Some guests experiencing the aircraft’s interior
Emirates Airlines has flown the world’s biggest passenger aircraft, Airbus A380 to Ghana for the first time.
The aircraft touched down at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) from Dubai at about 12 noon on Tuesday, October 2, 2018.
It was flown by a Ghanaian pilot, Solomon Quanor and formed part of activities to mark the official commissioning of the KIA’s Terminal 3 project.
Airbus A380 is a double-deck, wide body, four-engine jet aircraft.
The A380, manufactured by European manufacturer Airbus, reportedly flies only to countries whose airports meet world class standards, and the completion of the Terminal 3 project made it possible for Ghana to host such an aircraft for the first time.
The Airbus A380 is said to have made its first flight on April 27, 2005.
It subsequently entered commercial service on October 25, 2007 with Singapore Airlines.
The aircraft was from inception named Airbus A3XX and designed to challenge Boeing’s monopoly in the large aircraft market.
Ministers of Finance, Aviation and Sanitation, Ken Ofori-Atta, Kofi Adda and Cecilia Abena Dapaah respectively, joined officials of Emirates, Ghana Airport Company Limited, to welcome the aircraft as it landed on Ghanaian soil.
Ghana Country Manager of Emirates Airlines, Catherine Wesley, described the arrival of the aircraft as a historic moment.
The then Minister of Aviation, Ms Dapaah, under whose tenure the arrangement was made for the aircraft to be flown to Ghana, in a remark, stated that “Emirates are friends to Ghana.”
According to her, Emirates took the action because it believes in President Akufo-Addo and Ghana.
Managing Director for Ghana Airport Company Limited, John Attafuah, explained that the arrival of Emirates A380 “marks a historic milestone in the history of aviation in Ghana.”
According to him, the arrival of the aircraft was an indication that KIA was ready to host any aircraft in the world.
By Melvin Tarlue