Russia-Africa negotiations have produced positive results for the respective aviation sectors.

Russia has agreed to develop aviation in Africa and is boosting its cooperation with African states, including Ethiopia and Tanzania, by signing new air services agreements. Russian authorities met with various African stakeholders at the second Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg.

Russia-Ethiopia aviation development

During the summit, Russia’s Deputy Minister of Transport Igor Chalik and Ethiopia’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs signed an agreement to develop the air transport line between the two countries. The states previously had an air communication agreement dated March 26, 1977, which will be terminated under the new deal.

The newly signed agreement aims to establish efficient and regular air transport services between Russia and Ethiopia, to boost trade and economic development. Additionally, it includes enacting legislation regarding national carriers, recognition of airworthiness certificates, and cooperation in ensuring flight safety standards in line with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.

Ethiopia’s flag carrier Ethiopian Airlines already has a regular service to and from Russia. It operates four weekly nonstop flights from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD) to Moscow Domodedovo (DME) with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Conversely, no Russian carriers are operating flights on this route.

Agreement with Tanzania

Russian authorities have also negotiated a new deal with Tanzania to strengthen their aviation ties and rejuvenate air transport activity in the post-pandemic era. Following a successful meeting in Moscow, the two governments negotiated a new Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA), noting that the previous ones had been severely affected by the pandemic.

According to the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA), the new agreements will give the designated airlines of Tanzania access to three entry points in Russia, namely Moscow, St Petersburg, and Yekaterinburg. This is a noteworthy improvement from the previous BASA, which only allowed access to the capital.

Similarly, the designated Russian carriers will be given access to three entry points in Tanzania, i.e., Dar es Salaam (DAR), Zanzibar (ZNZ), and Kilimanjaro (JRO). The negotiations also included provisions for codesharing, as both parties highlighted its importance for maximizing airline yields.

Traffic rights

Beyond codesharing, the negotiations also involved discussions on the employment of fifth freedom traffic rights by Russia and Tanzania’s designated airlines. Under the newly agreed terms, their carriers can fly to both countries and on to a third country upon mutual agreement by the respective civil aviation authorities.

Despite the current air services agreement, no airlines are operating commercial flights between these destinations. During the discussions, Russian authorities suggested a requirement for filing fares before the designated airlines can commence operations on the routes, but Tanzania heavily contested this, saying that it is “impracticable.” However, an agreement was reached, and the TCAA said in a statement;

As a result of the successful negotiations, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by the Heads of Delegation from both parties. The final signing of the BASA will occur once the necessary institutional procedures of both Governments have been completed.”

Airline representatives from Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) and Precision Air were among the Tanzanian delegation that flew to Moscow. ATCL Managing Director Ladislaus Matindi told The Citizen that the new agreement could provide more business opportunities, and the company will assess the market trends before deciding to fly to Russia.

Source: Simple Flying

CNN — Some 40 kilometers south of the Rwandan capital of Kigali in the Bugesera District, construction vehicles and high-visibility vests swarm across an arid expanse of land.

Here, two strips of tarmac are the cornerstone of a $2 billion airport, whose developers want it to be the jewel in the crown of Africa’s aviation industry.

Slated for completion in 2026, the new facility will boast a 130,000-square-meter main terminal building capable of accommodating 8 million passengers a year, a figure expected to rise to over 14 million in the following decades. Adjacent will be a dedicated cargo terminal, capable of accommodating 150,000 tons of cargo a year.

It’s a significant upgrade on the existing Kigali International Airport, which is set to remain operational for special arrivals, some chartered flights, and a pilot training school.

Pre-pandemic, the airport was shuttling close to 1 million passengers annually, but its geographic limitations – perched on top of a small hill and surrounded by human settlements – meant a move was necessary to allow expansion.

“I’m amazed, it’s like a dream come true to see the impact and magnitude of this project to the population,” said Jules Ndenga, CEO of Aviation Travel and Logistics Holding, the Rwandan government-owned company that is overseeing construction.

“We are really impassioned to see the efforts completed and starting operations.”

Qatar Airways will have a 60% ownership of the new airport. The Middle Eastern airline will also acquire 49% of shares in the African country’s flag carrier airline, Rwandair, offering access to over 65 locations around the world.

It is a partnership that intended to help Rwanda – landlocked in the center of Africa – achieve its aim of becoming the continent’s centerpiece for air travel. “The main objective of this effort is basically to make sure that Rwanda becomes an African hub where everyone will be transiting either for tourism, but also for business and different industries,” Ndenga added.

“The impact will be in terms of providing a platform for all the economic life of the country to develop sustainability. We see that as not only an impact on the economy but in the neighborhood … we know that this area will become a satellite city of the city center.”

Connection complications

Yet benefits could spread far beyond Rwanda’s borders. The arrival of the new airport will help chip away at the critical problem of a fragmented network of routes that means passengers often have to travel via Europe or the Middle East when flying between African countries.

A lack of connections across the continent is grounding Africa’s untapped potential in the aviation business. Despite boasting 16.75% of the world’s population with 1.4 billion people, the continent has less than 4% of the global air market, according to a 2018 report by the Single African Air Transport Market – an initiative set up by the African Union.

For RwandAir CEO Yvonne Manzi Makolo, the problem of connectivity presents the “biggest challenge” to the African aviation industry.

“The continent is huge, it’s vast, but it’s difficult and unpredictable traveling within it … and it’s extremely expensive,” Makolo said.

“What what’s making it more challenging is the conditions of operating within the African continent. The cost of operations is so much more, whether it’s airport fees, whether it’s ground handling, parking, overflight (flying from one country’s airspace to another’s) – everything is much more expensive. Sometimes up to 50% more than in the Middle East and Europe, which makes the ticket prices even more expensive and makes (some) routes unviable.”

Solutions

But solutions are touching down, starting with the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM).

First proposed in 2018, if implemented the policy would create a single market for African aviation, facilitating the free movement of people, goods, and services. The continent currently operates under bilateral air service agreements, a highly restrictive policy that makes it difficult to open new routes.

So far, just 35 of the 55 African states have signed up for SAATM. Secretary General of the African Airlines Association Abderahmane Berthe, heavily involved in the policy’s implementation, believes more will follow.

“Since 2018 all the stakeholders of the industry are working to make it happen,” Berthe said.

“Liberalization is not an easy subject – even in other regions, it took a lot of time. So, we are working on it. What is missing is the willingness of states to really implement it.”

A new single market would dovetail with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Coming into force in 2021, AfCFTA eliminates tariffs and other non-tariff barriers to allow easier movement of trade and people between the continent’s countries.

It is set to increase intra-African trade to an estimated 52%, according to Kenya Airways CEO Allan Kilavuka, who plans to work with other African airlines – such as South African Airways – to unite a “fragmented” industry.

“We have so many airlines in the continent. Most of them are not viable, truth be told,” Kilavuka said.

“We need to consolidate, so that you create bigger entities which are more economical from a scale perspective, and they can respond to high costs. They can together talk to suppliers and get more bargains when it comes to purchases, bringing down the unit cost of operation. Because of scale, they can then open up the African continent a lot more.

“The fragmented state which we are in is not going to make it.”

Source: CNN

As summer travel picks up, the pressing need to reduce waiting times for services like security and immigration checks at airports or even when picking up rental cars comes into focus. Undoubtedly, waiting in long queues for any procedure is one of the most frustrating moments for travellers.

The COVID-19 pandemic has also contributed to accelerating the adoption of contactless systems at airports, including biometric processing at key touchpoints such as immigration, security control, and check-in. This transition to touchless technology aims to minimize queuing and reduce overall airport wait times while ensuring a safer and more efficient travel experience.

According to IATA’s 2022 Global Passenger Survey (GPS), biometrics has established itself as a groundbreaking innovation in the travel industry, offering a promising solution to the perennial problem of long queues at airports. With an impressive 88% of passengers, who have used this service, expressing satisfaction with the overall biometric process, this technology has the potential to revolutionize the way we travel.

The survey also reveals that 75% of passengers are willing to use technologies employing biometrics as an alternative to conventional passports or boarding passes. This growing preference for biometric identification is driven by the desire to save time and avoid the hassle of queuing. In fact, 33% of passengers would prefer to complete immigration procedures before arriving at the airport, while 44% would like to expedite the check-in process.

Imaginable are situations where a simple identification document is presented at a terminal, and the system automatically verifies all the data. The necessary information is then made available to security personnel, and the journey can continue. This significantly speeds up the process and is also applicable in other areas, such as picking up a rental car or a key for a vacation rental.

At the forefront of this technological revolution is Signicat, a leading provider of digital identity. Their years of expertise in the field enable the optimization of processes such as identity verification and authentication. This, in turn, means faster, smoother, and safer services for both travellers and airports themselves.

Another notable advancement in biometric technology is video identification. Traditionally, the verification of passports was manually carried out by security personnel or immigration officers at airports, who checked the authenticity of the document. Biometrics improves this process, making it both safer and more efficient. The technology precisely verifies the authenticity of a passport, detects manipulations or forgeries, and significantly reduces processing time without compromising security.

Despite all the benefits, passengers have legitimate concerns regarding the use of biometric data. According to the survey, the biggest concerns are data loss due to security breaches, who has access to the data, and general apprehensions regarding the handling and storage of personal information. Demands for continuously improved measures to protect data and its access are a direct response from passengers.

The fear of data and information security is not unique to the travel industry but is a common concern among consumers. Signicat’s annual “Battle to Onboard” report discovered that 92% of respondents are worried about the amount of data they share with their bank when completing an application.

It is crucial to continue educating users about how these new technologies work and why they are important, both through local legislation in each country and at a global level. In Europe, for example, the protection of personal information and data privacy will always remain a high priority, regardless of the industry.

With the growing acceptance of biometric technology, airports have the opportunity to enhance the entire travel experience, leading to increased comfort and security. With companies like Signicat and other industry leaders driving innovations in this area, the times of never-ending queues and frustrating identity verification processes could soon become a thing of the past.

Source: Travel Daily Media