AFRICAN countries’
refusal to grant fifth
freedom rights to carriers
from other African countries
remains one of the most
contentious issues bedevilling
the implementation of the
African Union’s Single African
Air Transport Market (SAATM),
says Chris Zweigenthal, ceo
of the Airlines Association of
Southern Africa (AASA).
In SAATM, signatory states
agree to allow African airlines
fifth freedom rights, allowing
them to carry revenue traffic
from their own country to a
second country and onwards
to a third country, thereby
opening up regional markets
for economic growth.
Chris said policy issues
around fifth freedom rights
needed to be resolved.
“There cannot be any
exceptions to the rule.
Everybody must get the same
reciprocal benefit from fifth
freedom rights.”
Since the launch of SAATM
in January 2018, 28 African
states (including South Africa)
have committed to it, but many
have been slow to implement
it. “Only 14 have actually
signed a memorandum to
unconditionally open up their
markets, said Raphael Kuuchi,
Iata’s Special Envoy on Aeropolitical Affairs.
Raphael said the issue
of a dispute settlement
mechanism also remained
unresolved. He said only 10%
of Africa’s population currently
travelled by air, because of
the high cost of air travel
and limited access to air
connectivity, all issues
that SAATM was intended
to unlock. He said Iata was
working with the AU on an
economic impact study to
clearly spell out to African
governments the benefits
of liberated air transport.
“I would like those who
have signed up to start
implementing SAATM, because
if we delay this process any
longer we will see African
aviation experience a further
dip in passenger numbers.”
Gaoussou Konate,
consulting director Technical
& Operations of the African
Airlines Association (AFRAA),
said the implementation
of SAATM faced four
challenges: high airfares;
high airline operating costs;
unsustainability of airlines;
and a lack of trade among
African countries. “Our fares
are double or triple compared
with the rest of the world.
Middle-class African citizens
can only afford 1,1 air trips
per year, compared with the
middle class in Latin America’s
5,4 trips, Asia Pacific’s six
trips, the Middle East’s 11
trips, Europe’s 26,4 trips and
the North American middle
class’s 33 trips per year.” He
said a decline in fares was
noticeable on African routes
where fifth freedom rights had
been introduced, e.g. between
Abidjan and Dakar.
Former Ethiopian Airlines
ceo, Girma Wake, challenged
AFRAA and regional
communities: “Why do you
allow your members and
civil aviation authorities to
continue to protect their
markets to the disadvantage
of millions of people who are
currently denied intra-Africa
travel? We should all work
together to bring about full
implementation of SAATM.”
