South African Airlines, although mostly bankrupt and waiting for bailouts from national government, gets voted best airline in Africa year after year – after year – at the World Airline Awards. But who are they competing against?
We take a look at the top ten airlines in Africa and also throw in some other interesting statistics.
1. South African Airways
The national flag carrier of South Africa is headquartered at OR Tambo International Airport – also known as Johannesburg Inernational – in Gauteng. It flies to 38 destinations worldwide, including several it was previously banned from. South African Airways is a full member of the Star Alliance and has direct flights from New York, London, Dubai, Sydney, Sao Paolo and Beijing.
2. Air Seychelles
This airline has only recently started focusing beyond Africa on a handful of European destinations such as Madrid and Manchester from its secondary hub at Charles de Gaulle Airport. In 2012 the airline blew its horizons open by selling a 40% share to Etihad, and passengers can now fly all over the world via connections in Abu Dhabi.
3. Air Mauritius
With a fleet of only 12 crafts operating from such a remote location, the airline has excelled with a collaboration between Air France, British Airways and the Mauritian government. As well as coming second in the World Airline Awards 2014 ranking of African airlines, it has won the World Travel Awards’ Indian Ocean’s Leading Airline prize for the previous ten consecutive years.
4. Kulula
This no-frills airline, operating on major domestic routes from OR Tambo International Airport and Lanseria International Airport to cities in South Africa, has been holding its own for several years now.
5. Ethiopian Airlines
Headquartered in Addis Ababa, it flies to 82 destinations worldwide including more destinations in Africa than any other carrier. It also has one of the largest fleets in Africa with several new airplanes on order.
6. Kenya Airways
This public-private partnership airline is owned by private shareholders, KLM and the Kenyan government. Kenya Airways is widely considered as one of the leading Sub-Saharan operators with plans to add 24 destinations by 2021, including the start of services to Australia, and North and South America, and expanding its presence in Asia. It has a fleet of over 40 Boeing aircraft.
7. TAAG Angola Airlines
This airline is owned by the Angolan government and based in Luanda. It operates an all-Boeing fleet to domestic services within Angola, as well as medium-haul services in Africa.
8. Mango
This is South Africa’s state-owned low-cost airline, founded in 2006 as a subsidiary of South African Airways. It operates domestic scheduled budget services from OR Tambo International Airport.
9. Egyptair
EgyptAir is Africa’s largest airline and the national carrier of Egypt. Although it is a government owned airline it runs like a private corporation with no financial backing from the government. It has one of the largest fleets in Africa and fly to major destinations in Europe and the East.
10. Air Austral
Air Austral is a French airline with its headquarters at Roland Garros Airport in Sainte-Marie, Réunion, France. It operates scheduled services from Réunion to metropolitan France, several southern African destinations as well as Thailand, India and a number of destinations in the Indian Ocean.
Busiest airports in Africa in terms of passenger traffic
Rank
Country
Airport
City
Passengers per year
1.
South Africa
OR Tambo International Airport
Johannesburg
18,501,628
2.
Egypt
Cairo International Airport
Cairo
14,360,175
3.
South Africa
Cape Town International Airport
Cape Town
8,078,589
4.
Egypt
Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport
Sharm el-Sheikh
7,758,859
5.
Egypt
Hurghada International Airport
Hurghada
6,743,199
6.
Morocco
Mohammed V International Airport
Casablanca
6,209,711
7.
Nigeria
Murtala Muhammed International Airport
Lagos
5,136,697
8.
Kenya
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport
Nairobi
5,104,791
9.
South Africa
Durban International Airport
Durban
4,458,715
10.
Tunisia
Monastir International Airport
Monastir
4,314,040
11.
Algeria
Houari Boumedienne Airport
Algiers
4,200,000
12.
Tunisia
Carthage Airport
Tunis
4,068,233
13.
Morocco
Marrakech-Menara Airport
Marrakech
3,100,495
14.
Ethiopia
Bole International Airport
Addis Ababa
3,092,186
15.
Libya
Tripoli International Airport
Tripoli
3,070,200
16.
Tunisia
Djerba-Zarzis Airport
Djerba
2,626,742
17.
Mauritius
Plaisance – Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport
Plaisance
2,609,805
18.
Nigeria
Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport
Abuja
2,354,000
19.
Senegal
Yoff Airport
Dakar
2,205,000
20.
Egypt
Luxor International Airport
Luxor
2,168,700
Source: Africapedia
African airlines: Ranking by fleet size
RANKING
COUNTRY
AIRLINE
FLEET SIZE
1
South Africa
South Africa Airways
49
1
Egypt
EgyptAir Airlines
49
2
Morocco
Royal Air Maroc
43
3
Algeria
Air Algérie
34
4
Ethiopia
Ethiopian Airlines
32
5
Tunisia
Tunisair
31