HB-IWC From Greece, joined Sep 2000, 4414 posts, RR: 76 Reply 2, posted (6 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 2583 times:
Inaugural flight from ACC was last night, and the first flight back to ACC from JNB will be later tonight. The aircraft has a rather long ground time in JNB, most likely to optimize connectivity for Gatwick bound passengers. This winter, G0 seems to be operating 5 weekly LGW rotations in addition to the two weekly JNB roundtrips. Those seven weekly roundtrips make for some very efficient use of the airline's single B752.
B747-437B From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 8, posted (6 years 6 months 4 weeks 2 hours ago) and read 2339 times:
Quoting HB-IWC (Reply 2): The aircraft has a rather long ground time in JNB, most likely to optimize connectivity for Gatwick bound passengers.
Connectivity to Gatwick is a big part of the reason for the day sit, but not the only reason. Other reasons include :
a) 530pm is a preferred departure time from South Africa by business people - very competitive compared to SAA's 255pm departure to ACC via ABJ.
b) The ground time permits the same crew to have 8 hour rest and operate the return sector the same evening, saving large amounts on crew costs and hotel costs.
c) The 530pm departure is much better suited for inbound connections such as those from Australia, SADC, etc... whereas SAA's online connections often require an overnight stop.
d) Services such as deep clean, aircraft washing, etc... are extremely competitive in Johannesburg versus other stations on the network.
e) The arrival and departure time gives a "full business day" in SA for day-trippers from Accra - this is already proving very popular after just 1 flight rotation.
HB-IWC From Greece, joined Sep 2000, 4414 posts, RR: 76 Reply 9, posted (6 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 hour ago) and read 2303 times:
Quoting B747-437B (Reply 8): b) The ground time permits the same crew to have 8 hour rest and operate the return sector the same evening, saving large amounts on crew costs and hotel costs.
There's an interesting notion and a potential for huge cost savings. I guess the crews are not holding the architects of this schedule in high regard, though. A couple of relaxed days in a plush Pretoria hotel replaced by ten hours in the JNB Holiday Inn was probably not their first choice...
SA006 From South Africa, joined Sep 2003, 1883 posts, RR: 56 Reply 12, posted (6 years 6 months 3 weeks 6 days 22 hours ago) and read 2244 times:
Howzit Sean. Sorry I couldn't make it out to JNB yesterday. Only got back to my place at 1730 which didn't leave me enough time to get to JNB to photograph the departure. Good to see GIA here. Hope everything went well Sean. Did you perhaps get to contact the photohraphers I gave you details for? By the way , where did the salute take place? Looks like the delta ramp?
B747-437B From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 13, posted (6 years 6 months 3 weeks 6 days 22 hours ago) and read 2230 times:
Quoting SA006 (Reply 12): Hope everything went well Sean. Did you perhaps get to contact the photohraphers I gave you details for?
I tried to call them but one didn't have his camera with him at work and the other didn't answer his phone. The guys from Equity though had cameras on the ramp and promised to get some shots.
As for location, we had Alpha Seven for both arrival and departures (with a day sit at Echo One) - so the water cannon was just past Alpha Thirteen/Bravo Thirteen en route to 03L.
B747-437B From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 16, posted (6 years 6 months 3 weeks 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 2077 times:
Quoting LouA340 (Reply 15): How often does GIA fly into LGW now?
Flight DOOP From Term Dep Time Arrive Term Arr Time Equip Config Meals
100 -23-567 LGW S 1055 ACC 1745 752 C16Y144 LS
101 12-456- ACC 2340 LGW S 0625 752 C16Y144 DS
500 --3---7 ACC 2200 JNB A 0615 752 C16Y144 DS
501 1--4--- JNB A 1730 ACC 2145 752 C16Y144 DS
B747-437B From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 18, posted (6 years 6 months 2 weeks 6 days 5 hours ago) and read 1919 times:
GIA's maiden Johannesburg flight hailed
Majority of passengers who were aboard the maiden flight of Ghana International Airlines, Flight GO 500, to South Africa hailed the carrier for its efficient services, saying that they enjoyed the trip and would travel with it again to any of the airline's destinations.
Some of the passengers expressed their joy and willingness to travel with GIA again at about 6:30am local time on October 30 immediately after disembarking from the plane at Oliver R Tambo International Airport (formerly Johannesburg International Airport).
AsoRock From Bahrain, joined May 2006, 318 posts, RR: 0 Reply 19, posted (6 years 6 months 2 weeks 6 days 4 hours ago) and read 1882 times:
Congratulations to Ghana International for expanding its route network
I wonder why the airline has not added any regional routes yet from its Accra hub. Perhaps the Lagos market is oversaturated with many carriers at the moment, but what about Abidjan, Freetown, Monrovia? These cities can provide good feed for the airline's long haul flights.
EurostarVA From Bahrain, joined May 2002, 1296 posts, RR: 8 Reply 20, posted (6 years 6 months 2 weeks 6 days 3 hours ago) and read 1862 times:
Quoting AsoRock (Reply 19): I wonder why the airline has not added any regional routes yet from its Accra hub. Perhaps the Lagos market is oversaturated with many carriers at the moment,
They are now code-sharing with AERO on the Accra-Lagos route. Together they operate 4 x weekly DASH-8-300 nonstop flights. Makes good business sense, otherwise and as you said market saturation will occur (if not occurred already).
Sean, the water cannon salute video is awsome...It's the first time I see a video embedded to an a.net forum message. Well done!
B747-437B From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 21, posted (6 years 6 months 2 weeks 5 days 16 hours ago) and read 1766 times:
Quoting EurostarVA (Reply 20): Sean, the water cannon salute video is awsome...
Thanks. I just got some pics from the ground handlers who were outside the aircraft during the salute (I shot the video from inside obviously) and they look even nicer.
787KQ From United States of America, joined Mar 2006, 547 posts, RR: 0 Reply 22, posted (6 years 6 months 2 weeks 5 days 2 hours ago) and read 1678 times:
What airline is that directly under the wing of Ghana International in the photo above? Is it Air Tanzania?
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