Hilka Birns/PRETORIA
South Africa is to conduct a comprehensive review of its international aviation policy this year, in a move expected to close loopholes in the system but stop short of introducing open skies.
Godfrey Selepe, Air Transport Regulation Manager at the South African Department of Transport (DoT) says the terms of reference will exclude safety issues, but will look at a broad band of economic regulations including traffic rights. Items under review include wet leasing; consumer protection and the division of responsibilities between the DoT and the country's competitions authority.
"Transport minister Dullah Omar has agreed in principle that a policy review is needed. We're now busy fine tuning the points of reference for a steering committee, which will be representative of all industry stakeholders," he says. The team is expected to be appointed by April and its work concluded twelve months later.
"The review is aimed at catching up on international trends, eliminating obsolete regulation and plugging grey areas, but I don't envisage an open skies policy."
Source: Flight International
