Photo: AFRAA
Following trials initiated in November 2023 and supported by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) has confirmed the full operational deployment of Free Route Airspace (FRA) in the Western and Central Africa (WACAF) region.
FRA will allow any airline to plan and fly more direct User Preferred Routes (UPRs), which will improve the efficiency and sustainability of air travel across Africa. The move marks a decisive step resulting from a collaborative effort between air operators and air navigations service providers.
Abderahmane Berthe, AFRAA Secretary General, described the implementation of FRA in the WACAF region as a “game-changer” for the continent’s aviation sector.
He added that it is testament to what can be achieved through collaboration.
“By cutting flight times and fuel consumption, we are not only boosting the competitiveness and profitability of our airlines but also making a significant commitment to environmental sustainability,” said Berthe.
He credited the various stakeholders that have participated in the FRA journey with “unwavering commitment”. These include the International Civil Aviation Organization, Agence pour la Securite de la Navigation Aerienne en Afrique et a Madagascar (ASECNA) Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Civil Air Navigation Services Organization (CANSO).
The WACAF airspace is now open for free routes. Any airline can now plan and operate User Preferred Routes with ANSPs across the region committing to approving newly requested UPRs within 48 hours. Following administrative work by the 24 WACAF States, this process will be further improved with approvals no longer required for new UPR requests from mid-2026.
Airlines that have already been granted UPRs connecting 30 city pairs include Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, EgyptAir, Royal Air Maroc, RwandAir and ASKY Airlines. Participating airlines can expect to generate significant annual returns, including over 1,393 hours of cumulative flight time saved, cutting 5,000 metric tonnes of fuel burn and therefore avoiding some 16,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions and a reduction in annual fuel costs of about US$15 million.
Kanayo Awani, Executive VP, Afreximbank said: “Efficient, safe and well-regulated air services are critical to facilitating intra-African trade, tourism and connectivity in line with the objectives of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Afreximbank is fully committed to supporting the full implementation of SAATM and the establishment of an effective and efficient aviation industry through a range of financing instruments, including its aircraft leasing platform, as well as trade facilitation interventions.”
The success of FRA in WACAF will forge the path ahead for the next phase of integration on the continent. In 2026, the focus will shift to the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESAF) airspace to conclude trials and achieve a similar FRA implementation. The region is also committed to developing a web-based coordination platform to streamline operations for airlines and ANSPs.
