Navigating the Skies: Decoding East Africa’s Air Travel Metrics

East Africa, a region known for its breathtaking landscapes, vibrant cultures, and economic potential, has been steadily fostering regional integration through the East African Community (EAC). Beyond its picturesque beauty and cultural diversity, East Africa is also a hub of aviation activity.  The analysis company Aerotrail provides Airspace Africa with the comprehensive analysis of airline connectivity within the EAC member countries, shedding light on the key insights that shape this dynamic industry.

EAC Air Travel Insights

One of the hallmarks of the EAC is the ease of travel for its citizens within the region. By simply presenting a valid national passport, individuals can explore neighboring EAC countries hassle-free. This privilege is further enhanced by the introduction of the East African Passport, a travel document designed to streamline border crossings for East Africans. Notably, this passport is exclusively designated for travel within the confines of the EAC region.

In most instances, travelers within the EAC enjoy the luxury of visa waivers, facilitating smooth journeys across borders. The exception to this rule is travel to or from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where a visa remains a requirement. However, it’s crucial to emphasize the importance of carrying a passport when traversing borders within the EAC.

Additionally, Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda have taken a significant stride by recognizing their respective citizens’ national identification cards as valid travel documents. This recognition is rooted in a binding East African Agreement among these three nations and has yielded considerable implications for air travel within this specific bloc of countries.

Key Airports

To comprehend the intricate web of airline connectivity within the EAC, it’s vital to recognize the role of key airports. These airports serve as the linchpins of regional air travel, connecting EAC member states with each other and the wider world.

1. Burundi: Bujumbura International Airport
2. Democratic Republic of the Congo: N’djili International Airport
3. Kenya: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport
4. Rwanda: Kigali International Airport
5. South Sudan: Juba International Airport
6. Tanzania: Julius Nyerere International Airport
7. Uganda: Entebbe International Airport

Overall Air Connectivity

Kenya’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and Uganda’s Entebbe International Airport hold a special distinction in the EAC’s air travel landscape. These airports are the exclusive gateways that facilitate scheduled airline connections to the main airports of all other EAC member nations. When it comes to regional networks, Entebbe Airport takes the lead with connections to approximately fifteen regional destinations. Following closely are Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and Kigali International Airport, both offering scheduled connections to ten regional destinations each.

Longest Airline Routes

In the world of aviation, distance is often a defining factor. Among the longest routes within the EAC network, the Nairobi–New York route stands out, spanning an impressive 11,832 kilometers. This route is serviced daily by Kenya Airways, utilizing Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft. Following closely in terms of distance are routes like Nairobi-Changsha, Dar-es-Salaam–Guangzhou, Nairobi-Guangzhou, and Dar-es-Salaam-Amsterdam.

Domestic air travel is the backbone of regional connectivity, and the EAC boasts its share of extensive domestic routes. Notably, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) offers the most extensive domestic routes compared to other EAC countries. Routes like Kinshasa-Goma, Kinshasa-Lubumbashi, Kinshasa-Kisangani, and Kinshasa-Kindu are lifelines connecting communities across vast distances. Additionally, the route connecting Dar-es-Salaam to Kigoma stands out as the longest domestic route within the EAC, spanning a distance of 1,085 kilometers.

Passenger Seats and Airlines

The heart of the aviation industry lies in the seats that carry passengers from one destination to another. In the EAC, several airlines play pivotal roles in connecting people, cultures, and economies. Kenya Airways leads the pack with a substantial 122,906 weekly seats, followed by Ethiopian Airlines with 46,221 seats and RwandAir with 36,626 seats. Notably, the Kenyan low-cost carrier, Jambojet, commands a significant position with 28,860 weekly seats.

Available Seat Kilometers (ASK) is a key metric that reflects an airline’s capacity. In this regard, Amsterdam takes the commanding position with an impressive tally of approximately 132 million ASK, closely trailed by Dubai, Paris, Istanbul, and London. Within the EAC region, Kenya Airways firmly establishes itself as the dominant carrier, boasting a remarkable total of about 300 million ASK.

Ticket pricing in the airline industry is a complex interplay of factors, including route distance, demand, aircraft type, and more. Interestingly, longer airline routes within the EAC tend to be more cost-effective per kilometer traveled, particularly for intercontinental routes. The principle of economies of scale comes into play, where larger aircraft, equipped with more seats, can distribute operational costs across a broader passenger base, resulting in reduced ticket prices per kilometer.

Source: Aerospace Africa

East African Nations Unite to Enhance Regional Tourism

East African Nations Unite to Enhance Regional Tourism

East African countries are pulling together to offer tourists a more comprehensive and captivating experience by integrating their tourism destinations. This collaboration was announced during the Oromia Tourism Week 2023 held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The initiative is targeted at providing tourists the opportunity to explore a variety of destinations within the East African corridor, thus creating a more wholesome and enriching experience.

Aiming for Attractive, Integrated Tourism Packages

Sarah Kirenga, a representative of the Rwandan Chamber of Tourism, explained the importance of this regional tourism integration. According to her, this collaboration will facilitate the sale of complete and attractive tourism packages, a development that will significantly enhance the regional tourism sector. The representative further emphasized that this integration would provide a platform to create a network in the tourism ecosystem, promote a variety of tourism products, and boost regional tourism.

East Africa: A Region of Diverse Attractions

The East African region is globally recognized for its unique natural and cultural tourist attractions, many of which are inscribed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage List. In addition to these, the region is also home to popular safari destinations with an abundance of fascinating historical and archaeological sites. Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo – countries within this region – have already begun marketing their tourist destinations as a unified region, offering tourists a diverse range of attractions.

Boosting Intra-Travel and Implementing Regional Marketing Plans

Anthony Ochieng, a market development representative of the Ugandan Tourism Board, stressed the necessity to focus on regional tourism rather than individual destinations. He stated that the countries within the East African region are cooperating to promote intra-travel and implement the East African tourism marketing plan. The intention is to market East Africa as a region and not just individual destinations. Under this plan, tourists can experience a variety of attractions in different countries, such as ‘The Big Five’ (lion, leopard, cape buffalo, rhinoceros, and African elephant) in Uganda.

Oromia Tourism Week: Promoting Tourism Potential

The Oromia Tourism Week serves as an annual event that aims to showcase the unique tourism offerings and experiences available in the Oromia region of Ethiopia. This event brings together tourism stakeholders, government representatives, industry professionals, and visitors from around the world to explore and appreciate the region’s vast potential as a top tourism destination. It acts as a significant platform to highlight the benefits of regional tourism and promote the integration of various tourist destinations within East Africa.

Investment and Future Prospects

With East Africa’s steady growth as a tourism destination, investment in world-class tourist facilities is becoming increasingly essential. The East Africa destination tourism insight market report indicates that the region has the potential to become a competitive tourism destination in the future, provided it attracts suitable investment and adequate infrastructural development. The report also highlights the region’s key selling point – its wildlife – which is also under threat due to factors such as habitat loss and poaching. However, numerous conservation initiatives have been established to protect these species, indicating a growing awareness of the need to protect the region’s wildlife.

The integration of East African countries to enhance regional tourism is a strategic initiative that will not only boost the tourism sector of the individual countries but will also create a more enriching and diverse experience for tourists. With adequate investment, sustainable conservation initiatives, and an effective regional marketing plan, East Africa can evolve into an attractive and competitive tourism destination in the global tourism market.

Source: bnn

African airlines prepare for traffic surge

Over the next two decades, Africa’s jet fleet is projected to more than double to 1,550 aircraft, when Africa’s population is forecast to hit 2.17 billion.

In so doing, it will surpass the fleets of America, India and China combined, according to data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

The growth will come on the back of significant growth in airline passenger numbers.

IATA shows major airline markets in Africa had already outperformed their 2019 levels in terms of origin-destination (O-D) air passenger traffic by Q2 of 2023, thanks largely to domestic market recovery and outperformance.

Nigeria recorded the highest growth in passenger numbers, adding 52 per cent more compared to the pre-pandemic levels.

Egypt, Ethiopia and Morocco came in second, third and fourth place, with 33 per cent, 31 per cent and 13 per cent growth respectively.

While Algeria and Tunisia also recorded growth, they experienced lower performances at 3 per cent and 5 per cent more traffic compared to 2019 figures.

The only exception was South Africa, which recorded 3 per cent fewer passenger numbers (below its pre-pandemic levels), attributed to economic challenges in the country.

Some 44 per cent growth between 2022 and 2023 has also helped a recovery in international traffic to and from Africa, now just 11.8 per cent off pre-pandemic levels, with a full recovery expected by year-end.

Data from IATA projects the number of commercial aircraft deliveries is approaching 30 in 2023. This is a far lower than the 50 deliveries in 2019- its peak year – but off the lows of around 20 deliveries over the last two years.

“African airlines are increasing their number of new aircraft units, which might be a sign of an anticipated full recovery by the end of this year” said IATA in its quarterly Air Transport Chartbook.

Three African carriers have either announced delivery or have plans for long-term expansion also covering 2023.

Ethiopian Airlines is looking to increase its fleet size from 140 aircraft to 271 by 2032, with a mix of narrow-body and wide-body planes. It has its eyes firmly fixed on Boeing’s bigger aircraft.

RwandAir expanded its fleet in March with its third long-haul aircraft from Airbus, while South African Airways said in May it had received the green light from the government to expand its fleet by six.

Carriers said all these projected new fleets will allow them to expand their seating capacities for regional and domestic routes and increase flights to Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Over the last two months, African airlines have been recording steady growth in capacity – which rose by 27.4 per cent in July- making Africa the only region to experience capacity growth outrun traffic demand, according to IATA.

According to Boeing’s Commercial Market Outlook 2023, Africa’s air traffic growth is forecast to rise some 7.4 per cent, which is above the global average of 6.1 per cent.

Domestic passenger traffic is seen as quadrupling in 20 years on rapid population growth and urbanisation within the continent.

Source:   The-star.

Kenya Airways donates Boeing 737-700 plane to Mangu High School to support aviation studies

Kenya Airways has donated one of its Boeing 737-700 aeroplanes to Mangu High School.

The donation is aimed at supporting aviation studies in the school that will later feed the airline with personnel in the aviation sector.

The school, which will be celebrating 100 years next year, is among the first institutions to start teaching aviation studies in the country and has several of its former students working at the airline in various departments.

It also becomes the first to receive a complete aeroplane from the airline through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) after donating an engine to the Technical University of Kenya in 2016 for the same purpose.

Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the donation is an act of nobility and an affirmation of KQ’s support for the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).

He lauded the airline’s CSR initiatives that bequeath students with tactical, technical and technological know-how that will give them an edge over their peers.

‘‘I wish to thank Kenya Airways for this commendable act of CSR that will inspire hope in the students of Mangu High School, assist in the modelling of their skills and transform abstract theories into practicable concepts,’’ said Murkomen

He added, ‘‘This initiative also underscores the importance of Public-Private Partnerships(PPP) in advancing our government’s education and aviation reforms and ensuring that  our young people have access to the requisite tools and opportunities necessary for the creation of successful careers.’’

The CS spoke today during the handover at hangar 1 at the airline’s head office in Embakasi.

He said the aviation sector in Africa has expansive opportunities and vacancies that remain unfilled.

According to a recent report by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Africa needs 55,000 skilled aviation professionals in the next two decades, including 15,000 pilots, 17,000 technicians and 23,000 cabin crew.

‘‘The question therefore remains; how can we as a country, benefit from these opportunities? What do we need to do to establish dominance in the continent’s aviation sector and export talent and skills to the continental and global markets?’’ he posed. 

He said one of the ways of doing this is by encouraging the creation of incubators for innovation and talent development.

Beyond its flight and cargo operations, KQ has an active aviation hub, known as Fahari Innovation Hub that acts as a springboard for new ideas and data-driven innovations.

It also has an approved aviation school known as the Pride Centre that offers a range of courses to prepare candidates for a successful career in the aviation sector.

Kenya Airways chief executive officer Allan Kilavuka said the aeroplane boasts of impressive specifications including a wingspan of 35.79 metres and a length of 33.63 meters, making it substantial and iconic aircraft.

‘‘It also has a seating capacity of 16 seats in the business class and 100 in economy and has served countless passengers throughout is remarkable career. Manufactured in 2003, it has aged for two decades, accumulating an impressive over 56, 861 flight hours and 20,966 flight cycles,’’ said Kilavuka.

He added: ‘‘It was retired from active service in December 2021 and now it embarks on a new journey as an educational tour for the Mangu High School students.’’

KCB Bank has donated Sh5 million to support its movement from the hangar to the school and equip the school with aircraft learning equipment such as flight simulators and aircraft maintenance tools, while Crown Paints will donate paint for the repainting the plane that will now be registered as 5W MHC from 5W KQH.

Kilavuka, who reiterated that the airline will also offer technical support to the school, said they have started discussions with universities particularly TUK and Kenyatta University (KU) on matters aviation.

‘‘This is to make sure that we are impacting influence in their curriculum to be relevant to us and meet current industry demands,’’ he said.

 Mangu High School principal John Kuria thanked the airline for the donation, saying it will further fire up the dreams of these students to achieve their dream careers

‘‘It will also go a long way in ramping up the numbers of students in aviation technology,’’ he said.

Mangu High School Alumni Association chairman Ronald Meru, who paraded four pilots who are alumni said aviation programme is the school’s pride.

 ‘‘The partnership will facilitate the aviation studies at the school and ensure the aviation technology is well taught in accordance with the standards that the students require,’’ he said.

General Michael Gichangi, Kenya Airways board chairman and also an alumnus of Mangu said the school has been instrumental in the aviation industry of the country since independence and the donation is a major milestone will strengthen the impetus it has given to the industry.

Source: Standard media.

Condor Airlines Expands Horizons with Direct Flights to Mombasa

In a significant stride towards enhancing global connectivity, Condor Airlines, a well-established German leisure and vacation airline, has recently launched direct flights from Frankfurt to Mombasa. This move comes after nearly two decades of successful operations in Kenya, primarily serving Mombasa, and marks a pivotal moment for Condor’s foray and return to Mombasa, Kenya’s coastal city.

Condor Airlines has long been a prominent name in the aviation industry, synonymous with quality service, efficiency, and a commitment to providing travelers with unforgettable experiences. Their decision to expand operations to Mombasa underscores the growing importance of Kenya as a key destination in East Africa.

At a recent meeting hosted by the airline at the Boma Hotel in Nairobi, travel agents had the privilege of engaging with Condor’s product offering and management team. The gathering provided a unique opportunity for industry stakeholders to gain insights into Condor’s expansion plans and the airline’s mission to further connect East Africa with Germany.

Condor’s activities in Kenya will be managed through a General Sales Agent Agreement, AVIANETAVIAREPS Travel Management Ltd. The airline activities will be headed by Ms. Lilian Musyoka, who brings a wealth of experience to her role. While speaking during the launch, Ms Musyoka expressed Condor’s dedication to facilitating seamless travel between the two regions. She highlighted how Condor’s new direct route to Mombasa aligns perfectly with the airline’s commitment to providing travelers with efficient and convenient connections.

“As Condor Airlines extends its reach, travelers can look forward to a new era of connectivity and exploration. This expansion not only opens doors for German tourists to experience Kenya’s rich cultural and natural wonders but also beckons Kenyan travelers to explore the vibrant landscapes and cultures of Germany,” she said.

Source: KATA NEWS

Dubai launches religious tourism initiative

The Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities in Dubai (IACAD) launched the Religious Tourism Project in Dubai with a set of plans, programmes, and initiatives in the field of Islamic tourism. This was announced during a press conference held at the department’s headquarters on Thursday.

The project aims to enhance Dubai’s tourism and achieve the department’s vision of being the best in the world, Islamically and charitably making the city the most visited in the world by 2025. “The project contributes to strengthening the emirate’s position as an attraction point for international religious tourism for residents, visitors, and tourists, both Muslims and non-Muslims,” said Ahmed Khalfan Al Mansouri from IACAD.

Al Mansouri pointed out that the project will achieve a three per cent to four per cent increase in the number of tourists to the emirate. The project will feature the most prominent religious attractions in Dubai.

Floating Mosque: It will be the first floating mosque in the world which will consist of three floors. One half of the structure with its sitting areas and a coffee shop will be above the water; while the other is submerged below. The underwater deck will be for the prayer area with ablution and toilet facilities and can accommodate 50-75 worshippers. The mosque will be constructed with a total cost of approximately Dh55 million.

The Quranic exhibition: This will feature the journey of Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s Quran, where he printed thousands of copies of the holy Quran from 2000 to 2005 and distributed around the world.

Dubai Iftar: This is organised during the holy month of Ramadan and is a unique initiative that brings together people of different faiths, to breakfast together.

Hala Ramadan: It is an initiative where people of different faiths gather in the new neighbourhoods in Dubai under the Hala Ramadan initiative. This will include groups of social, sports, and educational programmes.

Visit to the Quranic Park and adding a section on prophetic medicine: The Quranic Park is the first-ever Quran-inspired Park in the world which covers an area of 600,000 square metres. This huge park is divided into many sections which serve different purposes and interests. The park has plants and herbs that are mentioned in the Quran.

Ramadan and Eid Market: Ramadan markets will be introduced adjacent to a few popular mosques in Dubai with the aim of welcoming Muslim and non-Muslim tourists during the Ramadan and Eid holidays. This will help them learn about Islamic customs and traditions and teach them the religion of Islam.

Source: Khaleej times.

Global Tourism Rapidly Recovers from Pandemic Slump

International tourism has continued to recover from the worst crisis in its history as arrival numbers reached 84% of pre-pandemic levels between January and July 2023, according to the latest data from UNWTO. The Middle East, Europe and Africa lead the global sector’s rebound.

Tourism on Track for Full Recovery

Tourism demand continues to show remarkable resilience and sustained recovery, even in the face of economic and geopolitical challenges. The new issue of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer tracks the sector’s recovery over the course of 2023 up to the end of July. The UNWTO Barometer shows:

  • By the end of July, international tourist arrivals reached 84% of pre-pandemic levels.
  • 700 million tourists travelled internationally between January and July 2023, 43% more than in the same months of 2022.
  • July was the busiest month with 145 million international travellers recorded, about 20% of the seven-month total.

UNWTO data once again shows how tourism is recovering strongly in every part of the world. But as our sector recovers, it also needs to adapt

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “UNWTO data once again shows how tourism is recovering strongly in every part of the world. But as our sector recovers, it also needs to adapt. The extreme weather events we have witnessed over recent months as well as the critical challenges of managing increasing tourism flows underline the need to build a more inclusive, sustainable and resilient sector and ensure recovery goes hand-in-hand with rethinking of our sector.”

Results by Region

All world regions enjoyed strong rates of tourism recovery over the first seven months of 2023, driven by demand for international travel from several large source markets:

  • The Middle East reported the best results in January-July 2023, with arrivals 20% above pre-pandemic levels. The region continues to be the only to exceed 2019 levels so far.
  • Europe, the world’s largest destination region, reached 91% of pre-pandemic levels, supported by robust intra-regional demand and travel from the United States.
  • Africa recovered 92% of pre-crisis visitors this seven-month period and the Americas 87% according to available data.
  • In Asia and the Pacific, recovery accelerated to 61% of pre-pandemic arrival levels after the opening of many destinations and source markets at the end of 2022 and earlier this year.

The UNWTO World Tourism Barometer contains results by region, sub-region and country, including best-performing destinations in terms of international arrivals and receipts over the first seven months of the year.

Looking ahead

These results show international tourism remains well on track to reach 80% to 95% of pre-pandemic levels in 2023. Prospects for September-December 2023 point to continued recovery, according to the latest UNWTO Confidence Index, though at a more moderate pace following the peak travel season of June-August. These results will be driven by the still pent-up demand and increased air connectivity particularly in Asia and the Pacific where recovery is still subdued.

  • The reopening of China and other Asian markets and destinations is expected to continue boosting travel both within the region and to other parts of the world.
  • The challenging economic environment continues to be a critical factor in the effective recovery of international tourism in 2023, according to UNWTO’s Panel of Experts.

Persisting inflation and rising oil prices have translated into higher transport and accommodations costs. This could weigh on spending patterns over the remainder of the year, with tourists increasingly seeking value for money, travelling closer to home and making shorter trips.

Source: Mirage news

Uganda Tourism Board Advocates Direct Flights to Boost Tourism

The Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) is in talks with the Immigration Department about allowing international tourists to fly directly to tourism destinations.

According to the Uganda Tourism Board, which is tasked with marketing the country beyond its borders, the move will save tourists time and money while also making transit easier. Currently, all international arrivals must first land at Entebbe International Airport to be cleared to enter the country before continuing on to their destinations.

Lilly Ajarova, the chief executive Officer of the Uganda Tourism Board, said the new arrangement, if given the green light, will allow tourists to reach their destinations faster and more conveniently.

Ajarova continued by saying that she has heard complaints, particularly from local tour guides, who claim that the delays have cost them a lot of time and money.

“The trend in international travel has changed; now, people want to travel light to explore as much as they can in as little time.  Our air connectivity faces many difficulties. Air connectivity is crucial if we are to make significant progress in growing the number of visitors to this nation and the revenue from tourism, according to Ajarova.

She claimed that even though Uganda has the largest population of mountain gorillas and the costs are lower, the country has not been able to generate much income from them due to the distances and poor roads needed to get to the tourist destinations.

“We are losing a lot of revenue from our Gorilla tracking. For all these years we have been earning from Gorilla tracking, we have never reached 100 percent occupancy, where we sell all our Gorilla permits. Our rates are half the rates of our competitors, and the major reason is that we don’t have direct flights to Bwindi or Kisoro. Everyone has to go through Entebbe before they can take local chartered flights,” she said.

According to data from the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA), in 2019, the airport safely facilitated 32,798 aircraft movements. The number reduced to 14,421 in 2020 because of COVID-19 lockdown, increasing to 21,584 in 2021 and 28,985 aircraft movements in 2022.

Ajarova said that while the figures are steadily recovering, the immigration department must move out of its comfort zone to extend visitor clearance to other aerodromes so that tourists can directly fly to such destinations and get cleared there.

Herbert Byaruhanga, the chairperson of the Uganda Tourism Association, said they have been crying out to the government to open up facilities so that tourists can land anywhere in the country and get cleared at their points of entry, but not only at Entebbe Airport.

“Why do we have to struggle to get clearance? Make the whole of East Africa local and allow people to fly visitors from Kenya, Tanzania, or any other country in the region directly so that more numbers can come in,” he said.

Source: News central

Global passenger traffic now 95% of pre-pandemic level

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that the post-COVID recovery momentum has continued in July for air travel passenger markets.

Total traffic in July 2023 (measured in revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) rose 26.2% compared to July 2022. Globally, traffic is now at 95.6% of pre-COVID levels.

July 2023 Air Travel

The statistics for July 2023 show that recovery of traffic continues with strong momentum. When measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs), total traffic saw a sound increase of 26.2% compared to the same month in the previous year, July 2022.

Globally, the traffic has now reached 95.6% of the pre-COVID levels, signaling a significant return to normalcy.

Domestic Travel on the Rise

July witnessed a remarkable rise in domestic traffic, soaring by 21.5% when compared to July 2022. Even more encouraging is the fact that it exceeded July 2019 results by 8.3%, indicating that domestic travel has not only recovered but has surpassed pre-pandemic levels.

Notably, July RPKs reached their highest-ever recorded figures, primarily driven by a surge in demand within the Chinese domestic market.

International Travel Resurgence

International traffic recorded an impressive growth of 29.6% compared to the same month in the previous year. This positive trend was observed across all markets, with international RPKs reaching 88.7% of the levels seen in July 2019.

The passenger load factor (PLF) for the industry reached an all-time high of 85.7% for international travel.

Strong Outlook and Confidence

Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, expressed optimism about the ongoing recovery. He noted, “Planes were full during July as people continue to travel in ever greater numbers.”

“Importantly, forward ticket sales indicate that traveler confidence remains high. And there is every reason to be optimistic about the continuing recovery.”

Regional Highlights

Asia-Pacific Airlines: Leading the Recovery

Asia-Pacific airlines continued to lead the global recovery, with a staggering 105.8% increase in traffic in July 2023 compared to the same month in 2022.

Capacity also saw substantial growth, rising by 96.2%, while the load factor increased by 3.9 percentage points to reach 84.5%.

European Carriers: Steady Growth

European carriers witnessed a steady growth in July traffic, recording a 13.8% rise compared to July 2022. Capacity increased by 13.6%, and the load factor edged up by 0.1 percentage points to reach 87.0%.

Middle Eastern Airlines: Positive Trajectory

Middle Eastern airlines posted a significant traffic increase of 22.6% in July 2023 compared to the same month in the previous year. Capacity rose by 22.1%, and the load factor climbed by 0.3 percentage points to 82.6%.

North American Carriers: Consistent High Demand

North American carriers experienced a 17.7% rise in traffic in July 2023 compared to the same period in 2022.

Capacity increased by 17.2%, and the load factor improved by 0.3 percentage points to reach an impressive 90.3%, the highest among all regions for the second consecutive month.

Latin American Airlines: Strong Recovery

Latin American airlines showed robust recovery, with traffic rising by 25.3% compared to July 2022. July capacity climbed by 21.2%, and the load factor rose by 2.9 percentage points to reach 89.1%.

African Airlines: Mixed Performance

African airlines experienced a traffic increase of 25.6% in July 2023 compared to the same month a year ago, making it the second-highest percentage gain among all regions.

However, the load factor fell by 1.0 percentage point to 73.9%, the lowest among all regions. For a second consecutive month, Africa was the only region where capacity growth outpaced traffic demand.

Challenges in Infrastructure and Government Decisions

While the aviation industry and air travel is witnessing a robust recovery, some critical challenges remain. Willie Walsh pointed out, “The Northern Hemisphere summer is living up to expectations for very strong traffic demand.”

“While the industry was largely prepared to accommodate a return to pre-pandemic levels of operations, unfortunately, the same cannot be said for our infrastructure providers.”

Performance issues with key air navigation services providers, including insufficient staffing and failures like NATS in the UK, have raised concerns that need prompt correction.

Additionally, some governments, such as Mexico and the Netherlands, have made decisions to impose capacity cuts at their major hubs, potentially leading to job losses and damage to local and national economies.

Source: Aviation source news.

UAE lifts visa ban on Nigerians, resumes flight operations

Nigerians are praising the lifting of a visa ban by the United Arab Emirates following a meeting in Abu Dhabi this week between President Bola Tinubu and United Arab Emirates President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Nigerian authorities also secured an investment deal worth billions of dollars, according to the presidency.

Nigerian presidential spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale said Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates have established a framework for investments worth billions of dollars across multiple sectors, including defense and agriculture.

Speaking to Lagos-based Channels Television, Ngelale said the pact also resulted in the immediate lifting of a visa ban imposed by the UAE in October 2022.

“What we’ve done today is to not only normalize relations but then to add new dimensions to that relationship or partnership that are mutually beneficial to both nations,” he said. “And I think as we move forward, the details of those investments will become clear.”

The UAE imposed the visa ban on Nigeria in connection with a number of diplomatic disputes.

Dubai’s Emirates airline also suspended flight operations to Nigeria over Abuja’s inability to send the UAE an estimated $85 million in revenue that Dubai said had been blocked in the African nation. The monies could not be repatriated due to dollar shortages.

Additionally, the UAE’s Etihad Airways stopped flights to Nigeria.

But Ngelale said Emirates and Etihad airlines are expected to resume operations immediately without any payment by the Nigerian government.

The spokesperson also said Tinubu successfully negotiated a new foreign exchange liquidity program with the UAE.

Nigerian experts such as economist Emeka Orji welcomed the president’s move as a step that could reverse negative economic trends.

“It should be a no-brainer for them to reverse it,” Orji said. “The major chunk of their tourism, whether it is education or for holidays, Nigeria would show up on the list of its major tourism income-earning countries.”

In a recent statement, the UAE’s official Emirates News Agency noted that its leader and Tinubu explored opportunities for further bilateral collaboration in areas that served the sustainable economic growth of both countries.

The statement, however, did not go into detail about the lifting of the visa ban on Nigerians and the resumption of flights.

Orji says there will be a positive impact.

“International relations between the two countries will likely lead to an increase in economic activity,” he said. “There may be some interest in investing in some sectors in Nigeria. That would be an obvious gain for Nigeria.”

For now, experts said they hope the new pact is fully implemented for both countries to benefit.

Source: VOA