At the 14th AFRAA Stakeholders Convention in Johannesburg, the debate around a potential pan-African airline alliance resurfaced strongly, with industry leaders arguing that continued fragmentation across the continent’s aviation networks is weakening competitiveness and limiting both passenger and cargo connectivity.
George Kamal, chairman of the African Airlines Association and Group Managing Director and CEO of Kenya Airways, made a strong case for structural integration across African carriers, stating that the industry can no longer afford to operate in disconnected national markets.
“If not now, then when? If not us, then who will do it?” he said, stressing that African airlines must take responsibility for reshaping the continent’s aviation landscape.
He highlighted structural inefficiencies across the sector, including low levels of direct intra-African routes and continued reliance on intercontinental hubs in Europe and the Middle East. Rising costs, supply chain disruptions and currency volatility are combining with these structural constraints to put sustained pressure on airline network stability.
Kamal noted that only around 28% of intra-African routes are directly served, underlining the gap between market potential and actual connectivity across the continent. This imbalance, he argued, continues to limit both cargo flows and passenger efficiency.
“Resilience is no longer aspirational. It has become an operational requirement for survival,” he said, adding that recent global disruptions have exposed deeper vulnerabilities in aviation systems.
He also pointed to the competitive behaviour between African airlines on thin and often marginal routes, questioning why carriers continue to compete against each other while foreign operators consolidate traffic through stronger partnerships.
“Why do African airlines compete aggressively against each other on thin routes, while foreign carriers consolidate traffic flows across our continent with stronger partnerships?” he said.
Under the proposed framework, a pan-African alliance could enable coordinated scheduling, hub optimisation, expanded codeshare agreements, and integration across cargo, maintenance, training and loyalty programmes. Kamal also suggested it could strengthen Africa’s position within global alliances by consolidating flows through African hubs.
South African Airways signals openness to cooperation
South African Airways indicated it remains open to future collaboration with African partners, including Kenya Airways, despite earlier attempts to build a broader alliance structure stalling.
“I’m not closing any door on any future collaboration between us as two airlines. We collaborate beyond air traffic right now, for example our state-owned catering company has just concluded a three-year contract with KQ, and that’s one of the many areas of collaboration that we see. We have not closed any door, and we’ll continue to engage with them, at the level of chief executive officer,” said Matshela Seshibe, acting CEO of South African Airways, during a media briefing at the AFRAA convention.
The two carriers had previously entered a strategic cooperation framework in 2021 aimed at laying the groundwork for a broader pan-African grouping. However, progress slowed as both airlines faced financial pressures and recapitalisation challenges.
South African Airways formally withdrew from the initiative in early 2025 following the collapse of its Takatso Aviation consortium transaction, which had been expected to stabilise its ownership structure. Kenya Airways said it was still looking for strategic partners to help it strengthen its financial muscle and expand its network coverage.
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