Malawi to have Civil Aviation Authority
Minister of Transport and Public Works Francis Kasaila has said they have embarked on a process to establish a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which is expected to be operational by December this year.
The CAA, according to Kasaila will be responsible for airports operations and other aviation activities while the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) will be tasked to oversee regulations.
In an interview in Lilongwe on Thursday, he said government has decided to establish the CAA, following complaints by players in the aviation sector that the playing field was not level. They argued that DCA was playing both roles of regulator as well as an operator.
Said Kasaila: “We have been given a go-ahead to embark on several reforms in the aviation sector, including the creation of the Civil Aviation Authority. What we are planning now is to formulate a Cabinet paper and bring the bill to Parliament.
“With the legal framework in place, we will now be able to recruit officers to take charge of this body.”
He said with the CAA in place, there will be no duplication of roles and complaints by other players in the sector will end.
“With this body in place, we are hoping for the best as we strive to improve our aviation sector to be in tandem with other countries in the Sadc region,” said Kasaila.
On complaints by the Board of Airlines Representative official James Chikaonda that Malawi is not fully liberalising the aviation sector, he said Malawi needs more flights outside Africa and not the way things are now.
Recently, Chikaonda, who is also country manager for South African Airlines, argued that by liberalising the aviation sector and allowing airlines to fly into the country without hindrance, Malawi’s profile worldwide can be enhanced.
“There is huge potential for the airline industry to grow in the country because over 25 airlines which are renowned worldwide are still making business in the country selling tickets through the Iata [International Air Travel Association] bank settlement plan.
“With more flights, it means that tickets will be much cheaper, new routes will be easily serviced, there will be air traffic growth, increased trade and increase in the number of tourists,” he said.
But Kasaila said, currently, Malawi does not satisfy the number of seats that are available on the flights into and outside the country.
“A survey that was recently done shows that we are not even satisfying 50 percent of the seats that are available. Even if we increase flights regionally and within Sadc, I do not think that we can increase the number of passengers on these flights,” he said. n
