COMESA has convened a meeting in Uganda and Zambia to review national laws, regulations, and policies aimed at protecting consumers from exploitation by airlines.
The regional bloc stated that consumers of aviation services in Africa often lack protection against poor service delivery and are generally unaware of their rights.
"Even when they are aware, they frequently face institutional limitations, such as inadequate enforcement or access to information," COMESA said during a workshop in Kampala.
The event, organised under the Support to Air Transport Sector Development (SATSD) programme and funded by the European Union, was held in collaboration with the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC).
The training targets consumer protection officers from countries in Eastern and Northern Africa, as well as member states of the East African Community (EAC), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and COMESA.
It aims to strengthen the understanding of air passenger rights under Article 9.6 of the Yamoussoukro Decision (YD) on Consumer Protection Regulations.
The YD, which seeks to liberalise Africa's air transport market, laid the foundation for the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), a flagship initiative under the African Union's Agenda 2063.
Nicholas Ndema, an aviation expert at COMESA, addressed delegates, noting that many African states continue to protect their national carriers, which has stunted the growth of the continent's air transport industry, even as new entrants, such as low-cost carriers, seek to foster competition.
"This has ushered in competition in the air transport industry, highlighting the need to ensure our regulations protect air passengers from 'false' advertising, tarmac delays, baggage pilfering, and baggage loss," Eng Ndema said."There is a need to provide them with the information necessary to facilitate compensation when required."
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Eng Ndema emphasised the need for harmonised consumer protection regulations across Africa or a specialised set of rules focused on air transport consumer rights.
Fred Bamwesigye, Director General of the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, underscored the importance of balancing consumer protection with the sustainability of the air transport industry.
"Building consumer confidence in the aviation sector requires protecting their rights while ensuring the industry's continued growth," he said.
"This workshop should therefore identify specific consumer issues that need prioritisation, address capacity gaps, share global best practices in consumer protection, and, above all, identify ways to implement or harmonise consumer protection policies, laws, and regulations."
Paul Christan Rwegasha, Principal Civil Aviation Officer at the East African Community, urged government authorities to create consumer protection laws that balance the interests of consumers with industry competitiveness.
He stressed that these laws must consider the diverse social, political, and economic contexts of African states while maintaining aviation safety and security.
Zacharia Kingori, IGAD's Infrastructure Coordinator, outlined the benefits of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) for consumers.
"Liberalisation increases competition, leading to better services, lower prices, and more choices," he said.
"However, it also requires robust protection of consumer rights related to flight cancellations, delays, and lost baggage."
