► ALGERIA: Air Algérie details its planned Joburg, Sao Paulo and Amsterdam flights.

Algerian national carrier, Air Algérie (AH), has hinted at possible dates for its planned new routes to Johannesburg, Amsterdam and Sao Paulo. The new destinations are part of the airline's reorientation plans which will see it transform Algiers into an international hub. 

■ SOUTH AFRICA: NAC acquires South Africa's Piper dealership, Placo.

South Africa's National Airways Corporation (NAC) has announced the acquisition of 100% of the shares held in Placo, South Africa's Piper dealership, from Jeffery A Earle and Laurence M Nestadt.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: ACSA appoints new Managing Director and Financial Director.

Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has announced that Mr Bongani Maseko and Ms Maureen Manyama-Matome have been appointed Managing Director and Financial Director, respectively. Cabinet approved the appointment of Mr Maseko on Wednesday, 15 May 2013. 

►► ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian expecting "pleasant surprise" from Boeing in Addis next week; plans Dubai as first 787 destination from 25 April.

[UPDATE 17 MAY] Believing Boeing will have a "pleasant surprise" in store for the global aviation community next week, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) has tentatively scheduled its Boeing 787-8s to resume operations from April 25 with Dubai lined up as the Dreamliner's first potential destination.

► SOUTH AFRICA: SAA to finally take delivery of its long deferred A320 order beginning Q3.

South African Airways (SA) will at last, begin taking delivery of twenty Airbus A320s in the next quarter (i.e.. July - September), South African Minister of Public Enterprises, Malusi Gigaba, has said. The order has been repeatedly deferred owing to SAA's ongoing financial woes.

► UNITED KINGDOM: SAA to introduce the A340-600 on Heathrow flights from August.

South African Airways (SA), from 01AUG13, is to increase capacity on it's Johannesburg – London Heathrow route, with 1 of its 2 daily flights scheduled to be operated by Airbus A340-600 aircraft on a daily basis.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: SAA to source $160million from local banks as means of shoring up capital for the interim.

Having recently postponed its planned USD160million (ZAR1.5 billion) bond sale originally slated for March, South African Airways (SA) has decided to borrow the ZAR1.5billion from two local banks, claimed to be Rand Merchant Bank and Investec as a means of keeping operations going while cabinet considers the carrier's strategic turnaround plan #9.

► SOUTH AFRICA: FederalAir reiterates that it's tie-up with fastjet is above board following allegations of fronting

South Africa's, Federal Air (7V), the airline slated to become fastjet South Africa's new partner, has issued a statement reiterating that it's deal with the United Kingdom-based Tanzanian LCC is fully compliant with South Africa's Air Services Licensing Act, 1993. The move comes after members of South Africa's aviation community expressed doubts as to who was really running the operation and calling the shots.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: SACAA threatens action against operator of chartered Jet Airways A330 that landed at military airbase.

The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) is considering taking action against "the operator" of a Jet Airways (9W) Airbus A330, recently chartered by South African businessman, Atul Gupta on the occasion of a family wedding, for violation of the country's Civil Aviation Regulations. The furore reportedly comes after the civilian Airbus was spotted at Pretoria's Watekloof Air Force Base, a military installation, but which has subsequently been transferred to OR Tambo International on the orders of the Ministry of Defence.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Ekurhuleni to finalize plans for Aerotropolis project at Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport during May.

Following the recently ended Global Airport Cities 2013 conference in South Africa, the city of Ekurhuleni has announced plans to finalize its previously announced 30-year aerotropolis master plan for Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport during the course of May. 

► UNITED KINGDOM: British Airways' proposed Entebbe, Johannesburg schedule for NW2013/14.

As per the 01MAY13 GDS timetable/inventory display, latest changes to British Airways' (BA) proposed Winter 2013/14 Africa Long-Haul operations are as follows

► ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian plans changes to Johannesburg, Toronto from May/June.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) is planning to deploy its B777-200LRs on its daily Johannesburg route effective 05MAY, replacing its current B767-300ER service, and as from 19JUN, a third weekly Addis Ababa - Toronto flight will be introduced using a B787-8.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: fastjet appoints Kyle Haywood as head of its new South African operation.

Fresh from announcing its new planned South African market-entry, Tanzanian-based LCC fastjet (FN) has revealed Kyle Haywood as the head of the airline's new South African venture with partner, Blockbuster, now known as "fastjet Holdings."

 

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Forensic audit reveals $20million loss for SA Express in FY 2010/2011.

Following a long, painstaking forensic audit, South African Express (SA Express) (XZ) has finally released its 2010/2011 Financial Year results posting a USD20.6million (ZAR187million) loss.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: SAA delays début bond issuance; warns it will play hardball with Airbus and Boeing in future fleet renewal talks.

South African Airways (SA) is to delay its début USD160million (ZAR1.5 billion) bond sale, originally slated for March, until its chief financier and backer, the South African government, approves the airline’s recently submitted turnaround plan. The turnaround plan will also play a pivotal part in deciding the airline's long term fleet acquisition plans; a bone of serious contention in the recent past.

► RWANDA: Rwandair announces further changes to its Summer 2013 schedule.

AirlineRoute reports that as per the 23APR13 GDS timetable and inventory display, Rwandan national carrier, Rwandair (WB), will further revise its planned operation for Summer 2013 season, effective 01JUN13. 

■ CONGO (KINSHASA): Lubumbashi Airport to close 3 days a week from May to October as RVA finally upgrades crumbling infrastructure.

Lubumbashi International Airport (also known as Luano International Airport) is to be closed for three days a week between May and October 2013 due to maintenance and upgrading works being done to the airport terminal and runway 07/25.

► SOUTH AFRICA: fastjet to enter South African market under JV with local investment firm; to use FedAir's AOC.

As previously speculated in this post, Tanzanian LCC, fastjet (FN), has indeed struck a deal with South African investment firm, Blockbuster, in which flights between Johannesburg and Cape Town will be operated under Federal Air's (7V) AOC. If all regulatory approval is obtained, flights should début from May 31

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Government planning to merge SAA, Mango, SA Express into one holding company?

South African Airways (SA) and its subsidiaries, Low Cost Carrier Mango (JE), SA Express (XZ) (and possibly SA Airlink (4Z) though no mention is made of it) could be merged into a single holding company according to a leaked SAA communique.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Gigaba confirms Monwabisi Kalawe as new SAA boss.

Ending weeks of media speculation, South African Airways (SA) has confirmed Monwabisi Kalawe as the new CEO of the airline, replacing interim CEO and Mango boss, Nico Bezuidenhout.