Official Launch SAA and Star Alliance partnership at Emperors Palace Convention
Centre
10 April 2006
Minister Erwin,
Mr Kaya Nqula, President of SAA,
Mr Jan Albrecht, Star Alliance CEO,
Chief Executive Officers of member airlines,
Honoured guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I wish to join Minister Erwin in celebrating the acceptance of South African
Airways (SAA) as full member of the Star Alliance partnership. Two months ago
the International Air Transport Association (IATA) publicly presented IATA
Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certificate to SAA. That was because SAA had
become the first African airline to pass the IATA initiated safety audits. This
demonstrates to us the confidence the international community has in our
airlines.
Between 2001 and 2005 there has been more than 19.8 million domestic
passengers arriving at Johannesburg International Airport, more than 15.7
million international passengers. At Cape Town International Airport there have
been more than 12.2 million arriving domestic passengers and more than 280 000
international passengers.
IATA has projected that air passengers will row by an average 5.6 percent
between 2005 and 2009. In IsiNdebele they say, "The eye crosses the river
before the body." Passenger growth presents an opportunity and a challenge to
service levels. It is a challenge we must not take light think we have crossed
the river while it is only our eyes that have crossed.
Those among us here today who would have travelled using our airports in the
past few weeks will attest to the visible increase in passenger traffic. We
know already that the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) is engaged in
discussions with airlines and other role players at the airports to find ways
of maintaining and improving service levels and security.
ACSA is also embarking on a R5.2 billion capital expenditure programme and
Air Traffic Navigation Services (ATNS) R225.8 million. This includes the
construction of A380 aircraft stands, upgrades of passenger handling areas and
improved air traffic management systems. The ATNS company is also improving its
capacity to handle about 72 air traffic movements per hour.
This of course is linked to the airports company infrastructure program to
ensure that the ground capacity can handle those movements.
A little more than a week ago we launched the Aeronautical Rescue
Co-ordination Centre (ARCC), an operational facility of the South African
search and rescue organisation as part of our efforts to improve coordination
for the safety of our airspace. This centre is located within the ATNS. And
will extend to Swaziland, Namibia and Lesotho. This is part of our efforts to
assist in building capacity of other African states to improve their safety
record.
SAA remains a respected and reliable carrier across the world and long may
it serve that role. This partnership could not have come at a better time when
South Africa is gearing up to host the FIFA World Cup Soccer Tournament. We
hope this partnership will ensure easy access to air transport and low
airfares, to spectators of the game across continents.
SAA's union with the Start Alliance extends its reach around the globe
beyond Africa through partnerships and route expansion. But it also comes into
effect at an interesting time in African aviation. There have never been as
many commercial airlines registered and operating in Africa than the present
time. Whilst most are limited in fleet size to regional activities, some of the
legacy airlines of Africa are expanding their African networks quite
effectively.
SAAâs route expansion on the continent from south to north is complimented
by a similar reach westwards from the east with Nairobi and Addis rapidly
developing to important hubs. The west and central African littoral states have
developed intra-regional routes that are close to a shuttle service. All of
this is excellent news for civil aviation in Africa. Air transport in Africa
generates about 470 000 direct and indirect jobs across Africa, contributing
over US$11.3 billion to African Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It is within this
framework of growth that we place particular attention to such of
partnerships.
These developments on the continent reflect a growing maturity of aviation
in Africa and I am sure that the meeting of African Ministers responsible for
air transport in Gabon next month will pursue them with interest. Progress on
the implementation of the Yammassoukro declaration and decision has eluded us
for some time but it is clear that our resolve to remove intra-continental
barriers is producing results.
This provides an important context for the further development of open skies
over Africa extending to a regime of open skies agreements with other
continents that can only be fully reciprocal and equally beneficial.
In this context it is somewhat disappointing that recently attention has
focused exclusively on the European Union (EU) decision to prohibit over 80
African airlines from European air space. I am certain that the meeting of
African Ministers will seek to clarify some of the ambiguities that action
contained such as the effective blanket de-recognition of licensing authorities
in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Sierra Leone, Swaziland and Liberia.
This is especially pertinent in those countries engaged in reconstruction
with DRC closer to home not only because of our peacekeeping efforts but also
work of our CAA and ATNS in particular to strengthen air space management and
civil aviation regulation going into the election period and beyond.
We need to look closely at all arguments to ascertain the implications for
African aviation generally.
Air transport as already highlighted by the speakers before me, plays a
crucial role in our economies. It is within this framework that we place
particular attention to these kinds of partnerships. Safety and security in the
aviation sector is a dynamic and the responsible authorities are constantly
engaged in reviewing all systems to ensure the strength and improve the systems
we have in place.
We accept as our responsibility, as government, aeronautical and licensing
authorities that we need to create the necessary frameworks to enable effective
operation of the alliance. The alliance would not operate effectively if the
regulation environment was unreasonable.
As government we also support an environment of reasonable aeronautical
tariffs. In this regard we welcomed the decision by the ATNS not to increase
aeronautical tariffs in the coming year. Of course government supports strong
independent regulation of tariffs that must balance the interests of airports,
airlines and passengers alike. With these few words, I would like to pledge my
support to the partnership and wish all of you success to your endeavours to
develop the air transport industry for the benefit of us all.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Transport
10 April 2006
Source: Department of Transport (http://www.transport.gov.za)
