IN NUMBERS

Wout Goossens

100 MILLION DOLLAR LOSS FOR AFRICAN AIRLINES

African airlines will incur a combined loss of $100 million this year, the International Air Transport Association has cautioned. The association said that despite an anticipated 8% growth in demand and capacity expansion of 7.5%, passenger load factors are just over 70%, which is 10% lower than the global industry average. Some of the reasons are the slow pace of economic improvement in Africa, including sluggish performance from the economics of Nigeria and South Africa. Other factors negatively impacting African air travel include high fixed costs, restrictive aviation policies and poor intra-Africa connectivity. The year’s expected losses are in line with the $100 million combined loss for Africa in 2017. Guy Martin

60 YEARS OF RAM

Royal Air Maroc (RAM) ended its 60th anniversary year in 2017 by announcing it will receive four 787-9 Dreamliners; the airline already operates five 787-8s. Royal Air Maroc 737-85P(WL) CN-RGV (c/n 33982), specially painted to mark the anniversary, is pictured at Brussels in December.

The airline is planning to expand its network to North and South America with the 787s Mark Broadbent

AIRBUS

BOEING

BOMBARDIER

COMAC