Introduction.
At the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) Annual General Meeting in Angola, IATA, Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA), and AFRAA resolved to form a unified task force to address Africa’s escalating aviation taxes and safety challenges, with IATA noting that airline taxes and charges across the continent are already 15% higher than the global average. IATA highlighted the severe financial strain on African carriers, which earn only USD 1.2 profit per seat, compared to the global average of USD 7.7 per seat, undermining competitiveness and growth. A major concern is the rapid rise of new levies, including Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS) taxes: Nigeria, for example, initially proposed a USD 50 per passenger fee, which IATA negotiated down to USD 11.5, effective 1 December. Safety performance remains another critical issue, with Africa recording 10.59 accidents per one million flights, nearly ten times higher than the global rate of 1.13 accidents per million flights, according to IATA’s 2024 Safety Report. Additional industry worries include ground-handling monopolies that limit airline bargaining power.
Conferences, Events and Exhibitions.
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