Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba has announced the launch of pan-African low-cost airline Gabon FlyAfrica.com.
The new airline is aimed at enhancing air connectivity across Africa and reducing the cost of doing business. The announcement was made on the second day of the New York Forum Africa – one of the largest gatherings of politicians, investors, entrepreneurs, and NGO’s in Africa. The affordable, low-cost model has worked successfully in Europe and Asia and contributed significantly to the economic growth of those regions. The airline’s unprecedented low fares for passengers and goods is expected to herald a revolution in Africa’s airline industry, by boosting the economic mobility of its citizens, thereby unlocking the continent’s potential and encouraging increased trade. Announcing the launch, Ondimba said: “My vision for Africa has always been that of an integrated continent.
“An Africa where every citizen has the opportunity to afford air travel and take advantage of the benefits of being economically mobile. The launch of Gabon FlyAfrica.com, a pan-African airline, is an important step in implementing this vision.”
He pointed out that one of the chief obstacles to Africa’s growth and development was the cost of doing business in Africa. Moving goods and people between African states was still too complicated and expensive and remained a major obstacle to the prosperity of the continent. Ondimba called upon African countries to improve connectivity across Africa so as to reduce the cost of doing business and facilitate air travel. He urged African countries to implement the Yamoussoukro Declaration (YD), which was the basis for creating a single air-space market for Africa.
“Air transport is indispensable for tourism and convenient air service facilitates the arrival of larger numbers of tourists,” he said.
FlyAfrica.com was launched 13 months ago in Southern Africa, where the business model was tested and refined with the successful establishment of airlines in Mozambique, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.
FlyAfrica.com has significantly shaken up the airline industry in Africa by offering the lowest airfares on the continent and proving that the low-cost model is sustainable.
On the Johannesburg-to-Harare route, the airline has reduced fares by between 50 and 70 percent. The second phase of the airline’s roll-out will include Gabon and other countries in East and West Africa. www.flyafrica.com
