► COTE D'IVOIRE: Ethiopian announces various changes to its West African network from June.

AirlineRoute reports that Ethiopian Airlines (ET) will from June 2013 adjust its operations to West Africa with numerous equipment and frequency changes to come into effect.

► COTE D'IVOIRE: Egyptair to start Abidjan via Accra from June; boosts Kano, Tunis capacities.

AirlineRoute reports that Egyptair (MS) is to start daily flights from Cairo to Abidjan via Accra with effect from 1 June 2013. In addition, the Star Alliance carrier will also boost capacity to Kano, Nigeria and Tunis also effective 1 June.

► COTE D'IVOIRE: (Pic) Air Cote d'Ivoire to launch domestic network in coming months following arrival of E170 Jet.

Air Côte d'Ivoire (HF) has taken delivery of its Embraer 170 (MSN 307 | F-HBXH) wet-leased from Air France thereby supplementing the carrier's current fleet of two Airbus A319s.

■ NIGERIA: Air Cote d'Ivoire seeks Arik Air's help in establishing southern hub as Arik Air boss takes swipe at 'frustrating' Nigerian government.

Nigerian carrier Arik Air (W3) and the new national carrier of the Ivory Coast, Air Cote d’Ivoire(HF), have entered into preliminary discussions over a possible partnership, following the visit this week of Air Cote d’Ivoire boss, General Coulibaly Abdoulaye (retired) and the airline’s Managing Director, Rene Decurey.

► BELGIUM: brussels airlines announces changes to its West & Central Africa network for Summer 2013.

Belgian carrier brussels airlines (SN) has announced various frequency fluctuations on its West and Central African route networks, effective late-February 2013.

► GAMBIA: Gambia Bird announces big network expansion effective 10 January 2013.

In confirmation of our previous post, Gambian carrier Gambia Bird (3G) has officially announced new routes to Bamako (Mali), Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), Abidjan (Ivory Coast) and Douala (Cameroon) with the new destinations set to launch from 10 January. The expansion comes after Gambia Bird (3G) took delivery of their second Airbus A319 (MSN 4691 | D-ASTB) in early December.

► COTE D'IVOIRE: ASKY Airlines to launch direct Lagos - Abidjan flights from next week.

ASKY Airlines (KP) will next week launch 3x weekly flights between the Ivorian capital, Abidjan, and the Nigerian city of Lagos using their recently delivered Bombardier Q400 aircraft. 

► COTE D'IVOIRE: Air Cote d'Ivoire to add an Embraer E170 as further routes in West Africa are announced.

According to Airline Route, the Ivory Coast's new national carrier, Air Côte d’Ivoire (HF), is set to receive an Embraer E170 to add to its two Airbus A319s, as the airline seeks to expand its operations.

► GAMBIA: Gambia Bird takes delivery of second Airbus A319; prepares to expand network.

Gambia Bird (3G) has announced the delivery of a second Airbus A319 (MSN 4691 | D-ASTB) as the fledgling carrier prepares to expand its network with the launch of flights to Abidjan, Abuja, Bamako, Douala and Ouagadougou.

► BELGIUM: brussels airlines announces changes to its West & Central Africa network from February 2013.

Belgian carrier brussels airlines (SN) has announced various changes to its West and Central African route networks, effective late-February 2013.

► COTE D'IVOIRE: Corsair International to start 4x weekly Abidjan flights from 2013.

French carrier Corsair International is to expand its presence in West Africa with the addition of Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. Effective 1 March 2013, Corsair will serve the Ivorian capital 4x weekly from Paris Orly with an A330-300.

► MALI: Douniah Airlines to start ops from 2013.

Malian startup, Douniah Airlines (DTS), is planning to launch operations from January 2013 using a Boeing 737-300. Its initial routes will encompass various destinations in West and Central Africa.

► SENEGAL: Senegal Airlines starts Libreville and direct Cotonou flights; inks code-share with Corsair for daily Paris ops from February 2013.

Senegalese national carrier, Senegal Airlines (DN), has signed a code-share deal with French carrier Corsair International (SS) which will result the introduction of daily flights Dakar-Paris-Dakar flights from February 2013 on.

► GHANA: Cargolux puts Boeing 747-8F onto Accra via Abidjan route.

Tuesday 6 November 2012 marked the inaugural flight of Luxembourg-based cargo-operator, Cargolux (CV)'s Boeing 747-8F to Accra, Ghana. The new aircraft will be operate as part of Cargolux's weekly Luxembourg - Abidjan (Cote d'Ivoire) - Accra (Ghana) route.

■ NIGERIA: Arik Air celebrates 6th birthday, plans large network expansion.

Nigeria's largest carrier, Arik Air (W3), celebrated its 6th birthday at an event held at its corporate headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria. 

► COTE D'IVOIRE: Air Cote d'Ivoire announces further destination launches.

Following on from our post yesterday, Air Cote d'Ivoire (HF) have announced further details about their intended network launch, set for 12 November 2012. 

► COTE D'IVOIRE: Ghana's Starbow Airlines to add Abidjan from 8 November; Freetown, Monrovia to follow by year end.

Ghana's Starbow  Airlines (S9) are set to launch ops from its hub in Accra, Ghana to Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire effective Thursday 8 November 2012, according to the carrier's Co-Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Brock Friesen, who made the announcement at a press conference in Accra on Wednesday.     

► SENEGAL: Air Cote d'Ivoire to debut with Dakar on 12 November.

Following last week's deferment, made public by Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara, Air Cote d'Ivoire (HF) has announced it will launch scheduled flights on 12 November with Abidjan - Dakar, Senegal to be its launch route.

► LIBERIA: Brussels Airlines increases Monrovia, drops Bamako from early 2013.

Belgian carrier Brussels Airlines (SN) is to terminate its Bamako, Mali flights effective 8 January 2013. Bamako is currently served once weekly in tandem with Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.

► COTE D'IVOIRE: Egyptair to resume Abidjan flights before year end?

After a meeting on Thursday between Ahmed Tarek Abdelakher, the Chargé d'Affaires of the Arab Republic of Egypt and Ivorian Prime Minister Jeannot-Kouadio Ahoussou, it was announced that Egyptian national carrier Egyptair (MS) would l resume flights between Abidjan and Cairo in the coming next three months.