African airlines soar with new free routes in West and Central Africa
The implementation, effective from 30 October 2025, follows two years of trials that began in November 2023. The change allows airlines to design and fly User Preferred Routes (UPRs) instead of relying on fixed, conventional flight paths. This flexibility enables aircraft to optimise routes based on winds, weather and fuel efficiency — reducing consumption, cutting flight times and lowering emissions.
The initiative is supported by Afreximbank under its memorandum of understanding with AFRAA, aligning with ICAO’s Global Air Navigation Plan and the work of the AFI FRA Planning and Implementation Regional Group.
The move to full deployment was agreed at a joint workshop in Dakar, Senegal, where air operators and air navigation service providers (ANSPs) reached consensus to conclude the trial phase.
AFRAA secretary general Abdérahmane Berthé described FRA as a “game-changer” that boosts airline competitiveness while improving environmental performance. Afreximbank’s Kanayo Awani emphasised that efficient air services underpin intra-African trade, connectivity and broader SAATM and AfCFTA objectives.
Early benefits already visible
Six leading African carriers — Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, EgyptAir, Royal Air Maroc, RwandAir and ASKY Airlines — have already secured approvals to operate UPRs covering 30 city pairs. AFRAA says the early results point to annual savings of:
• 1,393 hours in flight time
• 5,000 tonnes of fuel
• 16,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions avoided
• $15m in fuel costs
Free routing now open to all airlines
With FRA fully active in the region, any airline may now file UPRs, with ANSPs committing to processing requests within 48 hours. By mid-2026, once final administrative work is completed, pre-approvals will no longer be required.
The successful deployment in West and Central Africa clears the way for the next major phase — FRA trials and implementation in Eastern and Southern Africa (ESAF) throughout 2026. Plans also include creating a web-based coordination platform to harmonise operations between airlines and ANSPs.