The Algerian Government has given national carrier, Air Algèrie (AH), in whom it is 100% shareholder, the green light to proceed with the acquisition of 16 new aircraft in a bid to bolster the airline's long term viability and therefore, profitability. However, until such time that Air Algèrie is capable of holding its own, the Government has deferred both the liberalization of the local aviation industry and the possibility of an Open Skies treaty, without completely excluding them in the future.
Following on from our previous post, Jetairfly (TB), the LCC successor to Jet4you, a low-cost Moroccan carrier, has announced the imminent launch of four new routes between the Netherlands, France and Morocco.
Following the resolution of what the International Civil Aviation Organization termed "a Significant Safety Concern", Zambia has taken a crucial step towards being struck off the ICAO's Safety Watch List, with removal from the EU's No-Fly List now a distinct possibility.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo's aviation authority, Régie des Voies Aériennes de la République Démocratique du Congo (RVA), has embarked on a €280'000 study for the construction of a new cargo facility at Kinshasa's N'djili International Airport.
AvMax Aircraft Leasing has joined the growing list of disgruntled suppliers demanding their money from Fastjet (FN). The Canada-based ACMI firm recently wrote to Fastjet stating it had moved to deregister three of its aircraft previously leased to Fastjet's predecessor, Fly540 Tanzania, over USD2million worth of unpaid leasing and maintenance bills.
Vistajet, the Swiss company luxury jet company specializing in short term leasing, has taken its Bombardier Global 6000 jet on a global roadshow with Africa being the first leg. Thus far, Kumasi, Accra, Abuja, Lagos, Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, Luanda, Johannesburg, Cape Town have been visited with Maputo, Kampala, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam still left.
For the upcoming IATA Northern Summer Season (from 31 March), Portugal's TAP (TP) will increase capacity on select Morocco flights with the delpoyment of the Airbus A319 aircraft on its flights to Marrakech and Casablanca.
Tanzanian private carrier, Precision Air (PW), has announced, effective 9 February, the launch of daily services between Dar es Salaam and Mbeya (Songwe) Airports, roughly 1 month after flights were resumed there. Additonally, a second Mwanza - Kigoma service has been launched that operates 5x weekly. Auric Air (AUK), an airline based in Mwanza, Tanzania offering both scheduled and air charter services, is to launch 4x weekly Mwanza - Musoma flights effective 15 February.
Corroborating our previous report, South African startup carrier Skywise, whose founders include ex-1Time honchos Rodney James and Glenn Orsmond, ex-1Time Chief Information Officer, Michael Kaminski, and Johan Borstlap, a former director at defunct domestic carrier Sun Air, have confirmed that they will not meet their target launch date of 1 March following the failure of their application for a domestic licence to the Air Services Licensing Council (ASLC) on 16 January.
Saudi Arabian low-cost carrier Nas Air (XY) is to expand its operations to the Sudan with the launch of flights between Dammam and Khartoum, Sudan as part of its regional expansion plans.
On the back of an 11% increase in passenger numbers posted for 2012, TAAG Linhas Aéreas de Angola (DT), Angola's national carrier, is to purchase an additional three Boeing 777-300ERs due for delivery from 2019/2020.
Not to be outdone by its neighbour Liberia, the Sierra Leone Government is to move ahead with the first phase in the construction of a new USD198million Freetown International Airport, following the signing of a contract between the Government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Transport and Aviation and the China Railway International Company in December last year. Financing is to come from the Chinese Export-Import Bank (EXIM Bank).
Nigeria's National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) has
come out in support of Nigerian Senate & House of Representatives whose recent Joint Committee on Aviation Report unequivocally condemned the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) as being staffed by "unqualified persons working as Aircraft Inspectors" and which recommended the immediate withdrawal of Dana Air's (9J) Air Operators Certificate, reinstated in early December.
AirlineRoute states that Air Côte d’Ivoire from 01FEB13 is adjusting its operations, which
includes the launch of 3 new destinations in west Africa - Pointe Noire (Congo Brazzaville), Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) and Yaounde (Cameroon).
Ethiopia has continued its push into southern Africa with the recent official signing of a new Bilateral Air Services Agreement with Botswana, paving the way for possible flights between Addis Ababa and Gaborone by Ethiopian Airlines. Negotiations were concluded in May 2012 following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in May 2010.
The Liberian Civil Aviation Authority, under the auspices of the Liberian Airports Authority (LAA), has embarked on the renovation of Monrovia's Roberts International Airport (RIA) as the country moves to renovate its decrepit infrastructure, left to decay during the Civil Wars of 1989 - 1996 and 1999 - 2003.