AN EXAMINATION OF RYANAIR'S ENTRY INTOTHE
Introduction the ryanair low cost business model has been very effective in the european market. the airline cuts inefficiencies by keeping solely one type of aircraft across the fleet, flying point to point to small regional airports with quick 25 minute turnarounds. the resulting lower fares have been enhanced by the rise of the internet, which helped by cutting out expensive middlemen combined with minimal marketing. increased competition in the sector will force airlines to streamline their costs and thereby lead to lower fares as airlines strive to capture market share. this essay will look at airlines in the african aviation market and investigate the possible entry of ryanair into the market. a low cost carrier could provide competitive fares to the rising middle class in africa, who will have more disposable income to spend on air travel in the future throughout this vast continent. africa's sheer size and variable terrain makes air travel particularly suitable to the continent. airline services here are driven by tourism, attracted by the first 2010 fifa world cup in south africa for example, but civil unrest in regions such as libya and egypt in recent times will likely harm tourism for years to come. travelling around the continent is an ordeal, even without factoring in the current poor level of infrastructure, relative to european standards. the key issue addressed in this essay composes of the advantages and disadvantages of ryanair entering the african air market in the future, focusing solely on passengers. the time period here is very important; without a sizeable amount of investment into african aviation, the entry of ryanair in the next decade looks unlikely. following the introduction, section two will study the current status of the african aviation market, section three will look at problems facing airlines entering the african market and section four will investigate the probability of ryanair entering the african market. the conclusion sums up the african aviation market's prospects for the future. APPLIED ECONOMICS