The economic supervision of air transport in Cameroon under study
Published: Saturday, 17 June 2023 19:29
A meeting to establish an organizational and operational framework for the study was chaired by the Director General of the Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority (CCAA) on Tuesday, June 6, 2023. The meeting was attended by experts from the consultancy firm that is assisting the CCAA with the study, representatives of MINFI, the National Competition Commission, and various industry players, including ASECNA, ADC S.A, CAMAIR-CO, ZeJet, AOC Yaoundé, and travel agencies.
In her opening remarks, the Director General said that economic oversight is in place to ensure that air transport functions and develops well, and contributes more effectively to economic growth. She also pointed out that economic oversight of air transport is one of the CCAA's missions, alongside safety and security oversight. The study to be carried out will therefore help the CCAA to focus on the aspect of economic oversight, to make it more effective and optimal in the service of air transport. The study will also improve and develop its economic oversight tools.
The presentations of the day, therefore, focused on explaining what economic oversight of air transport is, its main objectives, and its scope of application.
Economic oversight is the function whereby a State supervises the operational, commercial, and financial practices of airlines, airport operators, air navigation service providers (ANSPs), and other air service providers. Its main objective is to protect the current and future interests of consumers and the industry. Economic oversight is therefore based on four pillars: competition, investment, quality of service, and the rights and protection of passengers and end-users.
The consultant then outlined the objectives of the study, the methodology, the planning of the study, his expectations, and the work schedule with the various stakeholders.
For four days, the air transport economics experts appointed by the CCAA held discussions with the industry players to seek their views on the economic supervision of air transport and their project expectations. At the end of these consultations, a feedback session was held on Friday, June 9, 2023, in the form of a report setting out the methodology adopted and the following stages of the project.
This study, which will be conducted over four months, should eventually enable the CCAA to have a more effective system of economic supervision of air transport, with approved inspectors to the great benefit of civil aviation.
