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Tuesday, February 12, 2013

►► EQUATORIAL GUINEA: Punto Azul to resume regional ops in March with Angola, Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana planned for later.

Punto Azul [UPDATE 12 FEBRUARY] Equato-guinean private operator Punto Azul (ZR) has announced the resumption of services with new routes in the pipeline. Making the announcement in Malabo, Punto Azul CEO, Rene Janata, explained the necessity of the measure in relation to the consolidation of future operations and compliance with airline's projected growth targets. The carrier has also signed a new agreement with a new operator, South Africa's National Airways Corporation.

Punto Azul's Do328
Punto Azul's Do328 (LeeWeston)
"Punto Azul is based on three fundamental principles: safety, quality and reliability. To realize them, we must plan and align our operations with those principles. While the previous operator offered Punto Azul good service in the course of our partnership, we have found it necessary to remodel our planning and our operations in order to improve on (our) future (prospects)," said Janata.

Janata further pointed out that he hopes the agreement with National Airways Corporation will pave the way for a long-term relationship between the two companies regarding aircraft leasing, maintenance, training and human resource development in Equatorial Guinea.

Meanwhile, Punto Azul has also launched a call switchboard to support its growing operations to begin in March 2013 with regular flights offered to Bata, Mongomo, São Tomé & Príncipe and Libreville, in the first phase, while in the second, new routes to Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria and Angola are planned.

Punto Azul is understood to have leased a single Dornier Do328-100 from Dornier Aviation Nigeria largely in support of Africa's extensive oil and gas industry and the business community.

[UPDATE 12 FEBRUARY] Punto Azul are understood to be leasing three Embraer ERJ145s from ECC Leasing Company Ltd, a subsidiary of Embraer.