Speaking at the 2026 Aviation Summit hosted by the Board of Airline Representatives of South Africa (BARSA), Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy positioned aviation as a strategic economic enabler capable of supporting trade, tourism, logistics, investment and employment across the continent.
Addressing industry leaders under the theme Destination Africa Redefining Aviation in Africa, Creecy emphasised that aviation is not simply a transport function but a sector with the capacity to stimulate broader economic activity across multiple value chains.
However, she warned that the global aviation environment is undergoing rapid transformation. The sector continues to face uneven demand in the post-COVID recovery period, supply chain disruptions that are constraining aircraft availability, and geopolitical tensions that are affecting airspace access and insurance costs. Rising fuel prices, leasing costs and maintenance expenses, largely denominated in foreign currencies, are also placing pressure on airline profitability.
At the same time, the industry is experiencing a shortage of skilled aviation professionals, including pilots, air traffic controllers, engineers and inspectors. According to Creecy, these human capital constraints place pressure on operational resilience and safety oversight.
Environmental requirements are also reshaping the sector. Under the leadership of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the global aviation industry is pursuing a net-zero carbon emissions target by 2050, with the International Air Transport Association committing its member airlines to the same trajectory. Achieving this target will require sustainable aviation fuels, carbon offset mechanisms, modern aircraft and coordinated government support. In South Africa, feasibility studies have already been undertaken to support the development of blended aviation fuel availability by 2030.
Despite these pressures, Creecy noted that the current global aviation environment also presents opportunities. Across the world, airline consolidation, integrated route networks and powerful alliances are enabling carriers to achieve economies of scale, while major hubs continue to thrive within integrated markets such as the European Union under liberalised open skies frameworks.
For Africa, however, the challenge remains one of fragmentation. While the continent accounts for approximately 18% of the world’s population, it represents less than 3% of global air traffic. Intra-African connectivity remains limited, with passengers often required to transit through non-African hubs when travelling between African capitals.
Creecy argued that this connectivity gap reflects broader challenges in economic integration across the continent. She highlighted the importance of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the potential role of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) in transforming aviation on the continent.
However, she cautioned that liberalisation must be carefully sequenced. Opening markets without sufficient institutional and operational capacity could expose airlines to vulnerability, while protectionism without reform risks entrenching inefficiency. According to Creecy, Africa must pursue a balanced approach that builds competitive strength while progressively opening markets.
To achieve this, she identified three priorities: moving SAATM from aspiration to execution, addressing structural cost disadvantages across African aviation, and strengthening regulatory capacity in line with ICAO standards.
If coordinated effectively, aviation could support the ambitions of the African Continental Free Trade Area by strengthening trade integration, expanding tourism and supporting industrial development across the continent.
Turning to South Africa’s own aviation landscape, Creecy acknowledged the country’s structural realities. Located at the southern tip of the continent, South Africa sits at the end of major global air corridors. This geographic position results in longer flight distances, higher fuel consumption, greater currency exposure and tourism-driven seasonal demand fluctuations. Connectivity is also concentrated on a limited number of long-haul routes, meaning that operational disruptions can have a significant impact.
Despite these challenges, she highlighted several national strengths, including well-established airport infrastructure, a regulatory framework aligned with global standards, and strong cargo and logistics potential. Planned midfield cargo terminal developments and existing cold-chain capacity could support time-sensitive exports and strengthen South Africa’s role as a logistics gateway.
Creecy also addressed concerns raised by the aviation industry regarding government processes, including flight procedure maintenance, licensing systems and communication from Airports Company South Africa (ACSA).
Following the 2023 suspension of certain flight procedures by the South African Civil Aviation Authority, the government implemented a series of interventions. In December 2024, a ministerial intervention team was appointed to support Air Traffic and Navigation Services. As a result, 250 out of 388 published flight procedures have been maintained, while a transition toward modern performance-based navigation aligned with ICAO standards is underway. Approximately 40 conventional procedures are expected to be withdrawn to improve operational efficiency.
A project management office has also been established to monitor compliance and manage future submissions to the Civil Aviation Authority, while trainee procedure designers are expected to reach qualification by mid-2026.
Licensing backlogs in air service licences and foreign operator permits have also been cleared. A new licensing council has been appointed for a three-year term, comprising experts in aviation, law, finance and transport economics, while the licensing process itself is being automated.
Creecy confirmed that a diagnostic review of the entire foreign operator permit value chain has been commissioned, in consultation with industry stakeholders, with the objective of addressing structural inefficiencies and implementing a digitised system built on sound operational principles.
Airport infrastructure development is also underway. During the 2024–2025 financial year, terminal expansion and upgrade projects commenced at three ACSA-operated airports, including Cape Town International Airport. In the next financial year, construction will begin on a R5.7 billion midfield cargo terminal at OR Tambo International Airport, which will significantly increase South Africa’s air freight handling capacity.
These initiatives support the government’s targets for the seventh administration, which include handling 42 million passengers and 1.2 million tonnes of air freight.
Looking ahead, Creecy said Africa’s growing middle class, expanding trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area and accelerating urbanisation are creating strong long-term growth prospects for aviation.
She concluded that the continent must position its aviation sector to compete effectively, strengthen regional integration, grow sustainably and build regulatory institutions that inspire confidence. According to Creecy, redefining aviation with purpose, coordination and strategic clarity will determine whether “Destination Africa” becomes more than a slogan and instead represents a genuine growth trajectory for the continent’s aviation system.
