360. AviaDev's December 2025 Africa Connectivity Update with Sean Mendis and Behramjee Ghadially
Release Date: 12/09/2025
382. July/ August's AviaDev Connectivity Update with Sean Mendis and Behramjee Ghadially
AviaDev Insight Africa
Join host Jon Howell, Founder and CEO of AviaDev Africa, joined by Regular Guests and Aviation Consultants, Sean Mendis and Behramjee Ghadially as they dive into the latest developments in African aviation. Chapters: 00:00 Intro and live welcome 03:49 Uganda Airlines Boeing order and delivery timeline 07:56 Ethiopian Airlines ready to choose its regional jet? Could it be the Max 7? 17:51 Etihad’s Africa partnership signing tour with Africa World Airlines, fastjet and Air Peace and broader interline strategy 26:24 AWA’s Abidjan launch and market dynamics 36:57 Emirates cuts new Ghana...
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381. June's AviaDev Connectivity Update with Sean Mendis and Behramjee Ghadially
AviaDev Insight Africa
Join host Jon Howell, Founder and CEO of AviaDev Africa, joined by Regular Guests and Aviation Consultants, Sean Mendis and Behramjee Ghadially as they dive into the latest developments in African aviation. Sign up to the mailing list https://www.aviadev.com/keep-me-updated TOPICS: 0:00 Introduction and welcome 3:27 Uganda Airlines’ Mega Boeing order and fleet rebuild 15:42 London Gatwick to Harare to finally be served? Air Zimbabwe looking to deploy a wet leased aircraft, but when? 28:05 TUI’s new Gatwick–Zanzibar route for Winter 2027. 40:17 Emirates to add four additional weekly...
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380. Washington Dulles International Airport. The natural gateway between Africa and the United States?
AviaDev Insight Africa
This episode explores how Washington Dulles International Airport is positioning itself as a key gateway between Africa and the United States. Featuring insights from Ariana McKnire, Director of Airline Business Development, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, the discussion covers route development, market opportunities, and the strategic importance of Washington's demographic and geographic advantages in African aviation connectivity. CHAPTERS 00:00 - Introduction to Washington Dulles as a US-African gateway 01:38 - Demographics and market size in Washington DC 05:09 - Business...
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379. From Runways to Real Estate: Unlocking Airport Investment Opportunities in Africa with NACO (Netherlands Airport Consultants)
AviaDev Insight Africa
In this episode of the AviaDev Insight Africa podcast, we delve into the strategies African airports can adopt to enhance non-aeronautical revenues and attract investment. Save the below infographic for more insights and join us at AviaDev in Botswana for further discussions. Hosted by Jon Howell, this episode features insights from Nelly Alandou, Jody Appollis, and Adam Ekman Pedersen of the NACO team. Discover how African airports can diversify revenue streams and become economic hubs. Chapters: 0:00 - Introduction 01:21 - Meet the NACO Team 02:42 - Revenue Stream diversification 04:17 -...
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378. The May 2026 AviaDev Insight Africa Connectivity Update with Sean Mendis and Behramjee Ghadially
AviaDev Insight Africa
Welcome to the May 2026 AviaDev Connectivity Update! Join host Jon Howell, Founder and CEO of AviaDev Africa, joined by Regular Guests and Aviation Consultants, Sean Mendis and Behramjee Ghadially as they dive into the latest developments in African aviation. TOPICS: 00:00 - Introduction and Overview 01:28 - Virgin Atlantic doubles down on South Africa 04:16 - KLM quietly grows Cape Town capacity 08:43 - South African Airways: new CEO, fresh cuts 16:56 - Airlink launches Cape Town–Zanzibar nonstop 25:27 - Turkish Airlines slashes African routes 35:43 - Qatar Airways' Return to...
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377. AviaDev's Connectivity update for April 2026. Etihad's 6 new Africa routes and key airline moves
AviaDev Insight Africa
In the 30th edition of the AviaDev Africa Connectivity Update, host Jon Howell is joined by usual guests, Aviation Consultants Sean Mendis and Behramjee Ghadially to review the biggest stories impacting African aviation 00:00 Welcome 02:33 Africa Market Pulse and impacts of the Iran War 13:12 Etihad's 6 new routes for Africa. Behramjee's take 24:22 Sean's take on Etihad's expansion 42:48 Uganda Airlines fleet and route update 46:28 SalamAir's new routes to Kigali and Mogadishu 52:16 ASKY Hints at a new Route 01:00:01 Turkish Airlines Boosts Mauritius frequencies 01:04:30 Ethiopian Eyes...
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376. Air Ghana: Exploring new horizons with Jonathan Appiah, Head of Corporate Affairs
AviaDev Insight Africa
In this episode, Jon Howell hosts Jonathan Appiah of Air Ghana to explain the airline’s background, ownership and strategy amid strong interest from attending delegates ahead of AviaDev. Jonathan recounts his move from HR into commercial aviation at Africa World Airlines and his route-development experience. He clarifies Air Ghana is a 100% Ghanaian-owned private company, with global cargo partnerships, a Ghanaian AOC and designation as a national cargo airline, investments in cold-chain/perishables, and leadership in the Ghana Airport Cargo Centre. We dive into Air Ghana's plans...
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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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In this episode, we cover the latest route and fleet developments in African aviation.
Topics include:
02:51 Ethiopian Airlines' Fleet Expansion at Dubai Air Show with more A350-900 and 737 Max 8s
11:10 Air Senegal's Surprising Boeing "Order" of 15 Boeing 737 MAX 8s
21:08 Air Côte d'Ivoire's landmark Embraer 4 x E175 Order.
33:53 Ethiopian Airlines and Air Congo's ATR 72-600 Order
36:43 Flydubai's Massive Aircraft Orders from Airbus and Boeing and what it could mean for Africa
43:49 Emirates' New Routes to Cape Town and Nairobi
48:47 Kenya's Aviation Policy and Market Access Issues, plus challenges Facing Kenya Airways
01:00:33 Air Transat's New Routes to West Africa (Dakar, Senegal and Accra, Ghana)
01:14:32 Air Tanzania's New Vic Falls - Cape Town route
01:20:04 Farewell and AviaDev Connectivity Update 2025 Awards preview
This month's guests are:
Sean Mendis, Aviation Consultant. CONNECT WITH SEAN
Behramjee Ghadially, Aviation Consultant. CONNECT WITH BEHRAMJEE