ADDIS ABABA, NAIROBI, BEST LOCATIONS FOR AIRLINE HUBS IN AFRICA

By Nurulhuda Che Das

PUTRAJAYA, June 18 (Bernama) -- Addis Ababa in Ethiopia and Nairobi, Kenya
are the best locations for the the creation of airline hubs in Africa, the
Malaysia-Africa Business Forum was told Saturday.

Ethiopia's Precise Consult International PLC managing partner Henock Assefa
said this was because the best connections to African destinations were actually
provided by Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines.

He pointed out that Ethopian Airlines, an over-a-billion dollar company,
right now flew to about 60 countries, which included more than two dozen flights
weekly to India and China.

"The airlines industry is growing very fast in Africa even when the global
aviation industry is falling apart. All African airlines, the one that are run
well, happen to earn profits.

"We need more help and I know for sure, AirAsia, or any airline in Malaysia,
would like to make a connection," Assefa said in response to a proposal by
former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad that African countries should come
together to set up airline hubs to derive more benefits and increase
inter-connectivity.

Dr Mahathir has suggested that low-cost airlines such as AirAsia seriously
consider flying to Africa to facilitate travel and increase trade and investment
linkages.

Currently, Johannesburg in South Africa is the known hub for Africa.

Assefa also emphasised that there were huge business opportunities in Africa
for Malaysian businessman to explore, especially in the consumer market,
infrastructure, construction and telecomunications sectors.

"(For example) There is so much demand for construction services in Addis
Ababa, that when the government opened up applications for a low-cost housing
project five years ago, 400,000 households signed up in a matter of two weeks.

"So, this is an opportunity that cannot be missed by Malaysians," he noted.

-- BERNAMA