AviaDev Insight Africa

The latest updates impacting sub-Saharan African aviation.

Join host, Jon Howell, CEO and Founder of AviaDev Africa, alongside aviation consultants Sean Mendis and Behramjee Ghadially as they round up the latest African aviation news, including airline funding and fleet plans, new routes, partnerships, and network changes across the continent.

Chapters

00:00 - Welcome to the November update

03:15 - Kenya Airways funding, fleet recovery and route strategy

09:27 - South African Airways: financing, leadership and network outlook

17:47 - FlySafair acquisition approval

26:26 - Airlink's Lanseria expansion and route changes<...

Quantifying the Value of Air Connectivity for destinations.

How can destinations make a stronger case for new air routes - and protect the ones they already have? 

In this episode, host Jon Howell speaks with economist and tourism development advisor Martin Jansen van Vuuren about an independent impact report designed to quantify the value of air connectivity for destinations and stakeholders.

They explore why route development is a shared effort among airports, tourism boards, governments, and airlines; how independent data can help align stakeholders; and how to measure routes' economic impact through visitor n...

The latest updates impacting sub-Saharan African aviation. This episode covers a packed set of route launches, fleet moves, and network restructurings across sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.

Host Jon Howell is joined by Aviation Consultants, Behramjee Ghadially and Sean Mendis to unpack several major airline stories, led by Kenya Airways' operational reset, Jambojet's Entebbe launch, and British Airways' return to Tanzania.

Chapters:

00:00 – Welcome to the AviaDev Connectivity Update

04:35 - Kenya Airways leadership change and restructuring

09:28 - Kenya Airways fleet grounding and reliability challenges. Time to fix the fundamentals?

19:25...

Previewing the African Airlines Association 58th AGA with Secretary General, Abderahmane Berthe Ahead of the Annual General Assembly in Libreville, Gabon, Jon Howell caught up with the SG and together they cover the pressure points shaping African aviation right now, from fuel shocks and airspace disruption to taxes, blocked funds, financing, fleet development, and market liberalization.

Chapters:

01:24 - How the Middle East crisis and fuel shock has impacted African airlines

06:24 - Why fleet development and financing are now a priority for Africa's airlines

08:45 - De-risking aircraft finance through Cape Town Convention...

Jambojet CEO and MD Karanja Ndegwa joins The AviaDev team to discuss the airline's return to regional flying with its Entebbe route, why it suspended flights to Zanzibar, and how it plans to grow its fleet.

The conversation also covers Jambojet's relationship with Kenya Airways and the economics shaping airline growth in East Africa. 

Chapters

01:04 Jambojet's Entebbe route and return to regional flying

03:28 Domestic recovery and Jambojet's market share growth

04:21 Aircraft shortages and expansion challenges

06:13 Why Jambojet suspended its Zanzibar route

09:06 Tourism fees, taxes, and t...

Kenya's Aviation sector is under pressure. How is the industry adapting to disruption?

In this episode, Engineer Liz Aluvanze, CEO of the Kenya Association of Air Operators (KAAO), and Chairperson Mbuvi Ngunze discuss how Kenyan air operators are responding to changes in humanitarian flying, rising aviation taxes, and infrastructure challenges. 

The conversation explores how operators are pivoting to new business models, why policy certainty matters for investment, and what needs to change at Wilson Airport and across Kenya's airstrip network. 

Chapters: 

00:00 — Kenya's Air Operators and the Changing Aviation Landscape 

01:50 — How Oper...

What will it take for Kenya Airways to turn its business around? In this episode, Julius Thairu, Chief Commercial and Customer Officer at Kenya Airways, discusses the airline's priorities: restoring grounded aircraft, improving reliability, rebuilding customer trust, and pursuing profitability.

The conversation explores Kenya Airways' growth strategy, Nairobi's role as an African aviation hub, the airline's fleet and cargo ambitions, and how digital transformation and customer data could improve the passenger experience. 

Julius also explains why getting the fundamentals right, especially punctuality, route relevance, and disruption recovery, is essential to the airline's next chapter. 

...

In this episode, host Jon Howell speaks with Selim Bouri, President, Middle East, Africa and Turkiye, SITA, and Daniel Muchuchuti, ICT Director, Airports Company of Zimbabwe (ACZ).

The conversation explores the latest findings from SITA's IT Insights and Baggage reports and how Africa is performing and where there is room for improvement.

The conversation then moves to a case study around airport IT Investment, with the Airports Company of Zimbabwe, outlining how a collaborative approach to investment in technology upgrades aims to benefit the passenger and airline customer.

Chapters:

00:00 — Why airport IT...

Fastjet Zimbabwe Business CEO and Country Head Donahue Cortes joins Host Jon Howell to reflect on more than a decade of airline operations in a volatile market.

They discuss how Fastjet Zimbabwe built resilience, why the Embraer 145 became a strategic strength, what the Airbus A320 trial means for the airline's future, and how new partnerships could reshape regional connectivity across Southern Africa.

The conversation also explores business class demand, route development, aviation liberalization, and Donahue's view of leadership as stewardship.

CHAPTERS

00:00 - Welcome and introduction to Fastjet Zimbabwe's 10-year story

In this episode of the AviaDev Insight Africa Connectivity Podcast, Jon Howell is joined by Sean Mendis and Behramjee for a fast-moving roundup of the biggest aviation stories across Africa and beyond.

If you want a sharp, informed take on African aviation strategy, network planning, and the commercial realities behind the headlines, this episode is packed with insight.

Subscribe for monthly AviaDev connectivity updates and analysis.

Chapters: 

00:00 Intro and episode overview

03:18 Airlink flypast in Cape Town  

16:09 Airlink's new domestic route, Qatar codeshare, and E2 route updates 

2...

Join host Jon Howell, Founder and CEO of AviaDev Africa, joined by Regular Guests and Aviation Consultants, Sean Mendis and Behramjee Ghadially as they dive into the latest developments in African aviation.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro and live welcome

03:49 Uganda Airlines Boeing order and delivery timeline

07:56 Ethiopian Airlines ready to choose its regional jet? Could it be the Max 7?

17:51 Etihad's Africa partnership signing tour with Africa World Airlines, fastjet and Air Peace and broader interline strategy

26:24 AWA's Abidjan launch and market dynamics

36:57 Emirates cuts new Ghana frequencies...

Join host Jon Howell, Founder and CEO of AviaDev Africa, joined by Regular Guests and Aviation Consultants, Sean Mendis and Behramjee Ghadially as they dive into the latest developments in African aviation.

Sign up to the mailing list https://www.aviadev.com/keep-me-updated

TOPICS:

0:00 Introduction and welcome

3:27 Uganda Airlines' Mega Boeing order and fleet rebuild

15:42 London Gatwick to Harare to finally be served? Air Zimbabwe looking to deploy a wet leased aircraft, but when?

28:05 TUI's new Gatwick–Zanzibar route for Winter 2027.

40:17 Emirates to add four ad...

Join host Jon Howell, Founder and CEO of AviaDev Africa, joined by Regular Guests and Aviation Consultants, Sean Mendis and Behramjee Ghadially as they dive into the latest developments in African aviation.

Sign up to the mailing list https://www.aviadev.com/keep-me-updated

TOPICS:

0:00 Introduction and welcome

3:27 Uganda Airlines’ Mega Boeing order and fleet rebuild

15:42 London Gatwick to Harare to finally be served? Air Zimbabwe looking to deploy a wet leased aircraft, but when?

28:05 TUI’s ne...

This episode explores how Washington Dulles International Airport is positioning itself as a key gateway between Africa and the United States.

Featuring insights from Ariana McKnire, Director of Airline Business Development, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, the discussion covers route development, market opportunities, and the strategic importance of Washington's demographic and geographic advantages in African aviation connectivity.

CHAPTERS

00:00 - Introduction to Washington Dulles as a US-African gateway

01:38 - Demographics and market size in Washington DC

05:09 - Business climate and travel demand

08:31 - Focus on unserved routes and development...

In this episode of the AviaDev Insight Africa podcast, we delve into the strategies African airports can adopt to enhance non-aeronautical revenues and attract investment.

Save the below infographic for more insights and join us at AviaDev in Botswana for further discussions.

Hosted by Jon Howell, this episode features insights from Nelly Alandou, Jody Appollis, and Adam Ekman Pedersen of the NACO team.

Discover how African airports can diversify revenue streams and become economic hubs.

Chapters:

0:00 - Introduction

01:21 - Meet the NACO Team

02:42...

Welcome to the May 2026 AviaDev Connectivity Update! Join host Jon Howell, Founder and CEO of AviaDev Africa, joined by Regular Guests and Aviation Consultants, Sean Mendis and Behramjee Ghadially as they dive into the latest developments in African aviation.

TOPICS: 

00:00 - Introduction and Overview

01:28 - Virgin Atlantic doubles down on South Africa

04:16 - KLM quietly grows Cape Town capacity

08:43 - South African Airways: new CEO, fresh cuts

16:56 - Airlink launches Cape Town–Zanzibar nonstop

25:27 - Turkish Airlines slashes African routes

 35:43 - Qatar Airways' Retu...

In the 30th edition of the AviaDev Africa Connectivity Update, host Jon Howell is joined by usual guests, Aviation Consultants Sean Mendis and Behramjee Ghadially to review the biggest stories impacting African aviation

00:00 Welcome

02:33 Africa Market Pulse and impacts of the Iran War

13:12 Etihad's 6 new routes for Africa. Behramjee's take

24:22 Sean's take on Etihad's expansion

42:48 Uganda Airlines fleet and route update

46:28 SalamAir's new routes to Kigali and Mogadishu

52:16 ASKY Hints at a new Route

01:00:01 Turkish Airlines Boosts Mauritius frequencies

01:04:30 Ethiopian Eyes...

In this episode, Jon Howell hosts Jonathan Appiah of Air Ghana to explain the airline's background, ownership and strategy amid strong interest from attending delegates ahead of AviaDev. 

Jonathan recounts his move from HR into commercial aviation at Africa World Airlines and his route-development experience. 

He clarifies Air Ghana is a 100% Ghanaian-owned private company, with global cargo partnerships, a Ghanaian AOC and designation as a national cargo airline, investments in cold-chain/perishables, and leadership in the Ghana Airport Cargo Centre. We dive into Air Ghana's plans to launch domestic passenger services to address capacity and fa...

In this episode, we host Capt. Thuto Toise, the newly appointed CEO of the Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana, to discuss Botswana's aviation ambitions and its strategic decision to host AviaDev Africa 2026. Capt. Toise explains how improved air connectivity can drive economic growth through tourism, trade, investment, and regional integration, and why bringing airlines and decision-makers to Botswana enables meaningful route-development discussions. He outlines the Botswana Air Access initiative, launched in August 2024, which unites CAAB, tourism and hospitality bodies, travel agencies, investment authorities, and Air Botswana to deliver a coordinated, data-driven approach including incentives, market intelligence, and joint marketing...

In this episode, host Jon Howell hosts IATA's Regional VP for Africa and the Middle East, Kamil Al-Awadhi, to discuss why SAATM has seen little progress since its 2018 signing, citing state protectionism, limited collaboration, and slow decision-making across ministries. They explore the economics of operating airlines in Africa, including fuel accounting for about 30–35% of airline costs and being around 17% higher in Africa, plus rising airport, airspace, and API/PNR charges that can add up to $50 per leg and deter tourism. Al-Awadhi describes IATA's advocacy efforts, claiming about 75% success in reducing or stopping fee increases, and argues that Africa does no...

In the March 2026 AviDev Africa connectivity update, host Jon Howell and consultants Sean Mendis and Behramjee Ghadially discuss how the Iran war and GCC corridor disruption are reshaping Africa-related air travel, creating short-term transit gains for Ethiopian, Kenya Airways, Uganda Airlines and Air Peace but driving major fare increases, insurance constraints, and severe jet-fuel supply-chain risks that could lead to rationing and technical stops.

They review Ethiopian's schedule changes and debate the Atlanta restart, analyze Kenya Airways' Gatwick increase alongside worsening financial results, and detail Uganda Airlines' operational crisis, leadership changes, and wet-leased Ethiopian 787 operations.

...

In this episode of AviaDev Insight Africa, we speak to Rahsaan Johnson, former Managing Director of Global Communications at Delta, with 13 years at United, about what "brand" means for airlines and why it drives profitability and resilience.

Johnson defines brand as the emotions and adjectives customers associate with an airline, shaped by reputation and lived experience, and argues the foundation of a strong airline brand is "clean, safe, reliable."

He explains how a strong brand increases the willingness to pay among schedule-sensitive travelers, and why African airlines should build brands even on monopoly routes, because...

This a special podcast episode recorded on 6th March 2026 as part of the Board of Airline Representatives of South Africa Annual Conference. 

In the episode, Professor Mohale argues Africa's economic and aviation story is often told by outsiders, calling for Africans to own the narrative and emphasizing leadership defined by vision, courage, and integrity.

The discussion contrasts management and leadership, critiques reliance on bureaucracy as a refuge from accountability, and highlights how colonial-era boundaries and continued dependence undermine African prosperity and unity.

Erskine frames bureaucracy as a tool of power that can stifle a...

In this episode, we explore the innovative journey of ValueJet, a Nigerian airline that has recently introduced Viki, the first AI concierge in Africa. 

Temi Adjijola, the head of business program and IT at Value Jet, discusses the airline's mission to make flying accessible to more people in Nigeria, where air travel is still underutilized. Joining Temi is Rodger Whittle, Commercial Director and Juan Felipe Restrepo, Chief Product Officer at KIU System Solutions who created Viki and provide over 70 airlines worldwide with a comprehensive, cloud-based, AI-powered suite of IT services for airlines, focusing on Passenger Service Systems (P...

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In this episode, we cover the latest route and fleet developments in African aviation.

Clarification on the FlySafair sale

Uganda Airlines - management changes, fleet changes, route changes

Kenya Airways next steps. Can they secure an investor/ partner? - both Singapore and Qatar have denied interest

Ethiopian update (adding a 4th daily Dubai, second daily Bamako - Dakar, cutting Nacala)

Air Congo regional expansion...

In this episode, Host Jon Howell sits down with Theo Wensink, Head of Airline Marketing, Middle East and Africa at Embraer to discuss the "Connecting Africa" report which premiered at AviaDev Africa 2025. 

Providing commentary and insight into the findings are regular podcast contributors, aviation consultants Sean Mendis and Behramjee Ghadially. 

Together, they explore why the report was created, the methodology, and then we count down the top unserved routes from 10 to 1, identifying which have the best chance of being served and by whom. 

Download the report here 

CONNECT WITH THEO

CO...

In this episode of AviaDev Insight Africa, host Jon Howell speaks with Chidozie Uzoezie, founder of the African Aviation Group (AAG), about the impact of the group on aspiring aviators in Africa. They discuss the challenges and opportunities in the African aviation industry, the launch of Mentortude, an all-inclusive mentorship platform, and the upcoming Fireside Chat event aimed at empowering the next generation of aviation professionals.

Find out more: https://www.mentortude.com/

Chidozie emphasizes the importance of mentorship, community, and access to information in shaping the future of aviation in Africa.

00:00 Introduction...

In this episode of AviaDev Insight Africa, Jon Howell speaks with aviation consultant Miretab Tesfaye about the ambitious Bishoftu Airport project in Ethiopia.

They discuss the airport's projected capacity, the strategic advantages and opportunities for Ethiopian Airlines, and the challenges it faces in a competitive Global aviation market. 

CONNECT WITH MIRETAB

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Bishoftu Airport Project

05:03 Miretab's Journey and Experience

09:25 Overview of Bishoftu Airport Details

16:17 Ethiopian Airlines' Competitive Advantage

22:58 Challenges and Opportunities for Ethiopian Airlines

29:51 Future of Bishoftu Airport and I...

In this episode, we speak with George Mothema, CEO of the Board of Airline Representatives of South Africa (BARSA), to review the state of South African aviation in 2026 and preview the upcoming BARSA conference in KwaZulu-Natal.

George highlights positive market developments including shareholding changes at Safair, Qatar's 25% stake in Airlink, and SAA adding new routes as it rebuilds.

Key challenges discussed include ATNS's past neglect of instrument and flight procedure redesigns that led to suspended procedures and losses for airlines serving secondary airports, aging CNS equipment requiring manual workarounds, delayed airport maintenance by ACSA with...

In this episode, the focus is on Africa World Airlines (AWA) and its new Chief Operating Officer, Sohail Mahmood

Sohail shares his aviation journey so far and what attracted him to join AWA.

We then delve into the foundational strengths of AWA, including its hub and spoke model operating out of Accra, Ghana, and the reasons for its resilience.

We then move to fleet and route strategy, where Sohail hints at potential expansion on both fronts in 2026, before wrapping up with a discussion on the strategic importance of partnerships and interline agreements to...

This session was live-streamed on 26th January 2026.

To stay up to date with all things AviaDev, sign up at https://www.aviadev.com/keep-me-updated

As always, we are joined by our trusted pair — Behramjee Ghadially and Sean Mendis.

Chapters:

2025 AviaDev Award winners announcements

Ethiopian Airlines S26 network updates 

Impact of updated US travel restrictions on Africa demand in 2026

Qatar Airways frequency increases to South Africa 

TAAG's planned Guangzhou service on 787

 Air Sierra Leone Banjul–London Gatwick

 fastJet cutting LUN-HRE flights <...

Katherine Nicholls is a South African who recently graduated from the University of Surrey with an MSc in Air Transport Management. 

Her dissertation focused on the potential for Cape Town to evolve from a destination airport into a major aviation hub.

Learn about Katherine's research, which combines network analysis, connectivity data, and broader market factors.

Discover the roles of regional and international connectivity, infrastructural challenges, the impact of home-based carriers, and the future of Cape Town's aviation landscape.

CONNECT WITH KATHERINE

This is an audio recording of the annual AviaDev Insight Africa Awards, which was also live-streamed via the AviaDev YouTube channel and Jon Howell's personal LinkedIn page.

Join our monthly podcast guests, Sean Mendis and Behramjee Ghadially, who have been working independently (no collusion here!) to pick their nominees across these much-debated categories: 

✈ New Intercontinental Africa Route of the Year

✈ New Intra-Africa Route of the Year

✈ Best Intercontinental "Expansion" Route of the Year

✈ Worst Route Decision of the Year

✈ Route Suspension of the Year

✈ Surprise Route of the...

*Subscribe to our mailing list to never miss another episode and stay up to date with event news: https://www.aviadev.com/keep-me-updated

In this episode, we cover the latest route and fleet developments in African aviation.

Topics include:

02:51 Ethiopian Airlines' Fleet Expansion at Dubai Air Show with more A350-900 and 737 Max 8s

11:10 Air Senegal's Surprising Boeing "Order" of 15 Boeing 737 MAX 8s

 21:08 Air Côte d'Ivoire's landmark Embraer 4 x E175 Order. 

Read Behramjee's analysis

33:53 Ethiopian Airlines and Air Congo's ATR 72-600 Order

36:43 Fly...

Subscribe to our mailing list to never miss another episode and stay up to date with event news: https://www.aviadev.com/keep-me-updated

This episode was recorded Tuesday 2nd December on location in Luanda, Angola, during the 57th AFRAA AGA.

Join Jon Howell, Founder and CEO of AviaDev Africa, as he sits down with Raphael Haddad, President of Jetcraft Commercial, to discuss fleet growth, financing, and the future of African connectivity.

Raphael shares his insights on supply chain challenges, risk perception, airline financing, and the impact of Nigeria signing the Cape Town Convention...

Subscribe to our mailing list to never miss another episode and stay up to date with event news: https://www.aviadev.com/keep-me-updated 

In this episode, we feature Adefunke Adeyemi, Secretary-General of the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), as she begins her second term. 

Host Jon Howell, CEO and Founder of AviaDev Africa, asks the tough questions regarding implementation, disputes, enforcement, and opportunities. 

In this episode, we feature the exciting development of Cape Winelands Airport in the Western Cape, South Africa.

Jon is joined by Mark Wilkinson, Director, and together, they discuss the project's inception, environmental impact assessment approval, collaboration with Cape Town Air Access, NACO, and Growthpoint, and the significant economic and aviation impacts.

This episode provides a comprehensive overview of the airport's vision to transform an old military airfield into a full commercial international airport, unlocking business opportunities and supporting sustainable growth in the region. 

Watch the video from Windhoek here 

Connect wi...

In this episode, we cover the latest route and fleet developments in African aviation.

Topics include:

SAA's new Johannesburg - Gaborone route and fleet RFP

Proflight Zambia's new Maun route via Livingstone 

Airlink's new Zanzibar route from June on E2 
Airlink to Nacala from Feb 2026
Airlink is increasing Blantyre to daily

Malawi Airlines Liliongwe to Johannesburg increased to 10x weekly
New Lilongwe to Entebbe route 4x weekly

Air Cote d'Ivoire to Beirut from Jan 26

Lufthansa Group's Africa expansion
Brussels airlines to op...

In this episode of AviaDev Insight Africa, host Jon Howell speaks with three inspirational AviaDev ambassadors—Mahek Shah, Usman Cisse, and Ellah Wafula about their experiences at the recent ICAO Next Generation of Aviation Professionals event in Durban, August 2025.

Supported by Airlink, these young aviators not only attended the event but also spoke to a global audience.

They discuss their backgrounds, motivations, and key insights gained from the summit.

The conversation highlights the importance of mentorship, structured pathways, and collaboration across generations to empower the future leaders of the African aviation industry.

...

In this episode of AviaDev Insight Africa, Jon welcomes SAA's CCO, Tebogo Tsimane. 

Together, they dive into SAA's upcoming 4th November route launch, Johannesburg to Gaborone, and explore the strategic and operational reasons behind this move.

They then move into a discussion around  SAA's fleet expansion and modernization plans, including their partnership with Turkish carrier Sun Express and the expected launch of new long-haul and regional routes.

Tebogo emphasizes the importance of densifying current markets and strengthening partnerships with travel agents.

Connect/ Follow Tebogo