African airlines have lamented the international community’s perception of the continent’s air transport as falling below safety standards. Speaking at the African Airlines Association annual general assembly, Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Tewolde GebreMariam said that the majority of safety issues apply to only a handful of African countries, yet the reputational damage affects the whole continent. “Africa is not an isolated continent, but rather it has been affected by many problems and challenges in terms of aviation safety,” he said.
African airlines have lamented the international community’s perception of the continent’s air transport as falling below safety standards. Speaking at the African Airlines Association annual general assembly, Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Tewolde GebreMariam said that the majority of safety issues apply to only a handful of African countries, yet the reputational damage affects the whole continent. While African airlines have had no jet hull losses or fatalities in two years, the International Air Transport Association said just 24 African countries comply with 60% or more of the standards and recommended practices adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organization.