New aircraft model and opportunities for African aviation 

New long haul opportunities are hoped to open up for airlines in Africa as one of the world’s most anticipated aircraft types which has unprecedented long range capabilities and fuel efficiency, the Airbus A321XLR, enters into service with Iberia airlines this year. This latest report from simpleflying.com has implications for airports and the aviation sector in Africa as they will have to plan not only to receive this new aircraft type, but also to deal with the continent’s  shortage of aircraft as demand for air travel continues to be on the rise.

The aviation sector in Africa is expected to experience tremendous growth, with some regions growing faster than others. Last year, Airbus was reported to have predicted Africa will require about 1,180 new aircraft by 2042, including 885 single-aisle and 295 widebody jets. Furthermore, it expects African carriers to transition to new-generation models, such as the A220, A320neo family, A330neo, and A350.  Doing so will lead to operational efficiency and reduce carbon emissions, in line with airlines’ sustainability goals, and will as well improve upon the passenger experience at airports.

This is good news for aviation in Africa which is expected to grow immensely over the two decades, with some regions growing faster than others. Intra-Africa traffic, the report says, will continue to increase as more routes open up, and to support this, carriers in the continent will need more aircraft. Airbus and Boeing have predicted that African operators will require over 1,000 new aircraft, with single-aisle jets making up most of the deliveries.

Highlighting further the opportunities in Africa, over the years, Africa has been recognised as a market with high growth potential. The air transport industry in Africa and globally reportedly delivers several socio-economic benefits, like growing trade and e-commerce, tourism and travel, and educational opportunities. Airbus in its Global Market Forecast (GMF) suggests that Origin and Destination passenger traffic in Africa will grow by 4.1 percent over the next 20 years, with a 4.8 percent growth in intra-African traffic, says simpleflying.com.

The shortage of new aeroplanes has significant implications for passenger experience in the aviation industry. Airlines facing jet shortages may have to reduce flight frequencies or cancel routes altogether. This means fewer options for passengers when planning their trips. The impact of such becomes obvious when there is an urgent need to travel and there are no flights available on that route. This perhaps provides an opportunity for the industry to explore multimodal hubs especially of road and rail to meet the needs of customers.

Where fewer planes are available, existing flights may become more crowded. Passengers might experience discomfort due to limited legroom, cramped seating, and longer wait times. However, full flights make for more profitable operations with improved revenue passenger kilometres. They also mean more footfalls at airports which is good for airport operators and concessionaires.

Aircraft shortages can lead to flight delays and disruptions. Passengers may experience longer layovers, missed connections, and inconvenience. This will not augur well for the passenger experience and also for the efforts at deepening intra-African traffic. So this opportunity of increasing traffic will provide benefits for aviation in Africa.

Airlines may have to rely on older planes to compensate for the shortage of planes. Older aircraft might lack modern amenities, entertainment systems, and comfort features. There is reported to be an increased demand for in-flight connectivity by passengers. This makes internet connectivity both at airports and in the planes a need that must be given serious consideration while planning the passenger experience. 

Also, overusing existing planes can strain maintenance schedules. Passengers might encounter more technical issues or unexpected delays. This will put more pressure on airports where planes do not depart as scheduled and  further dampen the passenger experience.

Though Africa is reportedly considered to have one of the oldest planes, it however has an opportunity to leapfrog like was done during the mobile phone revolution and deepen intra-African traffic leveraging on not only the increasing demand, but also the opportunities for acquisition of new, fuel efficient, environmentally friendly and moderate sized planes.

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