A bright future - What is the future for air transport technology & empowerment of women in Africa

AFRICA, AIR TRANSPORT, TECHNOLOGY
AND EMPOWERMENT FOR WOMEN
WHITE PAPER
PREPARED FOR THE WOMEN IN AFRICAN AIR TRANSPORT EVENT
1456_Sita_ Women in Africa White Paper v5.indd 1 05/11/2015 12:58

AFRICA, AIR TRANSPORT, TECHNOLOGY AND EMPOWERMENT FOR WOMEN | © SITA 2015AFRICA, AIR TRANSPORT, TECHNOLOGY AND EMPOWERMENT FOR WOMENAFRICA, AIR TRANSPORT, TECHNOLOGY AND EMPOWERMENT FOR WOMEN | © SITA 2015

1AFRICA, AIR TRANSPORT, TECHNOLOGY AND EMPOWERMENT FOR WOMEN | © SITA 2015
CONTENTS
Introduction 2
Making the change 2
The African renaissance 3
African genius 3
Technology driving connections 4
Harnessing the democratic dividend 5
Air transport at the heart of change 7
Mixed opportunity for airports 8
Air freight potential 8
Safety and open skies 9
The changing face of African air travel 9
Powered by shared technology 10
Competition, collaboration & technology 10
Safety and security critical 10
Simpler and shared 10
Mobile and informed 11
Skills needed 13
Women and air power 14
Taking the mantle of leadership 15
Stemming the tide 15
Answers and a hopeful future 16
AFRICA, AIR TRANSPORT, TECHNOLOGY AND EMPOWERMENT FOR WOMEN | © SITA 2015

2 AFRICA, AIR TRANSPORT, TECHNOLOGY AND EMPOWERMENT FOR WOMEN | © SITA 2015
“The 21st century will reveal the true resilience
of the African spirit. The African renaissance
will be like no other. It will not be a western
or an eastern or a northern one. It will be a
rebirth, a regeneration into itself.” Ben Okri1
Africa never disappoints. It has a vibrancy and a dynamism
that can inspire and drive to despair in equal measure.
A sense of past that no other continent can match. It is
inspirational and frustrating. And it has a future that is taking
shape now.
One eminent economist enthuses that Africa is moving from
a $2 trillion economy today to a $29 trillion economy by 2050.
Household incomes will increase sevenfold. Foreign direct
investment has poured in from China, but also from Europe,
America, Australia, Canada and India2
. Substantial expansion
of the internet infrastructural links from Africa to the rest of
the world have given a massive boost to connectivity. Mobile
has been a major factor of change: sub-Saharan Africa is the
world’s third largest region, behind Asia Pacific and Europe.
An increasingly strong startup culture is attracting new
investment with global innovations such as Ushahidi
(crowdsourcing and sharing of data) and M-Pesa (a mobile
money transfer service) setting the pace for innovation.
Meanwhile, Africa is facing a ‘demographic dividend’ with the
world’s largest working age population maturing as new and
growing cities do their work of powering economic growth.
Africa’s air transport sector is responding with a growing
number of low-cost carriers beginning to address the
long-standing need for improved intra-African connections.
Problems related to safety, regulation, liberalization and
costs remain, but there is an increased determination
to address these issues urgently – and provide the
infrastructure and resource that will be sought by an
increasingly affluent and travel-hungry population.
MAKING THE CHANGE
Organizations such as the African Airlines Association
(AFRAA), IATA and SITA are collaborating across the air
transport community to deliver against high ambitions.
SITA has been working alongside airlines and airports in the
continent for almost 60 years. Today it continues its historic
role of developing processes and solutions in all areas of air
transport that are accessible to everyone and designed to be
of value to small airlines and airports as much as the major
global players.
Through the SITA Air Transport Community Foundation, the
shortage in information and communication technologies
(ICT) skills shortages is being addressed with an initiative to
deliver educational programs and technology to communities
across Africa, as well as graduate and post-graduate support.
This includes the objective of bringing more women into the
sector, in line with the efforts of government and civil society
initiatives aimed at breaking down deep cultural biases,
particularly in areas such as science and technology.
Hence SITA’s pleasure at co-hosting this inaugural Women
in Air Transport event in Johannesburg, alongside BARSA,
whose Chairman, Vice Chairman and CEO are all women and
who will take forward their AKAANI Women’s Development
Programme in 2016. The programme has been initiated by the
former Chairman of ACSA Mrs Busi Mabusa during her tenure
and in collaboration with BARSA.
INTRODUCTION
1 Based on a speech to the Centre for African Renaissance Studies, Pretoria
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/sep/07/spirit-africa-art-
business-creativity
2 www.ted.com/talks/charles_robertson_africa_s_next_boom?language=en

Perspective is everything when talking about
Africa. Do you view the continent from the
perspective of industrial raw materials? In which
case you’ll be concerned about the downturn in
China. Or do you see it from the perspective of
governance and deprivation? In which case you’ll
be encouraged by progress made with the UN’s
Millennium Development Goals, but concerned
over the extent of problems remaining.
Or do you, like us, see Africa as an inspiring mix of naturally
entrepreneurial peoples finding the space and the resource
needed to build the Africa they want? In 2013 the African
Union launched Agenda 20633
, a 50-year plan to create a
prosperous continent with the means and resources to drive
its own development, among the best performers in global
quality of life measures. It sets great store by the enduring
pan-African vision of “an integrated prosperous and peaceful
Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a global
force in the global arena”.
Of course there are challenges – and plenty of voices calling
out “Yes, but …” to every good piece of news and every
celebration of success. The familiar litany of concerns
remains real and potent – from public debt to climate change,
energy to education. But the economy is still expected to
grow at more than 4% this year, despite the decline in oil and
other commodity prices4
. And, yes, of course Agenda 2063
is an aspirational document. But the renaissance of Africa
is gaining real traction in new ways and, as in so many other
parts of the world, it’s being driven by science and technology.
AFRICAN GENIUS
Where will the next Einstein come from? Africa, of
course, according to the African Institute for Mathematical
Sciences (AIMS). Seven years ago the institute – a pan-African
network for post-graduate education, research and public
engagement in mathematical sciences, based in Cape
Town – began recruiting outstanding graduates from all
over Africa whose shared passion for science will build an
improved future for Africa.
Where is the next ground-breaking startup coming
from? Silicon Savannah in Nairobi led the way with global
innovations in areas such as crowd sourcing and mobile
money. By 2014, there were some 255 mobile money services
operating across 89 countries worldwide. M-Pesa has
transformed economic activity in Kenya, helping reshape the
banking and telecom sectors, providing financial inclusion for
nearly 20 million Kenyans, and helping create thousands of
small businesses.
The startup boom is infectious. Incubators and accelerators
– such as South Africa’s Silicon Cape Initiative – are springing
up in countries across the continent. The Kenyan government
has committed to launching a tech hub in each of the 47
counties in the country, while mobile operators are playing
an increasingly central role in the startup ecosystem by
providing mentoring and funding opportunities. Ventures
such as the Millicom Foundation, Spark Venture, Catapult-a-
Startup and Digital Ventures are making a real difference to
the startup community.
THE AFRICAN
RENAISSANCE
3 http://agenda2063.au.int/
4 IMF Regional Economic Outlook April 2015 www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/
reo/2015/afr/eng/pdf/sreo0415.pdf

5 https://vc4africa.biz/
6 http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats1.htm
7 www.gsmamobileeconomy.com/ssafrica/
Data courtesy of www.internetworldstats.com
As a result, venture capital funding in African tech startups
has shot up from US$ 41m in 2012 to US$ 414m in 2014 and a
forecast US$ 608m by 2018.
The startup funding platform VC4Africa5
has seen the number
of applications rise 640% in just three years from 26 African
countries, suggesting a broad-based and vibrant SME (small
and medium-sized enterprises) microsystem across the
continent. The average team size per startup is also growing –
from 3.7 per company in 2014 to 5.7 in 2015. Recent research
by VC4Africa underlines the diversity of the startup market –
with South Africa delivering the largest startup investments,
Nigeria the most startup investments, and Kenya the largest
total startup investment.
TECHNOLOGY DRIVING CONNECTIONS
New technologies and a boost to the consumer sector are
changing the way people run their lives. Africa has long been
one of the world’s most dynamic markets for mobile phones.
Now, with significant investment in fibre connections between
Africa and Europe/North America, growth is being driven
further through internet connectivity. Facebook saw a 20%
increase in its active user population in the nine months to
June 2015.
In 2000, there were just 200,000 Nigerians using the internet.
By June this year, the figure had grown to 92.7m. In Rwanda in
2000, there were 5,000 internet users – today 3.2m. South Africa
has gone from 2.4m to 26.8m. Kenya from 200,000 to 29.2m.
However, there remains massive scope for further growth.
Nigeria has less than 50% penetration rate, Kenya about 64%,
and South Africa 49% (the US has 87%, Denmark 97%, Japan
91% and China 49%). And in some countries the benefits are
still a long way off: Burundi has a penetration rate of less than
5%, Madagascar 3.7% and Swaziland 27%6
.
The innovative and rapid expansion in the use of mobile
phones has been extensively documented and celebrated
– and shows little sign of slowing down. As of the second
quarter of 2015, sub-Saharan Africa had 367m unique
subscribers and 680 million connections7
. Half a million
subscribers are forecast by 2020. The region now accounts
for 10% of the global subscriber base and is the third biggest
region behind Asia Pacific and Europe.
Source: The Next Africa ©Aubrey Hubrey and Jake Bright, Crunch Base, TNA Analysis
2013
$ MILLION
2014
128
2012
41
414
608
2018 (Est.)
WORLD INTERNET USAGE AND POPULATION STATISTICS @ 30 JUNE 2015
World Region
Population
(2015 Est.)
Internet Users
31 Dec. 2000
Internet Users
30 June 2015
Penetration
(% Population)
Users %
of Table
Growth %
2000-2015
Africa 1,158,355,663 4,514,400 313,257,074 27 9.6 6839.1
Asia 4,032,466,882 114,304,000 1,563,208,143 38.8 47.8 1267.6
Europe 821,555,904 105,096,093 604,122,380 73.5 18.5 474.8
Middle East 236,137,235 3,284,800 115,823,882 49 3.5 3426.1
North America 357,172,209 108,096,800 313,862,863 87.9 9.6 190.4
Latin America /Caribbean 617,776,105 18,068,919 333,115,908 53.9 10.2 1743.6
Oceania / Australia 37,157,120 7,620,480 27,100,334 72.9 0.8 255.6
WORLD TOTAL 7,260,621,118 360,985,492 3,270,490,584 45 100 806
VENTURE CAPITAL FUNDING IN AFRICA TECH START-UPS

8 Jean-Michel Severino, former head of France’s Agence Française de
Developpement : www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25869838.
Twenty percent of mobile connections are based on 3G –
available in 41 countries in the region. Adoption of 3G will
exceed the global average by 2017 and by 2020, more than
half of all connections will be 3G. Already, 4G networks
have been launched in 23 countries, with South Africa,
Namibia,Angola and Mauritius leading the pack. Vodacom’s
4G network in South Africa already covers more than 40% of
the population.
Smartphones are also increasing in popularity, with the
adoption rate doubling in the last two years to 20% of total
connections (compared to the global average of 40%). At least
half of all connections will be via smartphone by 2020. This
is being helped by falling prices – for example, in March this
year Orange announced a sub-US$ 40 smartphone using the
Firefox OS.
Digital commerce is also on the rise. A survey by In Mobi
across 14 countries – including South Africa, Kenya and
Nigeria, predicts that 83% of consumers planned to conduct
mobile commerce in the next 12 months. The growth
of mobile money services is also changing the face of
commerce, with cross-border remittance models gaining
popularity particularly in East and West Africa.
HARNESSING THE DEMOGRAPHIC DIVIDEND
Most of sub-Saharan Africa is beginning a demographic
change that will provide plenty of challenges but also
unprecedented opportunities for economic growth. The total
population (today nudging 1bn) will rise to 2bn by 2050 and
an estimated 3.7bn by 2100. By 2035, the number reaching
working age (15-64) will exceed that of the rest of the world
combined, as fertility rates decline and longevity increases.
By 2050, the working age population will have tripled from
today’s level, to 1.25 billion.
For many countries, this time-limited dividend offers
the potential to graduate from low-income to middle-income
status, as explained overleaf by development specialist
Jean-Michel Severino8
:
Unique subscribers and SIM connections
2015
386m41% Penetration rate
CONNECTIONS*
*Excluding M2M
722m
77% Penetration rate
2020
518m
57%
24%
MOBILE ECONOMY SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
Accelerating moves to mobile broadband networks and smartphone adoption
982m
2015
2020
6.2% CAGR 2015-20
Mobile broadband connections
Mobile broadband connections to increase
from 24% of total in 2015 to 57% by 2020
By 2020, there will be 540M smartphones,
growth of 340M from the end of 2015
Smartphone
2015 2020
6.3% CAGR 2015-20
2015
386m
2020
540m
Source: GSMA Intelligence
37%
Sub-Saharan Africa Developing Countries Worlds
23%
29%
45%
33%
49%
2014 2020
MOBILE INTERNET SUBSCRIBER PENETRATION
Source: GSMA Intelligence

“Each year, the increasing number of working-age adults
carries the weight of a relatively diminishing proportion of
children, while elderly dependents remain few. A higher
population density allows domestic markets to be created,
demand to emerge and local firms to develop in an economic
environment that is more business-friendly than 20 or 30
years ago. The relative cost of infrastructure declines.
The proportion of the population living in cities increases.
Urbanization is one of the most powerful growth engines the
world has ever experienced.”
The results of this are already being seen across the
continent. A PwC report9
on the continent’s top 20 ‘cities of
opportunity’ show consistent improvements across a range
of measures, from housing, transport, water and energy to
GDP (gross domestic product), middle-class growth and FDI
(foreign direct investment). The report asserts that “Africa
is a continent where the megatrends are colliding together
to catalyze a rapid and widespread transformation of the
business environment”. One result is the fastest growing
middle class population in the world. Another, the suggestion
that by 2025, of 37 megacities globally (population of more
than 10 million), 12 will be in sub-Saharan Africa.
The authors also suggest that “African cities needs to
be looked at through a different lens. Potential to grow
should be considered along current levels of development.
The available data and analysis has limitations and only
tells part of the story”.
One of the metrics used by PwC is levels of urban
entertainment and media spending (E&M) – a sure measure of
growth in discretionary income. A global study of E&M spend
in ‘cities of opportunity’ put Nairobi with the highest rate of
growth of all the cities surveyed, while Johannesburg came
third, behind Beijing and Mumbai and ahead of Shanghai.
“These numbers point to a powerful demographic and
economic dynamic,” conclude PwC. “We can safely say that it
is the result of Africa’s rapidly expanding urban middle class.”
9 www.pwc.com/gx/en/issues/strategy/emerging-markets/africa/assets/
into-africa-report.pdf
10 www.iata.org/pressroom/pr/Pages/2014-10-16-01.aspx
In September, world leaders at the UN adopted
the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Seventeen new Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) will guide policy and funding for the next
15 years. They include:
GOAL 4: QUALITY EDUCATION
ENSURE INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE QUALITY
EDUCATION AND PROMOTE LIFELONG LEARNING
OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL
GOAL 5: GENDER EQUALITY
ACHIEVE GENDER EQUALITY AND EMPOWER ALL
WOMEN AND GIRLS
GOAL 9: INDUSTRY, INNOVATION, INFRASTRUCTURE
BUILD RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE, PROMOTE
SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRIALIZATION AND FOSTER
INNOVATION
Source: UN Nations, World Population Prospects, 2012; and IMF staff calculations
Millionsofpersons
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
-50
-100
1950
1965
1980
1995
2010
2025
2040
2055
2070
2085
2100
CHANGE IN WORKING AGE POPULATION (AGES 15–64)

The air transport sector is assuming ever
greater importance as one of the keys to future
development and the achievement of a dynamic,
successful economy. It is already a major
contributor to the continent’s economy, directly
supporting 1.1m jobs and contributing
US$ 34.5bn to GDP (2012 figures). Air transport
is integral to the travel and tourism sector, which
itself supports 5.8m people in employment and
contributes US$ 46bn to African GDP.
Compared to the global air transport sector, African air
transport remains a relatively small player. Currently only
10% of Africans travel by air. The intra-African market
represents less than 1% of the global market and Africa’s
share of global passenger traffic is just 2.3%.
However, aviation is now recognized as the next
infrastructure growth frontier for Africa, spurred on by the
expansion of the urban middle class and the growth of the
African technology-based economy. IATA forecasts that 19
countries will move from low-income to middle-income in
the period 2014-2034, 15 of them in Africa. Crucially, people
in middle-income countries, on average, fly over seven times
more often each year than people in low-income countries10
.
Note also that the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority has found
that countries with ageing populations will see a reduction
in the ‘propensity’ to fly. The converse is that Africa, with its
demographic dividend, will find a rapidly growing proportion
of its population having both the means and the ‘propensity’
to fly. So IATA forecasts passenger growth 2014-2034 rising
by 4.7%, with an extra 177m passengers a year creating a
total market of 294m passengers. Note also that of the 10
fastest growing markets in the period, eight are in Africa.
AIR TRANSPORT
AT THE HEART OF CHANGE
Direct jobs generated by air
transport in Africa, 2012
Airport
Other on-airport
Airlines
Aerospace
Air traffic
Management
Africa’s share of global
passenger traffic, 2012
Total jobs and GDP generated
by air transport in Africa, 2012
Africa Rest of the World
GDP ($billion)
27.5%
51.7%
6.3% 10.5%
4%
2.3%
+ Tourism catalytic
+ Induced
+ Indirect
Aviation
direct
428 897 1,144 6,928
12,894
27,645
34,459
80,541
The fastest growing markets
Market2
Annual growth %
Additional x
thousand pax per
year by 2034
1. Central African
Republic
9.0 638
2. Madagascar 8.0 3,330
3. Tanzania 7.7 9,352
4. Burundi 7.4 674
5. Kuwait 7.3 28,687
6. Pakistan 7.2 43,886
7. Ethiopia 7.2 9,302
8. Rwanda 7.0 2,057
9. Zambia 6.8 3,629
10. Botswana 6.7 1,333
OF THE 10 FASTEST GROWING MARKETS FOR PASSENGER
GROWTH 2014-2034, EIGHT ARE IN AFRICA.
Source: IATA.
Figures may not add exactly to 100% due to rounding.
Source: ATAG2014:
Aviation Benefits

13 http://unctad.org/en/pages/PublicationWebflyer.aspx?publicationid=60411 www.iata.org/pressroom/speeches/Pages/2015-06-23-01.aspx
12 http://centreforaviation.com/analysis/the-airport-city-or-aerotropolis-
concept-comes-to-africa-funding-will-be-key-part-2-181444
Tony Tyler, CEO of IATA, stressed the importance of aviation
at the IATA Africa-Middle East Aviation Day, in Nairobi in
June: “A strong aviation system is the key to resolving many
of Africa’s deepest problems in health, education and
economic development. He adds:
“THE NATIONS OF AFRICA HAVE A UNIQUE
OPPORTUNITY NOT ONLY TO STRENGTHEN
AIR TRANSPORT, BUT TO SURPASS
MANY OTHER TRADITIONAL AVIATION
POWERS, WHO THROUGH NEGLECT
AND POOR STRATEGIC THINKING HAVE
FAILED TO MAXIMIZE THE POTENTIAL AIR
CONNECTIVITY OFFERS.”
11
MIXED OPPORTUNITY FOR AIRPORTS
A rapidly growing passenger market requires an efficient
airport infrastructure and, here again, much is needed.
Commenting at the Aviation Africa conference in 2015,
consultant Manny Kanabe said that: “We need more airports
and there is an appetite for more private sector investment
in airports. There has been a lot of investment from China,
but African governments need to look at new ways to make
airports look more attractive to investors”.
According to research by CAPA12
, in 2011-12, Africa accounted
for only 1% of global airport capital expenditure, but that
figure can be misleading – 2012 figures showed that 69%
of African capital expenditure was on construction as
opposed to plant equipment, property or other services. That
proportion is above the world average. By the end of 2014
there were 40 new airport projects under way in Africa with
a total spend of about US$ 40bn, significant but well below
levels in Europe (US$ 100bn) and Asia Pacific (US$ 162bn).
By the end of 2014 there were 40 new airport projects under
way in Africa with a total spend of about US$ 40bn, significant
but well below levels in Europe (US$ 100bn) and Asia Pacific
(US$ 162bn).
While enthusing about the opportunities of the ‘airport cities’
being built in Johannesburg and Durban, CAPA’s report
concluded that opportunities for investment across Africa
were generally something of a mixed bag: “When judged
against other regions Africa scores highly when comparing its
ratio of airport income to costs; holds its own in generation of
income per passenger; performs poorly in non-aeronautical
revenue generation from car parking, a revenue stream that
is all the rage globally; does not score well in its debt-to-
equity ratio; but does so with its current ratio”.
AIR FREIGHT POTENTIAL
Although efforts have been made for decades to boost
intra-African trade as a means of creating employment,
attracting investment and fostering growth, a focus on
breaking down trade barriers rather than on investment in
productive capacity has hindered progress. As a result, the
average share of intra-African exports in the period 2007-11
as a proportion of the total was just 11%, compared to 70% in
Europe, 50% in developing Asia and 21% in Latin America13
.
However, as regional integration arrangements deepen with
the creation of larger trade zones and as Africa links into
global value chains and regional value chains, so the potential
for growth in air freight traffic increases.
But for those wanting to use air transport for freight, the
transport problems of doing business in Africa are not just a
matter of poor infrastructure or high transport costs. Modern
logistics systems also emphasize the need for efficient
customs and border agencies, the ease and affordability of
arranging international shipments, the competence of the
local logistics sector, the ability to track and trace shipments,
and their timeliness.
Nevertheless, air freight has become a vital ingredient in
the growth of Africa. For example, the export of fresh fruit,
vegetables and flowers to the UK alone contributes almost
US$ 54m to the economy of Kenya. Overall, more than
one million African rural livelihoods are supported by UK
consumption of fruit and vegetables.

SAFETY AND OPEN SKIES
Of the many challenges facing the industry, two in particular
are raised whenever talk gets round to air transport. The
first is safety, a long-standing issue caused primarily by
inconsistency in the implementation and enforcement of
internationally accepted safety standards and practices.
In fact, great strides are being made.
According to IATA, although in 2014 the all-accident rate
for sub-Saharan Africa was 11.18 for every one million
flights there was a jet hull-loss rate of zero, better than the
global average. This comes in the wake of initiatives from
governments to meet the 2012 Abuja Declaration on Aviation
Safety by 2015. The African Airlines Association (AFRAA)
states that AFRAA/IATA member airlines match world
standards. However, there is still some way to go: only
14 out of 54 African states comply with 60% or more
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standards
and Recommended Practices.
IATA is working with airlines to bring them onto the IATA
Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) registry, to join 27 airlines
from sub-Saharan Africa that already benefit from the safety
audit. For airlines not eligible for IOSA, the IATA Standard
Safety Assessment (ISSA) gives even the smallest carrier the
opportunity to benchmark its safety performance.
The second core challenge is the opening of Africa’s skies to
encourage more competition and lower fares. “Governments
need to get away from the idea that air transport is for the
rich but rather a means of mass transport”, commented
AFRAA Secretary General Dr Elijah Chingosho, speaking at
the World Civil Aviation CEO Forum in 2015.
The benefits of liberalization have been known for many
years. The 1999 Yamoussoukro Declaration called for the
liberalization of African skies for African airlines, and
aimed to establish a single African air transport market by
avoiding market restrictions imposed by bilateral air service
agreements. However, no open sky agreements have been
signed between African countries, while 23 countries have
signed open sky agreements with the US.
AFRAA has been relentless in its efforts to encourage
governments to make progress. Their persistence paid off
in January this year when 11 of the 53 African Union
member states re-committed themselves to have the
Declaration implemented by 2017. Others are expected
to join in due course.
The benefits are well rehearsed. A July 2014 report for IATA
on the economic benefits of intra-African liberalization14
found that agreement over a more liberal air traffic market
between South Africa and Kenya in the early 2000s led to a
69% rise in passenger traffic. A low cost service permitted
between South Africa and Zambia resulted in a 38% reduction
in fares and a 38% increase in passenger traffic. Further
north, the 2006 Morocco-EU open skies agreement led to a
160% rise in traffic, with an increase in the number of routes
between the EU and Morocco from 83 in 2005 to 309 in 2013.
AFRAA and others have also been calling for the removal
or simplification of the process for getting visas among
African states, as well as an easing of customs clearance
procedures for goods. One of the key strands of the 47th
AFRAA Annual General Assembly, taking place in Brazzaville
8-10 November 2015, is to ask how airlines can collaboratively
take control of the liberalization process for sustainable
growth and development.
THE CHANGING FACE OF AFRICAN AIR TRAVEL
Nevertheless, the pace of change in African air travel has
increased markedly in the past couple of years, following
the launch of Kulula.com – operated by BA partner Comair
– as Africa’s first low-cost carrier in 2001. In 2012, fastjet
began flights on routes between Dar es Salaam, Mwanza,
Kilimanjaro and Mbeya and now also flies from Dar es Salaam
to Johannesburg, Lusaka, Harare, Entebbe and Lilongwe,
with a domestic route between Harare and Victoria Falls.
In October this year, Fastjet signed a ticketing agreement
with Emirates.
Other low-cost operators include flyafrica.com (SA,
Zimbabwe and Namibia), Mango (SAA subsidiary serving SA
and Zanzibar), FlySafair (SA), Fly450 (Kenya and neighbouring
countries), JamboJet (cleared to fly across Africa from
Kenya), Dana Air (resurrected after closing in 2012 and
currently serving domestic routes in Nigeria), Skywise (SA)
and the newest addition Fly Blue Crane (SA), which began
flying within southern Africa in September. Another new
entrant in 2014 was Malawian Airlines – a joint venture
between the government and Ethiopian Airlines, serving
seven destinations across five countries.
14 www.iata.org/publications/economic-briefings/InterVISTAS_
AfricaLiberalisation_FinalReport_July2014.pdf

For many African governments, air transport
has not been a priority in recent years.
Eliminating poverty, improving health, raising
living standards and generating jobs have
ranked much higher. But once air transport
is recognized as a key economic driver and a
crucial element in the move from aid to trade,
the issue then is how to develop an air transport
infrastructure that can match the potential.
Much is being spent in those countries with the most dynamic
markets, with new facilities coming on stream to match the
opportunities provided by the spreading webs of new low-cost
airlines. But with passenger and freight growth ramping up
within the continent and internationally, more needs to be
done – and is being done – to match best global standards.
COMPETITION, COLLABORATION
AND TECHNOLOGY
Even though open sky policies are proving slow to implement,
the accelerating growth of low-cost airlines and increased
attention from carriers outside of Africa is creating increased
competition. However, while the new carriers are addressing
the crucial intra-African market, intercontinental traffic
to and from Africa continues to be dominated by non-
African airlines – taking as much as 75% market share.
This underlines the progress that is needed in matching the
facilities, resources and technology available to carriers from
the Middle East, Europe, Asia and the Americas. It requires
considerable investment, but also the engagement of African
governments in ensuring parity of opportunity for African
airlines, particularly for traffic rights.
The African Union Commission, AFRAA and a growing
number of African airline alliances are fully engaged in this
process. They recognize that, as in so many other aspects of
progress across Africa, collaboration is key. For example,
smaller African carriers are encouraged to partner with
larger carriers, including from outside Africa. Joint ventures,
marketing arrangements and equity participation can all
help drive improvements, economies of scale and greater
market exposure. But to be most effective, governments
will need to focus on removing barriers to cooperation and
put in place a policy and regulatory framework that can
facilitate collaboration.
Many countries have limited funds for the future
infrastructure needs of air transport, so better use needs
to be made of the infrastructure already in place, with
incremental improvements delivered from new investment.
And this is where technology can help.
Technology can improve competitiveness and efficiency. It
can meet the expectations of future passengers. It can make
airports more operationally efficient and productive, while
increasing passenger capacity.
SAFETY AND SECURITY CRITICAL
Safety is clearly the priority in Africa and this is where
the priority for new investment must lie. New air ground
communication technologies are being deployed in Europe
and the United States and SITA has been bringing these to
Africa with investment in VHF Data Link services, starting
in 2010 to support the extra traffic for the FIFA World Cup in
South Africa.
Governments and airport authorities must also cope with
security issues. Accelerating clearance for the vast majority
while improving detection of ‘persons of interest’ is a
challenge, especially with limited resources. Once again,
the FIFA World Cup in South Africa provided a textbook
example of the benefits of technology. More than 1.5 million
passengers were processed during the two months of the
games and “unwelcome” visitors were refused entry – before
they even boarded the plane.
SIMPLER AND SHARED
IATA’s Simplifying the Business (StB) program has delivered
transformational initiatives over the past 11 years, such
as electronic tickets, common use self-service and mobile
boarding passes, significantly reducing airline costs while
providing customer convenience. More recently, StB has
POWERED BY
SHARED TECHNOLOGY

focussed on enabling transparent and rich comparison
shopping with the New Distribution Capability, driving a more
personalized customer experience during the journey.
Common-use technology provides benefits to all, with the
investment cost spread among participants based on usage.
At airports, common-use terminal (CUTE) desks are already
well established – but the industry is gradually moving to
common-use kiosks (CUSS), which cost less to operate
per passenger and free up check-in space at the airport.
Likewise, shared communications infrastructure at airports
is also becoming commonplace as a way of keeping a tighter
control on the cost of telecommunications. These costs can
be high for airlines operating in Africa.
Passenger handling has always been a complex and
expensive element within the mix. Here again, technology
is delivering massive cost reductions through the use of
common-use systems and advanced technologies.
An increasing proportion of these services can be provided
using cloud-based technologies. These are perfectly made for
air transport, removing the need for expensive infrastructure
and hardware, allowing smaller airlines and airports to
benefit from the same level of functionality and cost reduction
as their larger colleagues.
MOBILE AND INFORMED
Aviation is also leveraging the benefits of mobile technology
for booking flights as well as guidance and updates
throughout the journey. The SITA Passenger IT Trends Survey
has confirmed what we all know from our own experience,
that passengers want to stay informed. This is backed by
IATA research that reported 68% of passengers would like to
receive proactive travel information and notifications from
their airline, that 98% of passengers would use Wi-Fi at the
airport if it is available and that 67% would like to interact
with their airline via social media during the journey.
With 5.2 billion people connected via a mobile phone, airlines
can use technology to proactively inform passengers when
plans change. This ability to personalize the journey has been
given a kick start by the strong adoption of smartphones (now
carried by 76% of airline customers worldwide). Over 75% of
airlines plan major programs to deliver passenger services
through smartphones in the next three years. Such is the
focus on mobile that during that time over five times as many
airlines (67%) will offer a highly personalized smartphone
booking experience compared to today. Africa’s enthusiastic
embrace of mobile technology makes this a fertile area for
African airlines and airports to enhance services at low cost.
OVER 80% OF AIRLINES ARE FOCUSED ON PERSONALIZATION
©2015 SITA. Figures may not add exactly to 100% due to rounding.
Solutions
to improve
personalization
Passenger
services via
smartphone
Passenger
services via
tablet
Passenger
services via
social media
Major
Resea
% of airline
82%
92%
30%
16%
52%
73%
42%
31%76%
85%
22%
63%
es may not add exactly to 100% due to rounding.
Passenger
services via
smartphone
Passenger
services via
tablet
Passenger
services via
social media
Major program
Research & development
% of airlines investing in:
92%
16% 73%
42%
31%76%
85%
22%
63%

SKILLS NEEDED
Another crucial issue for the air transport sector in Africa
is a shortage of those with the necessary technology skills.
At its meeting on sustainable development of air transport
in Africa, held in Madagascar in 2015, ICAO recognized that
“new developments in the air transport sector such as new
systems, procedures, aircraft performance capabilities,
renewable fuels, new supporting infrastructure and new
ways to do business create the need for highly educated and
skilled professionals”.
ICAO also recognized the urgent need to strengthen the
continent’s expertise, to invest in qualified personnel
through training.
South Africa’s Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS)
took up the challenge with an initiative to ensure women
have equal access to high quality training and skills
development opportunities, as part of a program to change
inequalities linked to class, race, gender, age and disability.
In February this year, they offered 24 young female school-
leavers the opportunity to undergo a technology-intensive
internationally-accredited Air Traffic Management (ATM)
course that will enable them to become fully fledged ATCOs.
On a broader level, SITA’s new Air Transport Community
Foundation is working with charities to deliver educational
programs and technology to communities in Africa.
Some 32 schools in Uganda and Ethiopia will get computer
labs in 2015, including solar power for two sites. A number
of students in Africa will receive educational grants for
graduate and post-graduate studies at the University of the
Witwatersrand in South Africa. Further, 16 young people will
benefit from membership of the new Tshimologong Digital
Innovation Hub in Johannesburg. In its first year, the program
hopes to improve the educational life of more than 10,000
students.
Ongoing investment by the Foundation will support student
development in science, technology, engineering and
mathematics (STEM) education, encouraging research and
graduate flow into the region’s air transport industry.
“WE HAVE MADE A COMMITMENT OVER
THE NEXT FEW YEARS TO CONCENTRATE
ON PROVIDING TECHNOLOGICAL
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR
YOUNG PEOPLE IN AFRICA. BY WORKING
WITH STUDENTS FROM SCHOOLS AND
UNIVERSITIES, WE ARE HELPING TO EQUIP
A NEW GENERATION WITH ESSENTIAL IT
AND TECHNOLOGY SKILLS.”
The SITA Air Transport Community Foundation
has been developed in partnership with the SITA
Council, to deliver technology and IT education to
communities in need, with an initial focus on Africa.
The SITA Council represents and safeguards the
interests of SITA’s 430 owner-members worldwide.
Members include airlines, airports, airport-based
organizations and air traffic management covering
95% of all international destinations, together with
more than 13,500 industry sites connected by
SITA‘s network.
SITA’s CEO, Francesco Violante

15 http://allafrica.com/stories/201510230399.html
WOMEN AND
AIR POWER
Women have played a long and honorable
part in the history of air transport. No tale
of heroism is complete without the stories of
Amelia Earhart and Amy Johnson. American
Jacqueline Cochran, who earned her license
in 1932 and was the first woman to break the
sound barrier, went on to set more speed,
altitude and distance records than any other
pilot, male or female, and held them until her
death in 1980.
In the Second World War, the US Women Airforce Service
Pilots (WASPs) and UK Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAFs)
ferried planes of all sizes – from Spitfires to Flying Fortresses
and Lancaster bombers – from factories to air bases all over
the world. At its peak, there were 180,000 women in the WAAF.
Yet, as in so many other areas, a few short years later and
women had been put back in the kitchen and the nursery, and
a huge quantity of talent was ignored and wasted. Progress
since has been slow and tortuous. Just last year, the female
captain of a US passenger aircraft was left a note by a
passenger stating that “the cockpit of an airline is no place for
a woman” and demanding that passengers be advised if there
was a female captain so they could choose another flight.
That captain was one of the just 6% of the total pilot population
who are women. Even in so-called enlightened countries,
women in air transport are still seen primarily in a passenger
service role – as stewards or terminal service staff.
To celebrate women’s month in August 2014,
South African Airways (SAA) ran a flight between
Johannesburg and Cape Town with an all-female
crew. Flight dispatcher, operations controller, load
controller and ramp controller were also women and
passengers included SAA female executives, led by
the airline’s Head of Operations. SAA has women
working as technicians, flight deck crew, cabin crew,
and in key operational and support areas throughout
the SAA Group.
14

TAKING ‘THE MANTLE OF LEADERSHIP’
Internationally, organizations such as Women in Aviation
International are fighting for change across all segments of
the industry, with local chapters providing mentoring, advice
and support – and with some success.
Ify Megwa who heads the Nigerian chapter, was generally
upbeat in an interview last month with that country’s Daily
Trust newspaper15
. “A typical Nigerian female child grows
up with little dreams of excelling in male dominated jobs like
being doctors, scientists. But now women are in everything.
Previously they were there to serve food in the aircraft;
that is no longer the case. We have now taken the mantle of
leadership even in aviation. In aviation now, we have female
chief executives, female directors, a female CEO in
Bi-Courtney which is a privately operated airport and that
is quite phenomenal.”
At Government level, the Broad-Based Black Economic
Empowerment (BBBEE) policy seeks to advance economic
transformation and enhance the economic participation of
black people in the South African economy. Its Codes of Good
Practice provide a framework against which companies can
be rated, including: ownership, management
control, employment equity, skills development,
preferential procurement, enterprise development,
and socio-economic development.
STEMMING THE TIDE
The empowerment of women in air transport is not an
exclusively African issue. Women are under-represented
in a whole range of engineering and technology sectors
worldwide, an issue that is being addressed to a greater or
lesser extent by governments and industry bodies.
As mentioned earlier, the problems in Africa are exacerbated
by the brain drain of expensively trained staff from air
transport to other sectors, and from Africa to other
continents. The SITA Air Transport Community Foundation’s
initiatives to promote STEM subjects in Ethiopia, Uganda and
South Africa are responding in part to the greater effort that is
needed to deliver technology and IT education to communities
in need – helping to equip a new generation with essential IT
and technology skills.
In September this year, low-cost airline Mango
was awarded Level 2 contributor status for its
Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment efforts,
one year ahead of schedule, including exceeding
10% target for transformation among pilots. The
community-focused airline has reached more than
60,000 learners with its Career Days hosted across
the country.
“Lionesses of Africa is an online community that
aims to recognize inspiring women entrepreneurs in
Africa who have made it to the top of their fields and
who are shaking up their industries and business
sectors. It welcomes young women entrepreneurs
looking for advice, insight, and a platform where they
can promote and share their own business ideas.
The current roster includes South African Sibongile
Rejoice Sambo, founder of SRS Aviation and
Tanzanian Susan Mashibe, founder of VIA Aviation.
www.lionessesofafrica.com.”

16
However, breaking down the barriers to women in senior
executive roles in African aviation is part of the greater battle
to find an equitable balance between men and women in the
workplace. A report by accountants Grant Thornton this year
found that African women are still more likely than anywhere
else in the world to be blocked from reaching business
leadership positions because of gender bias17
.
This was recognized by the African Union, when they held
their 25th Summit in Pretoria in 2015, with the theme
‘Women’s Empowerment and Development Towards Agenda
2063’. The Summit made eight commitments, including the
promotion of women’s economic empowerment, enhancement
of women’s participation in governance, and enhancement of
women and girls’ access to education, science and technology.
The Grant Thornton study found the proportion of business
leadership roles held by women in Africa stands at 23%. A
(female) director of the firm agreed that: “The percentage
of women in senior management roles in South Africa is
inadequate. The gender bias is subtle at the beginning of
a career but it causes a clear separation of career paths
between men and women. South Africa has a fine tradition of
strong women in business as well as women political leaders
but there still is much room for improvement.” She noted that
while businesses are talking the talk on gender equality, very
few are walking the walk.
ANSWERS AND A HOPEFUL FUTURE
Another report provides hard evidence of the opportunity
cost associated with male-only boards… US$ 655bn for 1,050
leading companies in the US, UK and India. The message
is clear: “Businesses run by diverse boards are generating
greater returns on the assets they employ. In an era when
productivity puzzles persist and economies trade within
globalized markets, facilitating female participation at a
decision-making level within companies might just give them
a competitive advantage.”19
The conclusion of this research is that society should stop
holding female leaders up to a higher standard, end the
stigmatization of men who share childcare, and update the
outdated business leadership stereotype. Government should
consider mandating quotas for women on boards, facilitate
shared parental leave, and build the necessary infrastructure
and legislation. Women should put their hands up for stretch
assignments, push themselves out of their comfort zones,
and challenge their organization to tackle gender bias.
BUSINESSSHOULDMAKEATOP-LEVEL
COMMITMENTTOSUPPORTWOMEN
LEADERS,DESIGNLEADERSHIPPOSITIONS
TOBEMOREATTRACTIVE,ANDINVESTIN
MENTORINGANDSPONSORSHIPPROGRAMS.
Air transport in Africa has a long history – and a strong
future. There is every reason – and growing opportunities –
for women to play their rightful role in helping to drive and
lead the transport revolution that is playing such a key role in
building a stronger Africa. The introduction of new carriers
is already showing promise, with women in senior executive
roles in Fly Blue Crane, Mango and Skywise, as well as SAA.
17 www.grantthornton.global/en/insights/articles/women-in-business-2015/
18 www.cnbcafrica.com/news/southern-africa/2015/08/07/grantthornton-
women-business/
19 www.grantthornton.co.uk/globalassets/1.-member-firms/global/insights/
article-pdfs/2015/wib_value_diversity_final_web.pdf
“IF AN ECONOMY IS ONLY USING HALF
ITS MOST TALENTED PEOPLE THEN
IT IMMEDIATELY CUTS ITS GROWTH
POTENTIAL.” 18

With a strong following wind, there is perhaps every reason
to be hopeful that the African renaissance will be shared
equally by men and women, with gender ceasing to be of
relevance in the pursuit of a strong and prosperous future.
CREATING ADVANTAGE
SITA South Africa runs an annual learning program
that forms part of its Broad-Based Black Economic
Empowerment (BBBEE) commitments. Called ‘Another
Level’, it has been running from June to May every year
since 2010 as a fully paid one-year work placement
and training program.
The aim is to recruit around 10 unemployed youths
from disadvantaged backgrounds and put them
through three months of technical training and nine
months of workplace experience. During this time
they are required to complete documentation that
substantiates their learning. Once moderated, they are
awarded a National Certificate in Technical Support.
SITA partners in this program are Torque IT (a training
provider) and MICT SETA (a government department).
Nine learners graduated in 2014, one of whom has
been retained as a SITA employee, now working at OR
Tambo International Airport.
“THE TECH INDUSTRY IS IN ITS INFANCY IN
AFRICA SO THE RULES CAN BE REDRAWN.
WOMEN WHO ARE INTERESTED IN
EXPLORING A CAREER IN TECH SHOULD
STRIVE TO SEEK OUT ANY OPPORTUNITY
TO LEARN, GAIN EXPERIENCE AND
CONTRIBUTE. I’D ENCOURAGE EVERYONE
KEEN ON SHAPING OUR CONTINENT’S
FUTURE TO FOCUS MORE ON WHAT THEY
CAN CONTRIBUTE INDIVIDUALLY AND
COLLECTIVELY THAN ON PERCEIVED
STATUS QUO SUCH AS IMBALANCE OF
MEN AND WOMEN.”
Isis Nyong’o, Principal of Asphalt & Ink
Interviewed by Forbes Magazine in 2012, shortly after she was
named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.

© SITA 15-THW-107-1 Text: Gerald Milward-Oliver.
All trademarks acknowledged. Specifications subject to change without prior notice.
This literature provides outline information only and (unless specifically agreed to
the contrary by SITA in writing) is not part of any order or contract.
Follow us on www.sita.aero/socialhub
The air transport industry is the most dynamic
and exciting community on earth – and SITA is
its heart.
Our vision is to be the chosen technology partner of the
industry, a position we will attain through flawless customer
service and a unique portfolio of IT and communications
solutions that covers the industry’s every need 24/7.
We are the innovators of the industry. Our experts and
developers keep it fuelled with a constant stream of
ground-breaking products and solutions. We are the ones who
see the potential in the latest technology and put it to work.
Our customers include airlines, airports, GDSs and
governments. We work with around 430 air transport
industry members and 2,800 customers in over 200
countries and territories.
We are open, energetic and committed. We work in
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ensure we are always delivering the most effective,
most efficient solutions.
We own and operate the world’s most extensive
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the global air transport industry connected.
We are 100% owned by the air transport industry – a unique
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Our annual IT surveys for airlines, airports and passenger
self-service are industry-renowned and the only ones of
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We sponsor .aero, the top-level internet domain reserved
exclusively for aviation.
In 2014, we had consolidated revenues of US$1.7 billion.
ABOUT SITA
For further information,
please contact SITA by
telephone or e-mail:
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+1 770 850 4500
info.amer@sita.aero
Asia Pacific
+65 6545 3711
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