The African Airlines Association (AFRAA) > Blog
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Free Routing Airspace in Africa inches closer to reality with trial flights kicking off on 2nd November 2023

Cooperation, collaboration, and commitment of stakeholders, including CANSO, AFRAA, IATA, ICAO, and Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs), made free routing flights a reality for the first time in Africa on 2 November 2023. In the Free Routing Airspace (FRA) Trial kick-off workshop, participants coordinated with all relevant operational services and secured approvals for the two trial flights. Shortening the flight time, flights ET935 and KQ 508 operated safely outside the existing routes directly from Addis Ababa to Abidjan and Nairobi to Accra, respectively.

Implementing the Free Routing Airspace will annually bring significant cost savings to the participating airlines and will support a sustainable future for the African Industry. Cumulating over a year, the shortened flight time on one of these one-way flights avoids burning 292 metric tonnes of fuel, prevents the emission of 340 metric tonnes of CO2, and reduces the operator’s fuel bill by an estimated USD310,000. Assuming similar savings on the return leg, extending free routing flights to 20 daily flights, the operators’ CO2 footprint will be reduced by 5 million metric tonnes, and the airlines will cut more than USD 1.2 million from their fuel bill.

The project kick-off workshop was graciously sponsored by AFREXIMBANK. Various ANSPs provided navigation services to the historic flights, including: Ethiopia CAA, Kenya CAA, CAA Uganda, RVA (DRC), ASECNA, NAMA (Nigeria), and Ghana CAA.  The FRA project is one of the five LAB Projects of the African Aviation Industry Group African Aviation Sustainability Laboratory to revamp Air Transport in Africa that was held from 27 June to 1 July 2022 at AFRAA Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.

The next trials in the first quarter will contribute to making the FRA a reality in 2024.

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Kenya Airways Celebrates 5 Years of Non-Stop Flights to New York from Nairobi

 

  • KQ is the ONLY airline offering non-stop link between East Africa and the United States of America

Nairobi, 30th November 2023 – Kenya’s national carrier, Kenya Airways (KQ), is celebrating five (5) years since becoming the first and only carrier to fly non-stop from its hub in Nairobi to New York and linking East Africa and the United States of America the fastest way.

The inaugural flight between Nairobi and New York was on 28th October 2018. Since then, over 300,000 passengers and 6,000 tonnes of cargo on 1,700 flights have been airlifted, covering approximately 72,000 kilometres.

The expanded codeshare partnership between Kenya Airways and Delta Airlines now offers customers additional travel options within the U.S. and increased flying opportunities within Africa, expanding customers’ travel options to more 31 destinations in Africa and 57 cities across the U.S. and Canada.

Commenting on the anniversary, Kenya Airways Group Managing Director, and CEO Allan Kilavuka said: “It has been an incredible 5 years of connecting our guests between Nairobi and New York. This route is of paramount importance to Kenya Airways as it serves as the fastest and most vital connection for our guests within the travel and tourism industry, the business community, and governments of both countries. We look forward to the continuation of providing convenient onward connections for our guests to various destinations in Africa and the U.S. and actively contributing to the socio-economic development of Kenya and the broader African continent.’

The Nairobi – New York route is strategic for Kenya as it provides the East Africa region a gateway to the United States of America and the greater North America region for social and economic growth through trade, education, medical, sports, and leisure travel. The New York –Nairobi route in turn has opened the East Africa region for tourism, trade and investments.

According to data from the U.S. Embassy Kenya’s largest export market is the U.S. and in 2022, Kenya exported $890 million in goods to the U.S. while the U.S. exported around $600 million in goods to Kenya underscoring the importance of connectivity between the two regions. The US is also a key tourist source market and in 2022, over 200,000 visitors from the United States arrived in Kenya.

To support the growing demand for travel between the Nairobi – New York route, Kenya Airways will introduce daily flights from 1st December 2023 for the festive season providing customers with more flexibility and travel options.

***ENDS***

 

About Kenya Airways

Kenya Airways, a member of the Sky Team Alliance, is a leading African airline flying to 42 destinations worldwide, 35 of which are in Africa. In 2022 the World Travel Awards recognized KQ as Africa’s Leading Airline, Africa’s Leading Airline Brand, Africa’s Leading Airline – Business Class, and Africa’s Leading Inflight Magazine (Msafiri). In 2023 KQ was awarded Best Airline Staff in Africa at the prestigious Skytrax World Airline Awards. KQ’s fleet comprises of wide body Boeing aircraft that includes its flagship B787 Dreamliner and narrow body Embraer E190 aircraft.

The on-board service is renowned worldwide and the lie-flat business class seat on the wide-body aircraft is consistently voted among the world’s top 10. Kenya Airways takes pride in being at the forefront of connecting Africa to the World and the World to Africa through its hub at the new ultra-modern Terminal 1A at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi.

For more information go to www.kenya-airways.com or call our 24-hour Customer Services Desk: +254 20 327 4747, Twitter: @KenyaAirways, Facebook: KenyaAirways, Instagram: OfficialKenyaAirways

 

For media enquiries, please contact:

Kenya Airways Corporate Communications:

Corporate.communications@kenya-airways.com

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Happening this week: AFRAA kicks-off the Free Routing Airspace (FRA) trials workshop in Addis Ababa – Ethiopia

With theobjective accelerating the implementation of Free Routing Airspace in Africa, AFRAA kicked off the Free Routing Airspace (FRA) trials workshop in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia this week.

The FRA project is one of the five LAB Projects of the African Aviation Industry Group African Aviation Sustainability Laboratory to revamp Air Transport in Africa that was held from 27 June to 1 July 2022 at AFRAA Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.

The FRA implementation aligns with the common strategy of providing efficiency in operations, lowering air navigation fees while reducing flight operating costs and C02 emissions. A total of eight (8) routes will be on trial – five from Ethiopian Airlines and three from Kenya Airways.

In his opening remarks, AFRAA Secretary General, Mr. Abderahmane Berthe stated: “Implementing these trial routes will annually bring significant cost savings to the participating airlines and will support a sustainable future for the African Industry.”

The FRA workshop provides the opportunity to conduct trials along the paths linking various city pairs across different FIRs. The results of the trials will be shared with the AFI FRA Project Management Team and APIRG, which is meeting in the second week of November 2023 in Cotonou, Benin.

Present at the workshop included:

  • Daniel Abebe – Ethiopioan Airlines Group VP Strategic Planning & Alliances – representing Mr. Mesfin Bekele, Group Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines,
  • Yohannes Abera, Director representing Mr. Getachew Mengiste, Director General of the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority,
  • Nene Addo and Ms. Chisom Ozoemena, representatives of the Afreximbank,
  • Thabani Myeza, Director Africa Affairs CANSO,
  • Eric Ntagengerwa, Representative of the African Union Commission,
  • Robert Lisinge, the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Representative,
  • Experts from ASECNA, Civil Aviation Authorities and Air navigation Service Providers, ICAO, IATA, Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways.

Hosted by Ethiopian Airlines, the FRA trial kickoff workshop preparation was spearheaded by CANSO and AFRAA under the kind sponsorship of Afreximbank.

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Kenya Airways crowned Africa’s leading Airline for its Economy class & Inflight Magazine at the World Travel Awards 2023

 

  • This is the 5th year Kenya Airways has received an award in Africa’s Leading Airline – Economy Class category.
  • This is the second consecutive year the Msafiri magazine has been named Africa’s Leading Inflight Magazine

 

Nairobi, 16th October 2023 – Kenya’s national carrier, Kenya Airways (KQ) has recently been crowned as the winner for Africa’s Leading Airline for its Economy Class Service and Inflight Magazine (Msafiri) at the World Travel Awards 2023. This is the 5th year Kenya Airways has received an award in Africa’s Leading Airline – Economy Class category and the second consecutive year the Msafiri magazine has been named Africa’s Leading Inflight Magazine. Kenya Airways was feted at the Africa & Indian Ocean World Travel Awards Gala Ceremony 2023 held on 15th October at the Atlantis the Royal Hotel in Dubai.

 

Commenting on the awards, Allan Kilavuka, Kenya Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, and MD stated: “This award is a testament that our ‘customer–first’ strategy is bearing fruit.  It is also a vote of confidence from customers in the initiatives we have implemented to improve customer experience across all touchpoints. It is about listening to the customers and understanding their needs. Our goal is to be the preferred Africa carrier and we are constantly innovating to improve our guest’s customer experience.”

 

This is the 5th year that KQ has been named Africa’s Leading Airline – Economy Class (2011, 2018, 2019, 2020 & 2023). KQ revamped the Economy Class inflight service in 2023 which included a rollout of tray service in economy class to replace the existing box service and an extra hot meal starter and yogurt for breakfast on specific mid to long-haul flights across the network.

 

KQ’s inflight magazine has been named Africa’s Leading Inflight Magazine (2022 & 2023) for the second time since its reintroduction as physical copy after a two-year hiatus occasioned by the Covid 19 pandemic. Introduced over 20 years ago, Msafiri has been part of the inflight entertainment offerings to KQ guests offering education and entertainment while onboard.

 

This year, the World Travel Awards (WTA) commemorates its 30th anniversary of rewarding travel excellence. WTA was established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward, and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry.

 

Graham Cooke, Founder, World Travel Awards, says: “As we celebrate 30 years of travel and tourism excellence through the World Travel Awards, we are excited to see how the industry has grown over the last 30 years. Our winners are stellar examples of tourism excellence, and I congratulate each and every one for helping to raise the collective benchmark”.

 

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About Kenya Airways:  

Kenya Airways, a member of the Sky Team Alliance, is a leading African airline flying to 42 destinations worldwide, 35 of which are in Africa. Prior to the COVID pandemic, the airline carried a record number of over five million passengers in 2019. Its fleet comprises of wide body Boeing aircrafts, this includes its flagship B787 Dreamliner and narrow body Embraer E190 aircrafts. The on-board service is renowned and the lie-flat business class seat on the wide-body aircraft is consistently voted among the world’s top 10. Kenya Airways takes pride in being at the forefront of connecting Africa to the World and the World to Africa through its hub at the new ultra-modern Terminal 1A at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi.

 

About World Travel Awards:

WTA was established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry. Today, the WTA brand is recognized globally as the ultimate hallmark of quality, with winners setting the benchmark to which all others aspire. Each year, WTA covers the globe with a series of regional gala ceremonies staged to recognize and celebrate individual and collective success within each key geographical region. WTA gala ceremonies are widely regarded as the best networking opportunities in the travel industry, attended by government and industry leaders, luminaries and international print and broadcast media.

 

For more information about WTA visit worldtravelawards.com.

 

For media enquiries, please contact:

Kenya Airways Corporate Communications:

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Une nouvelle campagne de marque pour accompagner une vision stratégique ambitieuse

Le 11 juillet 2023, le Gouvernement du Royaume du Maroc signait avec Royal Air Maroc un Contrat Programme pour la mise en place d’un ambitieux plan de développement qui permettra à la Compagnie d’écrire une nouvelle page de son histoire et de se positionner en transporteur global aux ambitions internationales à l’horizon 2037.

Royal Air Maroc s’apprête à changer de dimension au profit du pays, de son économie et de son rayonnement à travers un nouveau business model global, un développement conséquent de sa flotte et une stratégie d’exploitation renouvelée.

Consolider les acquis de Royal Air Maroc dans le ciel et sur la terre d’Afrique constitue la première étape de sa nouvelle feuille de route.

Pour cela, Royal Air Maroc réaffirme sa raison d’être comme un leader sur le continent, engagé et convaincu du potentiel africain et de la mission du Maroc comme accélérateur de ses potentialités.

A travers la nouvelle ère de développement qui s’ouvre pour elle, la Compagnie nationale donne du sens à sa mission et valorise la dimension de souveraineté et de fierté de la marque Maroc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

#DreamAfrica #MeetMorocco

 

La nouvelle signature de marque de Royal Air Maroc synthétise de façon créative la raison d’être et la promesse d’une compagnie ambitieuse et innovante :

Elle est l’expression d’un transporteur aux ambitions internationales, fier de ses origines qui accompagne son pays et son continent vers le progrès.

Elle invite à embarquer vers un monde d’opportunité, de créativité et de convivialité où l’humain est au cœur du développement.

Elle propose une expérience de voyage stimulante et singulière qui ouvre les yeux sur les richesses du Maroc et de l’Afrique.

La formulation en anglais est celle d’une grande marque internationale, tandis que sa signalisation graphique en hashtags (#) est celle d’une brand digitale, bien ancrée dans son temps.

Le nouveau « look and feel » de la marque, prenant ses racines dans la culture marocaine et africaine, se veut à la fois contemporain, débordant d’énergie et d’émotion.

 

 

Slam et culture pop pour un spot TV innovant

 

Pour la campagne de lancement de la nouvelle plateforme de la marque Royal Air Maroc, un spot TV original et moderne a été conçu.

Inspiré de la culture pop, il s’appuie sur un montage coloré et dynamique avec de nombreux changements de décors et effets de réalisation pour révéler une Afrique ultra moderne. Le fil narratif est interprété de façon puissante et poétique comme un « slam », par de jeunes artistes marocains et internationaux selon les différentes versions en langues arabe, anglaise et française.

 

 

 

Une série de visuels clés et de contenus ciblés par catégories de cibles et par marché renforcent la visibilité audiovisuelle sur une série de thématique illustrant les multiples opportunités et la dynamique créative du Maroc et de l’Afrique : affaires, innovation technologique, art et culture, voyage et tourisme…

 

 

Un déploiement exceptionnel à l’international

 

Signe de la dynamique nouvelle et des ambitions de la Compagnie, la campagne Royal Air Maroc #DreamAfrica #MeetMorocco sera déployée dès le 23 octobre au Maroc et à l’international dans 28 pays correspondant à ses principaux marchés stratégiques sur les cinq continents*.

Un plan de communication puissant à 360° a été mis en place à travers des supports internationaux à fort impact, privilégiant les médias audiovisuels TV et digitaux, mais aussi les supports urbains : affichages grand format et écrans numériques au plus près des cibles, centre-villes, transports en commun, gares, malls, etc.

Dans un environnement de marché, les secteurs du transport et du tourisme, où le principal point de contact est désormais le Web, la marque digitale Royal Air Maroc se décline aussi massivement à travers les réseaux sociaux, par des activations de visibilité et d’interaction avec les internautes.

Le dispositif sera par ailleurs enrichi de contenus innovants, en médias et réseaux sociaux, mais aussi sur le terrain, notamment à travers une exposition itinérante dans les aéroports du Royaume qui présentera de manière immersive et pédagogique les principaux atouts du continent, aux plans économique, technologique, touristique et culturel, ainsi que les actions mises en œuvre par Royal Air Maroc pour les valoriser et les amplifier.

Royal Air Maroc invite ainsi l’ensemble de son écosystème à célébrer l’ambition d’un Maroc rayonnant à l’international et fer de lance d’une Afrique pleine d’énergie et de créativité.

* Espagne, Italie, Royaume Uni, Portugal, Allemagne, Belgique, Suisse, Pays-Bas, France, Turquie, Canada, Etats Unis, Dubaï, Sénégal, Cameroun, Mali, Burkina Faso, Côte d’ivoire, Benin, Gambie, Nigéria, République Démocratique du Congo, Guinée, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Togo, Guinée Bissau, Niger

 

 

 

 

Retour sur l’histoire d’une grande marque

Depuis plus de 65 ans et sa création en 1957, quelques mois seulement après l’indépendance du Royaume, née de la fusion des marques Air Atlas et Air Maroc, Royal Air Maroc a toujours été un flagship de l’image du Maroc dans les airs.

En se dotant des meilleures capacités créatives, décennies après  décennies, la Compagnie a toujours su construire et alimenter un discours marketing fort au service de sa vision stratégique et de celle du pays.

Ce que reflètent notamment les expressions successsives de la marque au cours des quinze dernière années :

  • 2008 : Un instant de Maroc autour du monde

Tout en valorisant sa dimension internationale, la compagnie exprime déjà la fierté de l’expérience culturelle singulière, associée à la haute qualité de service, qu’elle propose.

 

  • 2010 : Les ailes du Maroc

Royal Air Maroc revendique son statut de leader marocain de référence, accompagnant le déploiement de la stratégie Afrique et la structuration de son hub casablancais.

 

  • 2017 : Ciel d’avenir

Une signature transitoire qui accompagne une nouvelle plateforme transformationnelle (digitalisation, approche customer centric…) engageant toutes les ressources de la Compagnie.

 

  • 2019 : Déployez vos rêves

A la veille de son intégration à l’alliance oneworld et de la crise du Covid-19, Royal Air Maroc traduit de façon créative son utilité au service des ambitions de ses clients et de son environnement.

 

  • 2023 : #DreamAfrica #MeetMorocco

« Un nouveau jour s’est levé, un continent s’est révélé, sûr de ses forces et de son potentiel, il se voit pousser des ailes… L’heure est venu de dévoiler une nouvelle réalité ».

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Royal Air Maroc réunit ses partenaires pour présenter la nouvelle vision stratégique de la Compagnie et son nouveau positionnement de marque

 

  • Une nouvelle ère de développement en tant qu’opérateur global

 

  • Un renouveau de la plateforme de marque au service du plan de développement de la compagnie

 

Casablanca, le 23 octobre 2023-  Dans la continuité de l’annonce de la signature en juillet dernier de son nouveau Contrat-Programme avec l’Etat marocain, M. Hamid ADDOU, Président Directeur Général de Royal Air a présenté aujourd’hui la nouvelle vision stratégique de la Compagnie Nationale devant un parterre de partenaires institutionnels, de professionnels du tourisme et de leaders d’opinion.

L’événement s’est tenu au sein du hangar Latécoère, édifice historique de l’ancien aéroport Casa Anfa, mitoyen du siège de la Compagnie, témoignant de la pérennité de l’histoire aéronautique pionnière du Maroc.

Depuis plus de 65 ans au service des ambitions du Royaume, Royal Air Maroc ouvre une nouvelle ère de développement concrétisée par une démultiplication de sa flotte et de son réseau international, l’extension des liaisons point à point et une approche radicalement nouvelle de son réseau domestique.

Depuis la reprise prometteuse du transport aérien, Royal Air Maroc renoue avec le développement et la compagnie entend s’imposer comme un « connecteur global » opérant pour tous les segments de clientèle sur les cinq continents à l’horizon 2037.

A l’heure où la Compagnie Nationale prend son envol vers une nouvelle dimension, Royal Air Maroc révèle également une nouvelle expression de sa marque à travers une campagne de dimension internationale et une nouvelle signature institutionnelle : #DreamAfrica #MeetMorocco

Parce que la consolidation de ses acquis dans le ciel et sur la terre d’Afrique constitue la première étape de la nouvelle feuille de route de Royal Air Maroc, cette nouvelle « plateforme de marque » réaffirme son leadership sur le continent. Elle lui permet d’exprimer son engagement et sa conviction du potentiel africain et de la mission du Maroc comme allié stratégique des plans sectoriels nationaux.

A travers #DreamAfrica #MeetMorocco, Royal Air Maroc inscrit sa mission dans une vision positive d’un pays et d’un continent qui évoluent chaque jour et proposent au monde un avenir prospère.

 « Un des éléments clés du succès de la nouvelle étape de croissance de Royal Air Maroc est son image de marque. La nouvelle dynamique exprimée dans notre stratégie de rebranding porte nos ambitions en tant que compagnie de référence à l’échelle continentale exprimant avec fierté notre identité marocaine et africaine. Elle s’inscrit dans la vision globale de notre Royaume pour l’Afrique, favorisant la coopération Sud-Sud et l’accélération de notre développement commun, tant sur le plan politique qu’économique, sociétal, culturel et technologique. En tant que compagnie aérienne et avec l’ensemble de nos ressources, nous avons l’obligation d’incarner le meilleur du Maroc et de contribuer à l’essor du continent. Tel est le message porté par cette nouvelle promesse : #DreamAfrica #MeetMorocco », affirme M. Hamid ADDOU, Président Directeur Général de Royal Air Maroc.

#DreamAfrica #MeetMorocco est l’expression d’un transporteur fier de ses origines et optimiste pour l’avenir. Il s’agit également de la promesse d’une expérience de voyage stimulante et singulière qui ouvre les yeux sur les richesses du Maroc et de l’Afrique, et d’une invitation à embarquer vers un monde d’opportunités, de créativité et de convivialité où l’humain est au cœur du développement.

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Pratt & Whitney Canada Appoints Duncan Aviation as Designated Overhaul Facility for Select PW300 and PW500 Business Aviation Engines

 

LAS VEGAS, Oct. 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) announced today that Duncan Aviation’s facility in Lincoln, Nebraska, has been appointed a Designated Overhaul Facility for the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of PW300 and PW500 turbofan engines that will become operational over the next two years. Pratt & Whitney is an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business.

“As our fleet of engines increases, we are taking proactive steps to ensure that we have fully operational MRO capabilities in place when and where our customers need them,” said Irene Makris, vice president for Customer Service at Pratt & Whitney Canada. “Duncan Aviation has extensive experience in the line maintenance and hot section inspection of both our PW300 and PW500 engines. Stepping into the official MRO role for these two engine families is the logical extension of our long-standing relationship with their team.”

“Our company was founded in 1956 and over the years we have expanded our business to offer a full portfolio of services to the business aviation community,” said Jeff Lake, president, Duncan Aviation. “Our Lincoln team is delighted to provide MRO services to Pratt & Whitney Canada engine customers flying PW300 and PW500 engine models.”

Pratt & Whitney Canada has an extensive global service network with a comprehensive MRO portfolio for Pratt & Whitney Canada engines. The breadth and depth of the company’s expertise and its flexible maintenance programs and solutions give P&WC capabilities and scale to serve customers around the clock virtually anywhere in the world. The P&WC global service network consists of company-owned maintenance and MRO shops, Designated Maintenance Facilities which provide line maintenance and mobile repair team services, Designated Overhaul Facilities which provide MRO services, and Approved Repair Facilities which maintain auxiliary power units. These facilities number more than 50 and are strategically located in 25 countries.

Full details and an interactive map of P&WC’s global service network are available on the service network map.

Since the company’s founding in 1928, Pratt & Whitney Canada engines have flown 1 billion hours. Read more about Pratt & Whitney’s history of innovation here.

About Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines and auxiliary power units. To learn more, visit www.prattwhitney.com. To receive press releases and other news directly, please sign up here.

About RTX
RTX is the world’s largest aerospace and defense company. Our global team of 180,000 employees pushes the limits of known science and redefines how we connect and protect our world. We are advancing aviation, building smarter defense systems and creating innovations to take us deeper into space. Effective July 1, the company will complete its realignment into three customer-focused business units — Collins Aerospace, Raytheon and Pratt & Whitney. The company, with 2022 sales of $67 billion, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.

Contact: 
Pratt & Whitney
+1 (860) 565-9600
media@prattwhitney.com

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Kenya Airways 2nd Edition of the Africa Aviation Innovation Summit to Focus on Customer Excellence

Cape Town, South Africa 18th October 2023 – Kenya’s national carrier, Kenya Airways, is hosting the second edition of the Africa Aviation Innovation Summit in Cape Town, South Africa. The event brings together industry leaders, innovators, policymakers, observers, and stakeholders who will be engaging in aviation innovation conversations from October 18–19.

This year’s summit aims to drive insightful discussions on evolving customer needs in the aviation industry, especially in the post-COVID-19 era. It provides a vital platform to address critical challenges and opportunities within the dynamic aviation landscape. Additionally, the summit aims to explore partnership opportunities with industry stakeholders to co-create innovative solutions while contributing to Africa’s sustainable development.

With the central theme “Customer Obsession in Aviation,” the summit underscores the industry’s commitment to delivering exceptional customer experiences. This dedication is deemed essential for sustainability and growth in today’s competitive environment. The conference gathers African aviation leaders and stakeholders to forge innovative ways to exploit business opportunities on the continent.

Leading the discussions are notable industry figures, including Mr. Abderahmane Berthe, Secretary General of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth—Cape Town, and Patrick Roux, Chief Executive Officer of SkyTeam.

Allan Kilavuka, Group Managing Director and CEO of Kenya Airways, expressed enthusiasm during the opening ceremony, stating, “The Africa Aviation Innovation Summit unites key stakeholders in the aviation industry to address pertinent issues affecting our sector. We eagerly anticipate engaging with our partners and participants as we explore innovative avenues to enhance industry growth and development.”

Recognising the African aviation industry’s vital role in the continent’s economy, the summit aims to stimulate further growth and progress within the sector.

Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth—Cape Town, noted, “We firmly believe that collaboration and innovation in the aviation sector are pivotal for not only Cape Town’s growth but also for propelling Africa’s aviation landscape into a promising future. As a premier African tourism destination, Cape Town welcomes this summit, recognising the vital role aviation plays in connecting our city to the world, fostering economic growth, and enhancing our position as a sought-after travel hub in Africa.”

Kenya Airways is focused on being a customer-centric airline that caters to the unique needs and preferences of its passengers. This commitment is evident through various customer-focused initiatives and improvements aimed at enhancing the overall customer experience.

In June of this year, Kenya Airways launched its own loyalty programme, Asante Rewards, to reward its loyal customers, reflecting the airline’s proactive approach to customer satisfaction and evolving passenger expectations.

As the summit returns in 2023 after its last occurrence in 2021, Kenya Airways looks forward to actively engaging in discussions and collaborations that will further enhance the airline industry and, by extension, the customer experience.

 

***ENDS***

 

About Kenya Airways

Kenya Airways, a member of the Sky Team Alliance, is a leading African airline flying to 42 destinations worldwide, 35 of which are in Africa. In 2022 the World Travel Awards recognized KQ as Africa’s Leading Airline, Africa’s Leading Airline Brand, Africa’s Leading Airline – Business Class, and Africa’s Leading Inflight Magazine (Msafiri). In 2023 KQ was awarded Best Airline Staff in Africa at the prestigious Skytrax World Airline Awards. KQ’s fleet comprises of wide body Boeing aircraft that includes its flagship B787 Dreamliner and narrow body Embraer E190 aircraft.

The on-board service is renowned worldwide and the lie-flat business class seat on the widebody aircraft is consistently voted among the world’s top 10. Kenya Airways takes pride in being at the forefront of connecting Africa to the World and the World to Africa through its hub at the new ultra-modern Terminal 1A at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi.

For more information go to www.kenya-airways.com or call our 24-hour Customer Services Desk: +254 20 327 4747, Twitter: @KenyaAirways, Facebook: KenyaAirways, Instagram: OfficialKenyaAirways

 

For media enquiries, please contact:

Kenya Airways Corporate Communications:

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AFRAA SG intervention at the African Aviation & Travel Innovation Summit

AFRAA Secretary General, Mr Abdérahmane Berthé, made a keynote speech at the African Aviation & Travel Innovation Summit in Cape Town on 18th October 2023.

The African Aviation Innovation Summit which is now in its second edition was staged by Kenya Airways in collaboration by AFRAA under the theme: theme “Customer Obsession in Aviation”

In his remarks, Mr Berthé highlighted the importance of innovation to transform and revolutionize the aviation industry. “Air Traffic will double by 2040, and digitization will facilitate handling this growth to keep and improve customers’ experience.” He stated.

Mr Berthé articulated on some of the innovative features that drive the progress of passengers’ experience, including:

  1. Passengers’ facilitation: Processing at airports is the most challenging part of passengers’ experience. Improving passengers’ identification, check-in, security check, easy gate access, and internet availability is essential to customer satisfaction.
  2. Biometrics: Biometrics is a game changer in aviation: fingerprints, iris recognition, and facial recognition. Using unique physical characteristics to identify passengers is revolutionizing processes: ticketing, baggage dropping, security checks, and boarding.
  3. Baggage handling: New solutions are being developed in view to facilitate baggage tracing.
  4. Artificial Intelligence: AI can transform the aviation industry. AI applications in aviation include Customer Service. Distribution, Analytics, Safety Enhancement, Predictive Maintenance, Flight Planning and Optimization, Air Traffic Management, Crew Resource Management, and Security.
  5. Connectivity: In-flight connectivity and entertainment have come a long way over the past few years and are used for various systems, including: internet access, aircraft position tracking, aircraft performance status and streaming movies and TV.

Noting that digitalization and Innovation are opportunities for airlines, Mr Berthé called upon airlines to transform and embrace these opportunities, rethink their strategies to capture the new opportunities relevant to operations and customers, integrate the new tools into the existing business and organization to measure and monitor customer satisfaction.

“At AFRAA, the sustainability of our member airlines is a priority. In this regard, in collaboration with AFRAA partners, we bring practical, innovative solutions to our members. Collaboration is essential to improve passengers’ experience. All Aviation stakeholders, including service providers, should work hand in hand to make the transformation effective for customers. For example, the One-Stop-Security concept can only be implemented by collaborating with regulators, airports, and airlines.” He concluded.

He further participated in a panel discussion on the theme: “Tailwinds of Transformation: Creating an Enabling Environment for End-to-End Customer-Centric Aviation”. The panel comprised of the following executives:

  • Allan Kilavuka, CEO & GMD – Kenya Airways
  • Abderahmane Berthe, Secretary General – AFRAA
  • Patrick Roux, Chief Executive Officer – SkyTeam
  • Mr. Shaheed Regal, Ag. General Manager – Airport Company of South Africa (ACSA)
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AFRAA-Amadeus Workshop on Airline Retailing Transformation for Sustainable Airline Growth


In today’s rapidly evolving aviation industry, successful retailing has become more crucial than ever for airlines to remain competitive and achieve sustainable growth. The shift towards retailing transformation has firmly established itself, shaping the future of the airline and travel industry. On this backdrop, AFRAA, in partnership with Amadeus will hold a workshop in virtual format for African airlines on airline retailing and payments.

The workshop will take place on 17 October 2023 at 13.00hrs EAT (10.00hrs UTC) in virtual format.

Held under the theme: “Airline Retailing Transformation for Sustainable Airline Growth”, the Workshop will enable airlines to embrace this transformative shift, provide a range of valuable IT assets available for immediate adoption to kick-start the transformation with instant value, empower ongoing operations and pave the way for a more profitable and customer-focused future.

The workshop will further equip airlines with insights how to put in place a smooth and simple payment experience to convert visitors into paying travellers, manage cross-border flows, turn on new payment methods, accept payments in new markets, access fraud services, all in one place, while having full control of their strategy.

Who should attend?

AFRAA Secretariat hereby invites representatives of the following functional areas of your airline to participate and kindly requests you to nominate any of them to attend this important Workshop:

  • Strategy
  • Finance
  • Commercial

Event Agenda

The Agenda for the webinar can be accessed here

How to register

Kindly register your airline’s representatives via the link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_A4apfYhqQBmEGx_eqNmogw

For any enquiries on registration and logistics, please contact Ms. Dicie Okaya (dokaya@afraa.org).

We look forward to your airline’s participation.

Address

AFRAA Building, Red Cross Road, off Popo Road which is Off Mombasa Road in South C.
P. O. Box 20116, Nairobi ,00200 Kenya

Call Us

+254-20-2320144 +254-20-2320148

Send us an email

afraa@afraa.org

Mission: To promote, serve African airlines and champion Africa’s aviation industry.

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