Mauritania Airlines International (L6) has set Las Palmas, in the Canary Islands as its first European destination following the removal of Mauritania and all its airlines from the EU's No Fly List. Thrice weekly flights are scheduled to begin on May 8.
Air Algérie (AH) is planning to add two Ethiopian Airlines Cargo McDonnell Douglas MD-11Fs (possibly (MSN 48758 | ET-AML) and (MSN 48780 | ET-AND)) to its Cargo division as part of its fleet renewal and business turnaround plan.
Reports out of Angola claim that attempts by European aircraft manufacturer EADS, the parent company of Airbus SAS, to get their foot into the Angolan market via TAAG Linhas Aéreas de Angola (DT), have been rebuffed outright.
South African Airways (SA) is to delay its début USD160million (ZAR1.5 billion) bond sale, originally slated for March, until its chief financier and backer, the South African government, approves the airline’s recently submitted turnaround plan. The turnaround plan will also play a pivotal part in deciding the airline's long term fleet acquisition plans; a bone of serious contention in the recent past.
Troubled Nigerian carrier, Dana Air (9J), has announced plans to resume flights from both Lagos and Abuja to the southern city of Port Harcourt on Monday, April 22, 2013. In addition the airline has reaffirmed plans to acquire B737 aircraft as part of its fleet renewal plans.
Rwandair's first B737-700 (MSN: 30717 | 9XR-WJ) has finally arrived in Kigali where it is expected to commence operations between Kigali via Brazzaville and Libreville to Douala as well as to Johannesburg and Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International.
A Buraq Air (UZ) 737 inbound from Benghazi with 150 passengers aboard, yesterday sustained "no major damage" from ground-based gunfire as it was on finals into Tripoli International Airport Reuters has reported. As a result, the Libyan private carrier has suspended all flights to Tripoli effective immediately.
Equatorial Guinean national carrier, CEIBA Intercontinental, (C2) has confirmed that it will take delivery of three Boeing 737-800 (as reported by us here) within the next 12 months, with plans to add further Boeing 777s to its current one as the fledgling airline begins to spread its proverbial wings.
[UPDATE 13 APRIL] Abuja-based Airstream Aviation has launched scheduled cargo and ad-hoc charter operations on domestic routes using a wet leased Boeing B737-400F (MSN 24128 | S5-ABV).
During a ceremony attended by Mr Driss Benhima, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Air Maroc (RAM) Group, and Mr Franck Terner, President, Air France Industries, the two partners officially announced a new phase in the development of their Aerotechnic Industries (ATI) joint venture. Set up in 2009, the 50/50 joint venture between the two groups is now extending the scope of its activities to the overhauling of Boeing 737 Next Generation (NG) airframes.
Kenya Airways Cargo (KQ) has taken delivery of its first Boeing 737-300(F) (MSN 29088 | 5Y-KQC), recently converted in Shanghai by Boeing. The ceremony took place today at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. Under its 10-year growth strategy, Kenya Airways plans to have 12 freighters in its fleet by 2022.
Algerian national carrier, Air Algérie (AH), is planning to offer an Oran – Madrid
service from 24JUN13 to 18SEP13 though reservations are not,
at present, available to general public.
The Nigerian Air Force could soon venture into the commercial flights sector following the delivery of a Boeing 737-500 (MCN 25791 | NAF916) this week. The revelation was made by the Managing Director of Aeronautical Engineering & Technical Services Ltd (AETSL), Air Vice Marshal Alkali Mamu last week.
Rwandan national carrier, Rwandair's (WB), first of two Boeing 737-700NGs (MSN: 30717 | 9XR-WJ) (ex D-AHXB) leased from the International Leasing Finance Corporation, has come out of the paint shop in Eindhoven, Netherlands.