A Travel Agent has urged Custom officers at the country's entry points to be hospitable, flexible and yet firm to truly make Ghana the gateway to Africa.

Mrs Anita Baptist noted that if Ghana was to be the gateway to Africa, then the practice of opening of bags after the x-ray's search was conducted ought to stop and if it was necessary for another search should be done then a more refined way must be used in doing it. She said opening of luggage especially bags after going through other processes was inconvenient and cumbersome to travellers, especially foreigners and tourists.

Mrs Baptist, who was speaking at a workshop for about 50 journalists in Accra on the security of passengers and the airlines, advised Customs officers to be more circumspect in dealing with customers to put them at ease. The workshop was organised by the Board of Airline Representatives of Ghana (BARGH) and Ghana Association of Travel and Tour Agents (GATTA) on Thursday as a media orientation programme for journalists on the operations of the air industry.

The programme, the first in a series, sought to sensitise the public on the importance of safety and security requirement needed to ensure safety of passengers and the airlines. It was under the theme: "Flying In Comfort, Our Role, Your Role".

Mr Ekow Paintsil, Manager of American Airlines, Ghana, enumerated some of the importance that Airlines play in the modern transportation system adding, that it also generated a lot of revenue for national development. He said passengers often complained about poor services from some Airlines because the customers failed to read the instructions provided on their air tickets.

"We believe that knowing and understanding these processes, the rules and regulations governing them and our respective roles and responsibilities will make our travel an even better experience for us all", he said. Mr Paintsil noted that the media was an important channel of communication for their customers to receive accurate information and urged them to learn more about the industry to share it with others.

Mr Johnny Monreaux, President of GATTA, noted that the misconduct of some travel agents towards airlines with regards to reservation and purchasing of tickets had led to the discredit of others. He said some agents clog the system when they move from one airline service to the other and advised them to put an end to it since it made the job difficult for the airline services.

He advised clients who purchase tickets on credit bases to pay on time in order for the travel agents to maintain their credibility with the airlines. Mr Chris Quaye, Director, Airport Management, said the government agencies at the airport and other immigration points were not there to harass passengers, but to ensure their safety. He said the check-in points at the airport were not enough to accommodate a large number of people leading to congestion.

It was in that light that the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) was reconstructing part of the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) at a cost of 80 million dollars to enlarge and increase the check-in points. He said a public wait-in area snack bars and an aero bridge that would take passengers straight to the aircraft would also be provided in addition to the renovation of the aprons for the airplanes.

He said spaces would be provided for travel agents companies to operate and there would be sheds with different temperatures for the storage of perishable goods. Mr Quaye urged the general public to contact the GCAA for any further information.