Africa World Airlines

Africa World Airlines Limited (AWA) is a Ghanaian airline company with its head office in Accra, Ghana,[4] and its main hub at Kotoka International Airport in Accra.

Africa World Airlines
IATA ICAO Callsign
AW AFW BLACKSTAR
Founded2010
Commenced operations21 September 2012
Operating basesKotoka International Airport
Fleet size8
Destinations10
Parent companyHNA Group
HeadquartersAccra, Greater Accra, Ghana
Key peopleTogbe Afede XIV (Founder)[1]
Michael Cheng Luo (CEO)[2]
Sean Mendis (COO)[3]
Websiteflyafricaworld.com

History

Africa World Airlines was incorporated in 2010 and commenced flights in 2012. It is a joint venture between Hainan Airlines, China-Africa Development Fund, SSNIT and SAS Finance Group.[5][6]

AWA became a full member of IATA in October 2017.[7]

AWA suspended domestic passenger operations in March 2020 due to the spread of COVID-19 in Ghana, but resumed operations in April 2020 following expiry of inter-city movement restrictions.[8] [9]

AWA continues to operate humanitarian flights to repatriate Ghanaians stranded abroad during the period of closed borders. [10]

Fleet

Current fleet
An Africa World Airlines ERJ-145LR at Kumasi Airport.

The Africa World Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft (as of March 2020):[11] [12]

Africa World Airlines fleet
Aircraft In Service Passengers
B E Total
Embraer ERJ-145LI 8 0 50 50[13]
Total
8

Fleet development

Africa World Airlines took delivery on 30 August 2012 of its first Embraer 145 aircraft that was used to operate domestic routes. .[14] A second aircraft was delivered on 8 September 2012.[15] The airline added a third aircraft in 2013 and a further five aircraft between 2016 and 2019. All these aircraft were previously operated by Tianjin Airlines which is a sister company within the HNA Group.[16]

Destinations
An Africa World Airlines ERJ-145LR at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja

Africa World Airlines operated the following scheduled services as of June 2020.[17] [18]


Country City Airport Notes Refs
Cote D'IvoireAbidjanFélix-Houphouët-Boigny International AirportSuspended
GhanaAccraKotoka International AirportHub
KumasiKumasi Airport
TakoradiTakoradi Airport
TamaleTamale Airport
WaWa AirportSuspended
LiberiaMonroviaRoberts International AirportSuspended
NigeriaAbujaNnamdi Azikiwe International AirportSuspended
LagosMurtala Muhammed International AirportSuspended
Sierra LeoneFreetownLungi International AirportSuspended

Partnerships

In 2019, AWA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with South African Airways to jointly pursue opportunities in West Africa, including a system-wide codeshare agreement and other commercial partnerships.[19] The codeshare went into effect in October 2019.[20]

The airline also announced an interline partnership with Emirates to provide domestic and regional feed to their flights at Kotoka International Airport in Accra.[21]

AWA also signed a tripartite partnership with Ethiopian Airlines and ASKY to offer seamless travel within the West African region.[22]

In October 2019, AWA and Brussels Airlines concluded an interline partnership to connect passengers through their joint networks.[23]

AWA and Air Burkina announced in January 2020 that they had concluded a partnership for passengers to connect from Ouagadougou through Accra to Lagos, Abuja and Abidjan.[24]

Africa World Airlines and Cabo Verde Airlines also announced a partnership effective from February 2020 to improve connectivity in West Africa between their respective networks.[25]

Awards and recognition

Africa World Airlines has been recognised as "Domestic Airline of the Year" in Ghana for 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.[26][27]

In September 2019, the airline was inducted into the CIMG Hall of Fame after being voted the winner in the "Domestic Airline of the Year" category for five consecutive years.[28]

In October 2019, Africa World Airlines received the 2019 AviaTour award for "Best Passenger Experience".[29]

Africa World Airlines was also recognised as "Best Airline in West Africa" for 2019 by the Balafon Travel Awards being held during the Accra Weizo 2019 travel conference and exhibition.[30]

In December 2019, the prestigious Routes Africa Awards honored the airline with the Airline Excellence Award for "Innovation and Capacity Growth" in recognition for AWA's steady growth and creative marketing.[31]

References
  1. "Togbe Afede's Airline Takes Delivery of Second Aircraft". www.ghanaweb.com.
  2. "Africa World Airlines re-appoints Michael Cheng Luo as CEO". centreforaviation.com.
  3. "Africa World Airlines - Executive Management". FlyAfricaWorld.com.
  4. "Contact Us". Africa World Airlines. April 16, 2020.
  5. "Hainan Airlines, Africa World Airlines launch JV". Air Transport World.
  6. "HNA Group and Africa World Airlines sign Joint Venture Agreement". Bravia Capital. Archived from the original on 2012-11-18. Retrieved 2012-08-29.
  7. "IATA presents certificate to Africa World Airlines". Ghana News Agency. Archived from the original on 2019-04-14. Retrieved 2019-04-14.
  8. https://www.gh-aviation.com/11/527/africa-world-airlines-to-suspend-all-flights-by-monday-due-to-covid-19-pandemic
  9. https://twitter.com/flyafricaworld/status/1252007780606775296
  10. https://www.flyafricaworld.com/2020/04/bringing-ghanaians-home/
  11. "Global Airline Guide 2019 (Part One)". Airliner World. October 2019: 15.
  12. "Africa World Airlines Fleet". AirFleets.
  13. "Africa World Airlines on ch-aviation". ch-aviation.
  14. "Africa World Airlines First Aircraft Lands". The Ghanaian Times.
  15. "9G-AEU Africa World Airlines". JetPhotos.net. Archived from the original on 2014-09-11. Retrieved 2012-10-06.
  16. "Africa World Airlines Finalizing Launch Plans for ERJ-145". CH Aviation.
  17. "Africa World plans low cost services in Ghana". Flightglobal.com.
  18. "Africa World Airline To Take Off, September". Ghana News Agency.
  19. "Africa World Airlines signs agreement with South African Airways". Ghana News Agency.
  20. "Africa World Airlines and South African Airways Unveil New Codeshare Agreement". Aviation Tribune.
  21. "Interline agreement between Emirates Airline, Africa World Airlines". WAM - The Emirates News Agency.
  22. "AWA, ASKY, Ethiopian Airlines partner to bring seamless travel to Ghanaians". www.myjoyonline.com.
  23. "Africa World and Brussels Airlines interline to provide seamless travel for passengers". Voyages Afriq. October 8, 2019.
  24. "Africa World Airlines and Air Burkina announce Interline Partnership". GH-Aviation.
  25. Drum, Bruce (January 30, 2020). "Cabo Verde Airlines and Africa World Airlines improve air connections in West Africa".
  26. "Africa World Airlines wins 'CIMG Domestic Airline of The Year 2016'". www.ghanaweb.com.
  27. "McDan Group, Internet Solutions bosses win CIMG Marketing Man, Woman of the year". www.myjoyonline.com.
  28. "AWA inducted into CIMG Hall of Fame". ghananewsagency.org.
  29. "Aviation: Africa World Airlines Bags Best Passenger Experience Award | ATQ News". www.atqnews.com.
  30. "Africa World Airlines Limited on LinkedIn: #airlines #travel #tourism | 21 comments". www.linkedin.com.
  31. "Cape Town Air Access named the Overall Winner for second year runningin the Routes Africa 2019 Awards". Modern Ghana.
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