British Airways builds 250-million-pound Cargo centre

Accra, (Greater Accra) 17 Feb. '99,

British Airways (BA) has built a New World Cargo Centre at the Heathrow Airport in the United Kingdom estimated at 250 million pounds. The centre, which is the largest single investment made by the airline is the most technologically advanced air cargo facility in the world and can take 800,000 tonnes per annum, Mr Stuart Preston, British Airways Cargo Manager, Africa, said at a Press briefing in Accra yesterday. The New World Cargo Centre has the Barcode trade which helps the airline trace where customers' goods are at every stage. He said that by the end of the year all customers will be connected to the BA network to help trace their goods. "About 80 per cent of the airline's uplifts are perishables but we have the perishable facility to our advantage".

Mr Charles Oliver, deputy Manager, British Airways Visitors Services (BAVS), London, said the Africa Visitors team meets passengers, who have language difficulty on arrival and helps them through immigration formalities. The service is free. Mr Charles Forsyth, Manager, BA Ghana and Francophone West Africa, said the airline flies about 40 million passengers to and from 255 destinations, including Ghana every year. He said BA is to organise a POLO match in Accra and proceeds will go to the school for the Deaf at Mampong Akwapim in the Eastern Region.