Boost To Air Connectivity as AFCAC Discovers 59 New African Routes.

The African Civil Aviation Council (AFCAC) yesterday revealed that the agency has discovered 59 new Africa air routes, 13 of which operate under fifth freedom air traffic rights.

These developments mark significant progress in the implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), the council said in a report yesterday.

Secretary General of AFCAC, Adefunke Adeyemi said Africa’s discovery of 59 new air routes, including 13 fifth freedom routes, marks a positive step towards enhanced connectivity.

Last year, we discovered that 59 new routes are being operated in Africa. 13 of those 59 routes are fifth freedom routes. This is significant progress. It is not where we need to be, yet it is movement in the right direction, and we will continue to monitor this.’

Fifth freedom air traffic rights refer to the right granted by one country to an airline of another country to carry passengers or cargo from its own country to a second country, and then onward to a third country.

This essentially allows an airline to operate flights between two foreign countries, with a stopover in its own country.

Adeyemi emphasized the importance of these new Africa air routes in enhancing connectivity across the continent. However, she also stressed that developing new routes alone is insufficient without passengers or cargo to support them. ‘What good is the development of new routes when people and goods cannot move around?’ she questioned.

Consequently, the AFCAC Scribe mentioned that the commission is supporting a robust regulatory framework for SAATM through the Civil Aviation Authorities (CAAs). Additionally, models are underway to promote affordable and accessible travel for more than the current 10% of Africans traveling by air.

Adeyemi also highlighted the need for an improved visa regime across the continent. She stressed that the true potential of new routes can only be realized when people and goods can move freely.

Source: MSN.

Wings of Change Focus Africa to Address Resilience and Sustainability.

Geneva – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that the Wings of Change Focus Africa Conference (WOCFA) will return for its second edition under the theme “Towards a More Resilient and Sustainable African Aviation”. WOCFA is taking place in Johannesburg, South Africa, on 2-3 July 2024 with South African Airways as the host airline.

WOCFA will delve into priorities under IATA’s Focus Africa initiative to strengthen aviation’s contribution to the continent’s economic and social development, along with improving connectivity, safety and reliability for passengers and shippers.

“Africa’s aviation market holds immense untapped potential, with expectations for traffic to double in the next 15 years. The Focus Africa Initiative has identified key priorities that, if addressed collaboratively and effectively, will bolster Africa’s aviation industry and enhance its socio-economic impact. A year into the Focus Africa Initiative, we have seen progress in areas such as safety, but there is still a long way to go. This year’s IATA’s Wings of Change Focus Africa Conference builds on this progress by addressing critical areas such as safety, security, sustainability, economic development, and the overall resilience of the industry,” said Kamil Alawadhi, IATA’s Regional Vice-President for Africa and the Middle East.

Professor Malesela John Lamola, Chief Executive Officer of South African Airways will deliver an Opening Keynote Address.“We are delighted to host IATA’s Wings of Change Focus Africa Conference and welcome the aviation industry to our home, Johannesburg. Advancing the air transport industry is critical for Africa’s economic growth. The conference will allow industry leaders to join forces and drive the agenda for a stronger, more resilient African aviation industry,” said Lamola.

Speakers & Sessions

Lamola and Alawadhi will be joined by industry leaders from the various areas of aviation in addressing the event, including session tracks on topics such as:

  • Safety
  • Security
  • Boosting Regional Traffic
  • Airport Infrastructure
  • Modern Airline Retailing
  • Sustainability with a focus on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
  • Air Cargo
  • Skilled workforce

Source: IATA.

Zambia Airways Adds Exciting New Destinations to its Network

Zambia Airways, the national carrier of the Republic of Zambia, is thrilled to unveil its latest expansion with the introduction of new passenger services to East Africa. Starting on June 27, 2024, the airline will begin operating flights three times a week to two major cities: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya. This new route reflects Zambia Airways’ commitment to enhancing connectivity and fostering trade and tourism between Zambia and East Africa.

The new service, designated as flight ZN 504, will operate from Lusaka (LUN), the capital of Zambia, to Dar es Salaam (DAR) and Nairobi (NBO). The flights are scheduled for Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. This schedule is strategically designed to cater to both business and leisure travelers, providing them with convenient options for planning their trips to these vibrant cities.

Flight ZN 504 will depart Lusaka at 08:00 AM and arrive in Dar es Salaam at 10:30 AM. After a short layover, the flight will continue to Nairobi, landing at 01:00 PM. This timing allows passengers ample time during the day to commence their activities in either city, whether it’s business meetings or sightseeing. The return flight will follow a similar schedule, ensuring a seamless travel experience for all passengers.

This expansion is a significant milestone for Zambia Airways as it not only broadens its network but also plays a crucial role in strengthening regional ties. The addition of these routes is expected to boost the airline’s growth and contribute positively to the economic development of Zambia and its East African counterparts. Passengers can look forward to experiencing Zambia Airways’ renowned hospitality and reliable service on these new flights.

DayFlight NumberDepart LUNArrive DARDepart DARArrive NBODepart NBOArrive LUN
Tue, ThuZN 50407:0010:3011:1512:3513:2015:20
SatZN 50407:0011:4513:0513:5015:20

“The network expansion is reflective of our mission of enhancing regional connectivity and making air transport services affordable for a wide range of customers,” says Thomas Woldesenbet, CEO of Zambia Airways. “The launch of services to Dar es Salaam and Nairobi will further strengthen the ties between Zambia and the two East African sister countries and foster trade and tourism.”

Source:   Travel and Tour World.  

Tracing the ascendancy of African aviation and air cargo

Africa’s aviation and air freight sectors are experiencing a remarkable upswing, propelled by the continent’s economic expansion, urbanisation trends, and increasing global trade links. Projections indicate the African air transport market will see 5.7% annual growth over the next 20 years, surpassing worldwide averages. While challenges like insufficient infrastructure, connectivity gaps, and regulatory disparities exist, initiatives to enhance air cargo capabilities and catalyse regional integration are gaining momentum to harness Africa’s immense prospects.

The African aviation and air cargo industry is undergoing a remarkable renaissance, fueled by rapid economic growth, urbanisation, and the continent’s increased integration into global trade networks. As more Africans embrace air travel and businesses look for efficient logistics solutions, the sector is on track for unprecedented growth, resulting in a new era of connectivity and opportunity across the continent.

According to a projection by the World Bank, African economies are expected to grow by 3.4 in 2024. While a data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the African air transport market is projected to grow by 5.7% annually over the next two decades, outpacing the global average growth rate of 4.6%. This growth is fueled by a burgeoning middle class, robust economic development, and the continent’s vast untapped potential.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has recently announced that global air cargo demand continued its robust growth for the fourth consecutive month, with Africa experiencing significant expansion in March 2024, The IATA figures show that African airlines saw a 14 % year-on-year growth in air cargo demand in March 2024.

The growth in air cargo demand, particularly in Africa, has been influenced by various factors. According to IATA, the moderate increase in global cross-border trade and industrial production has contributed to the growth in air cargo demand. The rise in e-commerce activity has also played a significant role in boosting air cargo demand globally, including in Africa.

Furthermore, a notable shift from sea freight to air freight has been observed, especially for cargo moving from the Middle East to West Africa, as shippers opt for air freight to avoid the longer sea route. This longer sea voyage has become necessary due to the ongoing crisis in the Red Sea region, forcing ocean carriers to reroute their ships around the Cape of Good Hope instead of transiting through the Suez Canal. As a result, shippers are turning to air freight as a more timely alternative for cargo bound to West African ports from the Middle East.

Source: Logistics Update Africa.

Industry Makes Progress to Reduce Baggage Mishandling, New Survey Reveals

Reykjavík – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) today released a global progress report on the implementation of baggage tracking. Focused on IATA Resolution 753, which requires tracking baggage at acceptance, loading, transfer and arrival, the survey of 155 airlines and 94 airports reveals that:

44% of airlines have fully implemented Resolution 753 and a further 41% are in progress.

Regional variation in airline full adoption rates vary from 88% in China and North Asia, to 60% in the Americas, 40% in Europe and Asia-Pacific, and 27% in Africa.

75% of airports surveyed have the capability for Resolution 753 baggage tracking.

Airport preparedness for Resolution 753 varies by size*: 75% of mega airports are capable, 85% of major airports, 82% of large airports and 61% of medium airports.

Optical barcode scanning is the dominant tracking technology implemented by the majority of airports (73%) surveyed. Tracking using RFID, which is more efficient, is implemented in 27% of surveyed airports. Notably, RFID technology has seen higher adoption rates at mega airports, with 54% already implementing this advanced tracking system.

“Between 2007 and 2022 baggage mishandling reduced by nearly 60%. That is good news. But travelers expect better; and the industry is determined to make further improvements. Tracking bags at acceptance, loading, transfer and delivery will give the industry the data it needs to improve. Tracking reduces overall mishandlings and helps airlines reunite mishandled bags with their owners even faster. With 44% of airlines already fully implementing Resolution 753 tracking and a further 41% in progress, travelers can have even more confidence that their bags will be at the carousel on arrival,” said Monika Mejstrikova, IATA Director Ground Operations.

In 2022, the global rate of mishandled bags was 7.6 per 1,000 passengers, according to SITA. The majority of these were returned within 48 hours.

Accelerating Modern Baggage Messaging

Resolution 753 requires airlines to exchange baggage tracking messages with interline partners and their agents. The current baggage messaging infrastructure depends on legacy technologies using costly Type B messaging. This high cost adversely affects the implementation of Resolution 753 and contributes to issues with message quality, leading to an increase in baggage mishandling.

IATA is leading the industry’s transition from Type B to modern baggage messaging based on XML standards. The first pilot to test modern baggage messaging between airport and airlines is planned for launch in 2024.

“Adopting modern messaging is the equivalent of implementing a new standard, intelligible language for use by airlines, airports, and ground handling staff so they can effectively communicate about passenger luggage. In addition to helping reduce the number of mishandled bags implementation also sets the stage for ongoing innovations in baggage management systems,” said Mejstrikova.

Background

IATA resolution 753 was adopted by June in 2018. In 2024, IATA launched a campaign to assist airlines with the implementation. The campaign focuses on collecting data on the implementation status of airlines and providing support to member airlines to develop and execute their implementation plans. This initiative underscores IATA’s commitment to enhancing operational efficiencies and standards across the industry.

*Airport size classification:

Medium: 5-15 million

Large: 15–25 million

Major: 25–40 million

Mega: >40 million

Source:  Tourism News Africa.  

High flight ticket taxes and fees slowing air transport in Africa.

Taxes and fees charged on African air tickets are higher than what airlines in other continents charge and are inhibiting air transport on the continent. According to the African Airlines Association (Afraa), a leading trade association of airlines based in Ghana that researches aviation, the average amount paid in taxes and fees by passengers in Africa is more than twice what air travelers in other continents pay.

Taxes and fees on African air tickets averages $64 while in Europe it averages $30 per ticket while it is even lower in Middle East at $29.65.

The high add-on fees have inhibited the growth of air travel on the continent that is grappling with high poverty rates.

Regionally, Western and Central Africa rank as the most expensive regarding international passenger charges averaging $94.59 and $93.74.

Unfriendly Environment

However, passengers from Northern Africa pay the lowest in taxes and fees averaging $26.27. The charges have been blamed on the unfriendly business environment, poor governance and less subsidies given to airlines in Africa compared to those abroad.

East African Business Council in a study on air space liberalization in the EAC shows average departure charges account for 13 percent of the ticket prices for flights in EAC and eight percent for flights to other African countries. Afraa notes that despite efforts by airlines to offer passengers low fares, taxes and fees cause total ticket prices to more than double of the base rate.

“The low purchasing power in Africa calls for interventions to evaluate the issue of high taxes and fees to stimulate demand and make air transport affordable to African citizens”, Afraa recommends.

Apart from passenger taxes levied directly on the ticket, airlines incur other charges connected to their operations in airports such as aircraft charge, landing, parking, passenger bus, and hangar among others.

Operational Costs

In 2019 as noted by Afraa, the International Civil Aviation Organization, a United Nations agency, regulations stipulated fuel that accounted for 24.7 percent of operational costs by African airlines was not to be taxed.

However, other particular taxes and fees are applied to passengers.

Source: Business Daily Africa  

Airlines Cancel Mogadishu Flights as US Embassy Issues Do Not Travel Warning.

On April 9, a few flights to Mogadishu Aden Adde International Airport were canceled after the US Embassy issued a security threat alert. However, some airlines have resumed flights to the Somali capital.

US Department of State level-four travel advisory.

On Monday, the US Embassy in Nairobi received information about threats to several areas in Mogadishu, including the country’s largest and busiest airport – Aden Adde International (MGQ). As such, all movements of US Embassy personnel were canceled for Tuesday, April 9.

According to the US Embassy in Somalia, the US Department of State level-four travel advisory “do not travel” for Somalia had remained in effect because of crime, terrorism, civil unrest, health, kidnapping, and piracy concerns. The embassy warned of terrorists continuing to plot kidnappings, bombings, and other attacks, targeting airports and various areas that attract large crowds and Westerners.

In response to the alert, some major airlines canceled services to Mogadishu while other flights were diverted to nearby airports. According to Flightradar24, Turkish Airlines canceled Flight TK646 from Istanbul (IST), scheduled to arrive at 09:05 local time. Qatar Airways Flight QR1459 from Doha (DOH) was also canceled. It was expected to land at Aden Adde Airport at 15:35.

Flydubai Flight FZ609 from Dubai International Airport (DXB) was scheduled to arrive at 11:55, but the service was also canceled. Meanwhile, a Daallo Airlines Boeing 737 operating Flight D3169 from Jeddah to Mogadishu was diverted to Djibouti (JIB).

Resumption of flights to Mogadishu

The US Embassy advised travelers to exercise caution while in Somalia, review personal security plans, notify trusted individuals of travel and movement plans, stay alert in locations frequented by tourists or Westerners, and stay updated by following local media and news outlets. However, there have been no reports of any incidents at the airport.

Turkish Airlines has up to six weekly flights from Istanbul to Mogadishu this month. Flightradar24 shows that the airline has resumed services to the Somali capital. Its April 10 flight operated normally, arriving in Mogadishu at 08:24. Daallo Airlines also resumed its service to the airport, with Flight D3169 landing at 08:32.

There are about 12 airlines with scheduled passenger flights to Mogadishu, connecting the airport with various destinations in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Flydubai and Qatar Airways operate two and four weekly flights to Mogadishu, respectively. Other airlines include Freedom Airline Express, Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, and Uganda Airlines.

Somalia’s air transport sector

Over the last three months, Somalia’s air transport sector has come under the spotlight for various reasons. In separate developments, airlines flying over the Horn of Africa have reported multiple incidents of receiving conflicting instructions from air traffic controllers amid the airspace dispute between Somalia and the unrecognized territory of Somaliland.

In the latest incident, the Somaliland Civil Aviation and Airports Authority (SCAAA) reported a near miss involving an Emirates Boeing 777 and an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX. However, Emirates and other industry experts disputed the claims. The report came about a month after an Ethiopian Airlines Airbus A350 and a Qatar Airways 787 nearly collided over Somaliland. In this case, TCAS stepped in to avert disaster.

While there have been several incidents and safety concerns, the Somali government is also taking strides to improve the country’s aviation sector. In January 2024, the Ministry of Transport and Aviation opened the country’s first MRO facility in over three decades. The center, known as the Blue Hangar, is expected to contribute towards improving safety in Somalia. Furthermore, the Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) recently inaugurated its new headquarters at Aden Adde International Airport.

Source: Simple Flying.

AFRAA Secretary General highlights EU learnings at SAATM meet.

Abderahmane Berthé, Secretary General, African Airlines Association (AFRAA) intervened in a panel session during the Connecting Europe Days on the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) on lessons learnt from the air transport liberalisation in the European Union (EU) that can be useful for SAATM.

“The air transport market in Africa is relatively small, we have seen some protectionism attitudes aiming to protect national carriers,” said Berthé. “Of course, this is a wrong approach because, by nature, traffic rights are reciprocal. It is therefore critical to increase the market size and facilitate its access. “To achieve this, the following need to be addressed: *Affordability of air transport for African citizens: reduce the cost of operations and taxes and charges. *African economy growth: GDP per capita (only 15% of global GDP per capita).

Trade and tourism development: Intra-Africa trade is below 20 percent compared to more than 50% in other regions. Intra-Africa tourism is very small. In Africa when we talk about tourism, we are looking at tourism from non-African regions. *Facilitation of air travel through visa openness is also critical. 50 percent of African citizens need a visa to travel within Africa.

Airlines’ cooperation: commercial agreements and partnerships are essential to improve connectivity. AFRAA route network and cargo coordination is aimed at creating a forum for airlines to cooperate. Another success factor is airline consolidation. Over the past 18 years, the African continent has had the lowest level of market consolidation compared to the other regions in the globe.

The engagement of states, airlines and all the relevant stakeholders is necessary to effectively achieve the required outcomes on airline consolidation in Africa.” The session looked into SAATM as a key to open the door for aviation to play a major role in connecting Africa, promoting its social, economic and political integration and boosting intra-Africa trade and tourism. The event was organised by the European Commission together with the Belgian Presidency of the Council in Brussels.

Source: Logistics Update Africa

Air Cargo Demand Maintains Double-Digit Growth

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for February 2024 global air cargo markets showing continuing strong annual growth in demand.

•    Total demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTKs*), rose by 11.9% compared to February 2023 levels (12.4% for international operations). This is the third consecutive month of double-digit year-on-year demand growth.

•    Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometers (ACTKs), increased by 13.4% compared to February 2023 (16.0% for international operations). This was largely related to the increase in international belly capacity accompanying growth in passenger markets (29.5% year-on-year increase), which far exceeded international capacity on freighters (3.2% year-on-year increase).

“February’s demand growth of 11.9% far outpaced the 0.9% expansion in cross-border trade. This strong start for 2024 could see demand surpass the exceptionally high levels of early 2022. It also shows air cargo’s strong resilience in the face of continuing political and economic uncertainties,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

Several factors in the operating environment should be noted:

•    Global cross-border trade increased by 0.9% in January.

•    In February, the manufacturing output Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) climbed to 51.2, indicating expansion. The new export orders PMI also rose to 49.4, remaining slightly below the 50 threshold that would indicate growth.

•    February year-on-year inflation dropped to 2.8% in the EU while rising to 2.8% and 3.2% in Japan and the US respectively.  After four months of deflation, China reported a 0.7% increase in inflation year-on-year—a positive development amid concerns over China’s economic slowdown.

February Regional Performance

Asia-Pacific airlines saw 11.9% year-on-year demand growth for air cargo in February. This was a significant decrease compared to January’s 24.3% year-on-year growth, likely related to slowing activity after the Lunar New Year celebrations. Capacity increased by 23.1% year-on-year as belly capacity came online with recovery in the passenger business.

North American carriers saw 4.2% year-on-year demand growth for air cargo in February—the weakest among all regions. Demand on the North America–Europe trade lane grew by 5.2% year-on-year while Asia–North America grew by 3.9% year-on-year.  February capacity increased by 1.9% year-on-year.

European carriers saw 14.6% year-on-year demand growth for air cargo in February. Intra-European air cargo rose by 24.5% year-on-year—the strongest performance in almost three years. Europe – Middle East routes saw demand grow by 39.3% year-on-year, while Europe – North America expanded by 5.2% year-on-year.  February capacity increased 13.2% year-on-year.

Middle Eastern carriers saw 20.9% year-on-year demand growth for air cargo in February.  The Middle East–Europe market was the strongest performing with +39.3% growth, far ahead of Middle East-Asia which grew by 21.9% year-on-year. February capacity increased 16.2% year-on-year.

Latin American carriers saw 13.7% year-on-year demand growth for air cargo in February.  Capacity increased 8.9% year-on-year.

African airlines saw 22.0% year-on-year demand growth for air cargo in February—the strongest among all regions. The intra-Africa trade lane showed 42.3% year-on-year growth. February capacity increased by 28.2% year-on-year.

Source: Airspace-Africa.

Transport Ministry mulls fund to expand, spruce up airstrips.

The government plans to start sprucing up airstrips across the country, many of them dilapidated after years of neglect, in what it said would help grow local air travel.

The Transport ministry yesterday said it is in the process of setting up a kitty that will be used in the development and maintenance of airstrips.

“To expand air travel and make it more accessible, the government is working on an Airstrips Fund for developing and maintaining aerodromes across the country,” said Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen at a ceremony to celebrate the tenth anniversary of low-cost carrier Jambojet.

He said air travel is not and need not be a luxury. “Flights facilitate faster connectivity, which is critical for business and emergency supplies. We will continue improving connectivity to various destinations and we have airlines such as Jambojet to thank for making it cheaper to fly.”

The ministry had earlier said it will spend nearly Sh1 billion over the current financial year in expanding and rehabilitating airstrips to make them accessible to aircrafts as well as equipping them to handle more cargo and passengers.

Mr Murkomen lauded Jambojet as among the airlines that have played a key role in opening up the local skies, increasing the number of flights between Nairobi and other cities and major towns and also bringing down the cost of flying.

“Ten years ago, it cost an arm and a leg to fly from Nairobi to Kisumu or Mombasa. Today, thanks to low-cost airlines like Jambojet, the cost of travel between these cities has dropped dramatically, cumulatively saving leisure and business travellers and companies millions of shillings,” he said “Budget airlines also offer small businesses an opportunity to transport their goods to markets in far-away destinations, thus expanding their reach.

“It is the intention of the government to demystify air travel to ensure that we enable business people to move from one corner of Kenya to another more conveniently in order to multiply their opportunities.”

Jambojet said it is planning to increase its flights to regional destinations. The airline, which has largely focused on local routes, yesterday announced that it would start flights between Mombasa and Zanzibar in July this year.

This will be the second regional flight after Nairobi-Goma, in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a route it started plying in 2021.

“On July 1, 2024, we are excited to inaugurate a new route connecting Mombasa and Zanzibar, further enhancing connectivity between these two coastal cities,” said Jambojet chief executive Karanja Ndegwa.

“We have developed a network that offers flexibility and convenience for travellers at an affordable price.”

Mr Ndegwa said the airline’s market share stood at 33 per cent in 2014 but had grown to 52 per cent as at December last year.

Jambojet chairman Vincent Rague said the airliner plans to emerge as a formidable low-cost carrier in the region.

“Our dream for the next decade of Jambojet is to achieve sustainable growth by consolidating the LCC (low cost carrier) model in the domestic market and connecting the highly underserved markets in the region,” he said.

The airline said it has flown seven million customers since it began operations in April 2014, with 1.2 million of those in 2023 alone.

Currently, it flies from Nairobi to Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret, Malindi, Ukunda (Diani), Lamu and Goma.

The carrier recently added Moi International Airport in Mombasa as a secondary hub in addition to JKIA and operates two routes from Mombasa to both Kisumu and Eldoret.

Source: Standard Media