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 in Africa, Bongo said.
The announcement was made on the second day of the New York Forum Africa – one of the largest gatherings of politicians, investors, entrepreneurs, and NGOs in Africa – hosted under Bongo’s patronage.
Other heads of state and key political figures attending the forum include President Alassane Ouattara of Ivory Cost, former president of Colombia Andres Pastrana, former president of Poland Lech Walesa, and former president of the European Union Jose Barosso.
The affordable low-cost model, which has worked successfully in Europe and Asia by contributing significantly to economic growth of those regions, is expected to herald a revolution in Africa’s airline industry, unlocking the continent’s potential by boosting the economic mobility of its citizens, and encouraging increased trade as a result of the airline’s unprecedented low fares for passengers and goods.
Announcing the launch, Bongo 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.”
One of the biggest obstacles to Africa’s growth and development was the cost of doing business in Africa, he said. Moving goods and people between African states was still too complicated and expensive and remained a major obstacle to the prosperity of the continent.
Bongo called on African countries to improve connectivity across Africa 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 airspace market for Africa.
“Aviation is the next infrastructure growth frontier for Africa. Enhancing air connectivity can help raise productivity and create jobs by encouraging investment and innovation, improving business operations and efficiency.
“Air transport is indispensable for tourism, where 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 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.
The announcement outlines a strategic partnership between the government of Gabon and African industrialist, venture capitalist, and philanthropist Ivor Ichikowitz.
“One of Africa’s huge resources is its ability for innovation which continues to generate new products, ideas, and services that places Africa at the forefront of emerging technologies and solutions,” Ichikowitz said.
“The launch of FlyAfrica.com is such an innovation and will be the game-changer for Africa’s aviation industry.
“The aim of FlyAfrica.com is to break down the barriers and costs that currently exist to travel across Africa. Prohibitively high fares, poor or non-existent services are playing their role in slowing down the development of this continent.
“FlyAfrica.com is designed to change that. FlyAfrica.com will lead the charge for unlocking Africa’s business and tourism potential by delivering world-class standards and low fares traditionally associated with airlines in Europe and Asia,” he said.
