WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA – African countries have been urged to open up their markets to African airlines in a bid to make these airlines more competitive and successful. Foreign air carriers have provided increased competition to our domestic airlines and a strategy needs to be put in place to challenge this.

At the 18th Aviation and Allied Business Leadership Conference, which took place in Windhoek, Namibia,, top level air transport leaders said that it was a goal to make improvements in air transport on the continent and to raise the industry’s contributions to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the various countries.

It was also mentioned that the European Union (EU) should work more closely with Africa to assist in overcoming the safety challenges of the airlines, rather than banning these carriers from the EU.

Another important factor that will help in making airlines more competitive is by encouraging more people in Africa to fly. Currently, taxes and duties placed on airlines are quite high, and it was said that the airlines and airports need to work more closely together and that airports need to find additional methods in generating revenue so that maybe the taxes can be lowered.

Air transport leaders including aviation ministers, aviation experts and partners from Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the USA, were among those who attended the meeting.