African airlines have failed to operate successfully and become dominant carriers due to inadequate skilled manpower, weak policies and brain drain, thus giving way to European mega operators which dominate the continent.

This was the grouse of aviation experts who met in Johannesburg, South Africa at the 20th MRO African Conference. They noted that the failure of the continent to have large, reliable airlines gave rise to the rip-off by European carriers that have for years operated safe and reliable flights to different destinations in the continent and thus have dominated the region's airspace.

Musa Zwane, the CEO of South Africa Airways, Technical, suggested that for Africa to overcome this disadvantage, they have to form healthy partnership with European carriers that would benefit both parties in order to ensure the growth of African operators.

He noted that when African airlines train skilled manpower, they are poached by European and Middle East airlines, leaving the continent with inadequate technical hands. He said that this has contributed in the airlines in the region not rising to compete with the mega carriers in technological know-how and in successful airline operation.

"As other continents grow in maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), Africa should also be given the opportunity to grow and skilled manpower developed in the continent should also be allowed to stay and develop the industry in the region. Africans need to lead the development of Africa , that will be a great thing for the continent," Zwane said.

He also observed that over the years workshops and speeches delivered with the aim to improve aviation development in African have failed to make any impact because the lofty contributions made at such fora were never utilized to guide actions and policies in the industry.

Zwane also decried the continued brain drain in the region, saying that would continue to undermine the technical development of airlines in Africa.

Chris Zwengenthal, said the airline industry in Africa is faced with a lot of challenges, adding that the major challenge is how to make airline operation profitable in the continent.

"Airlines have not been able to keep pace with fuel costs; they pay high navigation, airport and safety charges and there is rising concern of proliferation of these charges".

He said that for government officials in the continent to encourage growth, government has to assist the industry and put a check on these charges.

He also decried the fifth freedom given to European and other carriers which give them the privilege to fly to all countries in the continent to lift passengers.

The CEO of African Aviation Services, Nick Fadugba, stressed that it is only air transport that could ensure connectivity in the continent because road and rail transport are not reliable and safe.

He said, "Air transport provides the key to connectivity in the African continent because rail and road are inadequate and unsafe."