Liberalization and the evolution of business and operating practices in the air transport industry in Africa

Abstract

This paper examines the fundamental changes in air transportation in the last two decades brought about by globalization, liberalization and privalization, some of which have implications for safety and security regulations. The areas identified to have safely and security implications were grouped into two: air transportation activity occurring within a single country, and those that in-volve multiple parties in different countries. The methodology adopted in this study was a descriptive analysis of existing literature on air service liberalization, safety and security, and airline operations before and after air service liberalization. The findings revealed that economic liberalization, as well as the evolution of business and operating practices, have implications for safety and security regulation, which need to be addressed properly. The paper recommends that due regard should be paid to its impact on safety and security so that a more coherent policy may be developed.