347. AviaDev's September 2025 Africa Connectivity Update with Sean Mendis and Behramjee Ghadially
Release Date: 09/03/2025
375. Gateway to Opportunities: Botswana's connectivity ambitions with Capt. Thuto Toise, CEO, Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana (CAAB)
AviaDev Insight Africa
In this episode, we host Capt. Thuto Toise, the newly appointed CEO of the Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana, to discuss Botswana’s aviation ambitions and its strategic decision to host AviaDev Africa 2026. Capt. Toise explains how improved air connectivity can drive economic growth through tourism, trade, investment, and regional integration, and why bringing airlines and decision-makers to Botswana enables meaningful route-development discussions. He outlines the Botswana Air Access initiative, launched in August 2024, which unites CAAB, tourism and hospitality bodies, travel agencies,...
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374. Focus Africa: IATA's Kamil Al-Awadhi's vision for a brighter aviation future
AviaDev Insight Africa
In this episode, host Jon Howell hosts IATA’s Regional VP for Africa and the Middle East, Kamil Al-Awadhi, to discuss why SAATM has seen little progress since its 2018 signing, citing state protectionism, limited collaboration, and slow decision-making across ministries. They explore the economics of operating airlines in Africa, including fuel accounting for about 30–35% of airline costs and being around 17% higher in Africa, plus rising airport, airspace, and API/PNR charges that can add up to $50 per leg and deter tourism. Al-Awadhi describes IATA’s advocacy efforts, claiming about...
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373. AviaDev's March 2026 Connectivity Update with Behramjee Ghadially and Sean Mendis
AviaDev Insight Africa
In the March 2026 AviDev Africa connectivity update, host Jon Howell and consultants Sean Mendis and Behramjee Ghadially discuss how the Iran war and GCC corridor disruption are reshaping Africa-related air travel, creating short-term transit gains for Ethiopian, Kenya Airways, Uganda Airlines and Air Peace but driving major fare increases, insurance constraints, and severe jet-fuel supply-chain risks that could lead to rationing and technical stops. They review Ethiopian’s schedule changes and debate the Atlanta restart, analyze Kenya Airways’ Gatwick increase alongside worsening...
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372. From Reputation to Revenue: Building a strong airline brand with Rahsaan Johnson, brand expert
AviaDev Insight Africa
In this episode of AviaDev Insight Africa, we speak to Rahsaan Johnson, former Managing Director of Global Communications at Delta, with 13 years at United, about what “brand” means for airlines and why it drives profitability and resilience. Johnson defines brand as the emotions and adjectives customers associate with an airline, shaped by reputation and lived experience, and argues the foundation of a strong airline brand is “clean, safe, reliable.” He explains how a strong brand increases the willingness to pay among schedule-sensitive travelers, and why African airlines should...
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371. Live stage session at BARSA: Leadership Dialogue: Reframing Africa’s Aviation Narrative with Prof. Bonang Mohale & Hamish Erskine, CEO, Dube Trade Port
AviaDev Insight Africa
This a special podcast episode recorded on 6th March 2026 as part of the Board of Airline Representatives of South Africa Annual Conference. In the episode, Professor Mohale argues Africa’s economic and aviation story is often told by outsiders, calling for Africans to own the narrative and emphasizing leadership defined by vision, courage, and integrity. The discussion contrasts management and leadership, critiques reliance on bureaucracy as a refuge from accountability, and highlights how colonial-era boundaries and continued dependence undermine African prosperity and unity. Erskine...
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370. ValueJet. Innovating to stay ahead by creating Viki - Their AI concierge powered by Kiu
AviaDev Insight Africa
In this episode, we explore the innovative journey of ValueJet, a Nigerian airline that has recently introduced Viki, the first AI concierge in Africa. Temi Adjijola, the head of business program and IT at Value Jet, discusses the airline's mission to make flying accessible to more people in Nigeria, where air travel is still underutilized. Joining Temi is Rodger Whittle, Commercial Director and Juan Felipe Restrepo, Chief Product Officer at KIU System Solutions who created Viki and provide over 70 airlines worldwide with a comprehensive, cloud-based, AI-powered suite of IT services for...
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369. AviaDev's February 2025 Africa Connectivity Update with Sean Mendis and Behramjee Ghadially
AviaDev Insight Africa
*Subscribe to our mailing list to never miss another episode and stay up to date with event news: In this episode, we cover the latest route and fleet developments in African aviation. Clarification on the FlySafair sale Uganda Airlines - management changes, fleet changes, route changes Kenya Airways next steps. Can they secure an investor/ partner? - both Singapore and Qatar have denied interest Ethiopian update (adding a 4th daily Dubai, second daily Bamako - Dakar, cutting Nacala) Air Congo regional expansion - speculation on Europe? Eswatini Air to add Lusaka to their Harare service QR...
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368. Connecting Africa with Embraer. A recap of the top 10 unserved intra sub-Saharan African routes with Theo Wensink, Head of Airline Marketing, Middle East and Africa
AviaDev Insight Africa
In this episode, Host Jon Howell sits down with Theo Wensink, Head of Airline Marketing, Middle East and Africa at Embraer to discuss the "Connecting Africa" report which premiered at AviaDev Africa 2025. Providing commentary and insight into the findings are regular podcast contributors, aviation consultants Sean Mendis and Behramjee Ghadially. Together, they explore why the report was created, the methodology, and then we count down the top unserved routes from 10 to 1, identifying which have the best chance of being served and by whom. Chapters 00:00 Introduction...
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367. Introducing Mentortude with Chidozie Uzoezie, Founder, African Aviation Group
AviaDev Insight Africa
In this episode of AviaDev Insight Africa, host Jon Howell speaks with Chidozie Uzoezie, founder of the African Aviation Group (AAG), about the impact of the group on aspiring aviators in Africa. They discuss the challenges and opportunities in the African aviation industry, the launch of Mentortude, an all-inclusive mentorship platform, and the upcoming Fireside Chat event aimed at empowering the next generation of aviation professionals. Find out more: Chidozie emphasizes the importance of mentorship, community, and access to information in shaping the future of aviation in Africa. 00:00...
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366. The Bishoftu Airport Project. The start of Africa's connectivity revolution? With Miretab Tesfaye, Aviation Consultant
AviaDev Insight Africa
In this episode of AviaDev Insight Africa, Jon Howell speaks with aviation consultant Miretab Tesfaye about the ambitious Bishoftu Airport project in Ethiopia. They discuss the airport's projected capacity, the strategic advantages and opportunities for Ethiopian Airlines, and the challenges it faces in a competitive Global aviation market. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Bishoftu Airport Project 05:03 Miretab's Journey and Experience 09:25 Overview of Bishoftu Airport Details 16:17 Ethiopian Airlines' Competitive Advantage 22:58 Challenges and Opportunities for Ethiopian Airlines 29:51...
info_outlineWelcome to the September edition of the AviaDev Insight Africa Connectivity update for 2025, hosted by Jon Howell, CEO and Founder of AviaDev Africa.
This month's guests are:
Sean Mendis, Aviation Consultant. CONNECT WITH SEAN
Behramjee Ghadially, Aviation Consultant. CONNECT WITH BEHRAMJEE
Topics covered this month:
Ethiopian Airlines reporting a $1.05 Billion profit on $7.6 Billion revenue
ADD-ABV going 10 weekly from 28OCT25
12th weekly TNR, reducing NOS from Jan-Mar, SEZ reduction Jan-Mar.
4th daily EBB
Group CEO Mesfin Tasew to retire in 2026
Rwandair report a $93m half-year loss
KGL MBA ZNZ 3x weekly route launching in December 2025
An additional A330 coming from QR
Tanzania's new taxes + mandatory insurance and the potential impact on demand
Air Tanzania to launch Lagos from 13SEP25 3x weekly using a 737Max
Uganda Airlines report a $76m loss for 2024-5
Kenya Airways report a loss of $94m for the first half of 2025
Qatar to launch a 3rd daily NBO, Lagos back to 14x weekly, JNB up to 18x, CPT 12x, upguage others like CMN
FlyNAS to launch Riyadh- Nairobi from 2 October, 3 x week
SAA to launch Gaborone flights in November, A330 wetlease from Hi-Fly
Proflight Zambia will launch flights 3 x week from Lusaka via Livingstone to Windhoek starting March 3 2026.
Airlink may suspend ticket sales in Mozambique and will increase JNB-BLZ flights to 6x weekly from October.
KLM - reduces KGL and EBB from 7 to 3 weekly in NW25, CPT increasing 7 to 11 weekly (previously announced)
Air Cote D'Ivoire is taking delivery of an A330 on 4th September and has loaded ADJ-CDG for sale