(Posted 21st August 2024)
Courtesy of Aero Trail Ltd and Mr. Alex Koech
Introduction.
The ICAO Eastern and Southern African Regional Office and WACAF Regional Offices, in collaboration with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), recently held the APIRG Infrastructure and Information Management Sub-Group meeting in Dakar, Senegal. The event focused on enhancing aviation safety and efficiency through discussions on Aeronautical Meteorology (MET), Aeronautical Information Management (AIM), and Communication, Navigation & Surveillance (CNS). These discussions were pivotal in driving efforts to enhance the safety and efficiency of aviation operations across the region.
Meanwhile, the controversy following Air Peace Limited’s late March 2024 launch of its London Gatwick route continues to escalate. Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, threatened in an August 1, 2024, letter to UK Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh, to revoke British Airways (BA) and Virgin Atlantic (VS) slots at Lagos and Abuja if Air Peace is not granted landing rights at Heathrow.
African Aviation: Projections and Statistics.
African Airlines Association (AFRAA)‘s latest report highlights strong performance in African aviation, with passenger traffic and operational efficiency on the rise. Aircraft seat availability in Africa increased by 7%, from 16 million seats in July 2023 to 17 million in July 2024. Intra-African routes saw a 3% rise, driven by new routes, network expansion, and fleet upgrades. Available Seat Kilometers (ASK) grew by 9%, while Revenue Passenger Kilometers (RPK) saw a modest 1.3% increase. African airlines are projected to experience a 15% growth in passenger traffic in 2024 compared to 2023. Capacity is nearly evenly split on international routes between African carriers (50.1%) and non-African carriers (49.9%). On intercontinental routes, African airlines hold a 37.1% capacity share, with non-African airlines dominating at 62.9%. Passenger revenue for May 2024 reached $1.66 billion, a 4% increase from April 2024.
According to the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA), Uganda has signed Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASA) with 51 countries. These include: Africa: Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Djibouti, D.R. Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Libya, Mauritius, Morocco, Nigeria, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Eswatini, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Europe: Austria, Belgium, Finland, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, and Russia. Asia/Middle East: Bahrain, China, India, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand, and United Arab Emirates. The Americas: Colombia and USA. Additionally, Entebbe International Airport is served by 15 scheduled operators, alongside several non-scheduled operators and approved training organizations (ATOs).
In Angola, the civil aviation sector has struggled, with passenger traffic down 3.1% in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. The cumulative passenger volume reached 1,334,402 by June 2024, far below the peak of 5.8 million passengers in 2010, driven by the African Cup of Nations. The sector has seen a decline from the 2.9 million passengers recorded in 2023, reflecting ongoing challenges.
In Mozambique, Inhambane Province reported a 43.2% increase in tourism revenue in the first half of 2024, totaling 4.8 billion meticais ($75.1 million). The province projects 295,997 tourists by year-end, a 22.9% increase from the previous year, reflecting a robust recovery in the tourism sector.
In July 2024, Boeing secured 72 gross orders for new planes, mostly from aircraft leasing companies, bringing its total orders for the year to 228. However, after cancellations, net orders stood at 186, a significant drop from the 579 gross orders in the same period of 2023. In contrast, Airbus reported 386 gross orders and 367 net orders for the first seven months of 2024. Boeing’s deliveries are also down by 29% year-on-year, with only 218 jets delivered by July 2024, compared to Airbus’s 400 deliveries.
Air Service Agreements (ASA’s) and Airline Agreements/Partnerships.
Seychelles and Turkmenistan have officially established diplomatic relations, marked by the signing of a Protocol on August 13, 2024, at the Embassy of Turkmenistan in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Both nations plan to focus on initiatives that will boost tourism and cultural exchange.
In a move to strengthen aeronautical cooperation, the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) recently hosted a delegation from the CAAC – Civil Aviation Administration of China at its headquarters.
Air Transat has appointed APG Airlines as its General Sales Agent (GSA) in Morocco, following the launch of its non-stop flights between Marrakech and Montreal in June 2024. This partnership underscores Air Transat’s commitment as the sole North American airline offering direct flights on this route.
Routes and Airline Connectivity.
Singapore Airlines (SIA) will increase flight frequencies and passenger capacity across its network for the 2025 Northern Summer season. From December 11, 2024, to January 10, 2025, and again from April 2 to October 24, 2025, SIA will offer three additional weekly flights to Johannesburg, raising the total to 10 weekly flights from the current daily service.
On August 17, 2024, Nile Air operated its first international flight from Cairo International Airport to Arar Domestic Airport in Saudi Arabia. This development aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which aims to expand the aviation sector significantly, targeting 330 million passengers and 4.5 million tons of cargo by 2030 through $100 billion in public and private sector investments.
Airlink has suspended its flights between Cape Town and Gaborone after violating Botswana’s Civil Aviation Authority regulations. The airline prematurely announced and sold tickets for the route, resulting in fines and a directive to cease all marketing and ticket sales for the service.
Aviação de Angola has launched a specialized aeromedical transport service using turboprop and jet aircraft. This service provides rapid emergency medical assistance with advanced equipment and a dedicated medical team on board, catering to companies and their employees.
Airline Fleets and ACMI’s.
Air Peace Limited is set to damp lease four Boeing 737-800s from Avia Solutions Group‘s subsidiary, AirExplore, Slovakia, for the 2024/2025 Northern Winter season, focusing on domestic operations.
Azman Air has indefinitely suspended its flight operations due to high operating costs and the need for C-checks on its Boeing 737 fleet. Two of its aircraft have been sent to a maintenance facility in Turkey, with their return uncertain, possibly not before October.
Three jets from Nigeria’s Presidential Air Fleet have been seized by a French court due to a legal dispute involving Ogun State’s revocation of an export processing zone management contract with Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co., a Chinese company. The aircraft, including a Dassault Aviation Falcon 7X, a Boeing 737, and a newly acquired Airbus A330, are being held at various French airports until Ogun State pays Zhongshan $74.5 million.
Aviation Infrastructure and Financing.
Nebula George Heintz Aircraft Manufacturing Group, an established OEM with plants in China and the USA, specializing in low-altitude light aircraft for up to 16 passengers, plans to set up a manufacturing plant in Zambia. The announcement was made by Zambia Development Agency Director General, Albert Halwampa. The OEM also intends to construct mini airports in Zambia.
The Zambian government has launched a comprehensive initiative to upgrade all provincial airports. The upgrades will include modernizing facilities, expanding runways, and installing advanced navigation and security systems.
Nigeria is advancing plans to construct a second runway at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) in Abuja, with ongoing talks with Vaisala and Frequentis AG to supply the necessary infrastructure. Additionally, Oyo State has unveiled plans to upgrade Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport in Ibadan to international standards, aiming to boost the state’s economic and social development.
Central African Republic President Faustin-Archange Touadéra has inaugurated a new control tower at Bangui M’poko International Airport, funded by ASECNA as part of the 2017-2024 emergency plan.
Ethiopian Airlines has opened the Silver Lounge, a new 810-square-meter facility for ShebaMiles Silver members, accommodating up to 200 guests during peak hours. The airline has also invited bids from experienced service providers for a five-year contract to produce and publish its in-flight magazine, Selamta.
Aviation Accidents/Incidents
On August 17, 2024, Royal Air Maroc (RAM) flight AT567, a Boeing 737-800, briefly veered off the runway during landing at Monrovia’s Roberts International Airport (ROB) in Liberia. No injuries were reported.
On August 11, 2024, a Transavia flight TO3121, a Boeing 737 from Agadir, Morocco to Paris Orly, experienced a security scare when a crew member noticed a passenger’s Bluetooth device named “Improvised Explosive Device.” Authorities were alerted, and upon landing, passengers remained on board during a thorough security sweep, including bomb-sniffing dogs. The threat was determined to be a false alarm.
A major fire hazard was averted on August 16, 2024, when a cargo container caught fire on the apron at Mumbai International Airport before being loaded onto an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (ET-ASI). Emergency responders quickly contained the fire. Four individuals were arrested for attempting to carry flammable “hydrogen spirit” on flight ET641 from Mumbai to Addis Ababa.
In other news:
A high court in Namibia has ruled that former Air Namibia employees should receive full severance packages at the company’s cost. This comes after over 600 former Air Namibia employees fought for their full benefits from liquidators for nearly three years after the national airline was forced into liquidation. Air Namibia was liquidated after government, as the sole shareholder, pulled the plug in March 2020 after it emerged that the airline accumulated about N$3.5 billion in debt, and a government-guaranteed debt of N$2.58 billion. When government announced the liquidation in 2020, it stated it could no longer sustain Air Namibia and, therefore, it would be impossible for the airline to trade out of insolvency. The obsolete national airline’s debt comprised N$2.3 billion owed to trade creditors, and N$693 million in unpaid taxes. Air Namibia still owed N$105.5 million in unpaid severance packages to former employees.
Maya Maya International airport in Brazzaviille, Rep. of Congo has attained a environmental milestone after obtained the pretigious ACI World – Airports Council International, Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) level 3+ merely two year after achieving level 2 accreditation.
United Nigeria Airlines has successfully achieved its second International Air Transport Association (IATA) Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certification, reaffirming its commitment to the highest standards of operational safety and excellence.
Nigerian aviation workers, represented by their respective unions, are preparing for a nationwide strike on August 21, 2024. This action is in response to the Federal Government’s decision to deduct 50% from the internally generated revenue of key aviation agencies. The unions issued a letter on August 14, 2024, titled “Save Aviation From Collapse,” detailing their grievances.
In Kenya, a planned strike by aviation staff under the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU), initially set for August 19, has been postponed by two weeks to allow for negotiations. The strike, now scheduled to start on September 2, 2024, unless resolved through talks, was triggered by the government’s proposed privatization of the country’s main aviation hub.
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