► CHAD: Saudia Cargo boosts frequencies to Ndjamena, Lagos.

Saudi Airlines cargo division, Saudia Cargo (SV), has further strengthened its business relationship with Fast Forward Cargo in the UAE by increasing its frequencies to West Africa from Dubai World Central. Under an agreement signed by both parties, the new partnership will operate what is equivalent to 175 combined B747 flights between the UAE and West Africa, connecting mainly to Lagos in Nigeria and N’Djamena in Chad via Saudia Cargo’s hubs in Riyadh and Jeddah.

► MAURITIUS: (Pics) Emirates A380 lands in Mauritius to mark Independence Day.

Emirates (EK) today operated a one-off service of its flagship Airbus A380 to Mauritius on the occasion of the island’s 45th anniversary of independence. Flight EK701 from Dubai touched down at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport at approximately 09h40L.

► ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian Airlines extends 787 cancellations until late April.

AirlineRoute reports that, as per the 08MAR13 GDS timetable and inventory display, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) is to extend its Boeing 787 service cancellations until 30APR13 inclusive. Due to aircraft redeployment, a number of routes will also see aircraft changes, scheduled to be in effect until mid-June 2013.

► CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE): Launch of Air CEMAC delayed once more; this time until late 2013.

As prognosticated by The African Aviation Tribune in November 2012, Air CEMAC, the planned regional carrier to link Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Congo (Brazzaville), Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Chad and São Tomé & Príncipe, has indeed been forced to delay its intended January 2013 launch date, this time, to November/December 2013.

► KENYA: Cargo outfit Coyne Airways expands to 30 destinations throughout Africa.

London-based cargo outfit Coyne Airways (7C) has launched what it terms "customer-focused services" to over 30 destinations across Africa, routed through three of the Continent’s main hubs - Lagos, Nairobi and Johannesburg.

► ERITREA: Eritrean Airlines signs deal with Sudan Airways; looks to expand into West Africa.

Eritrean Airlines (B8), has signed a deal with Sudanese national carrier, Sudan Airways (SD), that will result in the Eritrean national carrier,operating various flights on behalf of Sudan Airways to the UAE and South Sudan. Eritrean is also looking to boost its own international frequencies to Dubai, Sudan, Saudi Arabia and Italy with West African flights also in the pipeline.

► SOUTH SUDAN: flydubai to start Dubai - Juba from late April.

flydubai (FZ), the Dubai based LCC, has announced operations to Juba, the capital city of South Sudan. Commencing 21 April 2013, flights will operate 4x a week on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays using a Boeing 737-800 between Dubai Terminal 2 and Juba Airport.

► ZAMBIA: Emirates looking to start direct Livingstone flights for duration of UNWTO.

In preparation for the upcoming XXth United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) General Assembly to be held in Victoria Falls in August this year, Emirates (EK) has applied to the Zambian Department of Civil Aviation for traffic rights to serve Livingstone directly.

►► KENYA: Kenya Airways to adjust Thailand, China, India, Dubai, Hong Kong ops from late March.

[UPDATE 14 FEBRUARY] AirlineRoute reports that as per the 06FEB13 GDS timetable and inventory display, Kenya Airways (KQ) is to adjust its operations to Thailand, China, India, Dubai, and Hong Kong.

► DUBAI: RwandAir resumes Mombasa - Dubai, reduces Bujumbura frequencies from February.

Rwandair (WB) has announced the resumption of its 5th freedom flights between Mombasa (Kenya) and Dubai with3x weekly flights effective 02FEB13. Additionally, the carrier will from 01FEB13 reduce its current service to the Burundian capital, Bujumbura, from 3x to 2x daily flights, following the suspension of flights to Mwanza (Tanzania) effective 31JAN13.

► TANZANIA: Emirates boosts capacity to Dar es Salaam from 1 February.

Emirates Airlines (EK) will from 1 February 2013 boost its capacity to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania via the introduction of a daily Boeing 777-300ER. Presently, the flight operates with an A340-500.

► MAURITIUS: Emirates to operate one off A380 flight on 12 March.

Emirates (EK) today announced it will operate a one-off Airbus A380 service to Port Louis, Mauritius on 12 March to mark the occasion of the 45th Anniversary of Mauritius' independence from Britain.

► LIBYA: Royal Jordanian boosts Tripoli, Misrata as Libyan Airlines looks to start Sebha - Casablanca, Benghazi - Dubai.

Royal Jordanian (RJ) will, starting February 2013, increase its operations to Libya, where its overall operation from Amman to Misurata will increase from 1x to 2x weekly from  6 February 2013, while Amman – Tripoli increases from daily to 10x weekly from  9 February 2013. Meanwhile, Libyan Airlines (LN) is to start additional ops to Morocco and Dubai in the coming weeks.

► SOMALIA: Daallo Airlines set to start Dubai - Burao via Berbera.

Daallo Airlines (D3), the Dubai-based national carrier of Djibouti, are to add another route to their network with the launch of Burao - Berbera - Dubai. Burao and Berbera are cities in Somaliland, an unrecognised self-declared sovereign state that is internationally recognised as an autonomous region of Somalia.

► ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian announces 787 operational changes for Q1 2013.

Online aviation resource AirlineRoute states that Ethiopian Airlines (ET) is to apply further changes to its planned Boeing 787 operation over the coming three months.

► ALGERIA: Air Algérie in talks to buy 787-8s, 737-800NGs and A330s as international expansion plans move forward.

Algerian carrier, Air Algèrie (AH), in an announcement via its official Facebook page, is to forge ahead with the first stage of its previously announced renewal plan with the carrier said to be negotiating a deal for the purchase of an undisclosed number of Boeing 787-800s, that it hopes to "make concrete very soon." Delivery of the first aircraft is scheduled for 2017.

► DUBAI: Afriqiyah to launch 2x weekly Benghazi, Tripoli - Dubai flights from 20 December.

According to their official Twitter account, Libyan airline Afriqiyah (8U) has announced that its inaugural flight to Dubai will operate from both Benghazi and Tripoli twice weekly using an Airbus A330-200.

► RWANDA: RwandAir announces modifications to its NW 2012/2013 schedule.

Rwandair (WB) has implemented various modifications to its operations following the launch of its 2012/13 Northern Winter season schedule on 28 October 2012. 

► ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian announces 787 route changes to Johannesburg & Dubai for December.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) continues to adjust its Boeing 787 operations with changes for the month of December 2012 as follows:

►► LIBYA: Afriqiyah announces Paris, Casablanca, Rome, Khartoum, Dubai from December.

Libyan carrier, Afriqiyah (8U), has announced plans to launch various new routes ex-Tripoli and ex-Benghazi effective 1 December.