Collaboration and passenger confidence keys to revive aviation

This week’s programme comes from the African airline industry’s AFRAA annual general assembly. Although on a virtual platform this year, airline CEOs and representatives from governments, associations and the whole aviation supply chain logged in.Our air transport editor Victoria Moores and airports editor Chloe Greenbank were there too and they give their overview on the future for the industry.In the programme we hear from Sanjeev Ghadia the CEO of Astral Aviation, Yvonne Makolo, CEO of Rwandair and Angola’s Minister of Transport Ricardo de Abreu, as they individually call for action not word.De Abreu says Angola is embracing principles of greater connectivity even though it hasn’t progressed with SAATM, while Makolo argues collaboration is more inclusive than just airlins and needs governments and airports to join in. Ghadia – one of the few airlines to have grown during the pandemic argues that this past eight months has shown the need for airlines to take cargo seriously and make sure the sector is recognised at board level.But if airlines are to recover their passenger business, then passenger confidence is key. Niels Steenstrup, senior vice president of inflight business for Inmarsat revealed the results of a global passenger survey by the technology company to Steve Nichols and outlines why attitudes to recovery will be different depending on where you live.There are also news highlights from across Africa and the Middle East