(Posted 05th November 2024)
Courtesy of Mr. Alex Koech and Aero Trail Ltd.
Introduction.
The 7th International Marrakech Air Show 2024 kicked off on last Wednesday at the Royal Aero Club, showcasing Morocco’s growing prominence in the aeronautics industry. Running from October 30 to November 2, the event spans over 12,500 square meters and features approximately 200 exhibitors, 75 official delegations, and companies from around the globe. This year’s focus was on innovation and emerging technologies, with dedicated spaces for start-ups and research projects.
Meanwhile, African Civil Aviation Commission AFCAC held its 15th YD/SAATM Monitoring Body meeting from October 28 to 30 in Nairobi, Kenya. Organized in collaboration with African Airlines Association (AFRAA), the African Union Commission (AUC), and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the meeting addressed progress on the YD/SAATM implementation and the development of a Dispute Settlement Mechanism (DSM) to support the initiative.
African Aviation: Projections and Statistics.
September 2024 set a new record for global passenger demand, with a 7.1% year-on-year increase—the highest September demand ever recorded according to International Air Transport Association (IATA). Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), rose by 5.8%, with a load factor of 83.6%, up by 1 percentage point from September 2023. International demand surged by 9.2%, with capacity up 9.1% and the load factor reaching 83.8%. Domestic demand also saw a 3.7% increase, with capacity up by 0.7% and the load factor at 83.3%, an increase of 2.4 points. African airlines experienced an 11.9% boost in demand, with a 6.6% increase in capacity and a load factor of 76.0%.
In cargo, global demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTKs), rose 9.4% year-on-year, marking 14 consecutive months of growth. International operations saw a 10.5% increase, while capacity rose by 6.4%, driven largely by a 10.3% growth in international belly capacity. African airlines saw a more modest 1.7% rise in cargo demand, though capacity surged by 13.9% year-on-year.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimates that reaching net-zero CO2 emissions for air travel by 2050 will require an additional USD 4.7 trillion in transition costs from 2024-2050. These annual costs are expected to increase from USD 1 billion in 2025 to a staggering USD 744 billion by 2050, comparable to the USD 3.8 trillion airlines spent on fuel over the last 27 years.
Morocco’s aviation industry aims to double its workforce to 40,000 direct jobs by 2030. With 147 aviation companies, an annual turnover of 22 billion dirhams, and a 40% local integration rate, the sector employed 21,000 workers in 2024. Between January and May, aerospace revenues reached 10.68 billion dirhams (USD 1 billion), up 17.6% from the same period in 2023, driven by increased sales in assembly.
In Nigeria, economic challenges have led to a steep decline in passenger traffic at Lagos’s Murtala Mohammed International Airport and Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. High foreign currency rates, especially for the U.S. dollar, have made international travel prohibitively expensive. In 2023, 2.04 million Nigerians traveled abroad, but by Q3 of 2024, that figure had dropped to just 816,000—a 60% decline. Ticket prices reflect this impact; an economy flight to the U.S., previously priced at N350,000, now costs between N2.7 million and N3 million, a 57% increase.
Air Service Agreements (ASA’s) and Airlines Agreements/Partnerships.
Serbia and Uganda have signed a Bilateral Air Service Agreement during the inaugural session of the Joint Commission for Trade and Cooperation. This agreement allows for the launch of nonstop flights between the two nations and enables codeshare operations between Uganda Airlines and Air Serbia. The signing took place in Niš, with Uganda represented by Aggrey Tumusiime, Senior Air Transport Officer, and Serbia by Mirjana Cizmarov, Director General of the Serbian Civil Aviation Directorate.
During the ICAN-2024 event in Kuala Lumpur, Seychelles secured aviation agreements with seven countries—Germany, Eswatini, the United Kingdom, Thailand, Turkey, India, and the UAE—following negotiations with 17 countries.
Brazil’s Embraer has signed a preliminary deal with Morocco to invest in its civilian and defense aerospace sectors, including establishing a maintenance and repair (MRO) plant. This MRO facility will support Embraer’s bid for Morocco’s recent fleet expansion tender, as Royal Air Maroc aims to quadruple its fleet to 200 aircraft within 14 years, enhancing its role as a link between Africa, Europe, and the Americas.
At the Marrakech Air Show 2024, Safran Aircraft Engines signed agreements with Moroccan partners to support its LEAP engine MRO shop, set to open in 2026. In partnership with the Moroccan Aerospace Industries Association (GIMAS), Safran will train 60 to 100 engine mechanics and technicians annually, starting in 2025. Additional agreements focus on establishing the MRO facility in Casablanca’s Midparc Casablanca Free Zone.
Precision Air Tanzania has appointed AirlinePros International as its General Sales Agent (GSA) in South Africa, aiming to boost its visibility and market presence in Southern Africa.
Ethiopian Airlines and National ID Ethiopia Program (NIDP) signed an MoU to integrate their systems, allowing Fayda ID to serve as a travel document for domestic flights. This partnership will introduce biometric processing from booking through boarding, enhancing passenger experience and efficiency.
United Nigeria Airlines and Cronos Aviation have signed an MoU to establish a base maintenance center for Embraer, Boeing, and other jets servicing West and Central Africa.
Routes and Airline Connectivity.
Norwegian long-haul carrier Norse Atlantic Airways (N0) marked its African debut with flight Z0795, a fare-paying service from London Gatwick (LGW) to Cape Town International Airport (CPT) on October 28, 2024. Operated by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, this new route will initially run every two days.
Ethiopian Airlines launched direct flights between Addis Ababa and Dhaka on November 2, 2024, with flight ET678 operated by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Ethiopian becomes the 40th airline to operate in Bangladesh, offering travelers from Dhaka easy access to over 155 destinations worldwide, including major cities in Africa, Europe, and North America. The route will run five times weekly.
Zambia Airways 2014 inaugurated its Lusaka-Nairobi service, with the first flight landing in Nairobi on the morning of October 29, 2024. The airline will operate this route four times a week.
On October 30, 2024, AIR TANZANIA COMPANY LIMITED celebrated a milestone with its first direct flight from Dubai, UAE, to Zanzibar.
Emirates announced a major expansion in Africa, adding flights to Entebbe (Uganda), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), and Johannesburg (South Africa). Emirates, which began its African services with Cairo in 1986, now serves 20 passenger and cargo destinations across the continent.
Etihad Airways revealed plans to launch twice-weekly flights from Abu Dhabi to El Alamein, Egypt, beginning July 2025. Operated with an Airbus A320, the service will offer eight business class and 150 economy seats.
Air Cairo has introduced a new route connecting Cairo, Aswan, and Abu Simbel to boost tourism by linking Egypt’s key historical sites. The inaugural flight recently took off from Cairo International, carrying over 70 international tourists.
Air Arabia has launched a new route connecting Tetouan, Morocco, to Paris, with flights every Sunday and Thursday.
Seychelles’ Transport Minister, Antony Derjacques, announced that India’s IndiGo (InterGlobe Aviation Ltd) will start flights to Seychelles from February 2025.
ASKY AIRLINES, based in Togo and partially owned by Ethiopian Airlines, is restructuring its network to add more nonstop regional routes ahead of its first Boeing 787 deliveries in 2026. Currently serving 29 African destinations with a fleet of 14 B737s, ASKY aims to transition from a point-to-point model to a hub-and-spoke system.
Airline Fleets and ACMI’s.
United Nigeria Airlines has welcomed a 16-year-old Embraer E190, which is set to operate with the airline for the next 12 months. The aircraft, registered as SX-PTM, was supplied under a wet lease from MARATHON AIRLINES S.A. and arrived in Lagos on October 31. Since 2020, United Nigeria has been flying a fleet of four 50-seat ERJ 145s and plans to add five more E190s by the second quarter of 2025.
Libya’s FLY OYA has added a Boeing 777 to its fleet. Originally focused on charters since its 2020 launch, the airline has now expanded into scheduled services.
Kenyan freight and charter carrier SAFE AIR Company has grown its fleet with the addition of a Boeing 727-200.
Aviation Infrastructure, Financing & Profitability.
The Tanzanian government is investing TSH100 billion in upgrading Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA), initially opened in 1972, to bring it up to international standards. Of this, TSH78 billion will go toward resurfacing the 3.6-kilometer runway and installing modern airfield lighting for night operations. An additional TSH16 billion is allocated for building a VIP lounge with a capacity of 80 people, including Heads of State. The Tanzania Airports Authority (TAA) will also construct a new administration block, valued at TSH4 billion, to improve operational efficiency. KIA currently handles around 1,050 international and 600 domestic passengers daily, with 13 scheduled flights. Financially, it exceeded its revenue target for the 2023/2024 fiscal year, generating TSH34 billion compared to the projected TSH32 billion.
Tripoli International Airport in Libya is set to resume partial operations after a successful test flight by a ??????? ??????? – Libyan Express Beech 200 King Air aircraft on the secondary runway. A new navigation control tower has been installed, and security measures are in place to ensure safety. The airport will help offload some of the traffic from Mitiga International Airport.
The TANZANIA CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY(TCAA) is seeking government funding to strengthen the civil aviation training fund, aimed at supporting science students with an interest in aviation who face financial barriers.
Flymodernark (FMA), which assisted in restructuring Mozambique’s LAM – MOZAMBIQUE AIRLINES, reports that the national airline urgently needs at least USD 10 million to stay operational. LAM’s fleet has dwindled from ten aircraft two years ago to just three today, and it is currently suspended from the IATA Clearing House for failing to meet financial obligations.
Zimbabwe’s Cabinet has approved the Air Service Development Plan, aimed at enhancing the country’s appeal as a prime destination and boosting tourist arrivals by improving flight connectivity within Africa and beyond.
Aviation Accidents/Incidents
In a tragic incident last week, a Mi-24 helicopter belonging to the Democratic Republic of Congo’s armed forces crashed on the runway at Ndolo Airport in Kinshasa on October 30, 2024, under unknown circumstances. All three onboard—the pilot, co-pilot, and technician—lost their lives. The pilot died on impact, while the other two succumbed to their injuries shortly afterward.
In Sudan, an Antonov An-2 operated by Crop Protection Sudan crashed during an agricultural spraying mission. The aircraft, carrying three uninjured crew members, struck a tuk-tuk carrying 15 people on the ground, resulting in four fatalities and injuring eight others. The An-2 sustained serious damage to its right wing and propeller.
In South Africa, a Jabiru J170 light aircraft crashed in the mining area near Cullinan, killing both of its occupants.
EGYPTAIR, Egypt’s national carrier, announced on Wednesday that it has finally received the official report on the MS804 disaster from the Central Administration for Aviation Accidents under Egypt’s Ministry of Civil Aviation, eight years after the tragic crash. On May 19, 2016, EgyptAir flight MS804 vanished from radar as it entered Egyptian airspace, en route from Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris to Cairo. The disaster claimed all 66 lives onboard and remains one of the most tragic and mysterious aviation incidents in recent history.
In other news:
The Kenyan government has announced new visa extension fees, affecting foreign nationals, including South Sudanese students and their families. Foreigners wishing to extend their stay in Kenya for six months must now pay up to $201. Those renewing travel documents or extending their stay as passport holders are also subject to a $51 fee. Overstaying for six months incurs a steep penalty of $601.
On October 2, 2024, Kenya’s president introduced the country’s Digital Nomad Work Permit, aimed at attracting global remote professionals. This visa allows digital nomads to live and work in Kenya while enjoying its natural beauty and lifestyle. Applicants must have a minimum annual income of $53,922, though the exact launch date of the visa remains unclear.
Ethiopian Airlines was named ‘Best Overall in Africa’ at the 2025 APEX Passenger Choice Awards held on October 28, 2024, in Long Beach, California. The airline was also recognized for excellence in several categories, including ‘Best Cabin Service,’ ‘Best Entertainment,’ ‘Best Food and Beverage,’ ‘Best Seat Comfort,’ and ‘Best Wi-Fi’ in Africa.
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