Filling southern skies

21 Dec 2010

Filling southern skies

Before Sudan's peace accord was signed five years ago, the only aircraft allowed to land at Juba International Airport belonged to the Sudanese Armed Forces and international aid agencies.

Five years later, Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines and Egypt Air are among the better-known regional airlines flying into the now bustling airport.

"On average about 80 aircraft, including (those owned by) UNMIS and the UN Humanitarian Air Service, land and depart daily," said Juba Airport manager Riang Ruei Duop.
The Kenyan airline Jetlink became the first commercial international carrier to start operating the Juba-Nairobi route in 2006.
Air Uganda and Ethiopian Airlines quickly followed with the introduction of direct flights to Entebbe and Addis Ababa, respectively. Kenya Airways launched its service to Nairobi in June of this year, and two months later Egypt Air became the latest foreign airline to enter the market.
Jetlink operates two daily flights while Ethiopian Airlines, Air Uganda and Kenya Airways fly once a day. Egypt Air is flying to Cairo twice a week.
"I went to Nairobi a week a go and I am now back, which is very good," said Juba resident Elizabeth Aliet. "This is really a big change for us."
Still more airlines may be on the way. "Recently we received requests from Bahrain Air to fly to Juba directly from Dubai and from South African Airways," said Anthony Makana, Minister of Transport and Roads of the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS).
But with only four months left before the January 2011 self-determination referendum in Southern Sudan, concerns are rising about the inadequate facilities of the airport, which its manager acknowledges.
"The airport has one 2.4-kilometre runway which needs upgrading," said Mr. Duop. The airport also lacks a hangar, a refuelling station and designated parking.
The current terminal is quite small and lacks air conditioning, which can cause discomfort to passengers during the dry season when temperatures can climb as high as 40 degrees centigrade.
The absence of modern security screening equipment forces security personnel to inspect carry-on bags by hand.
"It is disappointing that they open your bag and scatter your things while searching," said Ms. Aliet. "It is also very hot in there and you wait sweating."
The steep cost of flying in and out of Juba is another source of complaint.
"I paid 320 US dollars for a one way Juba-Kampala flight," said Anke Kluppels, a program officer with the non-governmental organization Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa, who visits Southern Sudan regularly from her base in Uganda. "That is about twice the cost of flying from Kampala to Nairobi."
The GoSS transport and roads ministry's director general of air transport, Patrick Aiteng Lotwa, said lack of funds had hampered plans to renovate and expand the terminal building.
A new terminal is currently under construction and the length of the existing runway will be extended to 3.1 kilometres, according to Mr. Duop.
"We have introduced electronic screening at the terminal entrance and completed fencing of the airport premises to ensure more security," he said.
Within Borders
To the northwest of the region, Wau Airport has emerged as a regional hub connecting residents of the greater Bahr El- Ghazal region to the national capital in Khartoum.
"We have seen a dramatic increase in the number of passengers, especially in the last three years," said Acting Airport Manager Joseph Akot. During the first half of 2010, 5,200 passengers flew out of Wau and another 4,500 passengers landed at the airport.
One of the beneficiaries has been Oliver Marko Wondi, who used to spend a week travelling by land from Khartoum to Wau when he was enrolled as a student at the Khartoum branch of the University of Juba.
"Now, everybody can travel and reach Wau by air within hours from Khartoum," he said. "(It) is a good sign of change for all of us."
But another passenger hastened to point out the high cost of travelling by air, which limits the number of people who can access that mode of transport.
"Although travelling by planes is smooth and safe, it is very difficult to pay for the ticket easily," said Wau resident Rina James. "It is very expensive."
The price of one round-trip ticket from Wau to Khartoum is 460 Sudanese pounds ($175). The cost of a return ticket for that route originating in Khartoum is only slightly cheaper at 425 Sudanese pounds ($160).
Feeder Airlines General Manager Captain David Martin attributed the steep cost of air travel in Southern Sudan to differences in the price of aviation fuel between the north and south.
"The cost of fuel in Southern Sudan is three times higher than the cost of fuel in Khartoum and in the whole north," he said.
According to Mr. Martin, the same gallon of fuel that costs $2.20 in Khartoum goes for $7.37 in Juba.
While most planes flying into Wau come from other cities in Sudan, the airport occasionally receives charter flights from Kenya, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Like its counterpart in Juba, the airport in Wau was mainly a military facility during the country's second civil war. Its 2.8-kilometre-long runway is now used by small commercial airplanes and helicopters.
Feeder Airlines, Badre Airlines and Tarco Airlines currently fly to the city three times a week, while Sudan Airways and 748 Air Services fly there twice a week.
As in Juba, the sharp rise in the airport's passenger volumes has not been matched by a renovation of its buildings and facilities.
"This (departure) hall was built 30 years ago, and till today there is no change," said Mr. Martin, a Wau native who is also a licensed pilot. "The passengers do not have a proper (security) screening."
The lack of a secure fence around the perimeter of the airport can pose a serious safety hazard for airplane crews. Mr. Martin said he had to abort landings on three separate occasions last July after spotting people and dogs on the runway.
"As you can see now, people can enter the airfield from anywhere because it is not properly fenced," he added.
Airport Manager Joseph Akot recognizes a pressing need to bring the runway and adjacent facilities up to international standards. "We lack a lot of services," he conceded. "But we are still trying to serve our people better with what we have at our disposal."
Mr. Martin foresees an increase in the number of passengers flying into Southern Sudan as the 2011 self-determination referendum approaches.
"We have a plan to increase the number of flights to the south," he added, "based on the availability of funds."