It spent four years flying for the Ghana Airways with registration number 9G-ANB, after beginning life at Thai Airways in 1976, according to details obtained by Persecondnews.com.
The DC plane during its time flew for Malaysia Airlines, and during his stint there, it was leased out to World Airways and Tunisair.
After an extensive and varied career that had lasted 26 years. However, its story was not over yet.
Following the aircraft’s retirement, its future looked far from bright. Indeed, having initially been stored at Kotoka International Airport (ACC) in Accra, Ghana, the 2005 liquidation of Ghana Airways resulted in it being abandoned there, Persecondnews.com learnt.
According to Ghana Web, many of the aircraft’s parts, including its three General Electric engines, were subsequently sold for scrap, rendering the jet a mere shadow of the former twin-aisle flagship it once was. However, a last-minute intervention in 2011, when its aluminum components were being removed for smelting, saved the day. This came from the wife of a Togolese minister.
It was confirmed shortly afterward that the aircraft’s new owners planned to convert it into a restaurant. After moving the remains of the aircraft to the Airport City Accra suburb, the facility eventually had its grand opening, as reported at the time by News Ghana, in November 2013. This came 10 years after its withdrawal.
Almost a decade later, the restaurant, which is named La Tante, remains a popular culinary establishment to this day. Guests ‘board’ the aircraft via stairs from the ground, as they would have done back in its operational years.
Due to the extra space needed, it can accommodate 118 guests. This is somewhat less than the 276 seats that Ghana Web reports that it had in its flying years, but, with this, far greater comfort is offered. Tables can be booked by phone.
The restaurant’s present menu consists of a wide variety of Ghanaian dishes, as well as smaller plates and sandwiches for visitors seeking lighter meals. Its bar also serves an impressive range of both alcoholic and soft drinks, and, with opening hours of 12:00 until 22:00 every day, there’s plenty of time to enjoy the experience!
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