Ethiopian Airlines has applied for approval to operate fifth-freedom flights from Accra (ACC) to Toronto (YYZ) and Montreal (YUL).
Fifth freedom rights are the rights for a carrier to operate between two countries outside its own home . If its application is approved, Ethiopian would be permitted to carry passengers and cargo from Ghana to Canada.
According to simpleflying.com, there are currently no direct flights between West Africa and Canada. The airline anticipates that the two new routes will meet increasing demand, Canada being a popular destination for travellers from Ghana.
“We are interested in a fifth-freedom right (from Ghana to Canada). Hopefully, we are going to get more slots to fly to Canada. So, for sure, we will connect the western part of Africa to Canada,” said Lemme Yadecha Gudeta, Ethiopian’s Chief Commercial Officer.
The flights are reportedly pending approval from authorities in both Ghana and Canada.