You are here: HomeOpinionsArticles2019 10 19Article 790937

Opinions of Saturday, 19 October 2019

Columnist: Kwaku Obosu-Mensah

Is Delta a predatory airline?

File photo File photo

Christmas is around the corner and it is time for Delta, the predatory airline, to milk Ghanaian travellers again. I went to the website of Delta Airlines on October 17, 2019, to compare airfare to various countries around the world, and the disparity is quite shocking. In short, Delta overcharges Ghanaian travellers.

I checked the advertised airfares for travelling from New York City in the United States departing on December 13, 2019, and returning on January 17, 2020. From New York (US) to Accra (Ghana) and back for the December 13, 2019 – January 17, 2020 period, the cheapest airfare is $1,934.45.

This is a direct flight of 9 hours 50 minutes. For the same period, a direct flight of 11 hours 30 minutes from New York to Athens (Greece) and back costs $672.85.

And a direct flight of 12 hours 41 minutes from New York to Bucharest (Romania) and back costs $746.35. From New York to Rome (Italy) and back direct is priced at $469.15 on the website of Delta airlines.

The New York-Rome flight is 8 hours 26 minutes. From New York to Amsterdam (the Netherlands) is 7 hours 22 minutes direct at a fare of only $458. New York to London is 7 hours direct flight. A return tick for that route is $506.35.

A whole 11 hours 22 minutes (minus 2 hours’ layover in Paris) flight from New York to Vienna (Austria) and back costs only $565.85. To fly 11 hours 22 minutes (1 hour layover in Amsterdam) from New York to Warsaw (Poland) is only $777.35. A direct flight from New York to Sofia (Bulgaria) is 12 hours 5 minutes, and it costs $1,203.25. This is still $731.20 cheaper than the 9 hours 50 minutes New York-Accra flight.

At the fare of $1,814.55, that long flight, 21 hours 15 minutes (3 hours layover in Seoul, South Korea), from New York to Manilla (The Philippines) is cheaper than the New York to Accra flight. A flight from New York to Sydney (Australia) is 22 hours 10 minutes (45 minutes layover in Los Angeles, the US).

The fare is $1,954.75, about the same as the 9 hour 50 minutes flight from New York to Accra. It is cheaper to fly 17 hours 55 minutes (45 minutes layover in Detroit, the US) from New York to Tokyo (Japan).

Travellers on that route pay $1,824.95 compared to the $1,934.45 that Ghanaian travellers have to pay for a 9 hours 50 minutes flight. From New York to Delhi (India) cost only $1,374.45. This is flight of 17 hours 55 minutes (2 hours layover in Rome, Italy).

Now, let’s compare the Ghana airfare to the fares of some South American countries. Remember that the 9 hours 50 minutes flight from New York to Accra costs $1,934.45.

Flying from New York to Bogota (Columbia) costs $836.65 for the 8 hours 5 minutes (41 minutes layover in Atlanta, US) flight. From New York to Buenos Aires (Argentina) is 15 hours 18 minutes (2 hours layover in Sao Paulo, Brazil) but Delta Airlines charges only $1,182.25. From New York to Santiago (Chile) costs $1,648.75 for the 12 hours 59 minutes ((47 minutes layover in Atlanta, US) flight. Delta Airlines charges $1,277.49 from New York to Lima (Peru); the flight time is 13 hours 5 minutes (3 hours 46 minutes layover in Atlanta).

Destination from New York to: Distance Fare
Accra(Ghana) 9 hours 50 minutes $1,934.45

Athens (Greece) 11 hours 30 minutes $672.85

Bucharest (Romania) 12 hours 41 minutes $746.35

Rome (Italy) 8 hours 26 minutes $469.15

Amsterdam (Netherlands) 7 hours 22 minutes $458.00

London (Britain) 7 hours $506.35

Vienna (Austria) 11 hours 22 minutes (2hrs layover in Paris) $565.85

Warsaw (Poland) 11 hours 22 minutes (1hr layover in Amsterdam) $777.35

Sofia (Bulgaria) 12 hours 5 minutes $1,203.25

Manilla (the Philippines) 21 hours 15 minutes (3 hours layover in Seoul, South Korea $1,814.55

Sydney (Australia) 22 hours 10 minutes (45 minutes layover in Los Angeles, the US) $1,954.75

Tokyo (Japan) 17 hours 55 minutes (45 minutes layover in Detroit, the US) $1,824.95

Delhi (India) 17 hours 55 minutes (2 hours layover in Rome, Italy) $1,374.45

Bogota (Columbia) 8 hours 5 minutes (41 minutes layover in Atlanta, US) $836.65

Buenos Aires (Argentina) 15 hours 18 minutes (2 hours layover in Sao Paulo, Brazil) $1,182.25

Santiago (Chile) 12 hours 59 minutes ((47 minutes layover in Atlanta, US) $1,648.75

Lima (Peru) 13 hours 5 minutes (3 hours 46 minutes layover in Atlanta) $1,277.49

I have never managed an airline so I don’t know what goes into flying a plane but the disparity in the fares is too much. I would be grateful if Delta would explain why it is so expensive to travel to Ghana compared to other countries.