Disparity in SAATM Agreement Implementation: Bane of Domestic Airlines
ZAINAB JUNAID
The Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) is a project of the African Union, an Air Transport Agreement launched in January 28,2018 to create a single market for air transport in Africa. A situation where freedom of air transport in Africa is expected to be in pace with its omplementation.
It was meant to fully implement the 1999 Yamoussoukro decision, where all 34 states participants agreed to lift market access restrictions for memeber airlines, grants each other extended air traffic rights and also liberalise flights amomg others. But reverse was the case as the SAATM policy is lopsided in implementation. Member Countries paid lip service to the agreement, and even deliberately frustrate member airlines from enrouting member African Countries.
It was expected to help reduce the cost of aviation in African market was highly supported by Nigerian Airlines but its implementation idea was not acceptable by them.
The disparity in the way the policy is being practised has put a drastic negative effect on Nigerian airlines because of the West's Politics of Landing Rights which has become economic bullying on our airlines and if drastic measure is not taking by the Federal Government, there might not be any brighter light at the end of the tunnel for all our indigenous carriers.
Speaking at a virtual meeting organised by African Airlines Association, AFRAA,the Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, an indigenous fastest growing airline, Barrister Allen Onyema attrubuted failure of most Nigeria domestic carriers to the lopsided nature of SAATM policy.
Onyema condemned the West's Politics of Landing rights, saying "A situation where a West African Country which is a member of SAATM wrote his airline, denying it landing permit into its country but the country's airline having four multiple entries into Nigeria with no obstruction from the authorities in the country is absurd. When the country realised I took the matter to a Nigerian Court, it quickly approved the landing permit but this time with a charging fee of $10,500 per landing. The charges that came along with the landing fee was ridiculous, it is ecomomic bullying" he lamented. There is no fair play in SAATM implementation policy which supposed to open door for a win-win situation for all member countries.
There is need for sincerity of purpose in the implementation process of SAATM. A reciprocal treatment should be allowed; non discrimination in charges and permit. The countries, among which are- United Kingsom (UK), South Africa, to metion a few have multiple designated entry points into Nigeria routes and this is economic bullying of Nigerian Airlines. They are set to destroy our national economy with their foul play. How will our local carriers not liquidate when they are faced with such issues among other trending ones.
'You denied entry into your country but operates multiple enteries into ours at the expense of our indigenous carriers and you want them to survive. It's not possible.'
The economic bullying needs to come to an end. Nigeria Government must brace up to the responsibilities of protecting indigenous airlines to avoid being scrambled more by neighbouring countries that are also SAATM members and also adopt policy that will promote them in the international aviation market.
