► ZAMBIA: Air Namibia acquires 5th Freedom rights to Lusaka - Harare vv. sector from May 1.

Air Namibia (SW) is set to enter the ever competitive Lusaka - Harare market through the granting of 5th freedom rights on the route effective May 1. The schedule is as follows:

►► Happy Birthday to us - The African Aviation Tribune celebrates one year online! ◄◄

Dear All,

Today marks The African Aviation Tribune's first birthday; with nearly 1'500 posts now down in the database, she has come a long way since the very early days when it was simply a matter of cutting and pasting news articles. In terms of readers, in the 12 months The Tribune has been online, we have now developed a strong following in the African airline industry with industry professionals from airlines, MROs and aircraft lessors amongst others forming the crux of our readership.

■ DJIBOUTI: Ethiopian Airlines signs MoU with Djibouti Ambouli International Airport to aide trade facilitation.

Ethiopian Airlines has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport regarding the transport of goods using both  sea-air and air-sea means throughout the Horn of Africa. 

► SEYCHELLES: South African Airways, Air Seychelles sign codeshare deal.

Air Seychelles (HM), the national airline of the Republic of Seychelles, today announced that it has entered into a codeshare agreement with South African Airways (SAA), the national airline of the Republic of South Africa. The first phase of the agreement will see South African Airways place its “SA” code on Air Seychelles’ non-stop flights between Johannesburg and Seychelles. South African Airways will also place its code on flights between the two largest islands of Seychelles, Mahé and Praslin, subject to approvals.

■ 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.

■ KENYA: Siginon Aviation's new $10million cargo facility at Nairobi JKIA on track for September opening.

Siginon Aviation says its planned USD10million new cargo facility at Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is on track for a tentative September 2013 launch. The facility will become JKIA's sixth and will add to its current processing capacity of 200'000 tonnes of cargo annually.

► FRANCE: See Pics of Libyan Airlines' first A330 due for delivery next month!

Libyan Airlines (LN) is set to take delivery of its first of two Airbus A330-200 (MCN 1412 | 5A-LAR) due in the coming weeks. The order is part of a larger deal for four of the aircraft of which the other two are due in Libya in May 2014.

► SOUTH AFRICA: Solenta Aviation takes delivery of its fourth Embraer ERJ145 - now available for charters.

South African aircraft lease and charter specialist, Solenta Aviation, has taken delivery of its fourth Embraer ERJ145LR with the aircraft now available for ACMI or full charter leasing in Africa and the Middle East. With its other three ERJ145s contracted to dedicated Oil clients, Solenta sees the addition of the fourth "as a strategic advantage over our competitors, enabling them to launch the aircraft on charters or long term lease without delay."

■ SOUTH AFRICA: ExecuJet extends Cape Town MRO capabilities to include Q300 support.

ExecuJet Africa, part of the ExecuJet Aviation Group, is expanding the support capabilities at its Cape Town International Airport facility to cover the Bombardier Dash 8-Q300 aircraft, due to growing demand in the region.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: 1Time liquidation to be brought forward as deal with fastjet now more and more unlikely

On the back of  news that fastjet (FN) has entered into a partnership with South African investment firm Blockbuster and Federal Air (7V) with flights to Johannesburg and Cape Town set to start in late May, 1Time's liquidator says he has applied to have the proposed total liquidation date of the airline brought forward.

■ KENYA: Kenya Airways releases its Operations Report for Q4 2012/2013 (January - March).

Kenya Airways (KQ) has released its Operations Report for the Fourth Quarter of 2012/2013; January 1 to 31st March 2013.

■ ZIMBABWE: Government to open up airport services sector through proposed unbundling of CAAZ.

Various airport services in Zimbabwe could soon be opened up to other players following reports from Harare that the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe is to be unbundled into two separate entities in line with the country's National Transport Policy.

► LIBYA: Afriqiyah eyeing more West African flight resumptions "in due course".

Libyan carrier, Afriqiyah (8U), is set to relaunch flights to West Africa in the coming weeks as the carrier seeks to re-establish its former Sub-Saharan network, suspended following the fall of Muammur Gaddhafi's regime.

► 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

► KENYA: fastjet, Don Smith agree to kiss and makeup.

Tanzanian LCC, fastjet (FN), has announced that it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Don Smith, CEO of FiveForty Aviation Limited which trades in Kenya as Fly540, thereby paving the way forward for the two to end a long standing legal battle over payment and licensing agreements in Africa.

► ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian secures lease with ALC for two 777-300ERs due to arrive in mid-2015.

Los Angeles-based Air Lease Corporation has announced the signing of a 12-year lease agreement with Ethiopian Airlines (ET) for two new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. The aircraft are scheduled for delivery in May and June 2015.

► RWANDA: RwandAir signs up for one dual-class Bombardier Q400NG.

Fresh from their latest fleet upgrade, Rwandan national carrier, RwandAir (WB), has announced the signing of a firm purchase agreement with Canada's Bombardier Aerospace for one Q400 NextGen turboprop airliner. The Q400 will be used to replace the airline's current older Dash8-200 used to ply domestic and close regional routes.

► EQUATORIAL GUINEA: (Pics) Punto Azul's first ERJ145 touches down in Malabo - domestic ops to follow.

The first Embraer ERJ145 (MSN 145244 | PR-PSQ) to be operated by National Airways Corporation on behalf of Equato-guinean carrier Punto Azul (ZR), has touched down in Malabo.