African Airlines Association (AFRAA) all out for inter African Connectivity, decry high taxes

AFRAA Secretary General Mr Abderahman Berthe [photo courtesy]

African Airlines association (AFRAA) Secretary General Mr. Abdérahmane Berthé has said an interconnected Africa would boost intra-African connectivity, trade and tourism, creating economies of scale that would benefit the industry and allow African carriers to dominate African skies.

Speaking in Angola’s capital, Luanda during a meeting with TAAG Angola Airlines Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr Rui Curreira recently, Mr Berthé rued the negative effect of excessive taxes, charges, surcharges and fees on the sustainability of African airlines, an inhibitive phenomenon that he said AFRAA was striving to address.

He regretted that high taxes and charges made African airlines less competitive as the levies had a significant impact on the financial performance of airlines operating in a high cost environment.

It was noted during the meeting that fuel alone accounted for 30-40% of airlines’ operating costs in Africa, a problem exasperated by numerous instances of opacity on fuel pricing whereby some countries levied taxes on fuel contrary to the Chicago Convention.

Mr Berthé highlighted AFRAA’s actions on the improvement of the current international policy and regulatory framework specific to charges, adding that International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) principles regarding user charges and the foundation set in the Chicago Convention should be strictly adhered to by relevant authorities.

The Secretary General said AFRAA would vigorously implement its Action Plan that would transform the industry as well as help fire positive economic progress across the continent.

AFRAA Secretary Geberal Mr. Abdérahmane Berthé (left) with TAAG Angola Airlines Secretary General Rui Curreira in Luanda [photo courtesy]

He said the association would further support its members through the AFRAA Consultancy Unit to be launched by the end of 2019. “The main objectives of the Consultancy Unit will be to provide utility-oriented studies to airlines and stakeholders, undertake methodological macro-econometric modelling and forecasting of the aviation industry with a view to providing value added, client-centered products and services,” said Mr Berthé.

He said .AFRAA as a member of the Monitoring Body of the Yamoussoukro Decision (YD) of 1999 on open skies would be at the forefront of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) implementation and would facilitate the incorporation of the views and concerns of its members to its successful implementation.

The meeting also discussed the needs of African airlines towards a safe, efficient, sustainable and profitable airline business. It was noted that AFRAA was addressing fuel purchase, distribution, training, route network coordination, maintenance and pooling of resources through its joint projects.

The issue of airline funds blocked by some countries also featured prominently with the meeting commending countries such as Angola that had cleared their backlog.