Soon To Arrive: Pan African Airways, To Serve The Continent In An “Uncompetitive” Manner- Johan Michiel Westerhoff
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PROLOGUE:
A new concept of connecting Africans in all of life’s endeavours such as trans-border trading, cultural exchange, and visiting multifarious naturally endowed touristic sites in different destinations within the African continent, has gone far in the works and will soon be unveiled for the world to savour.
The motivating philosophy is to connect Africans with an African airline network system which will largely be driven by young vibrant Africans. Along with a bold workforce with the ” I can do spirit” would exist solid interline arrangements and Africa-based code sharing will be entered with strong domestic operators in each of the sovereign states.
According to The Chief Promoter of this new concept of Pan African Airways System, Mr Johan Michiel Westerhoff, who is based in South Africa, the objective is to offer premium air travel service for the benefit of Africans and to also make it easier for tourists from all walks of life to easily access touristic destinations in any of the nooks and crannies of Africa.
He explained that Pan African Airways is not competitive in the sense that it will not poach any domestic airlines’ passengers, nor compete on the domestic routes but will collaborate, cooperate, and enter commercial agreements to interline and code share for the benefit of all African airlines hence, it becomes uncompetitive to local operators.
Westerhoff in a chat with our correspondent said he had for over four decades been bothered by the mostly artificial connectivity challenges African leaders unwittingly imposed especially on air travel. He Equally noted the difficulty in surrendering national carriers to code sharing with foreign intercontinental carriers.
He commended all efforts by the African Union, AU, Africa Civil Aviation Commission, AFCAC, and other multilateral agencies on the conscious efforts to break the artificial barriers through, the Single African Air Transport Market, SAATM, and the treaty signed on African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA, as good intentions to improve connectivity and remove barriers to intra Africa trade.
The asset management expert, Mr Johan Michiel Westerhoff, a septuagenarian noted that little results have come out of those noble ideas. He however said that with the ingenuous approach and the philosophy to be deployed by the Pan African Airways System, more private collaboration in air travel, trade and especially in tourism would witness a shot in the arm within three years of operation.
MODUS OPERANDI
Johan Michiel Westerhoff, the Presiding Director/Chairman, Jonoah Asset Management, based in South Africa, which is already in talks with airlines, airports, and other relevant organizations whose partnerships are envisaged could bear fruits, explained that greater collaboration with other African airlines would bring colour to the project.
Westerhoff disclosed that the novelty of the boutique airline, and its proposed operations philosophy is being facilitated by Jonoah Asset Management company.
According to him, the asset management firm’s methodology is through engaging for Pan African Airways System, a conglomerate of existing and new airlines which will be co-opted to sign up to pursue the agreed objectives of providing impeccable air connectivity, and distribution throughout each of the sovereign states in the African continent. Thus creating an equator corridor from, America through the African continent, to Asia and Australia.
He explained thus, “We have to establish a new network, a new platform, autonomous new joint products, quality service, and using different facilities to better pursue unity in a global village business environment especially, in air transport for Africa”.
He cited the strategic proposition for making in road to the Nigerian market thus, “For a start, I will like to bring passengers to Nigeria. While from Nigeria the passengers will be distributed throughout the West coast of Africa and beyond, which can be done by Ibom Air, Aero, Medview, or Air Peace, but there must exist a solid base and the determination for conscientious cooperation.
Westerhoff enunciated that the strategy will ensure passengers are Channeled through Nigeria to South, Middle, North America and Asia. And vice versa, but equally from Southern/Central Africa to North America and Europe.
Asked why Ibom Air was the choice airline he retorted, “Why Ibom is interesting is that Ibom Airport is the only airport in Nigeria that you can enter as an international passenger on a floor and move to another
floor to connect another flight out of Nigeria without any artificial bottleneck for visa or other laissez-passer “.
Westerhoff who has been facilitating tourist flights to Nigeria basically through KLM airline since 1980 urged the government to endeavour to fulfil its obligation by providing practical facilities such as state of the art infrastructures, as solutions to simplify the streaming of passengers through the gateways designated for multicenter national airport hub for international use.
He explained further, “What is good is you arrive here and go to the other gate to exit and connect another flight and no one is bothering to check you. So Ibom Air is developing a nice hub for West
Africa, and Nigeria. It’s only that they don’t fly up to the north and are not fully regional. That is why I am shopping for an airline or provide funds who frequent northern Nigeria and the regions.”
He noted further that “equally, ethnic centres and business hubs like Enugu should be connected to the rest of African continent and with connections to Asia, Middle East and beyond. South Eastern Nigeria is a big reservoir for business development in the new greener areas of the continents. Pan African Systems, is developing strategies to make connectivity convenient, available and cheaper to all its air routes worldwide.
He enthused, “Flight integration can be done with Ibom Air. When Pan African Airways System flies from Cape Town to Akwa Ibom State, they can be connected to Europe or Canada. Ibom Air can bring passengers from the hinterland to Uyo, and connect with the Pan African Airways System to anywhere in the outside world. Take note that Pan African Airways possesses the 5th freedom right hence, it could connect regional or intercontinental destinations. Less aircraft will be needed since the concept is low-cost, and to be economical. More practical use will be made of what we have in the system”, Johan volunteered.
He enunciated, “By this approach, connectivity will be cheaper. When airlines collaborate, fares come down, the cost of operations comes down, ICT systems cost comes down, staff training could be collaboratively done thus reducing training costs. Regulations and laws will take care of other nuances”, the Chief Promoter asserted.
Westerhoff also touched on a very sentimental issue for over 20 million Nigerians who travel by air saying, “Another factor is that a population of 250 million people need a solid airline system reflecting national
gateways and destinations. A local airline that would be reliable, top-notched in product offerings. But currently, on the international routes, foreign airlines hold sway. This situation Africa should rise against
and take its rightful position by creating technical MRO hubs.
African airlines should be more receptive to code sharing and will in turn elevate Africa to a platform with hubs and own regional hubs on other continents. Millions of Africans are on the move, why can’t African travellers make those trips with African airlines? Westerhoff asked rhetorically
He continued, “Africa just has to rise to the challenge which subjected us to being served by mega carriers. We need our African passengers to choose African airlines to connect straight to their destination of interest. Break with flying around, to cities you are not targeting, but diverted (stopover) by foreign airlines. Africa should offer Africans direct flights by connecting Pan African Airways System”.
Asked if Nigeria would be the operational base of Pan African Airways, the septuagenarian volunteered, “We bought the airline in Kenya. The operational base will be Kenya. It will take off from its main airport in
Mombasa. From Mombasa, we will connect to the airline’s network such as South Africa, to the Central African Republic, and later to Nigeria, the ECOWAS, and the rest of Africa and intercontinental”.
The asset management expert further said, “This will be done gradually, step by step, and in about three to five years, we will connect to serve the entire African continent. We will later appraise which airlines in
Africa fits into our business philosophy and strategic plans although, we desire collaboration, cooperation and not discouragement, or discord, or in-fighting etc. We don’t want to fight we need understanding to grow a strong network with interested players on various aviation platforms. We don’t wish to be pushed nor to be matched by a dictatorial airline”.
Johan words, “We should allow private interest to drive the pursuit of establishing a strong Pan African Airways System that is operational, financially and technically (MRO & supply chain) independent within the global place”.
PAN AFRICAN AIRWAYS SYSTEM MANAGEMENT CREW
Mr Westerhoff said his formidable team is based in South Africa and Kenya. But young African professionals he said, would be employed in each of the countries the airline would operate in Africa through the local airlines’ partnership.
His words, “We are not replacing airlines, we are integrating with them under the Franchise of Pan African Airways system”, he said.
Johan Michiel Westerhoff narrated that the Pan African Airways System would be deploying a gentlemanly approach to walk through a rough road and observe what the outcome would be.
FINANCIERS
On the source of the initial seed capital investment for all preliminary tasks, procurement and leasing of equipment, and the operating capital, throughout the gestation period, he disclosed that sizeable Dollars in Billions of funding is expected through UAE, Qatar, UK, EU, USA and South Africa financial markets.
He opined thus, “We will have to develop a competitive foreign/national currency platform that allows better fund management, ticket sales repatriation without much ado, reimbursement and collective wealth. We will also observe BRICS+ financials, and coins-networks” etc.
He argued that “Africa cannot rely on the exorbitant airfares being imposed on travellers as they are too expensive and favours others outside the continent of Africa”, Johan said.
He explained that “funds will be directed toward fleet development, Maintenance, Repair Shops and Overhaul facilities on private initiative which is expected to be supported by the ministry of aviation. Also the concerned government arm should provide land allocation, for industrial aviation activities and tourism development and human capacity development activities such as Training, strong IT- and e-systems that support aviation and to also arouse the interest of the young folks in aviation”.
On terminals that meet the conditionalities of the Airport Council International, ACI, and that of the International Air Transport Association, IATA, Westerhoff volunteered, “Airport development should be integrated as part of regional economic and social development, with the view to serve the regions”.
EPILOGUE
He implored each of the national governments to develop a vibrant society, a densely populated nosiness districts and residential areas to be served with train, metro, harbours, cruise terminals, touristic centres, museums, game parks and the hospitality industry as such.
Johan Michiel Westerhoff, who has chalked up nothing less than five decades in selling airline tickets and in facilitating air travel and its management, appealed to Governments of each of the African countries to provide air transport with the necessary infrastructure and also allow the aviation industry to unfold on private impetus with balanced national support to enable private players grow stronger enough to hold their own among players in the worldwide theatre of aviation, tourism and hospitality operations.
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