African Aviation Trails

This edition features Morocco's continued tourism boom driven by expanded air connectivity, Egypt's investment in Alamein International Airport to support its growing tourism ambitions, leadership changes at Air Sarada and the upcoming CEO succession at Ethiopian Airlines, as well as major international recognitions for EgyptAir Maintenance & Engineering and Ethiopian Cargo. The report also covers significant legal and policy developments, including aviation-related litigation, aircraft leasing disputes, and diplomatic and immigration issues with implications for regional air transport. Together, these stories reflect Africa's continued progress in strengthening aviation infrastructure, enhancing operational excellence, expanding global competitiveness, and supporting tourism-led economic growth while navigating evolving regulatory and geopolitical challenges.

This edition covers several aircraft incidents under investigation, including a fatal training flight crash in South Africa, landing incidents involving aircraft in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the reported destruction of a military unmanned aerial vehicle during ongoing conflict in Sudan. It also revisits one of aviation's most significant historical events following the release of newly declassified documents on the 1976 Entebbe hostage rescue operation, offering fresh insights into the strategic planning behind the landmark mission ahead of its 50th anniversary. Together, these developments underscore the continued importance of aviation safety, accident investigation, operational resilience, conflict-related aviation risks, and the enduring influence of historic events on modern aviation security and crisis management.

This edition features Kenya's proposed liberalisation of international air access to boost tourism, Nigeria's continued expansion of its airline sector through the certification of new carriers and renewed focus on private-sector-led aviation development, AirMuj's strategy to establish a pan-African cargo network following its Gabon AOC, and Uganda's planned separation of aviation regulatory and airport management functions to align with international best practices. The report also examines major cargo and logistics initiatives, fleet and network expansion plans, and government policies designed to improve aviation competitiveness, enhance trade facilitation, attract investment, and accelerate the sustainable growth of Africa's air transport industry.

Tanzania has upgraded Kilimanjaro Airport’s maintenance facilities to support Air Tanzania and reduce reliance on foreign MRO services. Uganda’s Kabalega (Hoima) Airport is near completion ahead of AFCON 2027, while AfDB has approved $170 million to upgrade Arua Airport into an international-standard facility. Kenya has secured financing partners for a $1.2 billion expansion of JKIA to boost capacity from 7.5 to 22 million passengers. Nigeria plans to link Lagos airports to the rail network to improve access and is also upgrading terminal infrastructure to handle rising traffic.

Airlines across AFRICA, EUROPE, and beyond have announced major network expansions and strategic changes, highlighting continued aviation growth and shifting global connectivity. Key developments include new routes such as Royal Air’s TANZANIA–COMOROS service, Air Transat’s first Canada–West AFRICA nonstop to Dakar, and Air Algérie’s expanded intra-AFRICAN and planned ASIA routes. Gulf and AFRICA connectivity also strengthened with flydubai launching Benghazi flights, Gulf Air serving El Alamein, and Emirates increasing frequencies to NAIROBI and ACCRA. Air Peace secured approval for NIGERIA–BRAZIL operations, while EgyptAir, Air Cairo, and others expanded routes across EUROPE, the MEDITERRANEAN, and AFRICA. Meanwhile, Transavia, Jet2, and TUI are boosting leisure traffic to CAPE VERDE, TUNISIA, and ZANZIBAR, alongside strategic shifts such as Air France’s exit from MALI.

The AFRICAN aviation sector recently marked key milestones: TOGO hosted the AFCAC EXPO 2026 to accelerate SAATM, while an Embraer report identified 45 untapped intra-continental routes to boost AFRICA’S 2.1% share of global air traffic. Major leadership shifts saw Captain Ahmed Shanan named CEO of Red Sea Airlines, Captain Folayele Akinkuotu appointed Chairman of NIGERIA’S Falcon Aerospace, and the industry mourn the passing of former Ethiopian Airlines CEO Captain Zeleke Demissie. Additionally, EgyptAir’s training academy gained EASA Airbus A350 certification, Dr. Alaa Ashour earned a Royal Aeronautical Society Fellowship, and United Nigeria Airlines joined the Amadeus GDS. Finally, SOMALIA and TANZANIA signed a vital visa-easing pact—amid new UNITED STATES visa curbs on some Ethiopians—while TAAG Angola Airlines and Airlink joined IATA CO2 Connect for precise emissions reporting.

An EgyptAir Boeing 787-9 safely diverted to Bamako after a birdstrike over Burkina Faso during a Hajj charter flight from Jeddah, with no injuries reported. In the DRC, a Busy Bee Congo Fokker 50 suffered an engine failure during landing, while a separate Su-25 military aircraft crashed near Kindu under unclear circumstances. At London Gatwick, authorities are investigating the death of a suspected stowaway found in an Air Arabia aircraft landing gear. In Niger, an attack on Niamey airport killed at least 35 people, including soldiers and attackers, amid ongoing Sahel insecurity. Meanwhile, Malawi’s parliamentary probe into the 2024 military aircraft crash has raised concerns over missing evidence and procedural lapses in earlier investigations.

TAAG Angola Airlines has secured EASA approval to operate its Boeing 787-9 into EUROPE, supporting its long-haul expansion across key markets including BRAZIL and CHINA. Air Peace has received approval from BRAZIL to launch scheduled services, advancing plans for direct Nigeria–Brazil connectivity. ESWATINI has introduced new ICAO-aligned aviation training regulations, while Uganda is reviewing multiple new airline licence applications amid rising demand. Canada’s AJW Technique has also obtained AMO certification in SOUTH AFRICA, strengthening its regional MRO footprint.

African aviation saw multiple fleet expansions and strategic deals, including Lift adding an A320, United Nigeria Airlines expanding with ERJ-190s and 737-800s, and Zebu Air introducing a 737 freighter. Renegade Air and Flightlink boosted regional capacity with Dash 8 aircraft, while Nile Air and Air Tanzania expanded narrowbody fleets. Uganda Airlines announced a major Boeing order, Ethiopian Airlines added a Twin Otter for remote operations, BUA Group received Africa’s first Global 8000 business jet, and Angola became the first African customer for the L-39NG trainer.