New regs another blow to ailing African aviation

THE fortunes of tourism
and aviation are
intimately linked, and
the survival of the southern
African airline industry
is as threatened by the
Department of Home Affairs’
new immigration regulations
as is the tourism industry.
Chris Zweigenthal,
ceo of the Airlines
Association of Southern
Africa, told delegates at
the association’s annual
conference, held at Fancourt
in George from October 8-10,
that the aviation industry in
the region was in crisis.
Africa accounts for only
3% of global passenger
traffic despite having 15%
of the world’s population
and 20% of the land mass.
Thirty years ago only 40%
of traffic in and out of Africa
was carried by foreign
airlines but this has swelled
to the current 82%, and
the situation is expected
to deteriorate further.
Airline performance on the
continent has stagnated, and
this has locked the African
industry in a profitability
band of around US$100m
(R1,3bn) per year.
Against this background of
stagnation, the local aviation
environment over the past
year has been characterised
by unprecedented levels
of tension, frustration
and animosity emanating
from South Africa’s new
immigration regulations,
which have led to a rift
between the ‘fors’ (Home
Affairs and security
groupings) and the ‘againsts’
(travel, tourism and aviation),
with both sides blaming
each other for the negative
consequences of the
regulations.
The result of the conflict
is that SA and its SADC
partners are suffering
through loss of tourism
and business. “We argue
over statistics, dispute
the numbers and the
interpretation thereof – we
will continue in a downward
spiral unless we are all able
to put our differences aside
and talk sense to each
other,” Chris said.
“There has never been a
more timeous opportunity
for improvement in our
industry. But this window of
opportunity will inevitably
close, so urgency is required
by the aviation industry,
its partners, stakeholders,
government, public and
private to resolve inherent
problems and set the stage
for unprecedented growth.
We need to maximise the
opportunity.”