By Kofi A. Boateng – New York June 22, 2009

My fellow travelers to Ghana who appreciate the non-stop flight by Delta Airlines to and from Accra: Here is a good cause you should be part of. You have read in this medium about the fact that Delta Airlines charges $200 for the third excess luggage, $350 for the fourth and fifth and $600 for luggage numbers six to ten. In contrast, their competition, British Airways charges ninety pounds for each excess luggage after the first two pieces (subject to the 50- pound limitation) and KLM’s charge for a similar situation is 150 Euros. In other words, Delta is the only international airline that is using a graduated system of charges and very high at that. The others charge a flat per excess luggage fee regardless of number.

Mr Kwame Agyeman-Budu of New York has single-handedly brought this issue not only to the attention of Ghanaians, starting in the summer of 2008, but has sent numerous letters to Delta and the Federal Aviation Authority almost to no avail. In the end, Mr. Budu constituted the Concerned Citizens of Ghana, and called on a few people to comprise a Board: - Kwabena Manu, Patrick Gyan, Barbara Opoku-Afriyie, Kofi A. Boateng and Kwasi Afrifa. Delta’s executives have met twice with the Board and to date; they are not scaling back the high graduated excess luggage fee structure. Delta has promised to improve in-flight service and rollback the additional $50 that they were going to charge for the second luggage - imagine that.

The response is for the community to get Delta’s attention via the pocket book, employing good old-fashioned boycott and demonstrations. Two demonstrations have been held so far, one in front of Delta’s office in Manhattan, New York on Friday May 22, 2009 and the second on Saturday June 20, 2009 in front of Terminal 3 – Delta Airlines at JFK Airport in New York. In the rain, and clad in their white T –Shirts, the Concerned Citizens of Ghana held their BOYCOTT DELTA placards, passed out literature and sang their voices hoarse with improvised songs such as: “No, No, No , No, Delta Go Away” and “ What do we want? Lower Prices!”

Judging by the sneaky pictures Delta staff were taking, the voices of the protesters were heard. Still the volume must be turned up and more people are needed to express their anger and right to use other airlines if Delta refuses to bring their luggage charges in line with the competition. Whatever your schedule is, please do not sit this one out- The next protest demonstration is on Saturday June 27 at the same place- Delta Airlines- Terminal 3 at JFK from 1:00pm sharp until 4:00pm (on the sidewalk, not in the terminal). If you need transportation, please meet at St Marks United Methodist Church- Brooklyn, NY 11226 (between 21st and Ocean Avenue) at noon promptly.

Let us for once come together as truly Concerned Ghanaians to turn back an injustice in our own backyard. Delta is wrong. Their route to Ghana is very profitable to them. We can and are doing something about it but we all should do more if we want to see justice. Will you join this good cause? In the meantime our thanks go to our brother Kwame Agyeman-Budu for spearheading this at his own cost and all the others who have come out for the two demonstrations. Together we can fight and achieve much more. Come out on Saturday and get the word out until then. If you have any contact with the media, we need your assistance so do your part as well. This one is for you, me and everyone who plans to travel to Ghana via Delta.

Kwame (646-436-7008); Kwabena (914 260-8100); Kofi (914 907-0633) Contact writer Kofi A.Boateng @kofib@optonline.net