12 °c
London
Monday, May 23, 2022
No Result
View All Result
FurtherAfrica
  • Countries
    • Angola
    • Botswana
    • Cape Verde
    • DRC
    • Eswatini
    • Ethiopia
    • Kenya
    • Malawi
    • Mauritius
    • Mozambique
    • Namibia
    • Nigeria
    • Rwanda
    • South Africa
    • Tanzania
    • Uganda
    • Zambia
    • Zimbabwe
  • Interviews
  • Understanding
  • Videos
  • Travel
  • Weekend
  • About
FurtherAfrica
  • Countries
    • Angola
    • Botswana
    • Cape Verde
    • DRC
    • Eswatini
    • Ethiopia
    • Kenya
    • Malawi
    • Mauritius
    • Mozambique
    • Namibia
    • Nigeria
    • Rwanda
    • South Africa
    • Tanzania
    • Uganda
    • Zambia
    • Zimbabwe
  • Interviews
  • Understanding
  • Videos
  • Travel
  • Weekend
  • About
No Result
View All Result
FurtherAfrica
No Result
View All Result
Home Africa

African aviation recovering despite coronavirus’ second wave

Staff by Staff
January 29, 2021
in Africa, Aviation, Coronavirus, Economy, Tourism, Travel
Reading Time: 2 mins read
777 58
0
Share via QRWhatsappShare on FacebookShare on TwitterLinkedInPinteresteMail

Air traffic on the continent is recovering faster than other regions around the world despite a devastating second wave, according to the African Airlines Association (AFRAA).

While a sharp increase in Covid-19 cases in several more developed markets has sparked a return to lockdowns, most African countries have kept their borders open, even as the continent suffers from a second wave and a death rate above the global average.

South Africa returned to stricter lockdowns after being hit by a more transmissible strain of the virus which has spread to at least three other African nations.

Despite mounting concern over the severity of the second wave, travel within the region has continued at a reduced rate.

“The demand remains high and we have seen that intra-Africa traffic is starting to recover at an even quicker rate than other regions in the world,” says Abderahmane Berthé, AFRAA secretary general.

Domestic markets have been at the forefront of this recovery as local flights take up an increasing share of overall air travel.

From January to November, domestic travel in Africa accounted for 43.7% of total capacity and 52.8% of total traffic, says Berthé.

Also read: South African Airways administrators get US$85M from government

Europe’s aviation industry is feeling the burden of the coronavirus crisis more severely than other region, with seat capacity down by 55% this year, a rate that is worse than in any other region.

While large festive celebrations were impossible for many European and North American families over Christmas, Africans continued to travel within the region during the same period.

However, international flights remain far below pre-pandemic levels, while at the same time showing a slight recovery.

In January, AFRAA recorded that African airlines had resumed 68.4% of international routes, while passenger numbers were around 50% less than before 2020.

In just one example of reduced routes, Kenya Airways (KQ) announced last week that it would temporarily suspend flights to Amsterdam and France due to “depressed demand”.

Despite a faster pace of recovery, industry losses have mounted to US$10.4B in January, according to AFRAA.

“Most African airlines were losing money even before the pandemic,” says Berthé.

“Most of them risk going bankrupt if adequate support is not given as soon as possible.”

The African Union had proposed US$25B to bailout struggling African carriers last year.

Berthé says that this money has been “very slow” to materialise though he hopes it will be secured during the first quarter of this year.

Also read: Ethiopian Airlines prepares for the logistical challenge of Covid-19 vaccine distribution

Dampening the sector’s outlook further, western countries have slapped travel restrictions on passengers coming through or from African countries.

On Tuesday, the White House imposed a new travel ban on South Africa over its virus variant.

Earlier in January, the UK banned passengers coming from or via any southern African country in the last 10 days, including Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Eswatini, Zambia, Malawi, Lesotho, Mozambique and Angola – as well as Seychelles and Mauritius.

With the continent’s inadequate healthcare infrastructure unable to support a comprehensive vaccine rollout, Africa’s aviation recovery will likely be short-lived if cases rise rapidly and South Africa’s virus variant becomes more widespread.

Source: African Business

Related

Tags: AfraaafricaAfrican airlinesAfrican Airlines AssociationAfrican aviation recovering despite coronavirus' second waveairlinesAviationафрикаأفريقياアフリカ非洲
ScanSendShare334Tweet209Share58Pin75Send
Staff

Staff

Related Posts

Environment

Rich nations offer debt guarantees on South African climate deal

by FurtherAfrica
May 23, 2022
Ethiopia energy access
Trade

South Sudan and Ethiopia sign 100MW electricity trade agreement

by Energy Capital & Power
May 23, 2022
Venture Capital

South African TooMuchWifi raised US$1M pre-series A funding

by TechGist Africa
May 23, 2022
Development

EU provides €3M+ for urban development in Mozambique

by Club of Mozambique
May 23, 2022
South African stocks hit near 7-month highs
Banking

South Africa Investec nearly doubles annual profit

by FurtherAfrica
May 23, 2022
Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park
 
AFSIC 2022
 
MozParks

Translate this page

Read the Latest

Environment

Rich nations offer debt guarantees on South African climate deal

by FurtherAfrica
May 23, 2022
0

A group of the world’s richest nations offered South Africa debt guarantees as part of a proposed $8.5 billion deal...

Read more
Ethiopia energy access

South Sudan and Ethiopia sign 100MW electricity trade agreement

May 23, 2022

South African TooMuchWifi raised US$1M pre-series A funding

May 23, 2022

EU provides €3M+ for urban development in Mozambique

May 23, 2022
South African stocks hit near 7-month highs

South Africa Investec nearly doubles annual profit

May 23, 2022

FurtherAfrica Partners

The Exchange Club of Mozambique Taarifa Rwanda
TechGist Africa Africa Oil & Power Farmers Review Africa
Tanzania Invest Zambia Invest See Africa Today
Africa Global Funds Novafrica CrudeMix Africa
Harambee Africa Botswana unplugged Financial Insights Zambia
Digilogic Africa

Subscribe to FurtherAfrica

Enter your email address to receive new articles on your email.

Join 73,051 other subscribers.

FurtherAfrica

© 2021 FurtherMarkets

FurtherAfrica is a FurtherMarkets Limited platform

  • Countries
  • Interviews
  • Understanding
  • Videos
  • Travel
  • Weekend
  • About

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Countries
    • Angola
    • Botswana
    • Cape Verde
    • DRC
    • Eswatini
    • Ethiopia
    • Kenya
    • Malawi
    • Mauritius
    • Mozambique
    • Namibia
    • Nigeria
    • Rwanda
    • South Africa
    • Tanzania
    • Uganda
    • Zambia
    • Zimbabwe
  • Interviews
  • Understanding
  • Videos
  • Travel
  • Weekend
  • About

© 2021 FurtherMarkets

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?