AviaDev Insight Africa

What could it take to strengthen air links between Africa and Washington, D.C.? Host, Jon Howell, CEO and Founder of AviaDev Africa speaks with Ariana McKnire, Director Airline Business Development at the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, about airline partnerships, demand for new routes, incentives, tourism and cargo and the opportunities they see ahead.  Chapters: 00:00 - Welcome and introduction 01:33 — MWAA and Ariana's first AviaDev experience in Botswana 02:50 — Washington, D.C.'s case for African air service 05:00 — Building airline relationships amid market challenges 08:03 — West African demand and unserved markets 10:16 — Route priorities: Nairobi and Johannesburg 12:30 — Air service incentives and sustainable routes 16:33 — Tourism partnerships to grow travel demand 21:21 — Balancing passenger and cargo demand 22:30 — Building Dulles into a global cargo hub 24:14 — Washington's plans for AviaDev 2027 25:08 — Outlook for new routes and airport partnerships 27:24 — Closing thoughts Connect with Ariana: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arianamcknire/ Listen to our previous interview (episode 380) https://aviadevinsight.libsyn.com/389-washington-dulles-international-airport-the-natural-gateway-between-africa-and-the-united-states #Africa #AviaDev #Aviation #RouteDevelopment

The latest updates impacting sub-Saharan African aviation. Join host, Jon Howell, CEO and Founder of AviaDev Africa, alongside aviation consultants Sean Mendis and Behramjee Ghadially as they round up the latest African aviation news, including airline funding and fleet plans, new routes, partnerships, and network changes across the continent. Chapters 00:00 - Welcome to the November update 03:15 - Kenya Airways funding, fleet recovery and route strategy 09:27 - South African Airways: financing, leadership and network outlook 17:47 - FlySafair acquisition approval 26:26 - Airlink's Lanseria expansion and route changes 34:08 - Canada–Côte d'Ivoire air agreement and Air Côte d'Ivoire–Air France codeshare 42:26 - Air Congo's wet-leased 787 from MIAT (featuring a fun musical interlude) and the impact of Ebola-related travel restrictions 52:38 - Enugu Air's to launch Lagos–London service 1:01:02 - Qatar Airways increases Kinshasa - Luanda 1:05:20 - Ethiopian Airlines' African network updates 1:11:21 - Solenta Mozambique launch Maputo to Vilanculos 1:14:00 - Air Zimbabwe's 2024 results 1:17:17 - Proflight Zambia network updates. Windhoek nonstop and more frequencies 1:19:10 - Uganda Airlines route updates. Launched Accra and opening Kigali on 18th November 1:23:34 - Ghana's proposed national airline and Canada route 1:26:39 - Lufthansa Group's Africa expansion 1:33:15 - Hainan's proposed Dar es Salaam flights 1:38:57 - AviaDev awards, next-year plans and closing Sign up to the mailing list https://www.aviadev.com/keep-me-updated #AfricanAviation #AviationNews #AirlineRoutes #AirlineIndustry #AviaDev #Airlink #EthiopianAirlines #AfricanAirlines

Quantifying the Value of Air Connectivity for destinations. How can destinations make a stronger case for new air routes - and protect the ones they already have?  In this episode, host Jon Howell speaks with economist and tourism development advisor Martin Jansen van Vuuren about an independent impact report designed to quantify the value of air connectivity for destinations and stakeholders. They explore why route development is a shared effort among airports, tourism boards, governments, and airlines; how independent data can help align stakeholders; and how to measure routes' economic impact through visitor numbers, visitor spend, jobs, GDP, and government revenue. Chapters: 00:00 Why this route development report exists 03:21 Africa's connectivity gap—and why it matters now 07:41 How bias can shape in-house route cases 11:51 What an economic impact report measures 15:43 Making the case for existing routes 21:27 Cape Town case study: business links and route potential 26:41 Who can commission a report 29:08 Data requirements and typical turnaround 31:58 Transparent methods for comparing routes 34:16 Final thoughts on protecting and growing air connectivity Find out more about the report:  CONNECT WITH MARTIN: [email protected] or on Linkedin:  #Africa #AviaDev #Aviation #RouteDevelopment

The latest updates impacting sub-Saharan African aviation. This episode covers a packed set of route launches, fleet moves, and network restructurings across sub-Saharan Africa and beyond. Host Jon Howell is joined by Aviation Consultants, Behramjee Ghadially and Sean Mendis to unpack several major airline stories, led by Kenya Airways' operational reset, Jambojet's Entebbe launch, and British Airways' return to Tanzania. Chapters: 00:00 – Welcome to the AviaDev Connectivity Update 04:35 - Kenya Airways leadership change and restructuring 09:28 - Kenya Airways fleet grounding and reliability challenges. Time to fix the fundamentals? 19:25 - Jambojet launches Entebbe. Can it stimulate a new market? 22:29 - Tanzania taxes and insurance costs impacting connectivity 30:16 - British Airways returns to Tanzania in Summer 2027 with Gatwick-Kilimanjaro-Zanzibar route 40:14 - Qatar Airways to Zanzibar, and the link to RwandAir's A330 plans 51:37 - IndiGo's Africa expansion to Dar es Salaam. A no brainer? 58:29 - Air Tanzania's Moscow service reversal 01:00:32 - Ethiopian Airlines' Durban relaunch and fleet updates 01:17:18 - ASKY's Central and West African network changes and big fleet plans 01:25:22 - Nigeria's domestic flight delays 01:31:55 - Airlink's new routes to Mauritius and Zanzibar and continued fleet growth 01:38:17 - Fastjet Zimbabwe extends its A320 lease 01:40:40 - FlySafair expands into Lusaka from February 2027 01:46:13 - Turkish Airlines suspends African routes. Will they come back? 01:52:10 - Malawi Airlines updates 01:55:14 - Africa World Airlines receives its first E190 01:56:09 – Proflight Zambia's Jetstream arrivals and fleet update 01:58:23 - Air Zimbabwe's Gatwick schedule and 737-200 Sign up to the mailing list https://www.aviadev.com/keep-me-updated #AviaDev #AfricanAviation #AirlineNews #AviationNews #Connectivity #Airlink #KenyaAirways #EthiopianAirlines #Jambojet #britishairways #FlySafair #AirPeace #RwandaAir #qatarairways

Previewing the African Airlines Association 58th AGA with Secretary General, Abderahmane Berthe Ahead of the Annual General Assembly in Libreville, Gabon, Jon Howell caught up with the SG and together they cover the pressure points shaping African aviation right now, from fuel shocks and airspace disruption to taxes, blocked funds, financing, fleet development, and market liberalization. Chapters: 01:24 - How the Middle East crisis and fuel shock has impacted African airlines 06:24 - Why fleet development and financing are now a priority for Africa's airlines 08:45 - De-risking aircraft finance through Cape Town Convention adoption and governance 10:42 - Pooling aircraft, spare parts, and engines through collaboration 13:09 - Why ECOWAS tax cuts are still not being implemented 16:24 - Blocked funds and why repatriation is critical for growth 18:18 - From SAATM declarations to real compliance and implementation 21:29 - Visa openness, trade, tourism, and the wider growth equation 23:33 - Fifth freedom rights and the role of non-African airlines 29:11 - What AFRAA wants delegates to take away from Libreville 31:33 - Why in-person aviation events still matter Find out more about the AGA https://web.cvent.com/event/89c46023-862b-4f87-b965-21844dfd32c6/websitePage:cffc9bdf-e8b7-471d-9333-36d6da24d0ab  #AFRAA #AfricanAviation #Aviation #AirlineIndustry #Africa #Gabon #AviaDev #Nairobi #libreville #flygabon Sign up to the AviaDev mailing list https://www.aviadev.com/keep-me-updated

Jambojet CEO and MD Karanja Ndegwa joins The AviaDev team to discuss the airline's return to regional flying with its Entebbe route, why it suspended flights to Zanzibar, and how it plans to grow its fleet. The conversation also covers Jambojet's relationship with Kenya Airways and the economics shaping airline growth in East Africa.  Chapters 01:04 Jambojet's Entebbe route and return to regional flying 03:28 Domestic recovery and Jambojet's market share growth 04:21 Aircraft shortages and expansion challenges 06:13 Why Jambojet suspended its Zanzibar route 09:06 Tourism fees, taxes, and travel demand 10:52 Jambojet and Kenya Airways: partners or competitors? 12:16 Why the Q400 works for regional routes and short runways 17:00 The Q400 fleet's limits and Jambojet's growth plans 19:17 Fuel costs and Jambojet's profitability 21:09 Fleet expansion plans through 2029 22:20 Aircraft options for Jambojet's future fleet 24:22 Jambojet's financial independence within Kenya Airways 27:22 Karanja's aircraft pick #Jambojet #AfricanAviation #Aviation #Connectivity #AirlineIndustry #Africa #Kenya #AviaDev #Nairobi #Uganda Sign up to the AviaDev mailing list https://www.aviadev.com/keep-me-updated

Kenya's Aviation sector is under pressure. How is the industry adapting to disruption? In this episode, Engineer Liz Aluvanze, CEO of the Kenya Association of Air Operators (KAAO), and Chairperson Mbuvi Ngunze discuss how Kenyan air operators are responding to changes in humanitarian flying, rising aviation taxes, and infrastructure challenges.  The conversation explores how operators are pivoting to new business models, why policy certainty matters for investment, and what needs to change at Wilson Airport and across Kenya's airstrip network.  Chapters:  00:00 — Kenya's Air Operators and the Changing Aviation Landscape  01:50 — How Operators Are Navigating Disruption  05:18 — Growth and Optimism in Kenyan Aviation  07:10 — Aviation Taxes, Spare Parts, and Policy Certainty  12:06 — Kenya's Aviation Infrastructure Challenge  19:18 — How KAO Represents Kenya's Air Operators  23:34 — Building Stronger Industry Connections  #KAAO #AfricanAviation #Aviation #AirlineIndustry #Africa #Kenya #AviaDev #Nairobi Sign up to the AviaDev mailing list https://www.aviadev.com/keep-me-updated

What will it take for Kenya Airways to turn its business around? In this episode, Julius Thairu, Chief Commercial and Customer Officer at Kenya Airways, discusses the airline's priorities: restoring grounded aircraft, improving reliability, rebuilding customer trust, and pursuing profitability. The conversation explores Kenya Airways' growth strategy, Nairobi's role as an African aviation hub, the airline's fleet and cargo ambitions, and how digital transformation and customer data could improve the passenger experience.  Julius also explains why getting the fundamentals right, especially punctuality, route relevance, and disruption recovery, is essential to the airline's next chapter.  Chapters  00:00 — Kenya Airways' turnaround and 50-year legacy  04:32 — Stabilization, strategy, and the grounded fleet  07:48 — Profitability, growth, and Nairobi as a hub  13:02 — Customer experience and the gap between promise and reality 17:49 — Fleet targets and the cargo opportunity  19:41 — Passenger priorities and reliability challenges  24:03 — Network changes and improving operational reliability 28:14 — Disruption recovery and customer accountability  29:04 — Digital transformation and customer data 33:39 — Growth strategy, investment, and profitability  39:15 — Kenya Airways' key markets and future priorities  #KenyaAirways #AfricanAviation #Aviation #CustomerExperience #AirlineIndustry #Africa #Kenya #AviaDev #Nairobi Sign up to the AviaDev mailing list https://www.aviadev.com/keep-me-updated

In this episode, host Jon Howell speaks with Selim Bouri, President, Middle East, Africa and Turkiye, SITA, and Daniel Muchuchuti, ICT Director, Airports Company of Zimbabwe (ACZ). The conversation explores the latest findings from SITA's IT Insights and Baggage reports and how Africa is performing and where there is room for improvement. The conversation then moves to a case study around airport IT Investment, with the Airports Company of Zimbabwe, outlining how a collaborative approach to investment in technology upgrades aims to benefit the passenger and airline customer. Chapters: 00:00 — Why airport IT investment matters for Africa 02:14 — Africa's uneven airport technology investment 04:53 — Passenger processing and border management priorities 07:50 — Why coordination matters more than technology 10:18 — Who must collaborate to modernize African borders 14:54 — The high cost of mishandled baggage 15:57 — How baggage tracking works across the industry 16:26 — Why one mishandled bag costs $260 17:23 — Africa's baggage challenge and connecting flights 18:19 — How automation can reduce baggage mishandling 20:25 — Zimbabwe's airport technology transformation 22:40 — Building a standardized, common-use airport platform 25:59 — Convincing airlines to share the investment 30:08 — The case for integrated, future-proof technology 31:34 — Shared payment and shared responsibility 35:32 — A new investment model for growing African airports 38:32 — Advice for airport technology leaders 40:30 — Why long-term IT investment will shape future growth Resources: SITA's baggage insights: https://www.sita.aero/resources/surveys-reports/sita-baggage-it-insights/ SITA's 2025 Air Transport IT Insights report: https://www.sita.aero/resources/surveys-reports/air-transport-it-insights-2025/airports/ 

Fastjet Zimbabwe Business CEO and Country Head Donahue Cortes joins Host Jon Howell to reflect on more than a decade of airline operations in a volatile market. They discuss how Fastjet Zimbabwe built resilience, why the Embraer 145 became a strategic strength, what the Airbus A320 trial means for the airline's future, and how new partnerships could reshape regional connectivity across Southern Africa. The conversation also explores business class demand, route development, aviation liberalization, and Donahue's view of leadership as stewardship. CHAPTERS 00:00 - Welcome and introduction to Fastjet Zimbabwe's 10-year story 02:42 - What is the key to surviving and growing in African aviation? 07:43 - How fundamental was the initial single-aircraft strategy? 12:43 - Why did Fastjet Zimbabwe introduce the Airbus A320? 19:39 - Did customers create the demand for business class? 23:28 - Where could Fastjet Zimbabwe expand its network? 29:28 - How will the Etihad interline change network planning? 35:55 - Is aviation liberalization delivering its intended results? 41:14 - Where will Fastjet Zimbabwe be in five years? 43:16 - Why does Donahue see leadership as stewardship? 46:13 - Closing thoughts on African aviation connectivity Sign up to the mailing list to stay up to date on all things AviaDev https://www.aviadev.com/keep-me-updated #AviaDev #FastjetZimbabwe #AfricanAviation #AviationLeadership #AirlineIndustry #RouteDevelopment #AirlineStrategy #AviationConnectivity #Zimbabwe #SouthernAfrica #AirbusA320 #Embraer145 #AirlineManagement #AviationPodcast