Although demand for air travel in Africa is growing, the boom provides cold comfort for embattled SAA and Kenya Airways, the continent's second- and third-largest carriers respectively. With both operators in a precarious financial position, "turnaround" is the new buzzword as the two airlines pull out all the stops to end years of bleeding and turn to profitability. The International Air Transport Association this week said African airlines had recorded a 5.1% traffic increase in April. Africa contributes 2.2% of the global aviation market. "The upward demand trend remains strong, helped by continuing signs of improvement in the region's largest economies: Nigeria and South Africa. This is only the fourth time in the past 41 months that both economies have been on an upward trajectory at the same time," IATA said. Despite this upswing, the future of SAA and Kenya Airways remains uncertain. Both airlines are in the financial doldrums amid reports of a possible collaboration between ...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.