Airline leaders urge Africa to dismantle barriers and reclaim control of its Skies

22 OCTOBER 2025 : 09:42PM

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The Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA) has urged African governments and industry stakeholders to take decisive steps toward liberalising and modernising the continent’s aviation sector, warning that protectionism, inefficiency, and regulatory fragmentation continue to stifle growth.

Speaking at AASA’s 55th Annual General Assembly in Lusaka, CEO Aaron Munetsi said African aviation must “rewrite its negative narrative” through collective action on safety oversight, infrastructure, governance, and workforce development.

“Africa is home to 1.4 billion people — the world’s youngest population and a growing middle class — yet we hold only 2.2 percent of global air transport market share,” he said. “We are still idling on the runway.”

Munetsi outlined a series of interventions aimed at restoring confidence in African skies, including harmonising aviation regulations to support the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), addressing supply chain disruptions, and reforming financially distressed state-owned carriers through greater accountability and innovation.

He noted that a global shortage of aircraft and parts has severely hit African airlines, with delivery delays stretching up to six years and costing carriers more than US$220 million this year alone in additional maintenance and operations expenses.

While calling for the promotion of locally produced sustainable aviation fuel, Munetsi also cautioned against punitive taxation. Excessive charges and statutory fees, he said, had made air travel unaffordable for many Africans, undermining economic competitiveness.

“Aviation is not a luxury — it is an economic lifeline,” he said. “Governments that genuinely want to democratise air transport must roll back the taxes and levies that make flying inaccessible.”

AASA also raised concerns about operational inefficiencies in South Africa, particularly the suspension of over 200 instrument flight procedures by Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS). The association said the disruptions were costing airlines millions of dollars in fuel, maintenance, and customer compensation.

Munetsi described the situation as “an economic disaster” requiring an urgent national response, not bureaucratic inertia.

Beyond infrastructure and regulation, AASA called on African states to relax restrictive visa regimes and modernise border management systems to stimulate cross-border travel and trade. It further urged governments such as Mozambique’s to release airlines’ blocked funds and allow carriers to access foreign currency to purchase spare parts and meet other dollar-denominated obligations.

The Lusaka assembly reiterated that Africa’s aviation recovery depends on cooperation among airlines, regulators, and states rather than insular, protectionist practices.

“African aviation’s success depends on collaboration and shared responsibility,” Munetsi concluded. “It’s time to stop talking and start improving.”

Founded in 1970, AASA represents 16 airlines and 41 associate members across the Southern African Development Community (SADC), advocating for policies that promote affordable, safe, and sustainable air transport across the region.

Source: https://www.256businessnews.com/airline-leaders-urge-africa-to-dismantle-barriers-and-reclaim-control-of-its-skies/

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Airline leaders urge Africa to dismantle barriers and reclaim control of its Skies
Airline leaders urge Africa to dismantle barriers and reclaim control of its Skies

Category: Economic and Business Sectors