Six airlines approved to fly inter-city routes across west-central Africa

December 9, 2025 in Policy, Transport by Editor

Effective from October 30th this year, six airlines including Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, Egypt Air, Royal Air Maroc, RwandAir and ASKY Airlines have already been granted approval for UPRs, connecting 30 key city pairs in the two regions.

The air space in West and central Africa is now open to User Preferred Routes (UPRs) which the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) says will significantly enhance the efficiency and sustainability of air travel across the continent. Instead of rigid airways, UPRs allow for flexible, direct routing, reducing emissions and improving overall airspace use.

Effective from October 30th, six leading airlines including Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, Egypt Air, Royal Air Maroc, RwandAir and ASKY Airlines have already been granted approval for UPRs, connecting 30 key city pairs in the two regions.

Abdérahmane Berthé, the AFRAA Secretary General said in Nairobi recently, “The implementation of Free Route Airspace (FRA) in the WACAF region is a game-changer for African aviation. This is a testament to what we can achieve 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. We extend our profound gratitude to Afreximbank and all stakeholders who have journeyed with us for their unwavering commitment to this vision,” he said.

UPRs are customized flight paths that airlines propose to relevant Air Traffic Controls for each flight, moving away from fixed, predefined routes to optimize for fuel efficiency, cost savings, and time by leveraging real-time weather, winds, and airspace conditions, often as part of larger FRA initiatives.

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has supported the FRA initiative since the trials begun in 2023, in accordance with its Memorandum of Understanding with AFRAA and in line with the Global Air Navigation Plan of the International Civil Aviation Organisation and the conclusions of the Africa-India (AFI) FRA Planning and Implementation Regional Group.

While commenting on the FRA initiative, Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade and Export Development, 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.”

She said, “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.”

UPRs allow airlines to fly the most fuel-efficient and timely paths based on current conditions, rather than having to follow fixed, conventional routes, giving the pilots more flexibility and enabling them to adjust to factors like weather and winds, leading to reduced fuel consumption, shorter flight times and lower carbon emissions.