As Middle Eastern airlines continue to increase their operations across Africa, local carriers are facing mounting challenges to compete, raising concerns about the future dynamics of the continent’s aviation sector.
While Africa represents 17% of the global population and holds immense economic potential, the region’s aviation industry remains hindered by complex regulatory and political hurdles. These barriers make it difficult for local carriers, especially smaller and more vulnerable airlines, to thrive against the might of established foreign airlines. Notably, Middle Eastern carriers such as Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways are capitalizing on their strategic geographic positioning and well-established transit hubs to dominate key African routes.
Emirates Strengthens African Presence
Emirates, one of the world’s largest airlines, has unveiled plans to significantly expand its operations in Africa. The Dubai-based carrier will increase its capacity on routes to Uganda and Ethiopia, both of which have seen growing demand. Beginning October 27, Emirates will upgrade its service to Uganda, boosting frequency from five weekly flights to a daily service between Dubai (DXB) and Entebbe (EBB), adding 718 seats per week. New services to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia will begin on January 1, 2025, while a fourth daily flight to Johannesburg will launch in March 2025.
Emirates currently ranks as the second-largest foreign carrier in Africa and, with these additional services, will further reinforce its footprint on the continent, increasing its weekly frequencies to over 160 by next summer.
Etihad’s Plans for African Expansion
Etihad Airways is also targeting further growth in Africa. The airline, which has identified a gap in its African network, will announce additional routes later this year. Etihad plans to resume flights to Nairobi, Kenya, in December, operating four weekly services from its Abu Dhabi hub. While the full list of new destinations has yet to be revealed, Etihad is expected to focus on expanding its reach to secondary cities, with some African destinations likely to be added.
Qatar Airways’ Growth Strategy
Qatar Airways has been actively expanding its African route network, increasing both the frequency of existing services and launching new destinations. This includes newly inaugurated flights to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo and increased frequency to Angola. In celebration of 20 years of operations in South Africa, Qatar Airways will boost its service to the country with 35 weekly flights scheduled for the upcoming summer season, including peak flights to Cape Town, which will increase to 12 weekly services.
Qatar Airways has also expanded its service to Uganda, increasing frequency from one daily flight to 11 weekly flights between Doha and Entebbe, aiming to enhance connectivity and support trade between Uganda and Qatar.
Flynas Enters the African Market
Saudi Arabian low-cost carrier Flynas is also joining the growing list of airlines expanding into Africa. Starting January 8, Flynas will introduce new routes to Entebbe and Djibouti, with three weekly flights on each route.
Intensified Competition for African Airlines
The expansion of Middle Eastern airlines in Africa raises serious concerns for local carriers. Ethiopian Airlines, the continent’s largest carrier, has traditionally dominated both regional and international markets. However, the growing presence of Gulf carriers, with their vast global networks and transit hubs, has started to erode its market share. In addition to this, European airlines maintain a stronghold on flights connecting Africa to North America via Europe, further increasing the pressure on African airlines.
With Middle Eastern carriers continuing to expand, many analysts are questioning whether African airlines can sustain their market positions or whether they will struggle to keep up with the increasingly competitive landscape. The shift could reshape the future of aviation on the continent, as foreign airlines continue to dominate in both service offerings and operational reach.
