► SHARJAH: LCC Air Arabia looks to West African market for possible expansion.

Adel Ali, the CEO of Sharjah-based LCC, Air Arabia (G9), has pointed to the underserved, underexploited West African market as his airline's next point of focus. Mr Ali made the announcement during a recent 2013 Dubai Airfinance Conference briefing.

■ AIRBUS: Airbus releases its 2013-32 Global Market Forecast.

As aviation becomes increasingly accessible in all parts of the world, future Journeys will increasingly be made by air particularly to and from emerging markets. According to European aircraft manufacturer, Airbus' latest Global Market Forecast (GMF) in the next 20 years (2013-2032), air traffic will grow at 4.7 per cent annually requiring over 29,220 new passenger and freighter aircraft valued at nearly USD4.4 trillion. Some 28'350 of these are passenger aircraft valued at USD4.1 trillion. Of these, some 10'400 will replace existing aircraft with more efficient ones. With today’s fleet of 17'740 aircraft, it means that by 2032, the worldwide fleet will double to nearly 36'560 aircraft. 

■ HONG KONG: Cathay Pacific eyeing Nigeria, Algeria as part of African expansion plans.

Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific (CX) has mentioned Africa as being part of its longterm expansion plans with the intention being to exploit the growing Africa - China market; Nigeria and Algeria in particular.

■ CANADA: Bombardier sees strong African market potential for its CSeries twinjets.

Canadian aircraft manufacturer, Bombardier, foresees strong growth potential for its nascent CSeries Regional Jet on the African market despite no continental carriers showing any interest in the type as yet. 

■ NIGERIA: Gulfstream Aerospace appoints Evergreen Apple authorized sales reps.

Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. has announced that it is increasing its sales and marketing efforts in Europe and Africa with the June opening of a sales and design center in London and the appointment of company-authorized independent sales representatives in the United Kingdom, central Europe, Turkey and Nigeria.

► OMAN: Oman Air looks to expand Africa network as part of efforts to become profitable.

Omani national carrier, Oman Air (WY), is planning to increase its services to Africa - with Casablanca first in line - as part of its plan to become profitable. The move comes after the airline posted a loss of USD253million (OMR97.47million) for 2012.

► CAPE VERDE ISLANDS: BinterCanarias cargo wing looks to increase its African market presence.

BinterSwift, the cargo division of Canary Islands-based carrier, Binter Canarias (NT), has initiated a series of meetings with entrepreneurs from the Cape Verde Islands to better understand market demands as the airline seeks to improve its African market niche by providing more alternatives for the movement of cargo from and via the Canaries to Africa and vice versa.

● IATA: Outlook improves slightly for African aviation, but government interference continues to stifle growth.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), in a revision of its Global Aviation Outlook for 2012, has said that now it expects African airlines to break even in 2012, following on from a USD100million loss in 2011.

● IATA: Africa March passenger traffic up 14.3% on March 2011.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released its global traffic figures for the month of March 2012, with passenger traffic in Africa showing an increase of 14.3% on last year, whilst cargo traffic has only marginally grown by a minuscule 0.1%.

● Boeing: Africa's demand for pilots & aircraft to soar in the next 20 years.

With so many African countries now experiencing the proverbial "economic boom" with annual economic growth rates nearing double figures - among them Angola, Mozambique, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Nigeria - it stands to reason that the aviation industry should play a vital part in this African Rejuvenation of sorts.

© The Economist

In an interview media briefing at the South Africa's National Airways Corporation’s 43 Air School’s Port Alfred campus, Boeing Commercial Airplanes international sales director Miguel Santos said Africa would need more than 800 new aircraft over the next 20 years and between 14 000 and 20 000 new trained pilots, whilst the demand for technicians/maintenance personnel for Africa and the Middle East is projected to be around 59,500.

Pilot Outlook 2030 (© Boeing)

Technician Outlook 2030 (© Boeing)

With the gradual embrace by the travelling public of Low Cost Carriers in countries like South Africa, Kenya, Angola, and Ghana, the expansion of larger carriers like Ethiopian, South African, Kenyan and Egyptian Airlines into other continents, and the dramatic inroads made into neglected markets like Zimbabwe and Somalia by global players like Emirates and Turkish, is this often neglected part of the world finally seeing the first buds of a economic renaissance? Or will the added attention to air travel only serve to neglect other traditional forms of transport, like rail and road transport, which could in turn have a negative impact? Only time can tell..