Free Route Airspace Now Operational Across West And Central Africa

The African Airlines Association (AFRAA) has confirmed the full operational deployment of Free Route Airspace (FRA) in the Western and Central Africa (WACAF) region.

The system, which became fully effective on Oct. 30, follows nearly two years of successful trials that began in November 2023.

FRA allows airlines to fly User Preferred Routes (UPRs) instead of being restricted to conventional fixed air corridors, a shift that enables more direct routes, shorter travel times, reduced fuel burn and operating costs, and lower carbon emissions.

AFRAA Secretary General Abdérahmane Berthé described the launch as a “game-changer,” saying it will significantly enhance the competitiveness of African carriers by cutting flight times, fuel consumption, and emissions.

The rollout was supported by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and stems from a joint resolution by airlines and regional air navigation service providers during a workshop in Dakar, Senegal.

Kanayo Awani, Afreximbank’s EVP for Intra-African Trade and Export Development, said, “Efficient, safe, and well-regulated air services are critical to facilitating intra-African trade, tourism and connectivity in line with the objectives of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).”

Six African airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, EgyptAir, Royal Air Maroc, RwandAir, and ASKY Airlines, have already been approved to operate UPRs connecting 30 key city pairs. Early results point to significant operational and environmental gains, including an estimated 1,393 cumulative flight hours saved annually, a reduction of 5,000 metric tons of fuel burn, avoidance of roughly 16,000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions, and savings of about $15 million in fuel costs.

With the WACAF airspace now formally open to free routing, any airline can request UPRs, and regional ANSPs have committed to processing approvals within 48 hr.

Once administrative procedures are finalized by all 24 WACAF states, approvals will no longer be required for new UPR requests beginning mid-2026.

AFRAA said the focus for 2026 will shift to the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESAF) airspace to conclude trials and achieve a similar FRA implementation.