Ms. Liz Aluvanze is the Chief Executive Officer of Kenya Association of Air Operators, she brings a wealth of knowledge from various fields of the aviation industry. In this interview with Aviation & Allied Business, Aluvanze discussed the state of air transport in Kenya, SAF, airports privatization, being CEO at KAAO and other issues related to the African aviation industry.
Q: How would you describe the state of the airline industry in Kenya?
A: As you know, we say Kenya is actually the home of aviation in Africa. Interestingly, I’ve been told that the first flight landed at Wilson Airport, which also happens to be where my office is located. This rich history reflects how aviation has been central to Kenya’s development.
KAAO represents over fifty (50) air operators who are engaged in various services such as scheduled and non-scheduled passenger and cargo flights, humanitarian/relief flights, Air Ambulance, General Aviation, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Operators, Hot-Air Balloon Operators, Approved Training Organizations (ATOs), Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul Organizations (MROs) and Approved Maintenance Organizations (AMOs). In particular, the growing presence of recreational air operators and emerging technologies like drones demonstrates the evolution of the industry. To summarize, the airline sector is vibrant, and it continues to evolve each day.
And now, just like all the other countries, we are actually recording even higher numbers than pre-COVID, which shows you again that people are traveling more especially domestically. Meanwhile, international travel is steadily recovering, buoyed by Kenya’s strategic location and the reputation of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) as a key transit hub. I think the future is very bright for Kenya from an air transport perspective.
Q: Kenya has become an example in terms of alignment of tourism and air transport. How do you make sure that the airline industry and the tourism sector is well aligned in Kenya?
A: That’s a very good question. And, let me start by saying, we are not yet there actually. In fact, some of the biggest challenges we face as an industry is that we feel, policymakers don’t fully grasp how closely intertwined the aviation industry and the tourism sector truly are.
But what we are doing to positively bridge this gap is that we interact with the policy makers quite a lot, and so we are very aggressive in trying to educate them, sensitize them on the undeniable role air transport plays in facilitating tourism.
After all, majority of tourists arrive by air, with few opting for sea travel. We continue to encourage the policy makers to understand our industry, to develop policies that foster its growth, as this directly influences the influx of tourists into the country. While progress is being made, we are not there yet, there’s still much work to be done.
Q: What are your priorities at KAAO?
A: I put them as three for me. The first, of course, is collaboration. We have been very direct in encouraging members to collaborate. And that mentality of competitiveness is slowly fading because it’s through working together that even their businesses will thrive. The second thing, of course, is that we continue to engage the policy makers. As you know aviation is very regulated, so we are quite aggressively interacting with the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), where I also happen to sit on the Board, to bridge the gap between the private sector and the regulator. We’ve made significant strides in refining regulations that foster growth, and we also work closely with aerodrome operators to ensure that everyone is aligned. So that’s the second one.
The third priority is nurturing the next generation of aviation professionals. And for us, that is just not a statement. It’s something that we’re doing day in, day out. I’ll give you a good example. At the Secretariat since I started my tenure, I’ve been so deliberate in hiring especially young women. We identify those who are disadvantaged, who cannot afford their school fees and these trainings. We bring them to the secretariat to train them and once they reach that level, a lot of my members take these students. And I’m happy to see that we’re now on our third circuit of this initiative. These three pillars, collaboration, policy engagement, and professional development, are the three pillars that truly define the Association’s main agenda.
Q: What is the thought of your body on the privatization of the airport?
A: I believe in having candid and honest conversations, so I will answer it. We all agree, of course, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) needs investment, and even as an association, we did submit a memorandum on the proposal. My members’ opinions, whom I represent, is that while investment in JKIA is necessary, it must be approached in the right way. We have been very clear with the government, urging that the procurement process must be both open and transparent, and that all relevant stakeholders, those who will ultimately bear the costs should be involved.
This is not just a matter of opinion; it’s something we’ve formally documented. We continue to engage the government for them to reconsider the proposal at hand and go back to the drawing board, and when they do, to involve the stakeholders. After all, it is the stakeholders who possess the expertise.
Q: The privatization, is it just Jomo Kenyatta, or the whole of (KAA) Kenya Airports Authority?
A: From the documents I have seen, I think it is just Jomo Kenyatta. But, again, you see, that is the transparency we are speaking of. We’ve not seen all the documentation, if I’m honest, we’ve only seen part of the documentation. So that one, I cannot give you a very direct answer. I don’t know if KAA will be part of it, but the documents we have seen its just Jomo Kenyatta.
Q: We had many sessions about Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in Africa, and one of your members, KQ, is leading the charge in terms of SAF adoption. As an association, do you have a position on SAF for your members?
A: We are still deliberating our position, but I believe the audience today has voiced some valid criticisms, and we also recognize our own shortcomings. Are we truly ready? As an industry, we face numerous challenges, especially in Africa. While we understand the environmental impacts and acknowledge the efforts some of our members are making not just with SAF but also in exploring electric engine models, tree planting, and other initiatives the SAF conversation requires further research and in-depth deliberation. I believe the African Union should first establish a unified position and guide the member states in this regard. Currently, the conversation is somewhat fragmented, with no clear common voice. Once we have that alignment from the top, we can begin to implement it effectively at the grassroots level.
Q: We all say it’s good to liberalize, but we are not liberalized. What in your opinion are the issues, the stumbling blocks to the implementation of SAATM?
A: I think there’s still a lot of protectionism in member states. Kenya, for example was one of the first ones to sign. We’re part of the Pilot program in AFCAC, but nothing is moving. But, when I come to forums like this, I think even as an industry, we are shooting ourselves in the leg. Experts are talking to experts, I wish we had invited the Ministers of Transport, I wish we had invited the Ministers of Tourism because those are the decision makers. We understand the benefits, but I don’t think they do, and we need to start involving them in our discussions. If we could bring together all the ministers from across African states and have the experts explain the benefits to them, I believe we would start seeing real traction. Until then, as long as we keep speaking only to ourselves, I fear progress will remain minimal.
Q: If you were to advise governments, Kenyan government, and maybe African governments, which area in terms of policy would you want to see improvement for the air transport industry?
A: I think first, we need to standardize our regulations, it’s the biggest stumbling block across Africa. The next thing I will ask them to do is let us implement SAATM fully because the benefits would be incredible for the continent. We need to break those barriers and allow free movement of people and goods and services, not just on paper, but in practice. We’re all Africans, we’re one. I shouldn’t need to apply for a visa to come to your country, neither should you. You should be able to hop on a flight, pay $300, not $2,000 due to excessive state-imposed charges. We need to implement SAATM like yesterday, to start reaping the benefits.
Q: Kenya industry is one of the industries that are doing well in terms of exports, especially with your flower exports etc. Are you satisfied with where you are in terms of cargo movement within the Kenyan industry?
A: We actually aren’t there. I’ll tell you the current challenges we are facing in Kenya, there is a shortage of capacity. As the CEO of Astral, one of the largest cargo operators, pointed out, there is a significant capacity issue. We have farmers who have worked hard over the year, their produce is sitting in warehouses because the operators have gone to the Asian market because there’s more value for money there. They have abandoned the African market because of the cost of doing that service. So, we still have a long way to go.
This shift has led to a neglect of the African market due to the high costs involved. While Kenya is leading the way, we’re still grappling with a cargo capacity shortage. This issue is compounded by the cost of doing business and limited access to financing. Many operators wish to purchase aircraft, but securing financial support remains a hurdle. The larger carriers, understandably, go where the value is greater, and that’s why they’ve shifted their attention to Asia and we can’t blame them, it’s business. It’s a tough situation, and it remains one of the industry’s biggest challenges. We still have a long way to go.
Q: About the next generation, let’s start from Kenya and then maybe broaden it to Africa. What can be done to encourage more women to go into the technical side of aviation, like pilots, air traffic control, not just being, in management?
A: I look at this thing in two ways, you know, sensitization is one, going to schools and giving presentations to encourage students to pursue STEM careers. But you and I know some of these fees to enroll is very expensive. And, unfortunately, a lot of people cannot afford them. Yes, you want to be a pilot but it’s expensive to train.
The second part of the solution lies with the airline operators. They need to take a more proactive role. It’s not enough to simply make presentations in schools. Airlines need to develop programs that deliberately recruit young talent, such as three or four young women, from an early age. These individuals should be financially supported through their education. Once they have excelled and completed their training, airlines should hire them. It’s the only way, my dear brother.
Q: But we heard from the African airlines side, cost is an issue and they are actually trying to survive. So how can someone who is trying to survive now, bear the cost of training these young people?
A: I believe that if something truly matters to you, you’ll find a way to make it happen. I understand that many airlines, especially in the Kenyan market, are struggling to break even. However, the need for a skilled workforce remains critical. Many operators are lamenting the fact that their talent is heading to the Middle East, but the reality is, bridging that gap will come at a cost. You have to be deliberate in your approach. I’m not suggesting you recruit hundreds of students and fund their education, but starting with just two can make a significant difference. Every small step counts.
Q: How did you prepare yourself for this position? What has been your experience?
A: I have been fortunate enough. In my past, I’ve worked with an airline, so I understand from that perspective. I’ve also worked with the regulator to understand that perspective. So, merging the two I think prepared me well for this role. So, when it was advertised, because it was not handed to me, I had to apply competitively, and I marked the best from the recruiting panel, and that is how I found myself here. And I really believe it’s because I’ve had the experience of those two bodies because that is basically the mandate of the association.
I believe it’s my unique experience with both sectors that led me here, as the core mandate of the association is to bridge the gap between the private sector (air operators) and the government and having that common place where they can come and discuss and solve a lot of these issues. If these two sectors aren’t aligned, progress becomes nearly impossible. I’ve worked tirelessly to reach this point; nothing worth achieving comes easily. From a young age, hard work has been my guiding principle, and it’s that commitment that has brought me to where I am today.
Q: Most of your members are airline companies. And some of those airline companies will diverge on a lot of issues. How are you able to carry along over 50 members who are most times CEOs?
A: Again, not as simple as we to make it seem. There’s a lot of fights behind the scenes, but as an association, we try to make members see the bigger picture, that it is not about you, it is about the air transport industry. So, we work with a lot of consensus.
And the beauty of my membership is that a lot of the leaders of these airlines are quite mature in their thinking and approach; we can disagree to agree. But at the end of the day, we come to consensus. I happen to answer to a board, which is presided by the top airlines, the leaders, and they also offer their perspective to help guide the industry. So, we fight a lot, but at the end of the day, we say we must agree on one position. And that is how we survive to really come together.