Reduction in ticket fares not expected soon in East Africa

As attempts to quell the increasing costs of Air tickets  seem to have fallen on deaf ears, the aviation industry clients are continuing to bear the burden of exorbitant cost of air tickets in the short term. Airline companies in the region will continue charging fees that are expected to be some of the highest in the world. In other words, air travel fares in East Africa are among other highest in the World.

According to Miss Rose Kaitesi, she complained that a flight from Entebbe International Airport in Uganda to Kanombe International Airport in Kigali is more expensive than a flight between Kigali (Rwanda) and Dubai.

The Director General of Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority Mr. Richard Masozera added  that terms for setting ticket fares are not within authority’s limits but hopes airlines will rectify this soon. In other words, Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority has no control on how much an airline charges a route because, this is normally influenced by elements of force and demand on the market. Other experts in the Aviation sector contend that the high fares incurred are due to cost of air craft / plane maintenance in the region. For example, fuel consumed by Air planes and airport fees are the major causes for the raised prices as well as the occasional drop in demand. This is according to Mr. Nicholas Musonera in Air Uganda.

The high fares and low volumes of traffic in East Africa are blamed for some of the failure of regional airlines with some airlines ceasing flights in the region while others have filed for bankruptcy. Despite this happens, the number of airlines in the region ave steadily increased over the past few years with more airlines expected to grace the Kigali skies when the planned Bugesera airport is operational.