African Airlines Association
(AFRAA) wants closer cooperation among African carriers to address
some of the major challenges they face and together ensure growth
and sustainability.
AFRAA's call comes against the
backdrop of what it describes as the increasing competition and
uncontrolled granting of market access in Africa by some
governments which is putting untold pressure on local airlines,
some of which are undercapitalized, poorly resourced and incapable
of standing up to the competition.
Particularly, AFRAA notes that Air Seychelles has been one of
the successful African airlines over the past several decades. It
has made significant contribution to development, tourism and the
economy of Seychelles and provided employment opportunities to
hundreds of people directly and indirectly. The airline is a long
standing member of AFRAA and has contributed significantly to air
transport development work in Africa.
AFRAA also states its support to
Mr. James Michel, President of Air Seychelles, and the Seychelles'
government's continued commitment to the airline. AFRAA observes
that it will be a major blow to the African air transport industry
in general and Seychelles in particular if the airline is to go
down. It adds that the role that foreign international carriers can
play in increasing tourist travel in a small island country such as
Seychelles is undeniable, but one needs to critically consider the
long-term adverse effect that the loss of home-based airlines will
have not only on tourism but the whole of the country due to the
knock-on effects.
According to the group, experience
has also demonstrated that attempts to re-establish a new airline
or resurrect the old one after it has been let to go down has
proven to be more costly and almost impossible.