African airlines head for break-even in 2008

AIRLINES IN Africa are
cutting their losses, and are
expected to hit break-even
point in 2008.
According to the
latest forecast from the
International Air Transport
Association (Iata) – which
represents almost all
the world’s scheduled
international carriers – last
year’s net loss of over
R2.8-billion will be cut to
a net loss of about R710-
million in 2007 and breakeven
in 2008.
“This is driven by an
underlying improvement
in operating profitability,”
said the report, “as higher
demand (on new routes to
Asia as well as on the main
Europe-Africa routes) helps
to boost revenues and load
factors.”