AFRAA’s worthy objectives

Thirty years after its formation the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) is still determinedly championing the interests of African airlines. While successive AFRAA airline Chief Executives have come and gone, many of the problems facing the continent’s carriers have doggedly remained, with several new challenges emerging.

The performance of many African airlines today is still hampered by weak economies, small traffic bases, lack of funds, strong foreign competition, national conflicts and sometimes, overbearing Government control. In addition, African carriers are now coming to grips with this daunting new era of air transport liberalisation, globalisation, commercialisation and privatisation, etc. 

But it is too easy to focus on the problems facing African airlines and overlook the achievements of those carriers which are modernising their fleets, restructuring their businesses to become more competitive, and which are providing levels of services comparable to, or exceeding, many airlines outside Africa. AFRAA’s tireless efforts to promote airline co-operation in Africa have yielded some positive results, although much still remains to be achieved in the years ahead. To succeed it will need the full support of all its members. We hope the African Airlines Association succeeds in achieving its worthy objectives.