African Airlines ‘Right-Size’ Their Way to Prosperity

The success enjoyed by outside players in providing capacity to Africa has meant regional and domestic business has assumed ever-increasing importance not just for Africa’s indigenous airlines but for the continent’s economic growth as well. The tremendous distances between population centers and the lack of convenient and reliable roads also make Africa a bumper opportunity for suppliers of regional jets with seating capacities of around 100. “Right-sizing,” a term OEMs use to describe the replacement of mainline narrowbodies with regional jets, first in North America and Europe, now applies to Africa as well, as the dream of owning fleets based on 180-seat Airbus and Boeing aircraft proves increasingly unworkable.