Driving Sustainable Air Connectivity through Airport-Led, Data-Driven Route Development

What is ROUTEInsight?

ROUTEInsight is ACI Africa's continental route development and air connectivity initiative, designed to support African airports in identifying, analysing, and delivering sustainable air service growth.

Led and owned by Airports Council International Africa, ROUTEInsight provides a structured, evidence-based framework that enables airports to move from ambition to execution while strengthening their internal capability over the long term.

Why ROUTEInsight Matters for African Airports

African airports operate within complex and evolving market environments, shaped by demand volatility, airline economics, regulatory frameworks, and strong interdependencies with governments, tourism authorities, and other stakeholders.

ROUTEInsight helps airports to:

• Transition from opportunity-driven discussions to data-backed airline engagement
• Align route development efforts with national, regional, and continental connectivity objectives
• Strengthen institutional readiness and internal capability, not just deliver one-off studies
• Engage airlines using their own commercial and network-planning logic

What ROUTEInsight Delivers

1. Strategic Route Development Diagnostics

ROUTEInsight starts with a structured diagnostic of an airport's route development readiness, covering:

• Route development strategy, governance, and organizational setup
• Internal skills, processes, data use, and stakeholder coordination
• External ecosystem conditions, including tourism demand, bilateral frameworks, and airline dynamics
• Medium- to long-term (5–10 year) air service development opportunities

This provides airports with a clear baseline and a practical roadmap for strengthening connectivity.

2. Market-Driven Route Opportunity Analysis

Through ROUTEInsight, airports benefit from robust, airline-grade market analysis, including:

• Origin-and-destination demand and traffic flow analysis
• Competitive and network benchmarking
• Traffic and connectivity forecasting
• Scenario-based assessments of route viability

These analyses are designed to support credible, evidence-based airline discussions

3. Targeted Route Feasibility & Airline Engagement Support

For priority opportunities, ROUTEInsight supports airports in developing:

• Route feasibility assessments aligned with specific airline profiles
• Business cases reflecting airline cost and revenue structures
• Clear, data-driven marketing narratives for airline engagement
• Scenario testing, including frequency, aircraft type, and incentive impacts

This enables airports to approach airlines with clear, commercially grounded value propositions.

How Airports Engage with ROUTEInsight

ROUTEInsight is designed as a scalable and modular initiative, allowing airports to engage according to their maturity and needs:

• Readiness & Awareness – diagnostics and introductory training
• Capability Building – structured training and institutional strengthening
• Opportunity Identification – market scans and route prioritisation
• Route Activation – feasibility studies and airline engagement support

The ACI Africa Advantage

ROUTEInsight is:

• Airport-led
• Evidence-based, grounded in robust data and airline economics
• Capability-focused, building lasting institutional strength
• Africa-specific, reflecting the continent's regulatory and market realities
• Strategically aligned, supporting SAATM, Agenda 2063, and sustainable connectivity goals