Introduction
For many airlines, expanding internationally is not simply a question of launching new routes. Commercial success depends on whether flights can be distributed efficiently, ticketed globally, settled securely and sold through the right channels. Airlines across Africa face unique challenges in reaching customers beyond their home markets while managing payment complexity, distribution costs and revenue risks.
For more than 25 years, Hahnair has helped airlines overcome these barriers. Today, the company connects more than 350 airline partners with over 100,000 travel agencies in 190 markets and has facilitated the issuance of more than 60 million tickets on its ticket stock since 2010.
We spoke with Kirsten Rehmann, CEO of Hahnair, about Africa’s commercial opportunities, the evolving distribution landscape, and why reliability remains one of the most important assets in airline growth.
- Expanding Reach Beyond Borders
Hahnair works with airlines around the world, including more than 60 carriers in Africa, and growing. Many airlines have strong positions in their home markets but face challenges when expanding internationally. What are the biggest barriers preventing airlines from reaching customers beyond their borders?
KR: One of the biggest challenges is that airlines often have excellent products and strong demand, but limited access to international sales channels. Entering new markets requires distribution infrastructure, settlement capabilities, local market expertise and trusted commercial relationships.
Building these capabilities market by market can be expensive and time-consuming. Our role is to remove that complexity. Through our global network, airlines can access travel agencies worldwide and generate incremental revenue without having to establish commercial operations in every market they want to sell in. Airlines should focus on flying and serving passengers. We help ensure their product can be sold globally.
- Africa’s Commercial Opportunity
When you look at Africa today, where do you see the greatest commercial opportunities for African airlines?
KR: Africa is one of the most exciting aviation markets globally. We see strong long-term demand driven by economic development, increasing mobility, growing business travel and a young population.
At the same time, many airlines still have untapped opportunities outside their home markets. In many cases, travellers want to book a flight, travel agencies want to sell it, but distribution or settlement barriers prevent that transaction from happening smoothly.
The airlines that will succeed are those that focus not only on network development, but also on ensuring their content is accessible, ticketable and easy to sell across international markets.
- Indirect Distribution as a Key Revenue Driver
Indirect Distribution is often viewed as a technical function. Why do you consider it a strategic commercial tool?
KR: Distribution is fundamentally about revenue. An airline can have an excellent route network, competitive fares and a strong product, but if customers and travel agencies cannot book and ticket those flights easily, revenue opportunities are lost.
Indirect distribution should not be seen as a back-office function. It is a strategic enabler of growth. A successful airline needs broad market access, efficient settlement and reliable revenue flows.
That is why we continue to invest in solutions that help airlines expand their indirect distribution reach while reducing complexity and commercial risk.
- Reliability in an Uncertain Environment
You frequently speak about reliability. Why is reliability such an important topic for airlines today?
KR: Aviation is a business built on trust. Airlines need partners they can rely on regardless of market conditions.
Reliability means more than technology. It means financial stability, secure settlement processes, operational expertise and long-term commitment. Airlines must know that revenue will flow securely and consistently, even in challenging environments.
As a family-owned company with a robust business model, Hahnair has focused on delivering exactly that for more than 25 years. Our goal is to provide both incremental revenue and secure cash flow for our partners.
- More Than 60 Million Tickets Issued
This year, Hahnair announced that more than 60 million tickets have been issued on its ticket stock since 2010. What does this milestone represent for you?
KR: We are proud of this achievement because it reflects the trust our airline and agency partners place in us.
The figure represents much more than a ticket volume milestone. It represents billions of dollars in revenue generated for partner airlines and millions of journeys successfully facilitated through our distribution network. It demonstrates that airlines continue to value solutions that simplify complexity and create commercial opportunities.
- The Role of Travel Agencies
Many airlines are investing heavily in direct sales. What role do travel agencies continue to play, particularly in Africa?
KR: Travel agencies remain extremely important. They provide expertise, customer support and local market knowledge that many travellers continue to value.
In numerous African markets, the travel trade plays a critical role in connecting passengers and businesses with airline products. Agencies help generate high-value bookings, support complex itineraries and create additional sales opportunities.
- Supporting Different Airline Business Models
Hahnair works with airlines ranging from low-cost carriers to network airlines. How does Hahnair cater to different objectives, resources and commercial strategies?
KR: The Hahnair solutions are an asset for any airline, no matter their business model or distribution set-up. Some airlines want to expand beyond their BSP markets. Others seek an entry in the GDS world. Others are looking for interline opportunities or support with settlement challenges.
Our approach is to provide the right solution for each airline’s distribution set-up and growth ambitions. The fact that our solutions can be to every airline is one reason why more than 350 airlines work with Hahnair today.
- Why Are More Airlines Choosing Hahnair?
Hahnair has already added 12 new partner airlines this year. What does continued network growth tell you about the industry’s needs?
KR: Our continued growth reflects the fact that carriers want access to global distribution, secure settlement, fraud prevention, money repatriation support and interline opportunities from a single trusted partner. Those needs are particularly relevant for airlines pursuing international expansion in a cost-efficient way.
The addition of new partners also strengthens our network and creates new opportunities for airlines and travel agencies alike.
- One Message to African Airline CEOs
If you could share one piece of advice with every African airline CEO, what would it be?
KR: Focus on removing barriers to growth.
Whether those barriers involve distribution, settlement, payments or market access, every obstacle between an airline’s product and its potential target audience represents lost revenue potential.
The airlines that will thrive in indirect distribution make it easy for travel sellers around the world to find, book and ticket their flights.
Closing Question
What makes you most optimistic about the future of African aviation?
KR: The combination of ambition, innovation and opportunity.
Across the continent, we see airlines investing in growth, governments recognising aviation’s economic importance and young professionals bringing new ideas into the industry.
Africa’s aviation future will be shaped by connectivity, entrepreneurship and partnership. Those are all reasons to be optimistic, and Hahnair is proud to support that journey.
Hahnair Facts:
- 60 Million Hahnair tickets issued since 2010
- Every 9 seconds, a travel agent issued a Hahnair ticket
- 12 new airline partners added since January 2026
- One of the world’s leading distribution networks with more than 350 partner airlines
- 62 airline partners in Africa using at least one Hahnair distribution solution
- Reaching more than 100,000 travel agencies in more than 190 markets
- Connected to all major GDS and nearly all BSPs
- More than 25 years of experience