Africa’s transport sector has always faced a myriad of challenges, with aviation particularly confronting headwinds from all corners.
A number of airlines such as Kenya Airways were already finding it hard to negotiate stormy skies and dark financial clouds even before the pandemic struck. The sudden arrival of coronavirus almost became the last nail in the coffin of some airlines.
And when the aviation sector was beginning to show some signs of recovery after the shocks and disruptions of Covid-19, a new strain of coronavirus has been reported, first in South Africa, plunging airlines into uncertainty once more, and making the road to recovery longer and rockier.
How then can Africa surmount these seemingly intractable challenges?
Transport leaders say governments must step up efforts towards helping their airlines recover from the economic distraught occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Speaking during the 53rd African Airlines Association (AFRAA) Annual General Assembly in Luanda, Angola under the theme Flightpath to Africa’s resilient travel ecosystem, air transport leaders asked for more commitment to get the continent’s air industry back to profitability.
Abdérahmane Berthé, AFRAA’s Secretary-General, stated that business conditions caused by the pandemic provide an opportunity for Africa to rethink its air industry and develop resilient and sustainable solutions.
Looking at recovery, Mr Berthé highlighted that the ingredients for successful restart will include financial support to airlines, safe travel measures, removal of travel restrictions and technology to shape the ‘new normal’.
“We need reinvention and redefinition of airline business models and more cooperation among African airlines to boost passenger confidence,” he said.
An analysis of the industry’s outlook made during the summit indicated that there are positive trends of airlines into recovery, noting that African airlines had reopened 81.3 percent of their international routes as of October 2021.
It also emerged that recovery in Africa and the Middle East has been smoother and steadier than in Europe and Asia but the sub-regional growth in Africa is varied and driven by different market dynamics.The analysis further revealed that African airlines have been growing their regional fleet since 2020, allowing a deeper market penetration and a better feed.“African cargo capacity grew by 33 percent since 2019 and cargo load factors improved by 9 percent from pre-pandemic levels.”Airlines that added new intercontinental routes to the operation in August include Ethiopian Airlines, Royal Air Maroc and Kenya Airways. Egyptair, Ethiopian Airlines, Royal Air Maroc and Rwandair now operate to about 90 percent of their pre-Covid-19 intercontinental destinations.According […]
