On the sidelines of the 57th Annual General Assembly (AGA) of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) in Luanda, African Pilot spoke with Aaron Munetsi, Chief Executive Officer of the Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA), about the association’s role, its partnership with AFRAA, and the tangible outcomes emerging from the AGA.
Founded 56 years ago, AASA was established to provide Southern Africa’s aviation industry with a collective voice in regulatory and policy matters. According to Munetsi, this need arose not because the region’s aviation sector was underdeveloped, but precisely because it was complex and mature.
Southern Africa hosts both a sophisticated commercial aviation sector and one of the largest general aviation communities on the continent. While these sectors coexist operationally, Munetsi explains that the real point of convergence, and risk, lies in regulatory frameworks. Without structured industry representation, new regulations could be introduced without sufficient consultation or understanding of operational realities. AASA was created to address that gap.
AASA and AFRAA: Complementary Roles
Munetsi describes AASA’s presence at the AFRAA Assembly as that of an active partner rather than an observer. AFRAA, established more than 60 years ago, was formed to give African airlines representation at global aviation decision-making tables such as ICAO and IATA, where Africa historically lacked a unified voice.
Today, AFRAA is recognised as an executing partner of the African Union with AFCAC, giving it a direct policy interface that regional associations like AASA can leverage. Munetsi explains that while AFRAA may not always be able to reach certain stakeholders at regional level, AASA can do so on its behalf. In turn, AASA works through AFRAA when engaging continental institutions, including the African Union.
This partnership model, he says, allows African airlines to coordinate advocacy and implementation more effectively across regional and continental levels.
Key Takeaways from the AGA
Reflecting on the AGA, Munetsi identifies four key takeaways.
The first is a clear shift in industry sentiment; industry, he says, is increasingly focused on implementation rather than dialogue.
The second takeaway is the example set by the Angolan government in advancing the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM). Munetsi recalls participating in SAATM pilot discussions in Angola the previous year, including conversations around new airport infrastructure. Since then, Angola has moved ahead with implementation, including opening new facilities. For Munetsi, this demonstrates that when governments engage and act, progress can be replicated elsewhere on the continent.
The third development is the growing involvement of financial institutions. Munetsi points to the presence of Afreximbank and other banking stakeholders at the Assembly, attending not simply as observers but to assess how they can support aviation financing in Africa.
The fourth, closely linked, is a more direct message from original equipment manufacturers. According to Munetsi, OEMs are clear that while they remain committed to Africa, sustainable growth requires viable financing structures. He notes that banks and OEMs are now working together to develop financing mechanisms that can support fleet growth and modernisation.
A Coordinated Work Programme for 2026
Looking ahead, Munetsi outlines a structured, multi-track programme that AASA, AFRAA and IATA will jointly pursue.
Following an agreement announced during the Assembly, the three organisations will meet four times a year, each meeting with a specific focus.
The first meeting will centre on financing. Development banks, including Afreximbank and the African Development Bank, alongside additional institutions yet to be announced, will meet with the associations to define regional financing priorities. Airlines will then engage directly with these banks to align funding mechanisms with real fleet and growth needs.
The second meeting will address technical and infrastructure gaps, bringing together service providers such as airports and air navigation service providers. Munetsi explains that gap analyses will be validated collaboratively, with banks supporting financing where criteria are met, for example, in areas such as instrument landing systems.
The third meeting will focus on route development, supported by analytical studies covering Southern Africa, East Africa, and West and Central Africa. Airlines will then assess underserved routes and capacity requirements based on shared data.
The final meeting will bring in regulatory authorities and policymakers, integrating them into a process already informed by industry, financiers and technical providers. Munetsi emphasises that policy standardisation will be a central outcome of this engagement.
Procurement, Scale and Cost Pressures
Munetsi also addresses procurement as a growing area of collaboration. AASA is already participating in AFRAA’s fuel procurement initiatives, where associations negotiate on behalf of airlines to achieve better pricing through aggregated demand, subject to competition regulations.
A similar approach is now being considered for aircraft spare parts, where the lack of scale has driven costs higher for smaller African operators. By pooling demand across airlines, the associations aim to create economies of scale, improve pricing, and support greater standardisation.
Cost pressures remain acute. Munetsi notes that fuel typically accounts for between 32 and 39 percent of airline operating costs. Aircraft parts and leasing costs, often denominated in foreign currency, are compounded by weak local currencies. In response, he argues that increasing passenger volumes is the most effective hedge. Lower costs allow lower fares, which in turn stimulate demand and improve yields through scale.
SAATM and a Call for Confidence
In closing, Munetsi addresses persistent scepticism around SAATM. He argues that much of this stems from misunderstanding. SAATM, he explains, is the implementation instrument of the Yamoussoukro Decision, which aims to liberalise African skies.
He points to AFCAC data presented during the Assembly, attributing this progress directly to SAATM-enabled freedoms. While acknowledging Africa’s complexity, with 55 countries compared to Europe’s 27, Munetsi stresses that progress should be measured realistically.
“There is a lot of work that still needs to be done,” he says, “but there is also a lot of work that has already been done.”
