► SOMALIA: Presidential jet develops engine problems after take off for Juba; returns safely BUT..

A plane, an unconfirmed DC9-10 (MSN 45740 | 5Y-SAX) belonging to Kenya's FlySAX (B5), carrying Somalia’s president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, to Juba, South Sudan was yesterday forced to make an emergency landing at Mogadishu's Aden Adde International Airport after developing engine trouble shortly after takeoff, Radio Mogadishu has reported.

■ KENYA: Regulators grant Kenya Airways/KLM seven-year extension to Unfair Competition exemption.

Kenya Airways (KQ) and 26.73% shareholder, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KL), have been granted a seven-year extension to their Unfair Trade practices exemption by the Competition Authority of Kenya, having applied in February. The moratorium, introduced when KLM acquired a stake in the Kenyan national carrier back in 1996, prevents competitors from accusing them of unfair trade practices. 

■ SOUTH AFRICA: ATNS appoints Thabani Mthiyane as CEO.

South Africa's Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) Board has announced the appointment – with immediate effect – of Mr. Thabani Mthiyane to the position of Chief Executive Officer, following a rigorous and thorough recruitment process and subsequent approval by the Cabinet.

► ZIMBABWE: Air Zimbabwe resumes Vic Falls - Johannesburg from July 12.

Air Zimbabwe (UM) is to tentatively resume its Victoria Falls - Johannesburg flights with effect from July 12. The 3x weekly flights will operate with an Embraer E145. As of this posting however, the flight is not yet open to reservations and further changes to the schedule still remain possible.

► NIGERIA: Arik Air plans A330 London ops from July 12; Johannesburg A340 ops resume from 16 July.

As previously reported, Nigeria's Arik Air (W3) has outlined its initial Airbus A330-200 routes with the carrier's daily Lagos - London Heathrow flight set to switch from the current A340-500, to the A330 from July 12. Additionally, Lagos - Johannesburg will from July 16 see a return of the A340-500, replacing the current equipment, a B737-800.

► UGANDA: Air Uganda eyes future regional, international expansion once East Africa is "conquered".

Air Uganda's (U7) CEO, Mr Cornwell Muleya, has outlined his ambitions for the airline which include plans to expand "beyond the East African market" once all opportunities in the region have been exhausted.

■ CHINA: Sierra Leone Government finalizes $8billion worth of infrastructure projects including new airport for Freetown.

Sierra Leonian president,  Dr Ernest Bai Koroma, finalized a USD300million deal with the China Railway International Company for the construction of a new international airport to serve Freetown during his recent week-long trip to China. The airport forms part of a group of investments totalling USD8billion China is set to make in the impoverished West African state.

► ROMANIA: Ghana's Starbow Airlines awards BAe 146 MRO contract to Aerostar.

Romanian MRO outfit, Aerostar S.A., has won a contract from Starbow Airlines (S9) of Ghana to carry out ‘C’ checks on its fleet of four BAe 146 regional jetliners. The first aircraft, a BAe 146-300 (MSN E3123 | 9G-SBB), arrived at Aerostar’s Bacau facility on May 31 and departed on schedule on 2 July. 

■ NIGERIA: Government to move ahead with planned Aerotropolises in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt.

The Nigerian Government will move ahead with plans to develop aerotropolises (an urban plan in which the layout, infrastructure, and economy is centred around an airport) in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt. Currently the four cities' airports handle the bulk of Nigeria's passenger & cargo traffic.

► ETHIOPIA: Russia in talks to sell Ethiopia 18 Sukhoi Su-30K multirole fighters.

Russian state arms exporter, Rosoboronexport, is reportedly in talks with Ethiopia over the sale of eighteen Sukhoi Su-30K Multirole fighter aircraft. The jets, originally sold to India, were intended to go to Vietnam.

► GREECE: Kenya Airways 777 diverts to Athens following cargo-bay fire warning in mid flight.

A Kenya Airways Boeing 777-200ER (MSN 33683 | 5Y-KQS), operating as flight KQ117 en route from Amsterdam to Nairobi on Saturday July 6, was forced to make an emergency landing in Athens after a cargo-bay fire warning indication alarm sounded in mid flight.

■ EGYPT: Egyptair selects ARINC's AviNet for check-in system.

US-based Aeronautical Radio, Incorporated (ARINC) has announced that EgyptAir (MS) has signed a contract for its AviNet Airport service to support check-in operations using the Amadeus ALTEA Departure Control System (DCS).

■ MAURITIUS: Hitesh Patel appointed CEO of leasors, Veling Ltd.

The Board of Veling Ltd, a Mauritius-based aircraft leasing company, has appointed Hitesh Patel as Chief Executive Officer of the company with effect from the 15 July 2013.

► TUNISIA: Syphax Airlines firms its orders for three A320ceos, three A320neos.

Tunisia's Syphax Airlines (FS), has confirmed its order with Airbus to buy three A320neo and three A320ceo, having signed a Memorandum of Understanding regarding the deal at the recently ended 2013 Paris Air Show.

 

► ITALY: Alitalia mulls Kenya, South Africa resumption from 2014 onwards; more Libyan, Moroccan routes too.

As part of its new 3-year restructuring industrial plan aimed at stemming continued losses, Italian carrier Alitalia (AZ) says it is considering introducing new flights to Morocco and Libya during the course of 2013/2014 with flights to South Africa and Kenya to possibly resume from 2014 on.

► ETHIOPIA: One more 777 for Ethiopian as Gebremariam is upbeat about this year's bottom line.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) has taken delivery of its sixth Boeing 777-200LR (MSN 43814 | ET-AQL) at a ceremony held at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport on July 2. The added aircraft comes at a time when Ethiopian is expecting to post very strong numbers for this year, in spite of the 787 Grounding debacle.

► SOUTH AFRICA: DoT grants fastjet Foreign Operators Permit paving way for Dar - Joburg; no mention of Kigali or Lusaka (yet).

Following on from its previous announcement, fastjet (FN) says it has been issued a Foreign Operator Permit from the South African Department of Transport thereby paving the way for the launch of flights between Dar es Salaam and Johannesburg.

► NIGERIA: Kabo Air takes delivery of its first B747-400 in Kano.

Nigerian Hajj specialist, Kabo Air (N9), recently took delivery of its first B747-400 (MSN 26878 | 5N-MDK) at a ceremony held at its base at Kano Mallam Aminu International Airport.

■ SOMALIA: SKA Group shows commitment to Mogadishu Aden Abdulle International Airport with new generator.

SKA International Group, the Dubai-based logistics firm that was awarded the management contract of Mogadishu's Aden Abdulle International Airport, Mogadishu has announced the addition of a 500KVa generator to the terminal as show of its commitment to the project. Recently, the Somali press has speculated about the firm's future at Aden Abdulle given the awarding of a construction and management contract for a new passenger terminal to Turkish company, Favori LLC.

► NIGERIA: Dana Air to resume Uyo, Calabar in the next few weeks.

Nigerian domestic carrier, Dana Air (9J), will re-launch flight services to Uyo and Calabar "in the coming weeks", Tony Usidamen, head of corporate communications at the airline, has said. Currently, Dana Air serves Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt.