► NIGERIA: Air Zimbabwe to start Lagos & Accra in March?

Air Zimbabwe (UM) is to start flights from Harare to Lagos, Nigeria and Accra, Ghana with the first flights due in March 2013 reports out of Zimbabwe state.

■ LIBERIA: Liberian, Ghanaian Civil Aviation Authorities order safety audits of Delta Airlines citing frequent delays.

Liberia's Civil Aviation Authority, along with the Liberian Ministry of Transport, have ordered a safety audit of American airline, Delta Airlines (DL) following a series of flight cancellations and intermittent technical problems. The LCAA has also recommended that Liberian President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and government officials not use the American carrier for travel.

► 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.

■ GHANA: Decision on EgyptAir's deal for 49.9% stake in CTK CiTylinK deferred to 2013.

Egyptian national carrier, Egyptair (MS), is expected to announce in early 2013 a decision on whether it will purchase a 49.9% minority stake-holding in grounded Ghanaian carrier CTK CiTyLinK (CTQ), following the submission of a Due Diligence report by accounting firm, Ernest & Young, last week.

► GHANA: Starbow Airlines gets fourth BAe146 as network expansion beckons.

Ghanaian carrier, Starbow Airlines (S9), on Sunday 16 December 2012, added another BAe146-200 aircraft (MSN: E2059 | 9G-SBD) to its fleet bringing the carrier's total to 4. The added aircraft now makes Starbow the largest Ghana-based airline by fleet size.

■ ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian Airlines shoots down Kenya Airways mega-merger idea as SAA now sets sights on dominating the African market.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) has, for want of a better term, "shot down" a proposal by Kenya Airways' (KQ) outgoing CEO Titus Naikuni regarding a possible mega-merger between Ethiopian, Kenya Airways and South African Airways, as being impractical.

► 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.

► 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.

► 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.     

► TOGO: ASKY Airlines to resume Bangui, Banjul, Pointe Noire from November.

Lomé, Togo based ASKY  Airlines (KP) is to resume flights to Bangui (Central African Republic), Banjul (Gambia) and Pointe Noire (Republic of the Congo) from November onwards.

■ GHANA: Government signs MoU with Chinese firm for feasibility study on new Accra airport near Prampram.

Ghana's Minister of Transport, Alhaji Collins Dauda, yesterday announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the China Airports Construction Corporation (CACC) to undertake a feasibility study for a conceptual design for a new international airport to be situated near Prampram in Dangbe-East District, near Accra.

► 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.

► GHANA: SSNIT to inject USD3million into Africa World Airlines.

Ghana's fifth and newest carrier Africa World Airlines (AW), the joint venture between China's HNA Group, the China-Africa Development Fund, SSNIT (Ghana's Social Security and National Insurance Trust) and SAS Finance Group, which launched its domestic operations between Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi and Tamale on Friday 21 September, received a further shot in the arm on Saturday when the SSNIT revealed it would inject "between three and four million dollars into the new airline."

►► ETHIOPIA: Wishy-washy Ethiopian Airlines attempts to make up its mind with new 787 destination route list.

After at least 3 revisions and constant changes to its intended Boeing 787 Dreamliner launch routes, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) appears to have finally made up its mind and will take the very diplomatic route of flying their 787 to a variety destinations as a means of showcasing their latest aircraft.

Ethiopian's 787 in Seattle (moonm)

► GHANA: EgyptAir confirms deal with CTK CiTylinK; to use Accra as hub.

Confirming our previous report, Egyptair (MS) and foundering Ghanaian carrier CTK CiTylinK Airlines (CTQ) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Headquarters of the Egyptian Ministry of Civil Aviation in Cairo, Egypt which will see "both airlines promoting air transportation expansion in West Africa."

► GHANA: Antrak Air adds second ATR72 to its fleet.

Ghanaian domestic operator Antrak Air (O4) last week took delivery of its second ATR72-200 (MCN: 171 | EC-KAD) from Spain's Swiftair, a month after the airline returned to active service with another Swiftair ATR72, as the Ghanaian airline scene begins to heat up. 

► SIERRA LEONE: Fly540 Ghana to launch Freetown, Abidjan flights from early September; Monrovia, Lagos to follow.

According to Amadeus, Fly540 Ghana (5G) is to venture further into the regional field when it launches flights from its Accra, Ghana hub to Sierra Leone, Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia and Nigeria all in quick succession

Mention is also made of a potential flight to Lomé, Togo in the future.

First to be launched will be Accra, Ghana - Freetown, Sierra Leone and Accra, Ghana - Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire on 3 September 2012,  with Accra, Ghana - Monrovia, Liberia on 18 September 2012 and finally

► GHANA: Egyptair to acquire majority stake in CTK CiTylinK?

Unconfirmed reports out of Ghana claim that Egyptian carrier, Egyptair (MS), having allegedly considered "other options" on the Ghanaian scene, are "in talks" to acquire "about a 50% stake" in the struggling Ghanaian domestic operator CTK CiTylinK Airlines (CTQ).

Of late, CiTylinK Airlines has been going through a very rough patch, having first suspended operations in early August before losing its leased Fokker 100 over unpaid leasing charges shortly after.

"Egypt Air will control 50 percent stake in the airline while majority shareholder, Tei Azu and other local investors will own the rest of the shares. Citi Business News also

► GHANA: (Pics) Africa World Airlines first Embraer ERJ145 finally arrives in Accra.

After a long delivery flight that was routed Tianjin - Changsha - Kunming - Kolkata - Ahmedabad - Abu Dhabi - Djibouti - Entebbe before finally arriving at Accra's Kotoka International Airport at 11.22am today, Ghana's Africa World Airlines (AW) new Embraer ERJ145 (c/n 14500996 | 9G-AET) was greeted with a traditional water cannon salute by the airport's fire department.

► SOUTH AFRICA: SAA looking at Ghana for a potential West Africa hub as biting economic times push Mango to go regional.

In a Q&A session before the South African Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises on Tuesday 28 August 2012, South African Airways (SA) CEO Siza Mzimela gave an overview of SAA's current financial state and outlook in addition to future route developments, critical to the carrier's long term viability.