Tunisair looks to African routes as European battle brews

Tunisair is counting on new African routes to drive passenger growth as it prepares for increased competition for flights to and from Europe under an “Open Skies” agreement with the EU. The Tunisian state-owned airline will launch two new routes by the end of this year, to Sudan and Cameroon, the company told Reuters. That will bring the number of its African routes to 10, after it began flights to Guinea and Benin last year. New paths to growth could be vital for the survival of loss-making Tunisair, the national flag carrier and one of the North African country’s biggest employers. Whether its business can adapt to the Open Skies agreement is also a test case of whether the Tunisian economy and its slew of state firms can modernize and compete after being shielded from foreign rivals for decades. The deal, which comes into force later this year, will put European carriers on a level footing with Tunisair in terms of airport slots and fees. “The agreement will have a good impact on the tourism sector and boost activities at Tunisian airports,” said Mohammed Ali al-Toumi, head of the Tunisian federation of travel agencies. “But Tunisair is not ready for fierce competition.” Flights to and from Europe are Tunisair’s main business. However the African passenger numbers are growing far faster.<br/>