► EGYPT: Egyptair Express mulls fleet renewal before expanding into Africa.

Following on from the events of last year's Arab Spring and consequently a very difficult financially 2011 whereby the airline's profits took a 75% plunge, Egyptair (MS) has decided to reorganize its fleet and route operations by offloading several of its "thinner" African routes to its subsidiary Egyptair Express (MSE).

Egyptair Express Embraer E-170LR

Possible routes to be moved to Egyptair Express are Cairo to: Khartoum, Sudan, Asmara, Eritrea and Juba, South Sudan all which are presently served by the Boeing 737-500, whose capacity appears to have come in under Egyptair's proposed policy of maintaining only 140+ seater aircraft in its main fleet. In the interests of fleet renewal and of finding suitable aircraft for these new routes, Egyptair is considering the Embraer E-190 or Bombardier CSeries.

"It has also used Embraer aircraft to increase frequencies. Following the sharp drop in passenger numbers after the Egyptian revolution in early 2011, it moved some strategic short-haul routes to the E-170LR fleet to maintain frequencies and transferred non-strategic short-haul routes to the Brazilian aircraft to preserve market presence."

Read More Here [ATW]

Presently,  EgyptAir Express operates 12 Embraer E-170LRs to destinations in Egypt, Greece, Hungary, Lebanon, Malta and Saudi Arabia.

► SOUTH AFRICA: SAA axes Cape Town - Heathrow; boosts Accra & Mumbai.

South African Airways (SA) will drop its iconic daily Cape Town - London Heathrow service with effect from 15 August 2012. The airline cited low yields on the route as its main cause for dropping the route. In the last 3 years, the annual number of tourists using London as a final destination or as a transitory airport has declined.

► LIBYA: Afriqiyah launches Amman flights; most 8U 771 families compensated.

Libyan airline, Afriqiyah (8U), has expanded its renewed network to now include flights between both Tripoli and Benghazi, Libya and Amman, Jordan using an Airbus A320.

► MOZAMBIQUE: LAM likely to restart Maputo - Harare from October 2012.

Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique, better known as LAM Mozambique Airlines (TM), is to tentatively re-establish twice weekly flights on Wednesday and Sunday to Harare from Maputo via Beira using its DHC-8-400, with effect from 27 October 2012, though the reports are unconfirmed as yet.

LAM Mozambique Q400 (Peter Tonna)

The airline last served Harare in the early 2000s, but then dropped the service due to the downturn in the Zimbabwean economy.

LAM Mozambique Airlines: Maputo, Mozambique - Beira, Mozambique - Harare, Zimbabwe
-Effective 27 October 2012

• TM342 MPM 0935 - 1110 BEW 1140 - 1230 HRE DH4 | 37
• TM343 HRE 1330 - 1420 BEW 1450 - 1625 MPM DH4 | 37

Source [Amadeus]

► CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE): EC Air to start Brazzaville - Paris.

Republic of Congo airline Equatorial Congo Airlines (LC), or more commonly EC Air, are to start 3x weekly flights between Brazzaville and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, using its Boeing 757-200.

► CAPE VERDE ISLANDS: TACV takes two B737-800s for fleet renewal.

Transportes Aéreos de Cabo Verde, TACV, the Cape Verdian flag carrier, has taken ownership of the first of its two ILFC Boeing 737-800s (N734MA & N742MA) ordered as part of its fleet renewal program.

► ZIMBABWE: Sol Air reveals planned routes as Government discord continues.

Following on from our initial report, Zimbabwean private start up Sol Air (ZS) has now revealed its plans for upcoming routes it intends to serve using a fleet of Bombardier CRJ-900s.

Amongst the cities to be served from its base at Harare International Airport are: Bulawayo, Dar es Salaam, Johannesburg, Tete (Mozambique), Lusaka and Victoria Falls. It also plans to serve Johannesburg - Victoria Falls and Johannesburg - Bulawayo, two routes that are at present serviced exclusively by South African carriers.

A familiar sight at Harare - empty slots. (William Whaley)

No further news on how a resurrected Air Zimbabwe has been performing on domestic routes has been made available. 

Meanwhile, at a recent conference of the African Travel Association (ATA) held in Victoria Falls, Shingi Munyeza, chief executive officer of hotel and leisure group, African Sun Limited (ASL) told international delegates that there was nothing wrong with African governments regulating domestic air services in order to protect troubled national airlines.

"You need to let in (foreign) airlines but ensure you don't destroy the local airline," Munyeza told the ATA congress. "

African governments have been burnt before where they have opened the skies," said Munyeza.

Once again, this adds to the notion of total discord between official Zimbabwean Government policy and private industry with regards to the serious development of local aviation, as just recently, Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Walter Mzembi stated:

"We are over-protecting Air Zimbabwe. We all know that government is a signatory to a declaration that promotes an open sky policy. What I wonder is why we have not been able to motivate any new airlines into our airspace?"

Read More Here [The Financial Gazette, Zimbabwe]

Politicking aside, the answer, however, is simple.

As long as Zimbabwe's government is willing to live with the prospect of subsidizing an inefficient millstone of the Air Zimbabwe sort whilst strangling any potential private carriers under the guise of the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ), then it will only have itself to blame when it finds its tourism and aviation infrastructure both undeveloped and underexploited, because after all, tourism thrives on reputation, and what good to a country is an airline reputed only for late arrivals and shoddy service?

► ETHIOPIA: Airbus pitches A330 to Ethiopian.

European aircraft manufacturers, Airbus Industrie, were recently in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, showcasing their A330 in an attempt to woo potential orders from carrier, Ethiopian Airlines (ET). This follows on from a technical presentation made last year in November.

In 1998, Ethiopian placed an order for two A340s to use on its Addis Ababa - Washington DC route, both of which were never delivered, instead being replaced by the airline's present Boeing 767-300s.

The Ethiopian A340 that never was. (Eric Pajaud)

"Crawford Hamilton, director of the A330 programme, told The Reporter that executives of Ethiopian were evaluating the A330 aircraft.

Hamilton said last November an Airbus technical team made a technical presentation to senior officials of Ethiopian in Addis Ababa. “The A330 is a very good long-range aircraft,” says Hamilton. “Ethiopian Airlines is one of the leading airlines in Africa. It is a reliable customer. It is self-sufficient. So we are trying to sell a very good aircraft to a very good airline.”"

Read More Here [EthioSports Ethiopia]

Though a very loyal Boeing operator (of its 48 aircraft at present, 40 of them are Boeing), Ethiopian Airlines did place an order worth some USD$3billion for 12 Airbus A350-900 XWBs at the 2009 Dubai Airshow, for use on its "Far East and the American operations" and with further strong growth forecast in the next 20 years, the airline could be doing a lot more business with Airbus in the near future.

► EGYPT: Egyptair adds 777 to summer service to Guangzhou.

Egyptian carrier Egyptair (MS) has announced operational changes to its Cairo - Guangzhou, China route for the duration of summer 2012. Initially, the airline planned to use an Airbus A340-200 exclusively on the route, but will now employ a mixture of Boeing 777s and A340s.

Egyptair Boeing 777 at Guangzhou, China (MSAL)

Egyptair: Cairo, Egypt - Guangzhou, China (1 June 2012 - 27 October 2012)
MS958 CAI2325 – 1515+1CAN EQV x27
MS959 CAN0005 – 0500CAI EQV x24

• 01JUN12 – 15JUL12 Boeing 777-200ER
• 16JUL12 – 31AUG12 Airbus A340-200
• 01SEP12 – 14SEP12 Boeing 777-200ER
• 15SEP12 – 27OCT12 Boeing 777-300ER

Read More Here [AirlineRoute]

► NIGERIA: Dana Air MD-83 slams into building in Lagos; 153 feared dead.

A Nigerian Dana Air (9J) McDonnell Douglas MD-83 (5N-RAM) has crashed into a building in Iju neighbourhood (more specifically: near Ayinla Bus Stop, north of the airport, Iju Ishaga road, Agege), Lagos, Nigeria whilst on approach into Murtala Muhammad International Airport, en route from Abuja. 

Dana Air MD-83 "5N-RAM"

There were 153 (147 passengers and 6 crew) people on-board - all of whom are feared dead - whilst there are more casualties on the ground whose numbers are yet to be established.

Conflicting media reports state that the aircraft, whilst on approach into Lagos, initially hit power-lines, before careering through a furniture shop and then into residential buildings, before bursting into flames, though this version of events still has to be verified.

On May 10, another  Dana Air MD-83 (5N-SRI) was on approach into Lagos when an on-board hydraulic failure was reported. The aircraft continued for a safe landing thereafter.

The MD-83 down in Lagos (NigerianEye)

For More images click here.

Today's disaster comes after a Nigerian registered Allied Air Cargo Boeing 727-200 freighter (5N-BJN) yesterday (Saturday 2 June 2012) overran the runway at Accra's Kotoka International Airport and killed 12 people on the ground: 11 occupants of a Benz 207 Bus and a soldier riding a bike along the road.

► UNITED STATES: Delta drops Atlanta to Accra & Monrovia.

American carrier Delta (DL) is to axe its Boeing 767-300ER service from Atlanta to Accra, Ghana and Monrovia, Liberia with effect from 11 August 2012 as a result of high jet fuel prices and inconsistent passenger traffic. 

However, the airline has stated that it will increase its better performing New York - Accra route from 4x weekly, to 5x weekly.

Delta Boeing 767 at Accra (PRM)

"Although the Atlanta flight will be phased out, Delta will increase its weekly frequency from New York to Accra from four flights to five, the airline said in a statement.  The removal of three Atlanta flights and three to Monrovia cuts the number of Delta weekly flights serving the Ghanaian capital in half. Delta still has the New York routes, which also connect in two days per week to Abuja, Nigeria."

Read More Here [Global Atlanta]

 The airline first serviced the route in 2010, and comes in the wake of fellow American carrier United's decision to cancel its Washington DC - Accra route from July 2012, citing poor yields aswell.

► SOUTH AFRICA: 1Time drops Lanseria Airport hub.

South African LCC 1Time (T6) has announced that it is to cease its Lanseria Airport operations with effect from 2 June 2012, in order to better focus and consolidate its domestic and regional services out of Oliver Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg's largest airport.

1Time McDonnell Douglas MD-83 at Johannesburg.

1time Airline CEO, Blacky Komani says that the retraction of the Lanseria routes was motivated by a decision to optimise its overall operations.

“We have taken the decision to consolidate all our local and regional flights from OR Tambo International Airport and concentrate on our African projects that are currently underway. Pending seasonal demand, and commercial viability of the airport, we may look at reviewing our Lanseria services in the future.”

 Read More Here [IOL South Africa]

The axing of Lanseria comes at a difficult financial time for 1Time, who recently went through a particularly rough patch whereby it posted losses amounting to USD$17million for 2011, followed by the resignation of its then CEO Rodney James.

► DJIBOUTI: Air France alters Paris - Djibouti service.

Air France (AF) is to alter its present 3x weekly service from Paris to Djibouti via Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to operate via Riyadh, Saudi Arabia instead, with effect from 2 September 2012. An Airbus A330-200 is used on the route.

An Air France A330 in Djibouti (Pepa T.)

Paris CDG – Riyadh – Djibouti

• AF524 CDG1350 – 2050RUH2205 – 0030+1JIB 332 146

• AF525 JIB0220 – 0440RUH0600 – 1130CDG 332 257

Riyadh service will increase from 3 to 5 weekly as a result (existing non stop terminator service will operate as 2x weekly instead of 3x). Djibouti frequencies remain unchanged.

Paris CDG – Jeddah – Djibouti 3 weekly service operates until 2 September 2012.

• AF3870 CDG1110 – 1805JED1920 – 2125JIB 332 136

• AF3871 JIB2345 – 0150+1JED0305+1 – 0805+1CDG 332 136

Read More Here [Airline Route]

► ALGERIA: Air Algérie to lease an A340 for summer.

Algerian flag carrier Air Algérie (AH), has announced that it will lease an Airbus A340-300 (9M-XAB; c/n 273) from Asian LCC AirAsiaX, to supplement its services for the duration of summer.

► SOUTH AFRICA: Emirates delays A380 service to Joburg; reduces Cape Town.

Emirates Airlines (EK) has announced the postponement of the resumption of its A380 service from Dubai to Johannesburg originally reported to start 11 June 2012, to 1 October 2012.

Dubai – Johannesburg EK761/762 Planned A380 service resumption now postponed till 01OCT12, instead of 11JUN12"

Read More Here [Airline Route]

Emirates 777 at Cape Town (© Jacobus Saayman)

Additionally, Emirates has announced the reduction in frequency of its Dubai - Cape Town service between 1 September and 30 November 2012 , presently operating 2x daily.

Emirates: Dubai - Cape Town

- Valid 1 Sept - 30 Nov 2012

• EK770 DXB0850 – 1625CPT 77W D
• EK771 CPT1810 – 0525+1DXB 77W D

Read More Here [Airline Route]

► GAMBIA: Air Europa to start Madrid - Banjul from June.

Spanish carrier Air Europa (UX) is to launch a weekly service from Madrid to Banjul, Gambia with effect from 20 June 2012, using a Boeing 737-800.

An Air Europa Boeing 737 (© Erik T. Jensen)

Madrid - Banjul, Gambia (from 20 June 2012)

• UX1059 MAD2355 – 0250+1BJL 738 3

• UX1060 BJL0350 – 1025MAD 738 4

Read More Here [Airline Route]

Presently, Air Europa African routes consist of Nador and Oujda in Morocco, along with Dakar, Senegal.

► 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.

► NIGERIA: Iberia to increase Lagos to 4x week from July.

Spanish carrier, Iberia (IB), is to increase the frequency of Madrid - Lagos, Nigeria with effect from 6 July 2012.

► AUSTRALIA: Bomb scare on Air Mauritius flight ex-Melbourne.

Press reports out of Australia state that Air Mauritius flight MK943, en-route over south Australia, from Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport to Port Louis, Mauritius, was today (23 May) forced to turn round and return to Melbourne, after the discovery in the aft cabin, of a soft drink can with the word "bomb" scrawled on it.

Air Mauritius A340 "3B-NAU" (Axel J)

The aircraft, 3B-NAU, touched down at Melbourne again at 14h55 (Melbourne time) with all 197 passengers disembarking under the supervision of Australian authorities, before police conducted a thorough search of the plane. 

One report states that "a man was detained by federal police", though has not yet been corroborated.

The flight will now operate as MK3943 on 24 May leaving Melbourne at 11h30 (Melbourne time) and reaching Mauritius at 16h55 (Mauritius time).

► KENYA: Kenya Airways adjusts Ndola & Lubumbashi flights from September.

With effect from 17 September 2012, Kenya Airways (KQ) will reduce its current daily Nairobi - Lubumbashi (Congo, DR) - Ndola (Zambia) - Nairobi service to 6x weekly. 

However, the Saturday service to either city will change to a direct Nairobi - Lubumbashi - Nairobi (served by a Boeing 737-800) and Nairobi - Ndola - Nairobi (served with an Embraer 190) routing respectively, using a Boeing 737-700.

Kenya Airways Boeing 737-700 (chr!s85)

Nairobi - Lubumbashi - Ndola - Nairobi

• KQ586 NBO0855 – 1025FBM1115 – 1200NLA1250 – 1620NBO 73W x6 

Nairobi - Ndola - Nairobi (Saturday flight from 17 September 2012)

• KQ786 NBO1035 – 1210NLA E90 6
• KQ787 NLA1300 – 1630NBO E90 6

Nairobi - Lubumbashi - Nairobi (Saturday flight from 17 September 2012)

• KQ580 NBO0850 – 1020FBM 738 6
• KQ581 FBM1110 – 1435NBO 738 6

Read More Here [Airline Route]