Navigating the Accra Airport

My experience at the Accra Airport was not a fun one, so I thought I would give a few details so that Jim and the kids (and anyone coming after) will at least be somewhat prepared for the experience. Generally, in the U.S., there are 3 steps to board a plane:

#1 Airline Check-In Counter: show tickets, check in luggage, verify seats

#2 Security Check: carry-on bags through x-ray machine, people walk through metal detector

#3 Boarding Gate: ticket check again

In Accra, if you are lucky, you may get by in 11 steps. If you are not lucky ... I'll explain:

7:20 Arrive at Accra Airport

#1 Customs: inspect both pieces of checked luggage ... open each piece, but rather casual glance at contents

#2 Weight Check: you are required to check the weight of each piece of checked luggage, prior to going to check-in counter

..... my suitcase with the large drum was 1 kg. overweight
..... I had the option to shuffle things into other luggage, or pay $50
..... I shuffled some clothing into my other bags

#3 Passport & Itinerary Check

#4 Check-In Counter: they weigh the bags, but they don't take them ... I must drag them to next check point

#5 Security Check: both bags checked again ... very thorough inspection ... carry-on bags inspected also ... they take checked luggage now

#6 Go Upstairs to fill out more paperwork ... escalator broken ... drag heavy carry-on bags up long flight of stairs

#7 Passport Check (again) ... this time, I did not "pass" inspection ... I am directed to the "Immigration Room" ... oh dear ...

My Immigration Detour ...

a. "You have overstayed your visa. You were given permission to stay 20 days, but you stayed 30."
b. I was told that I needed to pay $40 in Ghana cedis. Problem ... I had given Jim all of my Ghanaian $$$.
c. I was directed to go downstairs to exchange my $$$.
d. Information Booth ... no exchange place here ... go outside, down sidewalk, and into "Arrivals" area
e. Arrivals: sorry, only arriving passengars can exchange $$$ here ... this area is not for departing passengers
f. Delta Ticket Counter: I can only exchange your $$$ if someone happens to come to this window to purchase a ticket, they happen to pay in U.S. funds, then I can give you change for your $50 U.S. and exchange it for Ghanaian.
g. Nice Man at Ticket Counter: "I will give you $50 in Ghana cedis for your $50 U.S." Whew!
h. Back upstairs to Immigration Room ... pay $40 ... get receipt ... continue on in airport "process" ...

#8 Security Check (again): this time, carry-on luggage goes through x-ray machine ... people get "pat down search" ... pat down search is NOT fun ... the "red lobster sunburn" from 2 days ago is actually 2nd degree burns with huge blisters ...

After Security Check, I am excited to discover a little Duty Free Shop ... I am HOT, exhausted, frustrated ... a large bottle of water is my dream come true ...

#9 ANOTHER Security Check:

..... another full search of carry-on luggage
..... another pat down body search
..... "Sorry ... no water bottles allowed"
"What?!!! I just bought it around the corner. It's still sealed."
"Sorry!"
Good-bye dreams come true ...

#10 Passport & Itinerary Check (again):

"Sorry. Carry on luggage is too bulky. It will need to go in the hold with the luggage."
"But ... it fits in overhead compartments just fine"
"Sorry ..."
Goodbye carry-on luggage. Pray for very expensive camera inside that carry-on bag.

#11 The Gate ... I finally made it ... I think I'll just sit in this chair by the nice big fans
(since I have no water to drink, and am very HOT by this time)

"Sorry. You cannot sit in front of the fan. You must sit on other side of the fan."
(no explanation as to why there are chairs in front of the fan, that passengers cannot sit in)


9:00 a.m. I sit ... hot ... tired ... frustrated ... tears rolling down my cheeks ......



Well ... a friend just commented on this post, so I thought I would add her comments here, as her experience at the Accra airport has been vastly different than mine.


Laurel! Good grief! I think you must have had the worst Kotoka Airport encounter ever! I've been there 4 times (most recently Feb. 20th) and I have never done half the things you describe! My luggage is always taken at check-in counter (after customs, weight check, passport/itenerary check). Then it's upstairs to go through immigration (have a multiple entry visa so length of stay hasn't been an issue), then right through security with no pat down (although they did take my batteries and ONE INCH scissors once!); then I always go to the duty free shop to buy a few bottles of water.

Once I get closer to the gate they have me show my passport/ticket again, then it's through another x-ray machine with the luggage and finally they take my boarding pass, but I've never been asked to leave my water behind. For heaven sake they have a vending machine 20 feet from the gate door. How could they make you leave your water?! Ack! I would have been crying too. I wonder if this could be a Delta thing (at least the water???). I've always ended up flying KLM/Northwest.
I hope hubby and kids have a MUCH better experience! I think yours was a very unlucky one to be sure!


Sooo ... my experience was "a very unlucky one" ... guess that about describes our whole adoption process .....