► SOMALIA: Reports claim Somali Airlines to resume operations after a 23 year hiatus.

Uncorroborated reports out of Somalia claim that after nearly 25 years of dormancy, the Somali government has resurrected defunct national carrier, Somali Airlines (HH).

■ TURKEY: First group of Somali ATCOs completes course in Trabzon.

Turkish-Somali relations took yet another step forward last week with the completion of a training course in Trabzon, Turkey by Somali air traffic controllers (ATCOs). Two new controllers, Dahir Mohamed Gure and Mohammed Ali Nur, graduated and will be part of a new compliment of ATCOs bound for Mogadishu where works on a renewed terminal at Aden Adde International are underway.

► SOMALIA: African Express Airways timetable changes for Somalia, Kenya, Yemen, UAE traffic.

Nairobi-based African Express Airways (XU), has adopted numerous changes to its regional & Horn of Africa operations. Most notable are the dropping of Aden (Yemen) - Berbera (Somaliland) - Mogadishu flights, the suspension of Sharjah (UAE) - Berbera - Mogadishu - Wajir - Nairobi flights until June and the introduction of Nairobi - Mogadishu - Wajir flights from early April.

■ SOMALIA: Mogadishu Aden Adde International Airport closed for 2 hours following bomb scare.

Mogadishu's Aden Adde International Airport was temporarily closed today after a vehicle belonging to ground-handling services provider, SKA Logistics, was suspected of carrying explosives.

► SOMALIA: Yemenia and Ethiopian Airlines both looking into starting possible Mogadishu flights.

After recent bilateral trade visits by delegations from Yemen and Ethiopia, both Yemenia (IY) and Ethiopian Airlines (ET) have expressed their desire to start regular flights to the Somali capital, Mogadishu. Currently, Yemenia serves all major cities in the Horn of Africa - Djibouti, Asmara, Addis Ababa, Khartoum and Cairo - excepting Somalia.

► SOMALIA: Turkish Airlines to start flights to Somaliland in June?

Following recent talks held in Turkish capital, Ankara, between Turkish Government officials and a delegation from Somaliland, an unrecognised, self-declared sovereign state that is internationally recognised as an autonomous region of Somalia, flights between Istanbul and Berbera, a port town on the Red Sea, are to begin later this year.

■ SOMALIA: (Pics) Construction of new terminal at Mogadishu's Aden Abdulle International Airport to begin this week.

This week (15 March), Turkish construction firms Çetin Group and Kozuva will begin building the new Turkish sponsored air terminal at Mogadishu's Aden Abdulle International Airport, following the signing of a deal in late January. 

► SOMALIA: Despite ongoing war, Somali domestic airline scene still booming.

As the Somali Federal Government slowly regains territory from the barbaric Al-Qaeda-affiliated savages in Al Shabaab, so life and business are beginning to show signs of revival. Unhampered by any meaningful government regulatory bodies, the country's airlines, too, have begun to exploit the demand for flights into cities such as Kismayo, Beledweyne and Baidoa, formerly no-go areas due to the ongoing civil war.

■ SOMALIA: New Immigration building opened at Mogadishu Aden Adde International Airport.

The new Immigration Department building at Mogadishu's Aden Adde International Airport was officially handed over on Sunday 14, January. Built on behalf of the Somali  Department of Immigration by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the project was funded by the Japanese Government.

► 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.

► KENYA: Freedom Airline Express set to receive second Embraer 120ER Brasilia.

Kenyan air charter and scheduled ops company, Freedom Airline Express Ltd, is set to receive a second Embraer 120ER Brasilia (MSN 247 | 5Y- ?) as it seeks to expand its operations.

► TANZANIA: See Pics of fastjet's inaugural non-commercial flight!

fastjet (FN) yesterday (Tuesday 27 November) celebrated its launch with its inaugural non-commercial flight from Dar es Salaam; a 40-minute round trip over the Indian Ocean above Zanzibar. Note: the carrier's official inaugural revenue flight is scheduled for Thursday 29 November.

► SOMALIA: Ethiopian boosts Berbera capacity from December.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) will, from 1 December 2012, increase its capacity from Addis Ababa to the coastal town of Berbera in Somaliland, Somalia, by operating a Boeing 737-700 on the route 5x weekly. The daily flight is currently operated by a Bombardier Dash 8-Q400 exclusively.

► SOMALIA: Turkish Airlines boosts Djibouti and Mogadishu flights from 2013 on.

Turkish Airlines (TK) will, starting from 26 January 2013, increase its current 2x weekly Boeing 737-800 operated  Istanbul – Djibouti – Mogadishu (Somalia) service, to 3x weekly by adding a Saturday flight to the roster.

► KENYA: See Pics of 748 Air Service's Bombardier Dash 8!

Nairobi-based air charter specialists 748 Air Services (SVT) is set to receive its first Bombardier Dash 8-400 (MCN: 4013 | 5Y-SMJ) from Amsterdam, Holland where it has just received its paint-job in 748's livery.

► DJIBOUTI: Turkish Airlines to serve Mogadishu via Djibouti from September.

It seems hardly a week goes by that Turkish carrier Turkish Airlines (TK) doesn't announce a new African destination. This time round, the new African route to be served will be Djibouti, with a tag on leg to Mogadishu, Somalia, which was previously serviced via Khartoum, Sudan. 

Turkish Airlines Africa Network

The 2x weekly flights are scheduled to begin 4 September 2012 with an Airbus A320 and, it should be noted, Turkish Airlines has also been given 5th Freedom rights to ferry passengers on the Djibouti - Somalia sector of the flight.

Turkish Airlines: Istanbul – Djibouti – Mogadishu, Somalia

- Effective 4 September 2012

• TK686 IST2325 – 0440+1JIB0530+1 – 0705+1MGQ 320 24
• TK687 MGQ0830 – 1005JIB1055 – 1600IST 320 35

Source [Airline Route]

► SOMALIA: Government 'planning' to restart Somali Airlines.

The Somali Government on Saturday outlined possible plans to resurrect defunct Somali national carrier Somali Airlines (HH), more than 20 years after it collapsed.  Since then, the vacuum left has been filled by  several private airlines, amongst which are Jubba Airways, Daallo Airlines and Puntair.

► SOMALIA: Ethiopian to start Berbera from July; delays Hargeisa service.

Press reports out of Somaliland state that Ethiopian Airlines (ET) is to commence a daily Q400 service from the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, to the city of Berbera, on the Somaliland Red Sea coast, effective 1 July 2012. There will be 3 morning and 4 afternoon flights.

Originally built with Soviet aid, Berbera Airport got a new departures terminal in 2010 at a cost of USD$110'000.

Berbera Airport, (Somaliland) Somalia (Mitya Aleshkovsky)

Meanwhile, in another Somali-related development, Ethiopian has had to postpone indefinitely, its Addis Ababa - Hargeisa, Somaliland originally planned to start on 10 June 2012, due to the ongoing renovation of the runway there, started on 27 May 2012. The wait, however, could be prolonged, as there are allegations of incompetence and poor workmanship on behalf of the Chinese contractors 'China Hono Group'.

The closure of Hargeisa's Airport has forced people to use Berbera Airport, 160kms away, which is the most likely mitigating factor in Ethiopian's decision to open the Addis Ababa - Berbera route.

"The resumption of flights to Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, scheduled for June 10, 2012 has been differed as renovation of runway at Hargeisa airport has not been completed. Once the renovation at Hargeisa airport is completed, Ethiopian plans to start flights immediately."

Read More Here [TigraiOnline]

► SOMALIA: Ethiopian to restart Hargeisa - Addis Ababa from June.

After the suspension of flights from Addis Ababa to Hargeisa, Somaliland (Somalia) in November 2008, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) has announced the resumption of a daily service effective 10 June 2012, using its Q400 aircraft, with three morning and four afternoon flights.

Ethiopian Airlines Q400

Since the suspension of Ethiopian Airlines flights to Hargeisa in November 2008, travellers between Addis Ababa and Hargeisa have been using bus services operating from Addis Ababa to Jijiga and from Jijiga to Hargeisa.

The resumption of Hargeisa flights follows the opening of a new terminal at Hargeisa Airport.

► SOMALIA: Jubba Airways leases B737 from Air Bishkek.

Somali-based airline Jubba Airways (6J) has wet leased a Boeing 737-300 (MSN# 27521) from Kyrgyzstani airline, Air Bishkek.

Boeing 737-300 MSN 27521 (Colin Parker)

This comes after the crash of one of Jubba Airways' Antonov AN-24s in Galkayo, Somalia some 10 days ago.

Presently, Jubba Airways serves Mogadishu, Berbera, Hargeisa, Bosaso, Galkayo, Dubai, Jeddah, Djibouti and Nairobi.