When airport operators in Africa and their partners from around
the globe gathered in Abuja, Nigeria's capital, mid-September, for
the 19th Airports Council International Africa Region (ACI-Africa)
Annual Conference, there appeared to be a pervasive feeling of ease
among industry observers whose prime expectation was that at a time
growth had fully returned to the industry, well-guided action must
be taken to firm up capacities and capabilities of African airports
to tap into the on-going industry growth. There had been some
apprehension that in their present conditions, many airports in
Africa may not be able to convert opportunities now in the industry
to concrete benefits. Thus, the ACI-Africa Conference which held at
the International Conference Centre, Abuja, September 13-18 had
indeed more than a minor task to accomplish. Lead among its
objectives was to set the airports industry on a mode responsive to
growth, and essentially prepare the airports for the future. This
has been the uphill task confronting the airports industry in
Africa given the diversity in size, local economy and technology
penetration nay management savvy of African airports.
L-R: Chief Ebitime Banigo, Chairman, FAAN Governing Board; Ms.
Monhla Hlahla, President, ACI-Africa and CEO, ACSA; and Mrs.
Fidelia Njeze, Minister of Aviation, Nigeria at the 19th ACI-Africa
Conference in Abuja, recently
Airport Training
Establishing a strong personnel base and a knowledge-based
airports industry is essential to achieving airports development
and expansion in Africa. This is why African airport now vitally
need training in new technology and other areas. In this regard,
the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) urges African
airports to join the on-going efforts to revamp aviation training
in Africa. Specifically, the ICAO AFI-Plan Comprehensive
Implementation Programme (ACIP) spearheaded by Capt. Haile Belai
and represented at the conference by Mr. Maamoune Chakira, ACIP
Safety Officer, reminds airports of their vital contribution to the
Technical Experts Working Group (TEWG) set up by ACIP in
conjunction with African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) and in
close collaboration with African Airlines Association (AFRAA) to
create a viable training framework for air transport in Africa. Mr.
Chakira wants airports to join in the rationalization of training
facilities and resources, as he stresses that the capacity for
training in Africa is not up to half of the demand for training in
aviation on the continent. This is particularly true of African
airports which must now rise up to the training challenges facing
airports staff, capitalizing on the benefits inherent in working
together with ACIP and other partners in this regard.
Airport Safety
The US Federal Aviation Administration represented at the
conference by Mo Keane, Senior Representative, Sub-Saharan Africa,
FAA, says there is new strength in US relations with Africa via the
Safe Skies for Africa Programme which has added to training support
to African airports. Airports in Africa now have the opportunity to
say what they need to be added to the Safe Skies for Africa
Programme, which Ms. Mo says is to be reviewed and now open to such
inputs from African partners including the airports. Safety at the
airports is essential, as the conference notes, especially
con-sidering that a significant part of accidents happen near or at
the airports i.e. during take-off or landing. And even as the
traffic growth is an exciting develop-ment for Africa, how many
African airports can guarantee safety of increased number of
aircraft visits?
From the aircraft manufacturers' perspective, Boeing says African
airports should expand and upgrade their facilities to the extent
that can take larger aircraft such as the new 747-8 and the A380.
Air France and Lufthansa already have their A380 simultaneously
parked at OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg, which is an exciting
development not seen yet in other African airports, but places a
great demand on airport safety, security and facilitation. As Air
France and Lufthansa, for instance, fly into various airports in
Africa, if they decide to take their A380s to other airports,
again, how ready are airports in Africa to take such large aircraft
releasing up to 800 passengers into an airport terminal in a space
of about 20 minutes? Mr. Jerry Robinson of Boeing Commercial
Airplanes stresses the adoption of new airport technology for
improving runways and other parts of the airport to enhance safety
in aircraft operations. He says cooperation between government and
industry is essential to improve airport. Though the challenge of
poor funding besieges African airports in terms of meeting the
technology needs of the airports, it is still vital that African
airports learn of such efficient technologies as there is no
substitute to safety. For improved safety and security, airports
need to curtail runway excursions which are a challenge for various
airports.
Africa needs serious improvements in aviation safety oversight, as
Mr. Mam Sait Jallow makes clear. The situation in which many States
in Africa are incapable of establishing or sustaining a sound
safety oversight body is worrisome. But what can be done in this
regard is the adoption of group strength among States through
cost-efficient and effective regional safety oversight
organizations which would provide critical safety oversight and
certification for operators in needing States.
Airport Security
The security of African airports become of global concern
following the botched bombing of the North American Airline
December 25 last year whereby the failed bomber, Abdul Farouk
Mutallab, a Nigerian, had passed through Accra and Lagos airports.
Dr. Harold Demuren, Director General of Nigerian Civil Aviation
Authority (NCAA), assures that such global inadequacies associated
with the December 25 incident have now been forestalled with the
adoption of improved body scanning equipment. The strengthening of
Nigeria's airport security apparatus no doubt enhanced Nigeria's
ability to clinch the FAA Cat. 1 Certification which the ACI-Africa
conference applauded. Nigeria's Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Fidelia
Njeze, says "as a result of the measures taken so far by the
Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Nigeria has been delisted from
the United States terror watch list, and just last month Nigeria
attained the much sought after American International Aviation
Safety Assessment (IASA) Category 1 Certification."
Though fears over the possible compromise of passengers' privacy
using the full-body scanning machines have been allayed with
assurances of effective measures to prevent abuse of the scanning
machines, travellers may be more at ease when no cases of misuse of
these high-technology facilities are eventually reported over a
long time of use. However, these machines are said to have the
capacity to wipe off images in seconds, they can be configured not
to save scanned images; and essentially the monitoring security
personnel can only see the image on the screen and not the
passenger being screened, at the same time. Besides the fear of
potential scandal over possible exposure of privacy, the screening
machines, which have become the fortress of some airports including
Nigeria's main international airports, against new and emerging
security threats that beat metal detectors, are expensive for many
airports. Many airports would rather postpone the acquisition of
the new screening technology said to cost about $170,000, in
preference for other airport development activities.
Airport Technology
Besides fortifying safety and security for African airports,
technology also plays a lead role in airport facilitation. Advance
passenger information, self-service kiosks, among others, all
become more beneficial on the back of improved technology. In
addition, airport marketing and routes development all gain from
efficient technology. And that is the reason that African airports
are now charged to intensify technology adoption and stay
competitive in the industry. It has also become clear that
passenger requirements are increasingly becoming technology-driven;
thus, in the emerging airport management model where passenger
needs have become the priority of airports, the adoption of
passenger-oriented technology cannot be downplayed. Essentially,
the conference in Abuja tasked big and small airports in Africa to
leverage on effective technology, and this remains the best choice
for profit-oriented African airports.
Airport Leadership
Mr. George Uriesi, former General Manager of award-winning Cape
Town International Airport, and current Director of Operations of
Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), brings to mind the
essence of effective and efficient management of airports as he
stresses that leadership training need be prioritized among African
airports. This was appreciated by many. However, there remains the
need to ensure the balance between technical training and
leadership training among airport staff. Mr. Kenneth Kaunda,
General Manager, Human Resource Development of Kenya Airports
Authority (KAA) thinks leadership training is a prime requirement
among airports even though technical training should not be
overlooked. For Mr. Chakira, leadership training would be given
good attention as ACIP and its partners develop training centres
for Africa. This bodes well for airports in Africa given that they
need improved leadership to drive more traffic and to position for
the future.
Building Proactive Airports
Overall, airports cannot function as mere gateways; they must
evolve as strategic businesses striving to expand and flourish in a
competitive environment and giving priority attention to the
customer. This is the way of future airports. As Mr. Jonathan
Majakwara of the Southern African Development Commission (SADC)
says airports should be nurtured now not just because they are
making profits, but because they have the potentials to make profit
and excel in future to benefit the larger economy. Afterall,
successful airports elsewhere started from no profits. And it is
only perseverance and cooperation in the right aspects that deliver
good quality and profitable airports. Mr. Alexander Herring,
Director of Business Development of the Safegate Group, believes
more private sector participation is essential to nuture airports
growth.
Working Together
As airports development should be seen as a priority, what may be
important is for ACI-Africa secretariat led by Mr. Ali Tounsi to
work closely with the industry to ensure that African airports
understand and implement the strategies provided by experts to
boost airport operations in Africa. Ms. Monhla Hlahla, ACI-Africa
President, says airports and the aviation industry should be
improved to benefit the African child. This is a task that airport
leaders must bear in mind considering also that the potentials of
airports in Africa are enormous and aviation can bring Africa
closer faster than any other means. African airports can flourish
given the right leadership and technology, and with the benefit of
the current growth in the industry and world economy.
End