Domestic airline PassionAir has apologised to passengers after one of its flights from Kumasi to Accra encountered severe turbulence. Among those on board were actor Lil Win, former Environmental Protection Agency boss Dr Henry Kwabena Kokofu and Ashanti Regional Minister Dr Frank Amoakohene, according to a report by YEN.com.gh.
The incident occurred on flight OP 149 on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, YEN.com.gh reports. According to reports, the aircraft made violent movements in the air and passengers screamed in fear before the plane landed safely in Accra.
No injuries were reported.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, November 4, the airline said the turbulence was caused by "sudden adverse weather conditions," according to YEN.com.gh. It described such weather-related events as "beyond our control" and "generally considered unavoidable natural events."
PassionAir acknowledged "the discomfort and inconvenience this experience may have caused our valued passengers," adding: "We sincerely apologise for any distress or inconvenience experienced during the flight."
The airline said it operates in compliance with established aviation safety standards.
Dr Kokofu said in an interview that it felt as if the aircraft had hit something in the air, YEN.com.gh reports. He said he had written to aviation authorities asking for a full investigation into the incident and similar ones in the past.
The report did not include direct comments from Lil Win or Dr Amoakohene.
Some social media users criticised the airline's statement as inadequate. One said PassionAir was "always releasing statements but never fixing the problem," according to the report, while another suggested passengers should be compensated.
Turbulence is caused by irregular movements of air, often linked to weather systems such as storms and strong winds. It is one of the most common causes of in-flight discomfort, and severe turbulence can be frightening for passengers, but modern aircraft are designed to withstand it.
Aviation experts generally advise passengers to keep their seatbelts fastened whenever they are seated, as injuries during turbulence most often affect people who are not strapped in.
West Africa's weather in the rainy and transition seasons can bring sudden storms, which can make flights bumpier, especially on shorter domestic routes.
PassionAir is one of Ghana's main domestic carriers, alongside Africa World Airlines. The Kumasi-Accra route is one of the busiest in the country, used by business travellers, officials and celebrities as a faster alternative to the long road journey.
The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority regulates safety in the country's aviation sector, and incidents can be referred for further review by the relevant authorities.
Lil Win is one of Ghana's best-known comic actors, Dr Amoakohene is the Ashanti Regional Minister and Dr Kokofu is a former head of the Environmental Protection Agency. For many Ghanaians, the fact that such familiar figures were on board made the incident feel especially close to home.
The presence of well-known passengers helped draw attention to the incident, with clips and accounts circulating widely on social media.
Domestic airlines depend heavily on passenger confidence. Clear communication after incidents, timely updates and visible safety measures can help reassure travellers, while vague statements can fuel frustration, as some of the online reactions to PassionAir's statement suggest.
Questions are also likely to be asked about how airlines use weather forecasts to decide whether to delay or reroute flights when storms are expected.
Attention will now turn to whether aviation authorities open an investigation following Dr Kokofu's request, and whether PassionAir takes further steps to reassure passengers, such as sharing more details about what happened on the flight.
