According to the Africa Airlines Association (AFRAA), the full-year revenue loss for African airlines in 2021 is expected to be US$8.2 billion, or nearly 47.2 percent of the full-year revenue of airlines in 2019. African airlines lost a total of $10.21 billion in 2020, accounting for 58.8 percent of 2019 revenues.
According to AFRAA, passenger traffic remains low across Africa as a result of the devastation caused by COVID-19, inconsistencies in communications regarding border closures, and a failure to unify health protocols in some nations and across regions.
According to AFRAA, air passenger traffic increased by 46.8 percent in August 2021 compared to the same month in 2019, while capacity increased by 54.6 percent.
According to AFRAA, domestic passenger demand in Africa has decreased slightly but continues to surpass intra-Africa and intercontinental travel. Domestic travel accounted for 58.9 percent of total traffic in the month under review, while intra-Africa traffic accounted for 22.7 percent and intercontinental traffic accounted for 18.4 percent. Domestic, intra-African, and intercontinental passenger capacity (seats offered) amounted for 46.5 percent, 26.8 percent, and 26.7 percent, respectively.
Despite the fact that 24.6 percent of the world’s population has been immunized, COVID 19 cases continue to climb globally. According to data on the Africa CDC website, just about 1.85 percent of the population in Africa has been properly vaccinated. The Delta form, which has been the source of recent outbreaks, is also affecting young people. As a result, the number of young people and children infected with the COV2 virus has increased.
In Africa, the number of deaths continues to climb while vaccination progresses at a snail’s pace, raising fears about recovery in the travel, tourist, and hospitality industries. The number of infected people worldwide has surpassed 200 million, with Africa accounting for 7 million of them. The global recovery rate is 97.7 percent, whereas Africa’s recovery rate is 97.3 percent.
According to AFRAA, the resumption of intercontinental flights by African carriers reached 77.8 percent in August 2021, however frequency and capacity remained constrained. This is a 3.1 percent increase in intercontinental operations month on month. Ethiopian Airlines, Royal Air Maroc, and Kenya Airways are among the airlines that established new intercontinental flights in August. It’s worth mentioning that EgyptAir, Ethiopian Airlines, Royal Air Maroc, and RwandAir currently fly to roughly 90% of their pre-COVID intercontinental routes.
According to the airline association, the Victoria Falls and Kazungula border checkpoints have been opened for fully vaccinated passengers in an effort to revitalize the tourism business.
The National Emergency and Crisis Management Authority (NCEMA) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced the lifting of the transit flight ban enforced by the UAE in various countries, including India, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Uganda, effective August 5, 2021.
On July 28, the UK Government released the latest policy review of its “traffic light” system, announcing that beginning on August 2, 2021, arrivals to the UK holding a DCC (EU digital COVID certificate) or a US Vaccine Certificate (paper) will be allowed to enter the country without quarantine.
, the full-year revenue loss for African airlines in 2021 is expected to be US$8.2 billion, or nearly 47.2 percent of the full-year revenue of airlines in 2019. African airlines lost a total of $10.21 billion in 2020, accounting for 58.8 percent of 2019 revenues.){kind=link}