FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
- How do I qualify for my rights as a passenger in Ghana?
Answer:
Once you purchase an air ticket to embark on a journey, have a confirmed reservation, present yourself in time for check-in or have duly checked in, you qualify for your rights.
- How early should I arrive at the Airport for check-in when I am embarking on a journey?
Answer:
As a general rule, you should aim to be at the airport at least 2 hours before the scheduled departure time of your flight. Also ensure that you pay attention to the check-in time indicated on the ticket by the air operator’s/agent.
- How will I know my rights as a passenger?
Answer:
- Your rights are stated in the Conditions of Carriage which form part of the ticket you purchase and can also be found on the air operator’s website.
- Where you are not clear with the conditions, you may seek clarification from the air operator.
- You may also resort to the Ghana Civil Aviation (Economic) Directives, Part 2 –
Consumer Protection, which can be found on the GCAA website: www.gcaa.com.gh.
- Where will I find information with regards to the procedures to address passenger complaints?
Answer:
You will find displayed in the arrival, departure as well as transit halls, information in respect of the GCAA’s procedures to address passenger complaints.
- What happens if I am denied boarding?
Answer:
- You are entitled to benefits to be agreed between you and the air operator if you volunteer to surrender your reservation.
- Volunteers shall in addition be entitled to Right to Care which include among others: meals, refreshments, hotel accommodation, transport and communication relative to the waiting time.
- In the case where you were denied boarding against your will, you will be compensated with the Cedi equivalent of US$60 for domestic flights, and for international flights US$200, US$400 and US$600 respectively depending on the distance to the destination.
- You may also be reimbursed, or re-routed and provided with hotel accommodation and transportation to and from the hotel or your place of accommodation where a stay of one or more nights becomes necessary as a result.
- You will be offered two phone calls free of charge (at a duration to be determined), an SMS, a fax message, or an e-mail as you may prefer.
- What happens when my flight is cancelled?
Answer:
- You will be re-routed under comparable transport conditions at the earliest opportunity or at a later date at your convenience; or
- You will be reimbursed within seven (7) days the full cost of the ticket at the price it was bought for the part or parts of the journey not made, or for the parts already made if the flight is no longer serving any purpose in relation to your original travel plan.
- You will also be offered meals/refreshment relative to the waiting time; transport and hotel accommodation where the stay of one or more nights becomes necessary.
- You are entitled to compensation as an international passenger unless you were: informed of the cancellation at least two weeks before the scheduled time of departure; or you were informed of the cancellation between two weeks to seven days before the scheduled time of departure.
- You are entitled to compensation as a domestic passenger unless you are: informed of the cancellation at least three (3) days before the scheduled time of departure, or within three (3) days to the scheduled time of departure.
- In all cases you are entitled to information, assistance and care as specified in the GCA Consumer Protection Directives.
- You are also entitled to compensation unless it can be proven that the cancellation is caused by extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken.
- On the other hand, the Air Operator shall not be obliged to pay compensation if it can be proven that the cancellation was caused by extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided.
- What happens when my flight is delayed?
Answer:
- If you were delayed on a Domestic Flight, you shall be offered water immediately after one hour.
- For two hours and beyond you will be offered two (2) telephone calls, an SMS, or an e-mail as you may prefer.
- If the airport is closed, you will be offered hotel accommodation and transportation to and from the hotel or your place of accommodation; or you may be reimbursed or re-routed as you may prefer.
- On the other hand, if you were delayed on an International Flight, you will be offered water immediately after one (1) hour; refreshments, meals, two phone calls, SMS or e-mails between two (2) to six (6) hours after the scheduled time of departure.
- Hotel accommodation and transport will be provided if the expected time of departure is at least 6 hours after original time of departure.
- In the event of Tarmac delay, you will be provided assistance by the Air Operator: water/refreshments/meal relative to the duration of the delay while on board the You will also be disembarked by the Air operator when the delay exceeds three hours.
- When purchasing my ticket, should I pay any extra fees in addition to that which is advertised by the air operator?
Answer:
No, all advertised tickets should be inclusive of all fees, charges and taxes.
- Who should I complain to when I have issues with my air operator?
Answer:
- First contact the air operator’s Customer Service desk, or where a desk is unavailable, contact the officer appointed to receive/resolve complaints for your concerns to be addressed.
- If you are not satisfied with the resolution received, you may lodge a complaint with the GCAA Consumer Protection Section for redress.
- If you are still not satisfied with all the above, you may take legal action.
- What do l do when my baggage is damaged, delayed, or missing?
Answer:
- Report to the air operator’s representative if your bag does not arrive with you on the flight
- Contact the air operator’s representative immediately after discovering damage to baggage.
- Contact the air operator at the latest fourteen (14) days in case of delayed baggage from the date on which the baggage was placed at its disposal.
- If after the expiration of twenty-one (21) days your baggage has still not been found, it is declared lost and you are entitled to enforce your rights against the air operator as stated in their conditions of carriage.
- What should I do if I am downgraded/upgraded?
Answer: Report to the air operator stating your claim with ticket(s) and boarding pass(es).
- If the Air Operator places you in a class of service lower than that for which your ticket was purchased, you will be refunded within seven days the difference in fare of the classes, and in addition be compensated with:
- the Cedi equivalent of US$60 for domestic flights, and for international flights US$200, US$400 and US$600 respectively depending on the distance to the destination; or
- you will be compensated in accordance with the Air Operator’s Conditions of Carriage,
whichever of the two is higher
- Where you are placed in a class of service higher than you purchased the ticket, the air operator shall not request any supplementary payment.
- Can Persons with Disabilities travel by air?
Answer: Yes; you must at the point of purchase of ticket, let the air operator know your disabilities and the assistance you may require to facilitate your travel.
*Passenger Conduct
ICAO Annex 17 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation 1944 (the Chicago Convention), Security – Safeguarding International Civil Aviation against Acts of Unlawful Interference (March 2011), defines a disruptive passenger as: “A passenger who fails to respect the rules of conduct at an airport or on board an aircraft or to follow the instructions of the airport staff or crew members and thereby disturbs the good order and discipline at an airport or on board the aircraft”.
Accordingly, always ensure that you respect the rules of conduct at the airport/on board an aircraft and follow instructions of airport staff/aircraft crew members.
About The Author
