting CEO Ms. Akua Sarpong would accompany the 
Minister.  Sarpong told Econoff August 10 that the visit is 
on hold pending discussions between Ghana Air's lawyers in 
the U.S. and DOT.  (Comment:  In conversations with Econoffs, 
Sarpong has informally requested assistance to improve safety 
standards at Ghana Air and also to get re-authorization to 
fly U.S. routes.  Econoffs pointed out that Post is not the 
appropriate USG entity to handle such requests, and urged 
Sarpong to approach DOT and FAA directly with specific 
assistance requests.  End Comment) 
YATES