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Thursday, May 30, 2013

■ CAMEROON: Government now mulling privatization of Camair-Co.

Camair-Co
Leading on from our previous report on its pending restructuring plan, Camair-Co (QC) is now set to hold its Annual General Meeting in Douala on June 7 to discuss a possible privatisation plan coupled with a share capital grant.

► CONGO (KINSHASA): SA Express resumes Lubumbashi ops as RVA beckons carriers to return.

SA ExpressSA Express (XZ) has announced a tentative resumption of its flights to Lubumbashi on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays following an announcement by the Congolese airport's authority, Regie des Voies Aériennes (RVA), that Luano International Airport's runway 07/25 would not be closed entirely during rehabilitation works.

► NIGERIA: Ghana's Fly540 supposedly granted rights to serve Nigeria; Antrak Air to follow.

Fly540 GhanaReports out of Ghana claim that Fly540 Ghana (5G) has at last been tentatively granted traffic rights to Nigeria following the intervention of the Ghanaian Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).

► MOZAMBIQUE: LAM plans Cape Town and Durban, Blantyre and Lilongwe in 2014; to cover all SADC capitals by 2017 with Brazil ops also on the radar.

LAM Mozambique AirlinesMarlene Manave, the CEO of LAM - Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique (TM) has announced ambitious route expansion plans that will see the Mozambican carrier serving all Southern African Development Community (SADC) capitals by 2017 with Brazilian flights to follow.

► CHINA: Ethiopian to intermittently deploy 787 on Guangzhou route from May 'til mid June.

Ethiopian
As per the 29MAY13 GDS timetable/inventory display, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) is planning to deploy its fleet of 787 aircraft onto its Addis Ababa – Guangzhou route on selected dates between 31MAY13 and 14JUN13, replacing the current 777-200LR.

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

► SOUTH AFRICA: Air Zimbabwe's A320 grounded in Johannesburg following birdstrike.

Air ZimbabweIn a tale of very bad luck, Air Zimbabwe's (UM) first Airbus A320-200 (MCN 630 | Z-WPM) was today Wednesday May 29, temporarily grounded at Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport following a reported birdstrike. The A320 had only just been put into active service with the airline this past week.

► TUNISIA: Ukraine International Airlines to start 4x weekly Enfidha flights this summer.

Ukraine International Airlines (PS) logoUkraine International Airlines (PS) in Summer 2013 is operating Kiev – Enfidha, Tunisia service, offering 4 weekly flights with Boeing 737 aircraft. Schedule as follow.

► KENYA: Kenya Airways eyes greater presence in Middle East, Africa as part of long term strategy.

Kenya AirwaysKenya Airways (KQ) has outlined further key developments in terms of its planned route network and fleet upgrades that form its previously announced 10 year vision, Project Mawingu.

► SOUTH AFRICA: TAAG to tentatively switch Johannesburg from the 777-200ER to the -300ER from July.

TAAG logoTAAG Linhas Aéreas de Angola (DT) is to tentatively increase capacity on its 4 weekly Luanda – Johannesburg route with effect from 05JUL13. During the month of July, the 777-300ER will replace the -200ER on 3 out of 4 weekly flights. Thereafter, all 4 weekly flights will be operated using a -300ER model from 04AUG13.

► ZIMBABWE: First Embraer ERJ135 deployed into active service for Air Zimbabwe.

Air ZimbabweFresh from the recent arrival and deployment into active service of its Airbus A320-200 (MCN 630 | Z-WPM) on its Harare - Johannesburg flights, Air Zimbabwe (UM) has now taken delivery of its first of two Embraer ERJ135 (Reg ?).

► MAYOTTE: New Indian Ocean regional carrier, Ewa, eyes Madagascar, Tanzania, Comoros and Mozambique flights from Q4.

Mayotte flagLa Réunion-based carrier, Air Austral (UU), is set to partner the Mayotte Chamber of Commerce and Industry among other shareholders in setting up a new regional carrier to be based out of Dzaoudzi.

■ ETHIOPIA: Brazil, Ethiopia sign a revised BASA.

EthiopiaBrazil and Ethiopia have signed a revised Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) following a visit by Brazilian president, Dilma Rousseff, to Ethiopia where she attended the recently ended African Union 50th Anniversary celebrations. Four cooperation agreements covering agriculture, air transport, science & technology and education were signed on Friday May 24 after President Rousseff and Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam held talks on bilateral cooperation in the areas of mining and investment financing.

► LIBYA: Emirates resumes Tripoli with 3x weekly flights via Malta from September.

EmiratesEmirates (EK) will resume three-weekly passenger flights to Tripoli from September 1, 2013, 30 months after it moved to suspend them in light of the Libyan Uprising of 2011. Flights will operate via Malta on the inbound with a Boeing 777-200ER in a three-class configuration.

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

► CANADA: Ethiopian to operate via Rome to/from Toronto from mid June 'til late October.

Ethiopian
Ethiopian Airlines (ET), from 16JUN13 to 26OCT13, are to adjust their planned operation on the Addis Ababa – Toronto route. In addition to a 3rd weekly frequency being introduced, the airline will operate the Toronto service with technical stop in Rome, in both directions.

► SOUTH AFRICA: Skywise due in the skies from August 1 as DoT pours more cold water on fastjet's plans.

Johannesburg-based carrier, Skywise, the brainchild of several ex-1Time (T6) board executives, is aiming for an August 1 launch, exactly 1 month after fellow entrants, fastjet (FN), via their tie up with Federal Air (7V), plan to launch their operations.

► KENYA: Astral Aviation outlines expanded regional cargo network; to replace DC9s with MD83Fs.

Astral Aviation logoKenyan cargo operator, Astral Aviation (8V), has announced an enhanced intra-African freighter schedule which is based on a cautious expansion strategy to increase connectivity from its Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International hub to the East African region.

► SOUTH AFRICA: Government to forge ahead with plans to acquire "one or more" VVIP jets.

South African Government SealSouth Africa's  Defence and Military Veterans Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has announced the acquisition of one or more new VVIP aircraft during the course of the current financial year. According to the minister, the added aircraft will give the South African military its own airlift capacity.

► SEYCHELLES: Qatar Airways to axe Seychelles flights from September.

Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways (QR) are set to abandon their daily A319-operated flights to Mahé, Seychelles with effect from 01SEP.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Comair Ltd signs deal with Investec to finance purchase of four 737-800s.

Comair LtdFollowing a previous transaction which saw South Africa's Comair acquire four new Boeing 737-800s for its LCC, kulula (MN), the airline group has selected Investec Aviation Finance to act as financier of the pre-delivery payments and as lead arranger and advisor on the term finance for Comair’s additional four Boeing 737-800 purchases.

► CONGO (KINSHASA): Korongo's only aircraft suffers wing damage in Lubumbashi; Safair 737 being leased in the meantime.

Korongo AirlinesKorongo Airlines (ZC) sole remaining aircraft, a Boeing 737-300 (MSN 25070 | OO-LTM), on the evening of Friday May 24, suffered damage to its left wing tip while taxiing to its parking position at Lubumbashi's Luano International Airport, the carrier has announced.