…Says 80% operate fleets of 15 aircraft or less
By Chinelo Obogo
A new white paper released by TPConnects Technologies and the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), has revealed that 81 per cent of African airlines carry fewer than two million passengers annually, and 80 per cent operate fleets of 15 aircraft or less.
The TPConnects-AFRAA whitepaper which was released this week, titled “Africa’s Next Flight: Modern Airline Retailing Unlocked,” reveals that African carriers are also grappling with outdated distribution systems and high operational costs. In the report, distribution cost reduction emerged as the top priority for all the airlines that were surveyed, with carriers citing Global Distribution System (GDS) and intermediary fees as financially unsustainable. The burden is worse for smaller operators who lack negotiating leverage.
However, over 40 per cent of airlines that were surveyed are planning or are already implementing New Distribution Capability (NDC) initiatives, though nearly half currently have no NDC capabilities. Also, while 60 per cent of airlines still rely on on-premises systems, cloud migration and digital retailing investments are increasing.
Meanwhile, a separate analysis by Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer which was also recently released, stated that African airlines are compounding their challenges by using oversized aircraft on routes with low passenger demand.
According to Embraer’s Market Outlook 2025, 85 per cent of intra-African routes handle fewer than 200 passengers per day, making them poorly suited for large jets. But despite this reality, African airlines have continued deploying 150-seat aircraft on these low-density routes, which has resulted in low load factors, reduced flight frequency, and poor financial returns.
The mismatch has created a vicious cycle of empty seats which has lead to higher operating costs per passenger, driving up ticket prices and making air travel less accessible across the continent. Embraer’s data identifies 160 low-to-medium demand routes across Africa currently served by planes that are too large for the market.
“Africa’s air travel markets are predominantly thin-demand. Smaller aircraft offer the right capacity, cost efficiency, and flexibility to open new routes with reduced economic risk,”” Embraer stated.