Allan Kilavoka, the Group Managing Director and CEO of Kenya Airways, has advocated for enhanced collaboration among African nations to rejuvenate Ghana’s national carrier and foster a more conducive environment for business in the aviation sector.
Drawing from over 40 years of experience in the aviation industry, Kilavoka suggests that combining efforts and taking inspiration from past successes, such as the former Afrique and East African Airways, can result in more robust and competitive national carriers throughout the continent.
“You can ask me questions on the national carrier in Ghana. My recommendation is that we should do it jointly. We used it for many years in Africa through the Afrique. For example, which is the francophone airline. We used to have it in East African Airways in Kenya but we did a reverse gear,” he explained.
Kilavoka in an interview emphasized the significance of implementing the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to enhance trade and alleviate barriers such as visa and customs restrictions that impede connectivity between African nations.
“In some African countries, it’s difficult for us to get to those countries because of visa restrictions. For example, because of customs restrictions and so on. So what we are saying is that the ratification of the instrument, although done, needs to be implemented, needs to be activated so that the intention of the African Continental Free Trade Area can be actualized. What that would mean for us is that there will be more people moving from one African country to the next country and therefore it’s more business,” he said
Kenya Airways is also preparing to commence flights with its Boeing 787 Dreamliner in June and is exploring the possibility of initiating direct flights to Kumasi International Airport in Ghana.
The CEO stressed Ghana’s importance as a significant market for Kenya Airways, reaffirming the company’s dedication to linking businesses in the region and beyond.
“While continents are consolidating, we are fragmenting and building small and viable airlines which we need to bring together to consolidate them and make them more viable so that they are able to compete and offer services for African people, and then reduce taxes and the cost of operations,” he added.
