2011年-世界发展银行全球_Yemen___Air_Transport_Sector_Strategy_Note_4页_271kb

Yemen Air Transport Sector Summary

Core Content

The document provides an analysis of the Yemeni air transport sector, highlighting both its strengths and challenges, and offering strategic recommendations for improvement. It is part of the MNA Knowledge Notes series and was prepared in September 2011.

Main Sector Issues

Financial Policy

• Lack of transparency: The financial situation of the sector is unclear, with no public information on the sources and allocation of CAMA's income.
• Subsidies and inefficiencies: Unprofitable airports may be indirectly subsidized by the air traffic control system (ATC) revenues. Airport fees and ATC charges are not effectively recovered.
• Heavy public funding: The Government of Yemen (GoY) funded 40% of sector investments in 2008, while the rest came from third-party loans. There is no explicit policy for cost recovery or financial self-sufficiency.

Infrastructure Development

• No overall strategy: There is no clear strategy for infrastructure development, and future traffic projections are not well supported by demand analysis.
• Premature investments: The construction of a second airport in Sana'a is costly, and similar objectives could have been achieved with less investment by upgrading existing facilities.
• Inefficient use of resources: Investments in airports with no scheduled traffic and costly VOR/DME installations are questionable, with cheaper alternatives available.

Airline Development

• Yemenia's risky strategy: Yemenia is investing heavily in long-haul routes and new aircraft, despite the intense competition from Gulf carriers. Its strategy also involves building hotels for future traffic, which is not economically viable.
• Felix's uncertain future: Felix faces challenges in setting up an efficient reservation system and in maintaining profitability due to its fare structure and potential restrictions on international traffic rights.

Competition Policy

• Exclusive domestic rights: Felix currently holds exclusive domestic traffic rights, which may hinder the entry of new carriers and limit competition.
• Need for liberalization: A move towards a more liberalized air transport market is necessary to allow new entrants and improve efficiency.

Institutional Structure and Capacity

• Limited capacity of MoT: The Ministry of Transportation lacks sufficient human and financial resources to effectively manage and oversee the sector.
• Confused responsibilities: CAMA has dual functions as both a regulator and an operator, which may lead to conflicts of interest and inefficiencies.
• Data deficiencies: The sector suffers from a lack of accurate and reliable data, hindering in-depth analysis and decision-making.

Key Recommendations

Financial Policy

• Ensure transparency in the sector's finances, with CAMA's income sources and allocations audited and made public.
• Investigate tariff increases for domestic flights to improve revenue and support self-financing.

Infrastructure Development

• Develop a master plan and long-term strategy for civil aviation, involving all stakeholders.
• Use existing infrastructure and consider cost-effective technologies like GPS instead of VOR/DME.

Airline Development

• Revise Yemenia's strategy to focus on medium-haul routes and re-evaluate fleet renewal and profitability.
• Support Felix by enabling it to become an IATA member or enter an operational agreement with Yemenia to improve its profitability and access to international traffic rights.

Competition Policy

• Clarify and liberalize competition policy to allow new carriers to enter the domestic market and reduce the exclusivity of Felix.

Institutional Structure and Capacity

• Strengthen MoT by providing it with more resources, defining its mission, and involving it in policy development and oversight.
• Separate regulatory and operational functions within CAMA to avoid conflicts of interest.
• Develop statistical capacity to collect and analyze accurate data for better management and planning.
• Promote public-private partnerships (PPPs) to attract private investment and enhance the sector's development.

Annex Material

• The Arab League Open Skies Agreement is highlighted as a key initiative to promote competition and integration in the region.

Contact Information

• Director, MNACS: Laura Tuck
• Regional Knowledge and Learning Team: Omer Karasapan, Roby Fields, Rory O'Sullivan
• Tel #: (202) 473 8177
• MNA Knowledge Notes: http://mnaknotes

This summary outlines the critical issues and strategic directions for the development of Yemen's air transport sector, emphasizing the need for transparency, efficiency, and institutional reform.