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The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has called for harmonised regulations across Africa to protect air travellers from poor services provided by airlines, emphasizing the need for fair pricing, transparent communication and ethical marketing practices in the aviation industry.
Nicholas Ndema, COMESA’s Transport Expert in Aviation, Infrastructure, and Logistics, highlighted that many consumers of aviation services in Africa lacked protection against poor service delivery, as there was often no institution safeguarding their rights.
Ndema noted that most air travellers were unaware of their rights when dealing with service providers in the aviation sector.
He pointed out that the air transport industry had experienced numerous mergers and bankruptcies, raising questions about the benefits of liberalisation for both consumers and airlines.
He made these remarks at a capacity-building workshop on Annex 6—Regulations on Consumer Protection of the Yamoussoukro Decision for the Eastern African region.
“In many African states, national carriers are protected, which has hindered the growth of air transport on the continent.
“Despite the slow pace of liberalisation, the entry of Low-Cost Carriers has increased competition, necessitating robust regulations to protect passengers from issues like false advertising, tarmac delays and baggage loss. Consumers also need access to information for compensation when required,” Ndema said.
He expressed concern that even when consumers were aware of their rights, they often faced institutional challenges or lack of information, leading to ineffective protection.
Ndema stressed the urgent need for Africa to develop harmonised consumer protection regulations specifically for the air transport sector.
While some African countries have implemented regulations to protect consumer rights, Ndema underscored the need for consistent standards across the continent to ensure fair pricing, clear communication, and responsible marketing practices.
To address these challenges, Ndema recommended the publication of customer service plans and better responses to consumer issues, highlighting the role of the SADC Regional Air Transport Consumer Protection Focal Persons in enhancing consumer protection in the aviation sector.
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