Africa Weekly Aviation Trails: Week 50, 2024 Highlights.

Introduction.

The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) has imposed significant fines on Ethiopian Airlines (ET) and Etihad Airways (EY) for operating flights in restricted airspace using other airlines’ designator codes. Ethiopian Airlines received a $425,000 penalty for conducting flights between Ethiopia and Djibouti with United Airlines‘ (UA) code, violating U.S. airspace restrictions for U.S. operators. Despite receiving an investigation letter from the Department’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (OACP), Ethiopian Airlines continued the operations, directly breaching its operational authority. Similarly, Etihad Airways was fined $400,000 for operating flights between the United Arab Emirates and the United States with JetBlue Airways’ (B6) designator code.

Meanwhile, the European Commission has updated the EU Air Safety List, banning AIR TANZANIA COMPANY LIMITED from EU airspace due to safety concerns identified by the EASA – European Union Aviation Safety Agency. The airline was also denied Third Country Operator (TCO) authorisation. Currently, 129 airlines are banned from operating in EU skies, including 100 airlines from 15 states with inadequate aviation oversight, 22 airlines from Russia, and 7 others due to critical safety deficiencies. Additionally, Iran Air and Air Koryo face operational restrictions, limiting their EU access to specific aircraft types.

African Aviation: Projections and Statistics.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported that as of October 2024, $1.7 billion in airline funds remained blocked globally, with Africa accounting for 59% of this total ($1 billion). While significant progress was made in reducing blocked funds in Algeria (from $286 million in April to $193 million in October) and Ethiopia (from $149 million to $43 million), these gains were offset by increases in the XAF Zone (+$84 million), XOF Zone (+$73 million), and Mozambique (+$84 million).