Wholly owned Ghanaian airline Goldstar Air, Wings of Ghana, will adopt the Accra Kotoka International Airport (ACC) Terminal Two (2) building for our operations.
Accra Kotoka International Airport (ACC) is not at its full capacity now and the terminal two building is currently underutilized; therefore, Goldstar Air, who previously was allocated office space at the terminal, has engaged the Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL) to lease the whole facility and are waiting for a clearance letter from the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to seal the deal.
The building will serve as the main hub of the airline and non-aeronautical terminal concessions, such as offices, retail shops, spas, gyms, saloons, restaurants, and duty-free shops.
Goldstar Air will install solar energy, in addition to the main power, as part of the airline capital investment at the terminal, and by using solar energy the airline will be able to offset a portion of the electricity usage and potentially reduce the utility bills by a significant amount.
Cochin International Airport, India’s first airport built under a public-private-partnership (PPP) model, has scripted another chapter in aviation history by becoming the first airport in the world that operates completely on solar power.
The airline wants to move forward with major capital investment - building two new passenger boarding bridges, refurbishing the departure and arrival halls to a global standard, and erecting a multi-storey car park opposite the terminal building.
The wholly owned Ghanaian airline plans to collaborate with Ghana Airport Company Limited to build elevated walkway to link terminals 2 and 3, so passengers can avoid boarding the shuttle bus or walking on the street to change flights, transforming the airport landscape.
A travelator, also known as a moving walkway, will be designed to manage the flow of passengers at the Accra airport, and placing artwork along the moving walkway will transform the walkway into a positive visual experience.
Goldstar Air, with an issued Licence from Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), is awaiting aircraft inspection to operate scheduled and non-scheduled flights to West Africa and intercontinental.
According to the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Goldstar Air, Eric Bannerman, the airline will initially operate passenger and cargo flights from Accra Kotoka International Airport Terminal 2 to and from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and North America, with beautiful convenient, customer-centric experience for our departing and arriving passengers and breaking new grounds for job opportunities for the youth in aviation.
The terminal 2 improvements will significantly enhance the airport capacity by optimizing passenger flow, security processes, and overall operational efficiency of the vertical (inbound and outbound), and lateral (transits) of passengers.
With planned capital improvements by the airline, the airport is expected to generate additional take-offs and landings, without the need for a runway expansion, and with the predicted airline's rapid growth of new forms of air transportation, the terminal redevelopment will tap into the emerging market quickly.
Commercial aviation is a major contributor to global economic prosperity and provides the only rapid worldwide transportation network, which makes it essential for global businesses. It generates economic growth, creates jobs, and facilitates international trade and tourism.
Commercial aviation drives 5% of the United States Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the equivalent of $1.37 trillion in 2023. United States Airlines operates more than 26,000 flights daily, carrying 2.6 million passengers to and from nearly 80 countries and 61,000 tons of cargo to and from more than 220 countries.
There are ongoing discussions behind the scenes with other African airlines to be part of our airline alliance called Afrik Allianz, therefore Goldstar Air anticipates massive inflows of passengers to terminals 2 and 3. Passengers will move freely within the terminal, but checkpoints will be required for international transit passengers.
Passengers undertaking an international to domestic transit, will go through the full customs/baggage claim procedure and then through domestic security. Domestic to international transit will be simpler but will involve going through the customs/security exit checkpoint.
From 2025, Goldstar Air will be flying Hajj Pilgrimage from five different airports in Ghana (Ho, Accra, Wa, Kumasi, Tamale) to and from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which will be historic and a relief to some Pilgrims who will have to travel from far to board flights only at Accra and Tamale.
The airline is in advance with our counterpart in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from all our airports and they are waiting for the clearance letter from the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority after the inspection of our aircraft to proceed for approval from the authorities in Saudi Arabia.
Mr. Bannerman emphasized that the airline's vision extends to operating over one Hundred (100) modern aircraft to a network of more than ninety (90) key business and leisure destinations across Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, the Caribbean, North, and South America, as the airline wants to be recognized among the best one hundred (100) companies in Africa and generating sustainable job opportunities for the country.
With these operations, he said, the airline is projecting over one hundred thousand direct jobs and over one million in-direct jobs and generating sustainable job opportunities for Ghanaians to connect African businesses and capitalize on the opportunity presented by the Africa Continental Free Trade Area, with a staggering 44 million Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) across Africa.
After a major collapse during the COVID-19 pandemic, the duty-free market is back on a growth spurt and is expected to recover to 2019 levels by 2025 and forecast to reach $168 billion by 2027, according to new data by market research provider Euromonitor International.
China’s reopening is the most significant. Available data show that international duty-free market spending by the country’s nationals represented $11 billion in 2019, contributing to 20% of global outbound duty-free spending. By 2027, China is expected to account for one-quarter of all international duty-free sales, amounting to $18 billion at constant 2022 prices.
Since airports are the gateway to vacations that are supposed to be relaxing, Accra Kotoka International Airport terminal 2 will now have a spa, which will be known as Spa on Air, and will have a sauna, hot tub, place to shower, relax and sleep after arriving or before departure. The spa service at the terminal will be created to meet one of travelers’ greatest needs, a space to relax and recover before a long flight, or during layovers.
The new spa will offer treatments ranging from massages and facials to nail care and pedicures and will bring an innovative and convenient wellness experience to guests who pass through this strategic travel hub.
The Terminal Hair Salon will provide passengers with a variety of hair-related services. The services will include Haircuts and trims, Single and double process colors, Highlights (cap or foil), Straightening treatments, Perms, Relaxers, Hair extensions, Blowouts, Braids, Basic hairstyles, and Formal hairstyles.
Beauty treatments like manicures and pedicures will also be available at the Terminal Salon. While manicures and pedicures are extremely rejuvenating treatments, they exude health benefits: they remove dead skin cells, keep your skin feeling soft and smooth, enhance the appearance of your hands, feet, and nails, and improve growth.
Accra Terminal 2 Lounge accessible gym will be located after the checkpoint and will provide travelers with access to cardio equipment, stretching space, free weights, medicine balls, and yoga props. Once you find yourself departing from, or connecting through Accra Terminal 2, consider squeezing in a workout before your flight. Frequent travelers can opt for an annual membership, which can be activated on the date of purchase and annual members can reserve a shower online up to 24 hours in advance.
Car parking fees also contribute significantly to airport revenue, with charges based on the duration of parking and the type of vehicle. Moreover, airports earn from advertising and sponsorship agreements, rental income from commercial spaces, ground transportation fees, and revenue-sharing agreements with service providers. These diverse revenue streams allow airports to finance their operations, infrastructure development, and maintenance while providing essential services to passengers and airlines.
According to the International Airport Review, as of March 2019, the global airport industry experienced a notable revenue increase of $172.2 billion. This growth, totaling 6.2%, indicates airports' financial success and profitability worldwide.
As for 2023, the aviation industry has been prosperous and highly profitable. Despite rising fuel costs and global economic uncertainty, there is a consensus that air travel demand has remained strong. Airlines with optimized operating models and resilient balance sheets have adapted well to market challenges and maintain high demand.
Goldstar Air’s leasing Accra Kotoka Airport terminal 2 to enhance passenger experience and avoid gate congestion during peak hours. The airline also wants to prevent the same scenario of a Nigerian Airliner's inaugural flight from London to Lagos, disembarking passengers far from the airport’s new terminal. According to the Nigerian Airliner Chief Executive Officer, some staff tried to force its aircraft to land at a rejected part of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (LOS).
The Nigerian airliner Chief Executive Officer noted that such action would have exposed passengers to difficulties, saying it would have taken them hours to get to the terminal and Nigerians would have hated the airline because they would not know what brought about the situation. He said even though ‘C-23 at the new terminal was free for use, the official chose to reserve it for a foreign carrier at the expense of an indigenous carrier. He further said they expect us to use rickety buses to take international passengers to the new terminal which the international airlines rejected when it was opened and there are internal conspiracies within Nigeria and praying the airline failed but the good thing is that nobody is God.
Airports are vital to Ghana's tourist industry, providing gateways to access the nation’s monumental national parks, breathtaking coastlines, and many other popular destinations and the sky will be the limit. In 2022, the United States reported the highest total contribution of travel and tourism to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), with these industries generating, directly and indirectly, roughly two trillion U.S. dollars.
When tourists spend more money when they travel, and the money they spend is reinvested into the local economy, tourism directly impacts the economy. According to the first UNWTO World Tourism Barometer of the year, international tourism ended 2023 at 88% of pre-pandemic levels, with an estimated 1.3 billion international arrivals.
Goldstar Air proposed the lowest three month’s salary for employees can get one imported used car for our junior staff to maintain the high-level operations and deliver good services. Employees can later get some for their family members within the shortest possible time.
The airline will also assist employees willing to own their estate houses or apartments by giving guarantees and deducting the monthly payment from their salaries. Some employees who will earn per diem can also save some and buy motorbikes to avoid traffic to work.
These initiatives for our employees will also boost the sales of car dealers and real estate agents in Ghana, and it will add up to the airline's indirect job creation.
With the different time zones at our destinations, IT personnel, call centers, sales and reservation personnel will be some of Goldstar Air’s 24/7/365 service at the terminal.
Flights from Accra Kotoka International Airport shall include destinations such as Washington, Dubai, Lagos, Toronto, Monrovia, Conakry, Abidjan, Guangzhou, Dakar, Banjul, Rhode Island, London, and Freetown and pending cities such as Miami-Florida, Atlanta-Georgia, Chicago-Illinois, Glasgow-Scotland, Houston-Texas and many more.
Source: Goldstar Air
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