Flights to Ghana - More hardship

Murphy's Law continues. Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. Well, at least it tests one's resilience. After months of researching flights with limited information as to when I could exactly go ahead and book one, I tried British Airways yesterday. Unfortunately, when one is going to West Africa, your Mastercard or Visa does not have 'secure code', then you cannot book online. 

When I rang Bank of Ireland credit card services I was told that they don't offer 'secure code' services. However, British Airways claim that once you get an Executive, Silver or Gold credit card then you should be able to secure your payment and reservation.

Therefore, if you have an Irish credit card and want to travel to West Africa you have to go their Dublin office in person. The catch, you have to have your passport. Unfortunately I won't have mine back from the passport office until Thursday.

Is your head spinning yet? 

At least today I managed to put down a 96 hour reservation for departure from Dublin to Accra Oct. 16th, returning Aug. 15th 2009 for 952 euro. Let's hope they won't ask for my passport when I go to their office on Wednesday!

Hope this helps any volunteers who are planning on going to West Africa in the near future.

Cheap flights to Ghana

I thought I had struck gold last night. Ghana International Airlines gave me a confirmation number and the details of my flight - but I hadn't even paid them a cent or a penny through the booking process.

Reviews of Ghana International Airlines look like a nightmare. Maybe they write the few good ones themselves? I am not a fussy traveller by any stretch of the information, but I do not like getting screwed, so will probably end up avoiding them now.

When you try to book on their website you just get a confirmation number which it seems you have to bring to Gatwick airport. No payment is made until you get to the desk. At least they don't ask or do not provide a service on their website to accept payment for the ticket.

This seems to be what awaits me if I go down the GIA route

Looks like you just have to bring confirmation no. to the check-in desk and if you are too late joining the queue (e.g. no. 301 on a 300 capacity flight, then you don't get on the plane and have to pay a $100 fine in order to fly the next day cause you were supposedly 'late.'

Problem with going there early seems to be that there are already going to be a load of people waiting from the previous 2 days!!!! So despite the cheap prices, it seems like a major risk and may end up costing the same as British airways or Lufthansa in the long run. In addition to that, I would have to deal with getting from Dublin to Gatwick and change terminals, pick up luggage, etc.

Finally, quite a few complaints have been made about lack of or late luggage arrival. Not that anyone would benefit from going through my stock of clothes, but it just causes more unnecessary delays and hardship. Furthermore, it seems that when people get so frustrated while waiting in the queue, they are often willing to pay more for business class seats. So even if you are number 1 in the queue, you will have to wait until those who have paid more money, whether it be for refundable or business class tickets, to board first, thus reducing the posssibility you will get a seat.

Confused???? Me too...........

British Airways have a quote for Dublin-Accra of €944, departure Oct. 16th 2008 and return August 15th 2009.

Lufthansa have a quote for the same route for €918 but the flight stopover in Frankfurt means the total journey is about 3/4 hours longer each way.