DoT reneges on UAE airline deal

SHORTLY after Emirates
launched its fourth
daily JohannesburgDubai
flight, the South African
Department of Transport has
moved to block the additional
flight, calling for a review of the
bilateral agreement between
SA and the UAE.
The DoT was quoted in
Business Day (Wednesday,
October 29), saying that
the decision was not for
the benefit of SAA but all
airlines. It said although the
department was not unduly
concerned by Emirates’
encroachment on the market,
it remained its duty to ensure
the protection of the aviation
industry. “The protectionist
approach is being practised
everywhere in the world and
it should not be viewed as
protecting one airline, but is
for the benefit of the general
populace of SA,” spokesman
Tiyani Rhikhotso said.
Department deputy directorgeneral
of aviation, Zakhele
Thwala, told TNW he had had
a meeting with Emirates in
December last year at the
ICAN conference in Durban.
During this meeting, Zakhele
said he had expressed his
wish to review the bilateral
agreement, which was signed
in 2007, that allowed Emirates
to operate a fourth daily flight.
When Emirates announced
its intention earlier this year to
still go ahead with the fourth
frequency, Zakhele informed
the airline he would oppose
the frequency. However,
Emirates approached the
court and won an urgent
interdict permitting it to
proceed.
But the interdict was not
final, Zakhele said. He added
that the DoT could still
approach the court to review
the matter and set aside
the current decision. “In the
bilateral agreement there
are provisions for a dispute
resolution mechanism if the
two countries do not agree,”
he said, adding that the
matter was now in the hands
of the ministers of South
Africa and the UAE.
According to the same
Business Day article, the
dispute has led to diplomatic
fall-out between the UAE
and SA, with the UAE having
written to Transport Minister,
Dipuo Peters, asking for an
explanation. “Discussions are
taking place between SA and
the UAE. We are confident that
we will soon find each other
on the matter in the dispute,”
Tiyani said.
Airlines around the world
have also expressed their
concern that the Middle
Eastern carriers have started
creating an un-level playing
field. Lufthansa recently
mentioned in its policy brief
that in international aviation,
airlines put their faith in the
principle of mutual benefit
laid down in the bilateral
agreements but that this
balance hasn’t existed for a
long time when it comes the
Middle Eastern carriers.
The brief outlines: “Today,
Emirates, Etihad and Qatar
have created gigantic growth,
which is not based on natural
demand but rather is aimed
at weakening EU hubs and
diverting travellers through
their own hubs.”