Africa Weekly Aviation Trails: Week 52, 2025.

Introduction.

Polokwane Airport in South Africa has introduced a festive-season incentive aimed at boosting cultural tourism and supporting the creative industry by waiving landing fees for performing artists arriving by private or chartered aircraft. The programme will run from 21 December 2025 to 3 January 2026 and includes free landing charges, complimentary aircraft parking, and selected aeronautical support services for eligible artists with confirmed festive-season engagements. Airport authorities say the initiative is designed to attract high-profile performances and events, reduce operational costs for artists, and stimulate local economic activity during the peak holiday period, while reinforcing Polokwane’s role as a destination for entertainment and cultural celebration.

Aviation Projections and Statistics.

Cairo International Airport set its highest daily traffic of 2025 on Thursday December 25, 2025, handling approximately 103,000 passengers across 696 flights. Overall, the airport’s annual passenger traffic rose 6.8% to 30.94 million in 2025, up from 28.97 million in 2024, while the number of flights increased 4.8% to 224,303. Other Egyptian airports also saw strong growth, with passenger traffic surging 22.3% to around 28 million and total flights rising 20.7% to roughly 209,800, up from 173,800 in 2024. The surge is linked to heightened international travel, particularly to Egypt’s coastal and heritage tourist destinations, and reflects increased demand during the year-end holiday period. These statistics underline the robust recovery and expansion of Egypt’s aviation sector.

Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport has reached a record milestone, handling over 11 million passengers in 2025, driven largely by the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2025, according to Morocco’s airport authority, ONDA. Annual traffic rose from 10.5 million in 2024 to 11.5 million in 2025, a 9.3% increase, reflecting both the influx of fans, delegations, and visitors for CAN, as well as expanded air connections to global capitals. The airport now manages 31% of national passenger traffic, reinforcing its role as Morocco’s main international gateway. This surge aligns with ONDA’s “Aéroports 2030” plan, which targets 12.5 million passengers by 2026 and over 20 million by 2030 through terminal expansion, infrastructure upgrades, and improved traveler services.