■ ALGERIA: IATA boss Tyler urges a hub be built in North Africa as Cape Verde makes plans to establish its own Dubai-esque airport.

The International Air Transport Association's boss, Tony Tyler, present at the recently ended 45th General Meeting of the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO) in Algiers, Algeria has called for the establishment of a hub in North Africa comparable in size to that of Dubai or Doha.

■ MOROCCO: Government looks to offload 44% stake in Royal Air Maroc to Gulf carrier.

Following on from our tweet last night, it does indeed appear that Morocco is looking to sell up to 44% of its shareholding in national carrier Royal Air Maroc (AT) to an as yet unknown Gulf airline.

► TANZANIA: Air Tanzania resumes flights Friday as Government wants Lufthansa for joint venture.

As we reported last week, Tanzanian national carrier Air Tanzania (TC) will resume flights on Friday 12 October 2012 using their Bombardier Dash 8-300 (MSN 474 | 5H-MWF) along with two leased Boeing 737-500 of unknown origin. 

►► LIBYA: Emirates cancels intended Tripoli service resumption.

[UPDATED 3 OCTOBER 2012] Emirates (EK) are to restart their service from Dubai to Tripoli, Libya that was suspended in February of last year due to the Libyan Uprising. The flights will recommence on 29 October 2012 with a 4x weekly Airbus A330-200 service that will switch to an Airbus A340-300 from 2 January 2013.

► DUBAI: Emirates looks to partner African LCC airlines in bid to establish feeder networks.

Emirati carrier Emirates (EK) has allured to plans it has for future partnerships with Africa-focused low-cost carriers as the mega-carrier moves to boost its presence on the continent.

►► TUNISIA: Emirates cancels planned Tunis reduction to 5x weekly service from December.

[SEE UPDATE AT THE BOTTOM] Following on from its previous announcement, Dubai based carrier Emirates (EK) will, from 1 December 2012, reduce its weekly service from Dubai to Tunis, Tunisia, from daily to 5x weekly; Mondays and Sundays being nixed. 

► UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Emirates announces various equipment changes to Accra & Abidjan, Lagos, Entebbe and Nairobi effective 2013.

Dubai based carrier, Emirates (EK), has announced various changes to some its African destinations, effective from between January and February of next year.  

For other previously announced updates, see these posts.

► ALGERIA: Emirates starts daily flights to Algiers from March 2013.

Its 22nd destination in Africa, Dubai based Emirates (EK) today announced it will serve the Algerian capital, Algiers, with a daily Airbus A330-200 effective 1 March 2013. With the Airbus A330's belly-hold capacity of 12 tonnes, Emirates SkyCargo expects to export commodities such as frozen fish, lobsters, oil and gas equipment and palm oil to points across its network whilst imports including a variety of manufactured goods are expected to form the bulk of goods shipped into Algeria.

► MOZAMBIQUE: LAM Mozambique getting a B737-500, but cash crunch delays launch of international routes.

Mozambican national carrier LAM Mozambique (TM) is, at the end of this month, to receive a Boeing 737-500 (likely MSN: 25418 | ZS-PKV), in addition to its third and final Embraer E190 due in late October/early November, as the carrier moves to consolidate itself domestically and regionally writes the Mozambican national daily, O País.

► SEYCHELLES: Emirates to go 12x weekly from December, 13x weekly from February 2013.

Emirates (EK) is to increase its Airbus A340-500 operated flights between Dubai and Mahé, Seychelles from 11x weekly, to 12x weekly with an added Monday flight effective 3 December 2012. From 5 February 2013, the airline is to add a 13th weekly frequency on a Tuesday.

► MAURITIUS: Emirates to go 14x weekly as Air Mauritius, Air Austral & Air Madagascar band together to survive.

Bucking the ongoing trend amongst European carriers of reducing their frequencies to the Indian Ocean island, Dubai based mega-carrier, Emirates (EK), has announced an increase in its weekly frequencies from 11x weekly to 12x weekly from 28 October 2012, with the route going 14x weekly from 28 November 2012.

Emirates: Dubai, UAE - Port Louis, Mauritius

- EK3705/3706 operate Day 23456 from 28 October 2012 until 27 November 2012

• EK701 DXB 0310 – 0940 MRU 773 | 2457
• EK3703 DXB 0310 – 0940 MRU 773 | 136
• EK3705 DXB 1000 – 1645 MRU 773 | 1234567

• EK3706 MRU 1820 – 0110+1 DXB 773 | 1234567
• EK702 MRU 2320 – 0555+1 DXB 773 | 2457
• EK3704 MRU 2320 – 0555+1 DXB 773 | 136

Source [Airline Route]

► SOUTH AFRICA: Emirates cancels intended A380 service return to Johannesburg.

As a result of the introduction of a new A380 service to Singapore on a regular basis, the planned A380 service resumption on Dubai – Johannesburg EK761/762 from 01 December 2012, is cancelled. Consequently, Dubai - Johannesburg's service will remain unchanged henceforth (see below).

Emirates Airbus A380 (Emirates)

Emirates: Dubai, UAE - Johannesburg, South Africa
- Effective 28 October 2012 and onwards until further notice

► ZIMBABWE: Emirates switches to Boeing 777 on Harare/Lusaka flights from February 2013.

Dubai based carrier Emirates (EK) will, from 1 February 2013, switch from an Airbus A330-200 to a Boeing 777-300ER on its daily Dubai - Lusaka - Harare route. The date is iconic in that it will be the 1 year anniversary of the route's introduction.

Economy Class cabin on-board an Emirates 777-300ER (moaksey)

Emirates: Dubai - Lusaka, Zambia - Harare, Zimbabwe
- Effective 01 February 2013

• EK713 DXB 0925 - 1450 LUN 1620 - 1720 HRE 77W 1234567
• EK714 HRE 1850 - 1950 LUN 2120 - 0640+1 DXB 77W 1234567

Source [Amadeus]

It was expected that the Emirati carrier would decouple the two African destinations from one another at some stage, though this has apparently changed.

► RWANDA: RwandAir announces CRJ900 routes; introduces other additional frequencies.

With the first of its two new Bombardier CRJ900NGs (MSN# 15286| 9XR-WH) due in by the middle of October 2012 and the second due in mid November, so Rwandan national carrier RwandAir (WB) has outlined the future routes they will be used on, in addition to various new frequencies to come into effect from 31 October 2012.

RwandAir CRJ900 '9XR-WH'

RwandAir CRJ900NG Routes

RwandAir: Kigali, Rwanda – Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

-Effective 31 October 2012

• WB440 KGL1730 – 2030DAR CR9 | 1234567
• WB441 DAR2100 – 2200KGL CR9 | 1234567

Kigali, Rwanda – Entebbe, Uganda

-Effective 31 October 2012

• WB422 KGL1440 – 1625EBB CR9 | 1234567
• WB423 EBB1655 – 1640KGL CR9 | 1234567

Kigali, Rwanda – Nairobi, Kenya

-Effective 31 October 2012

• WB404 KGL0155 – 0410NBO CR9 | 1234567
• WB406 KGL1455 – 1710NBO CR9 | 1357
• WB402 KGL1455 – 1710NBO CR9 | 246

• WB405 NBO1155 – 1210KGL CR9 | 1234567
• WB407 NBO2125 – 2140KGL CR9 | 1357
• WB407 NBO2125 – 2140KGL CR9 | 246

Source [Airline Route]

Additionally, various new frequencies have been announced:

• Entebbe, Uganda: from 17x to 33x weekly flights.
• Brazzaville, Congo & Libreville, Gabon: 3x to 5x weekly flights.
• Dubai, UAE : from 6x to 13x weekly flights.
• Lagos, Nigeria: from 3x to 7x weekly flights.
• Johannesburg, South Africa : from 8x to 10x weekly flights.

Source [RwandanFlyer]

Kigali, Rwanda – Dubai
-Planned service increase from 6x weekly to daily. The daily service operates nonstop in both directions, replacing 3x weekly nonstop and 1-stop service via Mombasa, Kenya.

• WB300 KGL0045 – 0830DXB 738 | 1234567
• WB301 DXB0950 – 1335KGL 738 | 2467
• WB301 DXB1010 – 1335KGL 738 | 2467

Kigali, Rwanda – Johannesburg, South Africa
-Planned service increase from 8 to 10 weekly

• WB100 KGL0100 – 0500JNB 738 | 123567
• WB100 KGL0100 – 0500JNB 735 | 4
• WB102 KGL1445 – 1845JNB 738 | 356

• WB101 JNB0800 – 1200KGL 738 | 123567
• WB101 JNB0800 – 1200KGL 735 | 4
• WB103 JNB1930 – 2330KGL 738 | 356

Kigali – Lagos, Nigeria
-Planned service increase from 3x weekly to daily

• WB200 KGL1435 – 1745LOS 738 | 1234567
• WB201 LOS1830 – 2340KGL 738 | 1234567

Source [Airline Route]

►►► ETHIOPIA: See Pics of Ethiopian's 787 ready for delivery; axes 787 on Harare and Lusaka route.

- Updated 6 August 2012. On-line aviation resource Airline Route is reporting (though these reports are uncorroborated) that Ethiopian Airlines (ET), set to receive its and Africa's first Boeing 787 Dreamliner in the next few weeks, has axed its planned Boeing 787 flights to Harare, Zimbabwe and Lusaka, Zambia originally slated to start on 28 October 2012.

Ethiopian's 787 ET-AOQ exits the paintshop (Josh Rawlin)

Ethiopian's 787 ET-AOQ in Seattle (Bernie Leighton)

UPDATE [AUGUST 8]: FOR RE-REVISED SCHEDULE PLEASE SEE THIS THREAD.

► UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Emirates announces various changes to its Africa network for Winter 2012.

Dubai-based carrier, Emirates (EK) has announced various changes to its African network as it gears up for the Northern Hemisphere Winter.

Emirates Africa Route Network

  Emirates NH Winter 2012 Africa Changes

Dubai – Cape Town, South Africa

- Aircraft used gradually switches to an Airbus A340-300.

• EK772 DXB0350 – 1140CPT 343 1234567
• EK770 DXB0850 – 1625CPT 343 1234567
• EK773 CPT1330 – 0120+1DXB 343 1234567
• EK771 CPT1810 – 0535+1DXB 343 1234567
• EK770/771 operates with Airbus A340-300 instead of Boeing 777-300ER from 1 February 2013
• EK772/773 operates with Airbus A340-300 instead of -500 from 1 March 2013 (Service is suspended from 1 September 2012 until 30 November 2012).

Dubai – Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

- Effective 1 February 2013 (Previously stated as starting from 1 March 2013) 2-class 777-300ER replaces A340-500 hence no First Class service.

Previously announced:

Dubai – Johannesburg, South Africa 

- Effective 1 December 2012 Airbus A380 service resumes on EK761/762.

Dubai – Lusaka, Zambia – Harare, Zimbabwe

- Effective 1 October 2012 Service increases daily from 5 weekly; A330-200 operating.

 

Dubai – Tunis, Tunisia 

- Effective 1 December 2012, 3-class Boeing 777-300ER replaces Airbus A340-500; loss of First Class Suite service.

Source [Airline Route]

► ZIMBABWE: Emirates to split Lusaka & Harare; introduces 5x weekly direct cargo flights to Harare.

Dubai megacarrier Emirates (EK) is to split its current Dubai - Lusaka (Zambia) - Harare (Zimbabwe) route into two separate routes "in the near future" following very strong figures in both passenger and cargo volumes moved since the route's inauguration in February of this year.

► SOUTH AFRICA: Emirates again postpones A380's return to Johannesburg over wing crack concerns.

[UPDATE 30 AUGUST 2012] Emirates (EK), the Dubai based megacarrier, reports that repairs to the wings of its fleet of Airbus A380s is likely to cost at least USD$100million and will have far reaching consequences on its operations in the months to come.

Amongst the routes affected include Dubai - Johannesburg, South Africa, originally scheduled to have its A380 service restarted from 1 October onwards, but due to the aforementioned problems, will now only receive them from 1 December 2012.

Emirates Airbus A380 (Emirates)

Emirates: Dubai, UAE - Johannesburg, South Africa

• EK761 DXB0440 – 1050JNB 77W D
• EK763 DXB1015 – 1625JNB 77W D
• EK765 DXB1440 – 2050JNB 77W D

• EK762 JNB1400 – 0010+1DXB 77W D
• EK764 JNB1915 – 0515+1DXB 77W D
• EK766 JNB2220 – 0820+1DXB 77W D

Read More Here [Airline Route]

The cracks issue, discovered earlier this year, resulted from the use of a material known as '7449' that was used in A380 wing rib feet construction. The European Aviation Safety Agency issued an airworthiness directive, extended to all in-service A380s, ordering mandatory inspections of the wing ribs.

►[UPDATE 30 AUGUST 2012] See this post: ► SOUTH AFRICA: Emirates cancels intended A380 service return to Johannesburg.

► ANGOLA: TAAG boosts Dubai; looks to expand greatly in coming years.

Angola's flag carrier TAAG Angolan Airlines (DT) has announced, that effective 10 September 2012, it will add a third weekly Wednesday frequency to Dubai from Luanda and it is also looking to further increase its international presence by opening new international routes to Frankfurt, Germany, Paris, France and an as yet undisclosed destinations in the US.

With Angola's growing regional importance, both as a trade route and as an economic hub - with its vast oil wealth to boot - so the need to establish a direct air link between the US and Angola has grown ever more crucial. At this time, the only airlink between the two countries is that of SonAir Angola operates the 3x weekly "Houston Express" from Luanda to Houston, USA using a leased Atlas Air Boeing 747-400  which caters more for the oil industry's needs than anything.

Recently, Angola signed bilateral agreements with Argentina amongst which saw the Angolan airline opening a ticket office in Buenos Aires, that some see as being the first step in the opening of a future Luanda - Buenos Aires route.

TAAG Angolan Airlines: Luanda - Dubai
-Effective 10 September 2012

• DT550 LAD2100 – 0800+1DXB 772 135
• DT551 DXB1020 – 1520LAD 772 246

From 28 October 2012, Day 1/2 service operates with Boeing 777-300ER instead of -200ER.

Read More Here [Airline Route]

TAAG Angolan Airlines Africa Network

Meanwhile, ATWOnline reports that chairman and CEO of TAAG, Pimentel Araujo, disclosed that it plans to phase out its last three 737-200s and is considering acquiring either additional 737-700s, of which five are already in service, “or a lighter aircraft for some domestic routes,” he said. In January 2011, the airline retired its fleet of Boeing 747-300s to make way for the first of their Boeing 777-300ERs, of which another three are due for delivery in 2016.

TAAG, in keeping up with international trends, also launched its own Frequent Flyer Programme called the "Umbi Umbi Club" which it will use to build a customer loyalty base.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Business booming at Durban's King Shaka Airport.

After Kwazulu-Natal's aviation sector suffered years of stunted growth due to the old Durban International Airport's infrastructural limitations, it seems its hefty investment is finally paying off: the recent introduction of a Boeing 777-300ER by Emirates on its Dubai - Durban route and South African Express set to make it its hub for expanding into Africa, business is certainly booming at Durban's new King Shaka International Airport (KSIA).

KSIA is now moving to lure bigger carriers from further abroad, and in particular, is looking at a future London service using British Airways. Why British Airways and not South African Airways - the logical choice after all? Well, after last week's dramatic axing of the age old Cape Town - London Heathrow service (which is now routed va Johannesburg) due to viability problems, it seems unlikely that SAA would venture into a future Heathrow - Durbs route. 

Said Mr. Ahmed Bassa, Dube TradePort’s aeronautical executive, at a business breakfast organised by the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry recently:

Emirates SkyCargo 747 at Durban (GVD)

"“London is our biggest market, with approximately 100 000 passengers that travel between the UK and KZN. Besides a connecting flight via Joburg, an increasing number of these passengers currently fly on Emirates via Dubai to the UK.

"We are looking strongly at British Airways to start a route from King Shaka to either London’s Heathrow or Gatwick airports. Virgin Atlantic airlines won’t come into Durban because they are a small airline with just 24 planes that fly on the high-profile routes.” He said that after London, Dubai, with Emirates’ non-stop service, was the next most important market for Durban."

Read More Here [IOL South Africa]

In the 80s, British Airways did serve Durban, albeit with a stopover in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Last year, Comair, British Airways' franchise holder in Southern Africa,  too applied to British Airways to see if Comair’s franchise to carry BA passengers in southern Africa could be extended to a proposed route between Durban and London. Nothing came of it, as BA considered Durban to simply be marginal, warranting only feeder-route status.