► EGYPT: Egyptair adds 777 to summer service to Guangzhou.

Egyptian carrier Egyptair (MS) has announced operational changes to its Cairo - Guangzhou, China route for the duration of summer 2012. Initially, the airline planned to use an Airbus A340-200 exclusively on the route, but will now employ a mixture of Boeing 777s and A340s.

Egyptair Boeing 777 at Guangzhou, China (MSAL)

Egyptair: Cairo, Egypt - Guangzhou, China (1 June 2012 - 27 October 2012)
MS958 CAI2325 – 1515+1CAN EQV x27
MS959 CAN0005 – 0500CAI EQV x24

• 01JUN12 – 15JUL12 Boeing 777-200ER
• 16JUL12 – 31AUG12 Airbus A340-200
• 01SEP12 – 14SEP12 Boeing 777-200ER
• 15SEP12 – 27OCT12 Boeing 777-300ER

Read More Here [AirlineRoute]

► EGYPT: Saudia suffers 2 birdstrikes in 7 days at Cairo; new fad amongst birds?

It seems birds hanging around Cairo International Airport, Egypt have taken a strong liking to being mowed down by Saudi Arabian Airlines (SU) jets, as The Aviation Herald reports that within the space of a week, two Saudia aircraft have suffered bird strikes: one on landing, the other on take off.

► UNITED KINGDOM: British Airways announces changes to Accra, Cairo , Luanda, Algiers, Johannesburg.

British Airways (BA) has announced changes to its Winter Schedule for Accra, Cairo , Luanda, Algiers, Johannesburg, effective 28 October 2012.

London Heathrow – Accra 

• First Class service on 777-200ER is only available on Thursdays and Fridays in W12

London Heathrow – Cairo 

• Boeing 747-400 replacing 777-200ER from 01OCT12

London Heathrow – Luanda 

• Service continues to operate with 4-class Boeing 777-200ER twice a week. Previously 1 of 2 weekly to be operated with 3-class aircraft 

London Gatwick – Algiers 

• Service reduces from daily to 5 weekly in Winter 2012 (1 Daily in W11) 

 London Heathrow – Johannesburg 

• Service to continue to operate 14x weekly. Planned 17x weekly service cancelled

Read More Here [AirlineRoute]

► NETHERLANDS: KLM announces changes to Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salaam, Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Cairo, Khartoum, Addis Ababa, Lusaka.

KLM (KL) has announced changes to their summer timetable effective 4th May 2012.

Amsterdam – Kilimanjaro – Dar es Salaam – Amsterdam 

• 17MAY12 – 31MAY12 Increase from 6 weekly to Daily, A330-200 operating
• 01JUN12 – 30JUN12 Airbus A330-300 replaces A330-200, Daily 
• 01JUL12 – 31JUL12 Boeing 777-200ER operates Daily 
• 01AUG12 – 27OCT12 Boeing 777-300ER replaces -200ER on Day x245

 Amsterdam – Lagos  

• 28MAY12 – 30JUN12 Airbus A330-200 replaces -300, daily operation

Amsterdam – Abuja – Kano – Amsterdam

• 3 weekly service cancelled from 03JUN12

Amsterdam – Cairo

• Service reduced from daily to 3 weekly, 777-200ER operating

 
Amsterdam – Khartoum – Addis Ababa eff 18MAY12

• Operational Day change from Day 2 4 6 to Day 2 5 7 

Amsterdam – Lusaka eff 15MAY12

• Service resumption with A330-200, 3 times a week

Read More Here [AirlineRoute]

► EGYPT: Egyptair profits fall 75% in 2011; considers 787s & A350s for renewal.

After a very turbulent year in the country and the region as a whole, Egyptair's (MS) profits for 2011 unsurprisingly fell over 75% to USD$13.6million.  

The chairman of EgyptAir, Hossam Kamel, said the airline's operations were severely interrupted during the Egyptian Uprising of 2011, forcing the cancellation of numerous flights, thereby leading to a decline in tourism (Egyptian tourism was down 32% on 2010 according to official statistics). Additionally, the global rise in the price of oil as a direct consequence of the Arab Spring also ate into profits, as did a partial strike in September by EgyptAir Ground Services employees at Cairo international airport, following rumours that concessions they had previously won by strike actions would not be implemented.

A similar trend has been seen in neighbouring Arab airline Royal Jordanian, whose operations have been severely hampered by the civil unrest in neighbouring Syria, and previously, in Egypt.

To help bring the airline's profitability back up, Mr Kamel stated that cost cutting measures had already been implemented, whilst the airline would focus more on increasing frequencies to served destinations, as opposed to opening new routes. He added that Egyptair would press ahead with its new Cairo-Toronto route in 2013, and that "several other destinations" were under consideration.

With regards to future fleet renewal, he added that Egyptair is considering replacing its Boeing 777s and Airbus A330s with 787s and A350s between 2020-2025.

Negotiations are underway with fellow Star Alliance partner Ethiopian Airlines to create a new base or a new joint carrier based in Accra, Ghana, where Ethiopian currently has a presence under its ASKY Airlines brand.

Read More Here [ATW]

► QATAR: Qatar Airways boosts Algiers, Cairo, announces Kilimanjaro, Mombasa; Zanzibar to come.

Qatar Airways (QR) has used the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) forum in Dubai to announce daily services to Kilimanjaro (Tanzania) and Mombasa (Kenya) with effect from 25th July 2012 and 15th August 2012 respectively. Algiers will see an increase from seven to 11 services each week.

Kilimanjaro will operate as tag-ons via Nairobi, whilst Mombasa will operate via the Tanzanian capital Dar es Salaam.

Also at the forum, Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker unveiled plans for a new service to Zanzibar in the near future.

"Having introduced two extra weekly flights on the Doha – Cairo route last month to take frequency up to 11 each week, capacity will be stepped up further next month with the addition of one extra flight a week.

And in Africa, more capacity will be introduced on the double daily Doha – Dar es Salaam route from next month. With seven services operating via Nairobi, these will become non-stop to Dar es Salaam effectively providing more seats direct to the Tanzanian capital."

Read More Here [Qatar Airways]