AviaDev Insight Africa

Jon Howell
  • 4.8 (4)
  • AVIATION
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Since its creation in 2018, AviaDev Insight Africa has established itself as the premier podcast dedicated to African Aviation. We bring prominent industry voices to the table to establish the "ground truth" informally and candidly. The podcast was created by Jon Howell, Founder and CEO of AviaDev Africa, Africa's premier event dedicated to developing air connectivity to, from, and within the African continent

  1. 3D AGO

    From Reputation to Revenue: Building a strong airline brand with Rahsaan Johnson, brand expert

    In this episode of AviaDev Insight Africa, we speak to Rahsaan Johnson, former Managing Director of Global Communications at Delta, with 13 years at United, about what "brand" means for airlines and why it drives profitability and resilience. Johnson defines brand as the emotions and adjectives customers associate with an airline, shaped by reputation and lived experience, and argues the foundation of a strong airline brand is "clean, safe, reliable." He explains how a strong brand increases the willingness to pay among schedule-sensitive travelers, and why African airlines should build brands even on monopoly routes, because competition often arrives with liberalization. 00:00 Welcome and Setup 00:47 Meet Rahsaan Johnson 01:44 What Brand Means 04:18 Building Strong Brands 06:43 Brand Drives Revenue 09:54 Why Brand Matters Africa 14:43 Common Brand Mistakes 16:01 Boarding Friction Story 19:48 Stress Before Takeoff 20:18 Customer First Decisions 21:05 Gate Anxiety Explained 22:18 United App Reduces Stress 25:43 Feedback and NPS Surveys 27:26 Modern Digital Expectations 29:08 Values and Emotional Connection 30:44 Positioning for Everyone 32:42 Sponsorships Without Polarizing 34:26 Segmenting Products Profitably 37:02 Setting Expectations Over Time 38:42 Wrap Up and Farewell CONNECT WITH RAHSAAN

    41 min

  2. MAR 9

    Live stage session at BARSA: Leadership Dialogue: Reframing Africa's Aviation Narrative with Prof. Bonang Mohale & Hamish Erskine, CEO, Dube Trade Port

    This a special podcast episode recorded on 6th March 2026 as part of the Board of Airline Representatives of South Africa Annual Conference.  In the episode, Professor Mohale argues Africa's economic and aviation story is often told by outsiders, calling for Africans to own the narrative and emphasizing leadership defined by vision, courage, and integrity. The discussion contrasts management and leadership, critiques reliance on bureaucracy as a refuge from accountability, and highlights how colonial-era boundaries and continued dependence undermine African prosperity and unity. Erskine frames bureaucracy as a tool of power that can stifle agility, urges regional and continental integration, as evidence of benefits from opening skies and trade. 00:00 Welcome and Setup 00:29 Meet the Guests 02:39 Live Session Begins 04:48 Who Tells Africas Story? 09:47 Leadership Gap and Reset 14:52 Leadership vs Management 21:13 Bureaucracy and Ownership 25:13 Open Skies Proof Points 27:28 Integration Beyond Borders 33:02 Regional Integration Lessons 36:20 Closing Takeaways

    37 min

  3. MAR 3

    Introducing Viki from ValueJet and KIU: The AI concierge revolutionizing the airline experience in Africa

    In this episode, we explore the innovative journey of ValueJet, a Nigerian airline that has recently introduced Viki, the first AI concierge in Africa.  Temi Adjijola, the head of business program and IT at Value Jet, discusses the airline's mission to make flying accessible to more people in Nigeria, where air travel is still underutilized. Joining Temi is Rodger Whittle, Commercial Director and Juan Felipe Restrepo, Chief Product Officer at KIU System Solutions who created Viki and provide over 70 airlines worldwide with a comprehensive, cloud-based, AI-powered suite of IT services for airlines, focusing on Passenger Service Systems (PSS), Departure Control Systems (DCS), and a proprietary Global Distribution System (GDS).  The conversation delves into the challenges faced by the airline industry in Nigeria, the adoption of technology to enhance customer experience, and the significant role of AI in streamlining operations and improving service delivery. The guests also share insights on the future of AI in aviation, including potential applications in customer service, operational efficiency, and revenue management.  Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Value Jet and AI Concierge 06:42 Value Jet's Business Model and Market Positioning 12:45 The Role of AI in Enhancing Customer Experience 20:22 Industry Feedback and Adoption of AI Solutions 28:06 Future Applications of AI in Aviation 38:53 Expansion Plans and Strategic Growth for Value Jet CONNECT WITH RODGER CONNECT WITH JUAN CONNECT WITH TEMI

    39 min

  4. MAR 1

    369. AviaDev's February 2025 Africa Connectivity Update with Sean Mendis and Behramjee Ghadially

    *Subscribe to our mailing list to never miss another episode and stay up to date with event news: https://www.aviadev.com/keep-me-updated In this episode, we cover the latest route and fleet developments in African aviation. Clarification on the FlySafair sale Uganda Airlines - management changes, fleet changes, route changes Kenya Airways next steps. Can they secure an investor/ partner? - both Singapore and Qatar have denied interest Ethiopian update (adding a 4th daily Dubai, second daily Bamako - Dakar, cutting Nacala) Air Congo regional expansion - speculation on Europe? Eswatini Air to add Lusaka to their Harare service QR cutting KGL frequencies United Nigeria Airlines - update on fleet and potential routes  Air India orders A321XLRs - Africa bound? Connect with Behramjee Connect with Sean

    1h 29m

  5. FEB 24

    Connecting Africa with Embraer. A recap of the top 10 unserved intra-African routes with Theo Wensink, Head of Airline Marketing, Middle East and Africa

    In this episode, Host Jon Howell sits down with Theo Wensink, Head of Airline Marketing, Middle East and Africa at Embraer to discuss the "Connecting Africa" report which premiered at AviaDev Africa 2025.  Providing commentary and insight into the findings are regular podcast contributors, aviation consultants Sean Mendis and Behramjee Ghadially.  Together, they explore why the report was created, the methodology, and then we count down the top unserved routes from 10 to 1, identifying which have the best chance of being served and by whom.  Download the report here  CONNECT WITH THEO CONNECT WITH SEAN CONNECT WITH BEHRAMJEE Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Connecting Africa Report 01:23 Embraer's Footprint in Africa 08:44 Methodology Behind the Report 13:21 Countdown of Top 10 Routes: Brazzaville to Dakar 23:02 Countdown of Top 10 Routes: Douala to Dakar 28:55 Countdown of Top 10 Routes: Cape Town to Dar es Salaam 36:44 Countdown of Top 10 Routes: Abuja to Nairobi 44:00 Connecting Africa: The Abuja to Nairobi Route 44:24 Bamako to Brazzaville: Humanitarian and Diplomatic Links 53:10 Cotonou to Dakar: Trade and Student Travel 59:00 Cape Town to Lagos: Business and Leisure Dynamics 01:05:54 Dakar to Libreville: Oil and Banking Connections 01:10:46 Lusaka to Cape Town: Mining and Tourism Opportunities 01:20:37 Abidjan to Douala: The Unserved Route Potential

    1h 17m

  6. FEB 20

    Introducing Mentortude with Chidozie Uzoezie, Founder, African Aviation Group

    In this episode of AviaDev Insight Africa, host Jon Howell speaks with Chidozie Uzoezie, founder of the African Aviation Group (AAG), about the impact of the group on aspiring aviators in Africa. They discuss the challenges and opportunities in the African aviation industry, the launch of Mentortude, an all-inclusive mentorship platform, and the upcoming Fireside Chat event aimed at empowering the next generation of aviation professionals. Find out more: https://www.mentortude.com/ Chidozie emphasizes the importance of mentorship, community, and access to information in shaping the future of aviation in Africa. 00:00 Introduction to African Aviation and Chidozie Uzoezie 03:09 The Impact of the African Aviation Group 06:07 Optimism for the Future of African Aviation 08:52 Introducing Mentitude: A New Mentorship Initiative 11:56 The Upcoming Fireside Chat Event 14:41 Closing Thoughts and Future Aspirations

    15 min

  7. FEB 20

    The Bishoftu Airport Project. The start of Africa's connectivity revolution? With Miretab Tesfaye, Aviation Consultant

    In this episode of AviaDev Insight Africa, Jon Howell speaks with aviation consultant Miretab Tesfaye about the ambitious Bishoftu Airport project in Ethiopia. They discuss the airport's projected capacity, the strategic advantages and opportunities for Ethiopian Airlines, and the challenges it faces in a competitive Global aviation market.  CONNECT WITH MIRETAB Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Bishoftu Airport Project 05:03 Miretab's Journey and Experience 09:25 Overview of Bishoftu Airport Details 16:17 Ethiopian Airlines' Competitive Advantage 22:58 Challenges and Opportunities for Ethiopian Airlines 29:51 Future of Bishoftu Airport and Its Impact

    31 min

  8. FEB 17

    Exploring South Africa's aviation landscape and counting down to BARSA 2026 with George Mothema, CEO

    In this episode, we speak with George Mothema, CEO of the Board of Airline Representatives of South Africa (BARSA), to review the state of South African aviation in 2026 and preview the upcoming BARSA conference in KwaZulu-Natal. George highlights positive market developments including shareholding changes at Safair, Qatar's 25% stake in Airlink, and SAA adding new routes as it rebuilds. Key challenges discussed include ATNS's past neglect of instrument and flight procedure redesigns that led to suspended procedures and losses for airlines serving secondary airports, aging CNS equipment requiring manual workarounds, delayed airport maintenance by ACSA with noted improvements at OR Tambo, and border management bottlenecks such as long passport-control queues and delays implementing e-gates due to slow biometric systems and aging platforms.  Find out more: https://barsa.co.za/  00:00 Welcome to AviaDev Insight Africa + Introducing BARSA CEO George Mothema  01:17 South Africa Aviation 2026: The Good News (market shakeups, new investors, SAA routes) 04:21 The Bad News: ATNS flight procedure suspensions & air traffic systems upgrades 06:23 Airport maintenance & border control bottlenecks 08:27 Policy & safety snapshot: civil aviation policy balance 11:39 Regional recovery & why BARSA is heading to KwaZulu-Natal (Durban)  15:43 Conference theme reveal: "Destination Africa" and what it means 16:07 Program deep dive 22:34 Who should attend BARSA 2026 30:48 Wrap-up.

    31 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Since its creation in 2018, AviaDev Insight Africa has established itself as the premier podcast dedicated to African Aviation. We bring prominent industry voices to the table to establish the "ground truth" informally and candidly. The podcast was created by Jon Howell, Founder and CEO of AviaDev Africa, Africa's premier event dedicated to developing air connectivity to, from, and within the African continent

Information

  • Creator
    Jon Howell
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    372
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Jon Howell
  • Show Website
    AviaDev Insight Africa

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