Airbus shores up foothold in Africa, opens customers’ support centre in J’burg

The recent Airbus global market forecast that predicts that commercial demand for the African continent will reach 1460 passenger and freight aircraft by 2043, comprising 1210 single-aisle aircraft and 250 wide-body aircraft has made the aircraft giant strengthen its presence in the continent.

Additionally, Airbus’ Global Services Forecast estimates that Africa will need to introduce 15 000 additional pilots, 20 000 mechanics to meet the surge in air travel demand.

The aircraft maker announced the opening of its new customer support centre in Johannesburg, South Africa.

This newly established centre will contribute to strengthening Airbus’ local presence and supporting the growth of the African ecosystem.

Serving as a hub for customers in the region, the new office will provide tailored support and enhance operational efficiency.

The Customer Support Centre will drive the development of existing local capabilities ensuring access to maintenance and training resources while fostering a stronger, more collaborative ecosystem in the region.

By supporting the growth of the local aviation industry, Airbus aims to empower airlines and reinforce their autonomy. This will not only benefit airlines but the entire industry and local workforce.

“With the rapid expansion of the latest generation aircraft on the continent, Africa requires additional dedicated support and skills to meet the increasing demand for intra-African and international connectivity,” says Laurent Negre, VP of Customer Services Africa and Middle East at Airbus. “We are proud to open this new office to increase our proximity to customers while continuing to support the development of solutions for Africa, in Africa, and by Africa.”

With African airlines expected to grow their fleets significantly over the next 20 years, Airbus sees Nigeria as one of Africa’s biggest untapped markets, given its population size and Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Additionally, the growth of intra-African traffic is driving the demand for single-aisle aircraft on the continent.

The manufacturer sees significant demand for new aircraft in Nigeria. It is one of the biggest markets with untapped potential, given its population size and GDP, which ranks in the top five in Africa.

The West African country also has a massive potential for Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) services, which will be essential to the aviation sector’s growth, safety, and longevity.

The development of MRO services in Nigeria will help generate additional revenue and reduce aircraft maintenance costs for airlines.

Traffic growth in Africa is still being driven by GDP growth, which is higher than the world average, population growth, urbanization, growth of the middle class, and liberalization.

Airbus added that from the 1,000+ new aircraft expected to be delivered through 2042, about 75% of new deliveries will be single-aisle jets.

The demand for single-aisles is driven by the growth of intra-Africa traffic, which is expected to increase by 4.8% over the next 20 years.

African airlines are more focused on flying within the continent, with some deploying single-aisle jets on regional routes of up to six hours.

In terms of specific aircraft types, Airbus expects African airlines to have a “healthy” mix of single-aisle jets, from the smaller A220s to the larger A321neos and the extended-range A321XLR.

Given the differences in each market, orders and deliveries will depend on each airline’s requirements in terms of size module.

Wole Shadare