British Airways to raise stakes

Paul Dhami, Commercial Manger of British Airways (BA) Ghana says the airline plans to consolidate its good image and reputation by building an even stronger, more efficient and vibrant airline in the country.

“We remain committed to Ghana, a country in which we have been operating for over 70 years. The country’s political and economic environment, as well as recent oil discovery, offers promising prospects this year,” Mr. Dhami said in an interview with B&FT on BA’s achievements and prospects for its 2010 operational year in the country.

Outlining BA’s corporate strategy in the country, he said: “BA plans to sustain efficient operations and continue to compete favourably with other renowned Airlines in the world.

“We are working hard to justify why Ghanaians should use this Airline, because we don’t want them to use the Airline simply because it is a global player but rather its leveraging on technology and innovative strategy.

“There is a need to give passengers good reasons to use BA, and we have proven that in the past,” Dhami said, adding that the facilities and services on BA are comparable to any world-class Airline.

He was optimistic that the prospects of his company in the country’s aviation industry are more positive in the 2010/2011 operation year.

The commercialisation of the country’s oil this year will eventually create opportunities for the country’s aviation sector, which will attract more businesses into the country.

“It has expanded our operations and boosted the travel plans of our numerous passengers.”

BA, this year will intensify its strategic joint venture with other airlines to improve and enhance the global airline business.

BA has rolled-out products designed for ease and convenience of its passengers, which it believes have made it the “World’s favourite airline” over the years.

The company’s website - www.ba.com - is a one-stop shop for British Airways customers, giving them greater control over their travel plans.

The site currently has an average of 2.5 million visitors each week, and is available in 11 major languages including French, German, Spanish, Hungarian and Chinese, allowing customers to book flights, manage their booking and much more in their local languages.

In 2009, the website introduced a dynamic packaging facility enabling customers to book hotels, hire cars, local sightseeing tours, attractions and tickets to create the entire travel experience from one website.

A member of the royal family of European airlines, British Airways (BA) serves about 150 destinations in some 75 countries from hubs at London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports.

The carrier operates a fleet of more than 240 aircraft, consisting mainly of Airbus and Boeing jets.

BA extends its network to more than 500 destinations via code-sharing relationships, chiefly with American Airlines and other members of the Oneworld global marketing alliance, such as Iberia and Qantas.

In November 2009 BA agreed to merge with Iberia, Spain's number-one airline, and expects the new collaboration to build an even stronger airline offering passengers a wider route network.