New air services arrangements with the Republic of South Africa and Kenya will improve access to the African continent for Australian travellers and freight exporters.

These new arrangements will enable Australian and African airlines to take advantage of the growing tourism and commerce opportunities between our countries. It is also further evidence of the Government’s efforts to open new and liberalise existing markets.

AUSTRALIA – KENYA

The new arrangements between Kenya and Australia open the way for Australian travellers to access East Africa and increases the potential for new airlines to serve Australia.

Open code-share arrangements will help Australian and Kenyan airlines to pursue new and innovative ways to serve the developing East African market.

Australian and Kenyan airlines will also be able to operate daily services between Kenya and Australia, with the four major gateways of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth open for flight services. The arrangements will also allow for unrestricted capacity to regional international airports such as Cairns and Darwin.

AUSTRALIA – SOUTH AFRICA

The Australia-South Africa aviation market has been growing an average of 7.3 per cent over 2004-2007 and these new arrangements will facilitate continued growth.

The new air services arrangements with South Africa provide Australian and South African airlines with significant expansion opportunities, and provide for additional competition in this market. These new arrangements also remove capacity constraints which have existed in the Australia-South Africa market for some time.

The number of weekly frequencies available to Australian airlines for services to Johannesburg, Capetown and Durban will immediately double from five to ten. Four more weekly services will become available from October 2009, and triple daily services will be possible from October 2010.

Capacity available to South African airlines will undergo a similar phased increase to a total of 21 services a week from October 2010. This capacity can be operated to and from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.

The new arrangements also allow for airlines of both sides to operate between Australia’s and South Africa’s regional international airports with unrestricted capacity.