The Secretary-General of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), Abdérahmane Berthé, has called for the operational challenges facing African airlines to be prioritised and addressed.
He made the call in his opening remarks of the 52nd Annual General Assembly (AGA) of AFRAA. The Assembly was held virtually from November 9-10, 2020.
He stated that “This is a pivotal moment in our history as we aim to reposition the African air transport market towards recovery and sustainability.”
According to him, “Now more than ever, operational challenges faced by African Airlines have to be prioritised and addressed, especially the high taxes and charges that hinder the growth and recovery of carriers on the continent.”
He noted that “On our part as AFRAA, we tackled the crisis by resolutely pivoting our strategic and tactical resources to support recovery efforts.”
He announced that “We have launched an interactive capacity sharing portal to provide access to market-leading services to African airlines, and developed a recovery plan revolving around nine pillars of interest to the sector and a comprehensive strategic plan that is geared towards helping the industry meet its aspirations.”
Meanwhile, AFRAA made a rallying call for airlines operating in Africa to take specific measures to build resilience and emerge stronger after the coronavirus pandemic.
Also, the Assembly urged a multi-sectorial and pragmatic approach by governments and stakeholders on the continent to support the recovery of the air transport industry and interrelated sectors such as tourism.
In his address as the Chief Guest, the Transport Minister of the Republic of Angola, Ricardo de Abreu explained that “We are conscious of the enabling role that aviation plays in facilitating trade and growing our economies.”
He said, “As we collectively navigate these times, we will seek to emerge from this pandemic more resilient, organised and determined to succeed”. About AGA
The AGA was hosted by TAAG Angola Airlines. It was held virtually under the theme: “Redefining Air Transport for a New Era”.The Assembly brought together top African airline CEOs, industry partners, leaders of international and regional air transport associations including the African union, IATA, ICAO, AFCAC, TIACA and more than 400 delegates from 76 countries across the globe.A comprehensive analysis of the industry’s outlook for 2021 and beyond that was presented in AFRAA’s annual report, revealed that recovery of traffic in Africa was expected to start with domestic markets.Intra-African routes are projected to follow suit, while international traffic is expected to take more time to reach […]
