The Knowledge to Decide

When the African Union (AU) launched the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) in January this year, it finally opened up Africa’s skies. 23 signatories on board, though another 32 AU members are yet to sign on. SAATM’s launch is a part of AU’s Africa 2063 project, which is a commitment to intra-continent development. If a common regulatory framework is put into place, this could benefit intra-continental travelers immensely, thus boosting commerce and tourism flows among African countries. Will Africa become the world’s next big aviation market? For more information, click here . 

India’s aviation industry is set for rapid growth. With an estimated 60 million international passengers by 2017, it boasts of hosting 85 international airlines across 40 countries (as of 2016). The transformation did not happen overnight – it was 20 years in the making. India’s civil aviation market is currently the ninth largest in the world. Growth factors responsible include the rising middle-income population, successful completion of five international airports under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model, increased liberalization with the introduction of the Open Sky Policy in 2015 as well as the modernization of India’s Air and Navigation Systems. However, with more low-cost airlines entering India’s market since the liberation of policies in 1994, the competition is bound to heat up. Moreover, the sector is vulnerable to security threats such as terrorism. The government needs to implement policies to ensure the safety of our skies as well as offer competit