STHEMBISO DLAMINI: Gauteng must lead growth of active air routes in SA

The role of OR Tambo International Airport as the global gateway into Africa has always been celebrated, but what Covid-19 has taught us is that this strong position can be quickly undone by adverse global events.

For instance, the demise of airlines like Comair and SA Express have intensified the need for direct action to boost local air routes, as the domestic market remains the driver of economic recovery and restoration of confidence in the local economy.

It is for this reason that a far more resilient strategic approach is required to fully leverage Gauteng’s position as the home of the busiest airport on the African continent. 

In March the inaugural flights of Air Eswatini and Air China landed at OR Tambo. This was rightly celebrated by the local airline industry, the Gauteng government and business alike as it is a sure signal that the much-needed recovery of the aviation and broader tourism value-chain sectors is now in motion.  

These developments are timely if we consider that according to the International Air Transport Association (Iata), African airlines’ annual traffic was up 89% in 2022 compared to 2021, signalling the industry’s recovery towards traffic levels recorded before the pandemic.

According to the Airports Company SA, we can expect OR Tambo to increase the number of airlines landing in Johannesburg from regional and international destinations to 43 by the end of 2023. This bodes well for the province’s economy overall and the African air travel sector more broadly given the strategic importance of the airport for the African continent.  

As SA’s economic hub Gauteng must lead the growth of active air routes in the country and ensure this benefits the local economy. This is precisely why the Gauteng Air Access Network (GAAN) aims to pull together all relevant stakeholders in the sector to support the air service network to deliver reliable and world-class services in Gauteng. 

Even before the pandemic, and though the agenda for air travel connectivity for Africa has been on the table as early as 1988 at the AU, there has been little co-ordinated effort and no breakthrough in this area. 

Evidence abounds globally on the value a successful air travel strategy can provide to boost the economy of world-class cities. In response to this need the Gauteng Tourism Authority, as the custodian of the tourism sector in the province, is revitalising the Gauteng Air Access Initiative, and this now forms part of Gauteng’s war room for post Covid-19 economic recovery. 

The overall purpose of the network is to enhance air service connectivity between Gauteng city region through OR Tambo, supporting airports in the province and global getaways. 

Guiding this effort is the demand created by the continent’s free trade area and Pan African-led economic growth trajectory. An increase in airline activities and access is expected to generate more spending directly by airlines, and in their value chain, as well as spending generated by the flows of trade and tourism within the province and the region. 

If we bring it home to Gauteng specifically, the GAAN, through its multi-stakeholder approach, has set itself ambitious goals, and these can be achieved if all partners within the network and beyond, work to prioritise actions that will help to support increased air mobility in connecting overseas, regional and domestic markets with our destination to increase visitor numbers.

The focus will be on making a concerted effort to build global aviation partnerships, promotion of the network main offerings, incentive packages for airlines and continuous feeding of the pipeline. The revamp of Lanseria airport stands out as a notable success. 

Similarly, through this process, the province will strive to increase frequency from international air markets, identify airlines for leisure and business, passenger and cargo, and build potential new routes in strategic partner markets such as Canada, India and Brazil. New frontiers will be explored for charter flights, film crews, corporate and special events delegates.

Sometimes it does take a deep crisis for industries to thrive and heighten their focus on impactful actions, and the aviation industry is no different. Many may wonder what success will look like for the Gauteng Air Access Network, and at the core of it are functional expert networks, an enabling regulatory environment and support from the Gauteng government, and most of all collaborative partnerships that benefit all sectors of the Gauteng economy. 

The initiative’s significance cannot be underplayed as the need for all stakeholders to pull together to ensure recovery of air travel into Gauteng will not only boost local business, it will facilitate market access for Africa’s intratrade, enhance connectivity to main global markets, and drive economic development for the province. 

The issue of air access in the African continent is not a new conversation, yet despite this there has been little movement in the right direction when it comes to facilitating air travel and the liberalisation of the African skies. There will never be a more opportune time for all stakeholders to support the air service network and related sub-sectors to deliver reliable, world-class service through the Gauteng Air Access network. 

Ultimately, it is about a broader benefit for the region’s economic recovery, as this will establish new direct regional and intercontinental routes linking Gauteng to the world in aid of improved economic movement of goods, people, services and investments. 

• Dlamini is CEO of the Gauteng Tourism Authority.