The airfreight industry is cashing in on the growth of cargo volumes into Africa.
Specialists in the region offer their perspectives on current challenges and future potential.
WITH NIGERIA established as one of South Africa’s major trading partners on the African continent, SAA-Cargo is eager to increase capacity on the route. But existing international airline regulations are proving a significant handicap.
Currently SAA is the only South African-based airline with a scheduled service in and out of Lagos. But the problem is the Bilateral Air Services Agreement between South Africa and Nigeria which, in its current form, does not provide for a scheduled freighter operation to be introduced by an airline which operates passenger aircraft on the same route.
“Dedicated freighter operators on the route use what is known as a Foreign Operator’s Permit (FOP) to service the route,” says Marcus Senyatsi, SAA-Cargo’s executive manager, alliances and networks.
‘I am hoping this problem will be resolved at the next round of negotiations which are expected to take place in the near future. This will then help us to unlock the cargo capacity restraints. SAA-Cargo is constantly looking at ways to overcome the present challenges and the economics of operating the long-haul freighter to Lagos.”aa
