Consumers of aviation services in Africa often lack protection against poor service delivery and are largely unaware of their rights. Even when they are aware, they frequently face institutional limitations, such as inadequate enforcement or access to information.
In response to this, a one-week regional training was held in Kampala, Uganda in August to support the review of national laws, regulations, and policies concerning air transport consumer protection. The event was organized by COMESA under the Support to Air Transport Sector Development (SATSD) programme funded by the European Union, in collaboration with the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC).
The training targeted Consumer Protection Officers from countries in Eastern and Northern Africa, East African Community (EAC), Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and COMESA member states. It also aimed to strengthen the understanding of air passenger rights under Article 9.6 of the Yamoussoukro Decision (YD) on Consumer Protection Regulations. The YD, which seeks to liberalize Africa’s air transport market, laid the foundation for the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), a flagship initiative under the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
Europe, the USA, and Southeast Asia experiences have demonstrated that liberalization leads to increased competition and consumer welfare, through lower fares. COMESA Aviation expert Eng Nicholas Ndema highlighted the fact that many African states continue to protect their national carriers. This approach has stunted the growth of the continent’s air transport industry, even as new entrants, like low-cost carriers, seek to foster competition.
However, Africa’s air transport industry has experienced numerous mergers and bankruptcies, raising concerns about the true benefits of liberalization for both consumers and airlines. Despite these challenges, low-cost carriers continue to enter the market, albeit at a slow pace, sparking competition. In this context, there is a pressing need to ensure that regulations protect air passengers from issues such as misleading advertising, tarmac delays, baggage theft, and loss.
It is equally important to provide passengers with the necessary information to seek compensation when required. Currently, many consumers of aviation services in Africa are not adequately protected against poor service delivery, often being unaware of their rights. Even when aware, they face institutional hurdles, such as lack of capacity or information.
Africa requires harmonized consumer protection regulations or a specialized set of rules specifically addressing air transport consumer rights. At present, the Warsaw and Montreal Conventions provide the only recourse for many African air transport consumers seeking redress against airlines.
Source COMESA