Africa’s airline industry could return to profit at the end of 2024, although the Southern African region is lagging compared to the rest of the continent, a senior IATA official said on Friday.
Kamil Alawadhi, IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East said southern Africa was lagging in the recovery due to market access and connectivity issues.
“IATA’s current outlook sees the global loss reduced to $9.7 billion for 2022 and a return to industry-wide profit in 2023. Africa is on track to follow by the end of 2024,” Alawadhi told delegates at the Airlines Association of Southern Africa annual general assembly.
The association holds its annual general assembly where company executives and airline agencies take stock of the industry as it looks to bounce back from the pandemic but faces regulatory uncertainty and higher fuel prices linked to the conflict in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, last year, IATA appealed to the South African government to step up its support for air travel amid the COVID-19 crisis.
IATA’s Regional Vice President Kamil Al Alawadhi urged government to assist the aviation industry to unlock job opportunities and other economic benefits.
AITA appeals on government to support the aviation industry
