In his address to the 2022 General Assembly of the African Airlines Association in Dakar, Senegal, IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, Kamil Alawadhi, said that while oil prices have retreated from mid-year peaks, the average price of jet fuel this year has been $138.8 per barrel.

The International Air Transport Association has disclosed that aviation companies will pay an additional $222 billion for fuel this year.

In his address to the 2022 General Assembly of the African Airlines Association in Dakar, Senegal, IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, Kamil Alawadhi, said that while oil prices have retreated from mid-year peaks, the average price of jet fuel this year has been $138.8 per barrel.

According to the IATA CEO, this means airlines will pay an additional $222 billion for fuel this year compared to 2021, with fuel accounting for 30% of airline costs.

However, he warned African carriers not to compromise on safety, emphasising that the continent’s airlines on the IATA Operational Safety Audit registry had zero accidents in 2021, with incidents across Africa by regional and global operators continuing to occur.

He said, “Regrettably the region’s accident rate remains the highest. This should serve as sharp reminders that we need to work together towards enhanced safety oversight particularly in the areas of reporting and investigation of incidents and accidents, adopting a more aggressive approach to addressing the highest recurring operational risks.”

He also stressed the need prioritise safety data and information exchange by all stakeholders in order to build an accurate picture across the continent.

According to him, this would promote the understanding of the critical importance of aeronautical information (NOTAM/AIP) to aviation safety, urging stakeholders to address it as a priority regional deficiency, with a clear commitment to improving it by all states and stakeholders.

SaharaReporters had also reported that trapped funds belonging to foreign airlines had risen by more than 25 per cent ($394 million) in the last six months, according to The International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Nigeria has $551 million, Pakistan has $225 million, Bangladesh has $208 million, Lebanon has $144 million, and Algeria has $140 million.

IATA disclosed this in a report released on Tuesday, mentioning Nigeria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Lebanon, and Algeria as the contributors of these trapped funds.

source: Sahara Reporters

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