Ethiopian Airlines gives reason for banning ‘Ghana Must Go’ bags from aircrafts operating in Nigeria
One of Africa’s most popular commercial air operators, the Ethiopian Airlines has explained why it has decided to ban the use of the popular “Ghana Must Go” bags from their flights in Nigeria.
The popular red-and-blue checked bag got the nickname in Nigeria in the 1980s, after hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants, many of whom were Ghanaian, were expelled.
Many of the Ghanaians ran back home using the bag to convey their belongings.
Giving reasons for the suspension of the bag on its aircrafts in Nigeria, the Ethiopian Airlines said it can badly affect airport equipment.
In a statement, it said, “the frequent occurrence of damages to the conveyor belts at various airports, resulting in significant costs incurred by the airlines involved”
The Ethiopian Airlines however clarified that the bags could be used if they were “adequately packed in a carton or hardcover rectangular container”.
The bag is popular among Nigerian travellers and it is also widely used in other parts of the continent and beyond.
The BBC the ‘Ghana Must Go’ bags are called Nigeria bags in Kenya, and Zimbabweans call them Botswana bags.
Similar rule was introduced in Dubai and some other airlines, including KLM and Air France
