The aviation industry is very dynamic, continues to evolve and in a world that is continually global and interconnected; continues to adapt to the demands placed on it. Recently, the aviation industry has experienced a wave of trends which have transformed it. Its dynamic and innovative nature has unlocked doors to limitless possibilities, including the realisation of several futuristic concepts like flying cars, or zero carbon emission travel. The changes we expect will redefine how we travel, conduct business, and connect with one another.
The driving forces of these changes are: advancements in technology, changing geopolitical landscapes, and a renewed emphasis on sustainability. These are issues that the aviation community in Africa needs to put before them as we move into the new year. Emphasis should be placed on regional integration so that the African aviation community can speak with one voice and reap the benefits of the new trends in the coming year.
At the COP28 in the United Arab Emirates, Akinwumi Adesina, president of the African Development Bank, while talking about the EU’s carbon adjustment mechanism noted that looking at Africa’s energy deficit and reliance mainly on fossil fuels, especially diesel, it means that Africa will be forced to export raw commodities again into Europe, which will further cause the de-industrialization of Africa. Looking at a recent report by Moody’s Analytics, it showed that Africa had the least default rate on investment in infrastructure compared to other parts of the world, he was reported as saying. He highlighted that Africa’s default rate stands at 5.5 percent, compared to Latin America’s 12.9 percent, followed by Asia at 8.8 percent, Eastern Europe at 8.6 percent, North America at 7.6 percent, and Western Europe at 5.9 percent. He was also reported to have said that because of weak integration into global value chains, Africa’s best trade opportunity lies in intra-regional exchanges, with the new Africa Continental Free Trade Area estimated to increase intra-Africa exports by over 80 percent by 2035.
The Evolution of Airports report states that the state of travel – and the way people move around the world – will change dramatically in the coming decades as global priorities shift and new technologies become available. Airports will be core drivers of industry-wide change, at the same time they themselves will be getting transformed in the process, says the report. It explores such issues as the trends that will shape the airports of 2030, 2040, and 2050; what airports will look like in 2030, 2040, and 2050; and, what airport leaders, industry and governments can do to pave a successful and sustainable way forward. It then goes further to identify five megatrends that will shape the future of the aviation industry namely: Achieving Net Zero; Technological Innovation; Intermodal Connectivity; The Changing Workforce and, The Passenger Experience Revolution.
This Evolution of Airports report specifies challenges and opportunities across these five megatrends and points out what airport leaders, regulators and other decision-makers should prioritise to make room for sustainable industry growth from decade to decade.
Planning and strategy for the new year should look at such issues as: the rise of sustainable aviation fuels, the impact of geopolitical disruptions, the shift from air to rail, the potential global recession, and the role of artificial intelligence. Other matters are advanced air traffic management, the rising Asian market, personalised passenger experiences, health and safety measures in the post-Covid era, and the approaching prospects of drone delivery and urban air mobility.
Thinking through these trends, the aviation community should focus on how the industry can transform challenges into opportunities. This will bring to the fore the strategies that airlines and airports can adopt to stay ahead of the curve, delivering superior services to their customers while also driving growth and sustainability. This is an imperative in the light of the recent forecast by IATA on the profitability of African airlines in the new year 2024.
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