Firing up stagnant industry

DESPITE rumours of a Covid-19 third wave abounding, the South African aviation industry is reigniting the industry for beyond the pandemic.

In a virtual conference hosted by the SA Civil Aviation Authority (Sacaa), Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula said this was the “longest suffering” the aviation industry had faced, and many jobs were in jeopardy.

He said it was the government’s responsibility to make sure that the industry survived, suggesting that it focus more on intra-Africa trading.

“There’s nothing more costly than an aircraft which is parked in a hangar. Millions of jobs and livelihoods have been lost and affected. The effect of the pandemic has been felt far and wide.

“Since the ease of the restrictions on travel, we have witnessed a decrease in the number of passengers flying both locally and internationally in 2020. The reason for the decrease in international travel is due to restrictions by other countries.

“Aviation is a significant part of any country’s socio-economic activities. Sacaa ensures safety in our aviation, therefore, it is important that we continuously seek ways in which the aviation industry stays ahead in terms of measures mitigating the spread of the virus.

“We are responsible to make sure that we work collaboratively with all stakeholders. Furthermore, the African Continental Free Trade Agreement has entered the implementation phase together with the Single African Air Transport Market project. These will be game-changers to stimulate Intra-African trade once fully implemented and after addressing the poor connectivity issue on the continent.”

He said he would like to see South African carriers use technology to enable the implementation of tools like digital travel passports.

The continent had been deeply affected by the pandemic, as had the tourism industry, but there was a silver lining on the horizon and aviation should never be the scapegoat to blame for any future pandemic outbreaks.

He highlighted that aviation was a scarce skill in South Africa and that a huge proportion of licence holders were largely white.

“Previously disadvantaged individuals – black, coloured and Indian – still hold only 11% of licences in our aviation industry. We must introduce innovative measures to create opportunities. Lamentations about the lack of transformation checks and balances just become hollow repetition.”

Among the guest speakers was Alexandru Stancu, the International Air Transport Association (Iata) head in southern and eastern Africa.

Stancu said there was an urgent need for borders to open in many parts of the world and that waiting for a vaccine rollout was not an option.

He said the continuation of rolling out digital technology and growing non-related revenue would be good for Africa.

“Travel restrictions should relax once vulnerable groups are vaccinated. It is also mandatory for aviation workers to be prioritised for vaccines to ensure a safe restart to airline operations. Government should consider replacing quarantine with testing and for South African authorities to work together with the industry. Iata has also introduced a Travel Pass, which is being trialled in over 20 countries, including Rwanda and Ethiopia. This is an app which assists in keeping users informed about Covid-19 tests and vaccine centres.”

Stancu said it was important to monetise their organisation while working aggressively in marketing.