The Zambian Government has approved SA Express' (XZ) application to start Durban - Lusaka from July 2012, using a CRJ-200 Regional Jet on a 3x weekly frequency with the possibility of increasing to 6x weekly, given route viability.Read More Here[Daily Mail Zambia]"Company communications manager Lulu Bam, however said dates for the inaugural flight will be announced after all is set.She said the new route is an extremely important market for the airline in view of the vast economic growth adding that, “Lusaka is a fastest growing economy with potential for growth since it has a lot of demand and it is a preferable market for SA companies.” Ms Bam said Harare, Democratic Republic of Congo and Malawi will be considered in the near future."
With construction having begun in 2010, the first part of the renovation of Hargeisa's International Airport is complete, with the opening of the new Arrivals Terminal. Also in the pipeline is the laying down of the foundation for new taxiways and a new runway.
Defunct Zambian airline, Zambezi Airlines, has lost a court battle with Zambia's National Airports Corporation, over premises located at 3 of Zambia's International airports: Kenneth Kaunda (Lusaka), Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula (Livingstone) and Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe (Ndola) airports.
Following the resignation of Rodney James from both his posts as CEO and executive director of South African Low Cost Carrier 1Time (T6) after the airline posted a record USD$18million loss for 2011, new CEO Blacky Komani along with his managerial staff have, since the
last quarter of 2011, adjusted airline scheduling, and
restructured 1time's Jetworx maintenance subsidiary to achieve higher
operational efficiencies."It is continuing with plans to expand its route network into other parts of Africa. Chief executive Blacky Komani said it was considering three new destinations and expected to launch the first of its new services by June. 1Time was preparing to overcome protectionism that had been preventing cross-border services in Africa by forming partnerships with indigenous airlines in the three countries."
South African agents for Eritrean Airlines (B8), AviaReps, reports via Twitter that flights between Asmara and Johannesburg & Cape Town will start on 7th May 2012, with 4x weekly frequencies.
The following destinations have been retained: Paris, London, Nairobi, Johannesburg, Cape Town, St Denis, St Pierre, Antananarivo, Rodrigues, Perth, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai.
The following additional weekly flights have been added:
With effect from April 2012:
- Mumbai + 1 frequency to reach 4 frequencies
With effect from beginning of June 2012:
- Perth + 1 frequency to reach 2 frequencies
With effect from end of October 2012:
- Nairobi + 1 frequency to reach 3 frequencies
- Johannesburg + up to 7 frequencies to reach up to 14 frequencies
- Cape Town + 1 frequency to reach 3 frequencies Antananarivo + 2 frequencies to reach 6 frequencies
- Kuala Lumpur 3 nonstop frequencies
It seems years of mismanagement, poor planning and lack of customer service have once again come back to haunt Zimbabwe's national carrier Air Zimbabwe (UM), as reports state that the airline carried just 3 passengers between Harare and Bulawayo on its first day back in the air, after an hiatus of nearly 3 months."State Enterprises Minister Gorden Moyo confirmed the flight, but said he was surprised the airline had resumed operations when the government is still looking for an investor to partner the company, saddled with a $140 million debt.
The airline’s Boeing 737-600(sic), with a capacity of 126 passengers, left Bulawayo with only three people on board. Air Zimbabwe is planning to have three flights a week between Harare, Victoria Falls and Bulawayo.
Moyo cautioned the move may backfire as the national airline does not yet have the capacity to embark on such operations due to lack of funds and a crippling debt. "
"While an application to place Air Zimbabwe under judicial management over debts to the tune of $140 million was pending, the workers picked up information that there was Government communication directing the company’s group chief executive to transfer the shares to a Government nominee firm.Read More Here [The Herald]
That did not go down well with the workers who felt the move was meant to strip Air Zimbabwe of its assets and frustrate the pending court application. Air Zimbabwe owes the workers $35 million and other creditors over $100 million.
Transport, Communication and Infrastructure Development Permanent Secretary Mr Patson Mbiriri wrote the letter on March 26 this year advising the firm to transfer the shares. Part of the letter read: “Pursuant to the Cabinet decision of Air Zimbabwe Holding Private Limited dated 28 February 2012, Air Zimbabwe Holdings should immediately transfer its shareholding in National Handling Services to a nominee company wholly owned by the Government, which nominee company will hold Government shares in NHS."
But democracy activists have criticised the project and its apparently bottomless budget.
"We are spending hundreds of millions on an airport we do not need and cannot afford to run," said Musa Hlophe, from the Swaziland Coalition of Concerned Civic Organisations. He lamented the lack of investment in job creation in a country in which 67% of the population lives in poverty and 40% is out of work.
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| King Mswati III of Swaziland. |
Read More Here [M&G]"The investigation also strongly suggests that the price of the refitted aircraft is likely to have been much higher than the maximum $2-million estimated by experts last week. One knowledgeable plane-spotter believed it could have cost up to $20-million (R157-million).
Mswati's MD-87 in Johannesburg (JSymons)
The MD-87's earlier history is also tinged by controversy. It appears to have been sold to the Grandmax Group, a company registered in the British Virgin Islands and owned and controlled by Nina Tantiprasongchai.
Nina is the wife of Udom Tantiprasongchai, who runs Thailand's low-cost Orient Thai airline. Controversial for its safety record, Orient Thai's One-Two-Go OG269 crashed in Phuket, Thailand on September 16 2007, killing 88 passengers.
Online registration records show that in early December 2007, the aircraft was ferried from Tokyo to Hong Kong to Bangkok.
Grandmax appears to have been an intermediary, because the same records show that the aircraft was bought by Aircraft & Engine Support LLC on February 19 2008."
Mauritius – Antananarivo Service increases from 4 to 6 weekly, with operational aircraft changes
Service until 27OCT12 operates 4 weekly with A340-300
- MK288 MRU1435 – 1515TNR 343 247
- MK288 MRU1435 – 1530TNR 319 135
- MK289 TNR1655 – 1940MRU 343 247
- MK289 TNR1700 – 1940MRU 319 135
Mauritius – Nairobi Service increases from 2 weekly to 3 weekly
- MK534 MRU0855 – 1215NBO 319 246
- MK535 NBO1305 – 1820MRU 319 246
Amsterdam – Kilimanjaro – Dar es Salaam – Amsterdam
Amsterdam – Lagos
- 17MAY12 – 31MAY12 Increase from 6 weekly to Daily, A330-200 operating
- 01JUN12 – 30JUN12 Airbus A330-300 replaces A330-200, Daily
- 01JUL12 – 31JUL12 Boeing 777-200ER operates Daily
- 01AUG12 – 27OCT12 Boeing 777-300ER replaces -200ER on Day x245
- 28MAY12 – 30JUN12 Airbus A330-200 replaces -300, daily operation
Amsterdam – Abuja – Kano – Amsterdam
- 3 weekly service cancelled from 03JUN12
Amsterdam – Cairo
- Service reduced from daily to 3 weekly, 777-200ER operating
Amsterdam – Khartoum – Addis Ababa eff 18MAY12
- Operational Day change from Day 2 4 6 to Day 2 5 7
Amsterdam – Lusaka eff 15MAY12
- Service resumption with A330-200, 3 times a week
Since April 1st 2012, Air Arabia Maroc (3O) has been operating a weekly Nador – Palma Mallorca service on a scheduled charter basis, that is planned to operate until March 2013, using an Airbus A320.
Karinou Airlines (KRN), formerly Africa Airlines, a new start from The
Central African Republic (CAR), has commenced operations using a Boeing 737-200 acquired from an undisclosed Lebanese operator. the carrier currently serves Carnot, Berberati, Bambari, Bria with plans to start international operations soon.
German charter company, Condor (DE), has announced a new weekly service each to Ilha do Sal and Boa Vista (Cape Verde Island). Both flights will operate via Banjul, Gambia on the inbound sector with effect from from Winter 2012/13.
Starbow Airlines (S9), a Ghanaian airline that commenced operations in 2011, has announced the lease of a BAe146-300 from Fair Aviation of Lanseria Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Read More Here [The Monitor, Uganda]“We have been growing and expect to sustain this growth. Air transport does not work in isolation. It facilities the economy and in turn, the economy facilities it. Provided the indicators of growth are still present and bearing results in our economy, Aviation will also keep growing,” Mr Igunduura said.
"The Civil Aviation Authority has a five-year strategic plan to expand Entebbe Airport that includes remodelling the car parking lot to a multi-levelled one, and double the aeroplane hangars from the current 11 to 22. It is also planning for a second runway to accommodate bigger planes like those owned by Qatar and Emirates Airways."
As previously reported in this post, Air Tanzania (TC) is to lease a B737-500 from AeroVista, an aircraft leasing outfit based in Dubai and Georgia.
Angolan outfit AirJet, based in Luanda, has announced it is adding an ex-Angola Air Services Jetstream 41 aircraft to its current fleet of four Embraer-120s.
"Having introduced two extra weekly flights on the Doha – Cairo route last month to take frequency up to 11 each week, capacity will be stepped up further next month with the addition of one extra flight a week.
Read More Here [Qatar Airways]And in Africa, more capacity will be introduced on the double daily Doha – Dar es Salaam route from next month. With seven services operating via Nairobi, these will become non-stop to Dar es Salaam effectively providing more seats direct to the Tanzanian capital."
Proflight Zambia (P0), the domestic Zambian carrier with aspirations to start regional services to both Harare and Lubumbashi, has welcomed efforts by the Zambian government to help remove the airline from the European Union's Banned Operators List, a move that will help the airline shake off the stigma of being 'unsafe', a label that has damaged the airline's image amongst foreign tourists in particular.
It never rains but it pours for ailing Zimbabwean national carrier, Air Zimbabwe (UM). One week, there are reports of its imminent demise and cessation of operations, the next, it pulls a Lazarus and is magically resurrected.
