The Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA) has elected new leadership for the next 12 months, with Miguel Carneiro, CEO of TAAG Angola Airlines, appointed Chairperson and Bao Mosinyi, GM of Air Botswana, appointed Deputy Chairperson.
“Carneiro and Mosinyi will provide guidance and support in our ongoing engagements with governments, aviation regulators, airport operators and other relevant players. Our goal is that policy, regulations, services and infrastructure support and promote competitive, financially viable and environmentally sustainable air transport with comprehensive intra-African connectivity,” said AASA CEO, Aaron Munetsi.
The announcement was made at AASA’s 56th Annual General Meeting in Mauritius.
During the meeting Munetsi said it was important for Africa to move from ambition and talk to execution. He identified five priorities for governments, regulators and industry stakeholders to support sustainable growth in air transport:
- Prioritise safety: Invest in resources, effective oversight and training, with zero tolerance for shortcuts.
- Contain aviation costs: Reduce aviation-related taxes, fees and charges and avoid introducing new ones.
- Improve infrastructure: Modernise and maintain airports and other aviation infrastructure, while applying affordable user charges.
- Open market access: Remove anti-competitive and protectionist restrictions and implement the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), moving beyond declarations to practical liberalisation.
- Harmonise regulation: Standardise regulations, recognise licences and align procedures across borders.
“We need to design aviation around reasonably priced flights that depart and arrive on time, with convenient business-oriented schedules, that can be purchased using frictionless digital payments compatible with mobile money, offering products suited to traders and tourists, using efficient airports and border processes,” said Munetsi.
