Editor,

RE: "IATA tips on open skies, aviation infrastructure devt” (The New Times, November 4).

Most of the countries within the Northern Corridor are landlocked and some are geographically small like Rwanda.

The easiest way of expansion is to open up skies, which implies liberalising the rules for international aviation markets and minimising government intervention as it applies to passenger, all-cargo, and combination of air transportation as well as scheduled and charter services.

This will help regional airlines to leap from integration, offer competitive prices for air transport, increase job opportunities and strengthen aviation sector which will also increase tourism activities in the region.

Aviation growth in the region has always been hampered by protectionism which did not allow airlines of a different country to operate other routes to and from that state, this gave them monopoly over some routes to charge exorbitant prices which scared common citizens from using air transport.

The work done by our leadership in this regard is therefore commendable.

Sabin