► ITALY: Tunisair set for Bologna flights from April 2013.

Tunisian national carrier, Tunisair (TU), will from 1 April 2013 relaunch its Tunis – Bologna service, offering thrice weekly flights with Airbus A319/320 aircraft. The carrier last operated this route in July 1989 using a once weekly Boeing 727.

►► 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.

► KENYA: Italy's Livingston Compagnia Aerea announces Kenya, Zanzibar, Mauritius for Winter 2012/2013.

Italy's Livingston Compagnia Aerea (JN), successor to the now defunct Italian airlines Livingston Energy Flight and Windjet (IV), has outlined plans for its proposed Winter 2012/2013 network.

► ITALY: Algeria's Tassili Airlines launches Hassi Messaoud to Rome-Fiumicino service.

Algeria's Tassili Airlines (SF), last week, launched once weekly direct flights between Hassi Messaoud in south-east Algeria, and Rome Fiumicino, Italy using a Boeing 737-800. This new route marks Tassili's first foray into the regional market, having been an exclusively domestic Algerian charter operator until now.

► ITALY: Ethiopian Airlines resumes Milan Malpensa via Rome-Fiumicino.

Since 10 September, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) has resumed operating its daily Addis Ababa - Milan Malpensa flight via Rome, Fiumicino; a route it last operated up until 31 May of this year.

Previously Milan was routed via Brussels with Rome being an intermediate stop on the Stockholm, Sweden flight.

► GERMANY: Eritrean Airlines drops Frankfurt 6 months after its inaugural flight.

Eritrean Airlines (B8), the Eritrean national carrier, has announced that effective 1 October 2012, it will drop Frankfurt, Germany from its route network. The route is currently serviced once weekly via Rome, Italy using an Airbus A319, down from its original 3x weekly frequency when the route was inaugurated in April.

► ITALY: Air Arabia Maroc to start Marrakech - Milan from October.

Air Arabia Maroc (3O), the LCC joint venture between various Moroccan investors and Air Arabia (G9), is to start a once (1x) weekly Sunday service between Marrakech, Morocco and Milan (Bergamo), Italy effective 28 October 2012. The flight will operate with an Airbus A320.

► SEYCHELLES: Blue Panorama to axe Mahé flights?

Italian private airline Blue Panorama Airlines (BV), which operates scheduled and charter flights to various global destinations, is to drop its Italy-Seychelles flights from "mid September" onwards, citing poor loads and passenger numbers, as the Italian economy continues to reel amid the ongoing Eurozone crisis.

Blue Panorama Boeing 767 in Mahè, Seychelles (Okke Behm)

The seasonal charter flights presently operate from Milan-Malpensa and Rome-Fiumicino.

"The tourist board and private sector have to talk to the travel agents and the tour operators to accept the situation and start using for instance Etihad and then connect from Abu Dhabi with Air Seychelles to Mahe. The alternative is to use Qatar Airways or Emirates to come here"

Source [WolfgangThome's Blog]

Italian Tourist Arrivals in Seychelles (NSB)

After Air Seychelles dropped its European routes in January of this year, Blue Panorama moved to fill the void left. However, the departure of Blue Panorama itself would mean there are no longer any direct flights between the Seychelles and Italy - historically a strong source of tourists for the islands.

No official confirmation from Blue Panorama itself has been heard as of publishing.

[UPDATE 31 AUGUST 2012] Amadeus lists the last flight out of Milan Malpensa as leaving on 3 September 2012, with the last flight leaving the Seychelles on 5 September 2012.

► ITALY: Alitalia announces operational changes to Africa network.

Italian carrier Alitalia (AZ) has announced operational changes to its Africa network, effective Summer (Europe) 2012.

► KENYA: Kenya Airways drops Rome route effective immediately.

In a some what sudden development, Kenya Airways (KQ) has announced the immediate cancellation (i.e as of 4 June 2012) of its 3x weekly service from Nairobi to Rome, Italy.

A Kenya Airways B737-700 in Rome in April (Aldo Bidini)

In March, the airline temporarily suspended the service citing low passenger loads, but then resumed it using a Boeing 737-700, a downgrade capacity-wise from its original Boeing 767-300.

► ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian starts Toronto from July 2012.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) has announced a twice weekly service from Addis Ababa to Toronto, Canada starting 16 July 2012 using its Boeing 777-200LR. the westerly leg will have a fuel stop at Rome, Italy.

Ethiopian Airlines 777 at Washington DC

Ethiopian Airlines: Addis Ababa - Toronto

• ET502 ADD2230 – 0340+1FCO0440+1 – 0740+1YYZ 77L 15
• ET503 YYZ1015 – 0715+1ADD 77L 26

Read More Here [AirlineRoute]

► TUNISIA: Tunisair increases frequencies to Tripoli & Venice; Starts Moscow.

In signs that the tourism industry in Tunisia is slowly recovering following the events of 2011's Arab Spring, Tunisair (TU) has announced increases in flights frequencies between Tunis and Venice (from 3 to 4 weekly flights) with the addition of an extra Monday morning flight.