• The African Aviation Tribune •

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

■ NAMIBIA: Government mulls closer cooperation with China; Tianjin flights for Air Namibia?

Namibia's Minister for Trade & Industry, Calle Schlettwein, says his government is considering cooperating with the Chinese aviation sector, with Tianjin in northern China, a potential new destination for the state-backed national carrier, Air Namibia (SW).

It isn't just national carrier, Egyptair (MS), that is bearing the brunt of the downturn in Egypt's tourism downturn, with the country's local carriers now having also begun to reduce operations in light of weaker demand.

South African state owned aerospace and defence technology conglomerate, Denel SOC, has announced the formation of Spaceteq, a new business unit within Denel Dynamics, set to focus on the satellite and space engineering sector. The initiative is inline with the South African government's Departments of Science & Technology (DST) and Trade & Industry (DTI) call to exploit high-technology manufacturing niches, among which is satellite production.

Rwanda's national carrier, Rwandair (WB), launched its long awaited flights to the South Sudanese capital, Juba with its maiden flight on Saturday, September 21, 2013. The 3x weekly flights operate on-board a CRJ900.

After the successful issuance of a tender in August, German NGO Welthungerhilfe (German for "World Hunger Aid") and the Democratic Republic of the Congo's air navigation services and airport management provider, Regie des Voies Aériennes (RVA), have signed a USD15million contract to rehabilitate 500m of Goma International Airport's runway 18/36, previously covered with hardened lava.

The Republic of Congo's Trans Air Congo - TAC (Q8) has bolstered its operations with the addition of yet another South African B737-300, (MSN 27346 | ZS-VDP), on lease from Johannesburg-based ACMI specialists, Star Air (BRH).

As part of plans to establish Rabat as its second local base after its main hub in Casablanca, Royal Air Maroc (AT) says it will launch twenty-two new flights from the Moroccan capital before year end.

● OPINION: The Legal Basis of the Court Application against FlySafair by Rob Baker.

In the interests of stirring more debate and offering a more broadly-based platform for the flow of information, ideas and opinions here on The African Aviation Tribune, I have introduced a new section to offer African aviation professionals, insiders, analysts and spectators a chance to voice their opinions, ideas and points of view on any subject pertaining to the field of Aviation in Africa.

Air Burundi's (8Y) Group Managing Director, Emmanuel Habimana, says a return to service will prove costly both for the airline and its backer, the Burundian government, given the highly competitive nature of the market in the region. Overall initial startup costs are expected to total BIF6billion (USD3.9million).

Air Côte d’Ivoire (HF) says it will roll out the new part of its regional expansion programme, set to include new services from Abidjan to Lagos, Kinshasa, N'Djamena, Niamey, Monrovia, Freetown and Bangui, from mid November. The new routes were due to have launched in late August.

Algerian domestic and regional carrier, Tassili Airlines (SF), has reaffirmed its plans to launch regional charter flights, albeit only in early 2014 as opposed to the previously planned deadline of late 2013.

In yet another unsurprising development regarding the formation and launch of Central Africa's bloc-based initiative, Air CEMAC, the airline's launch has now been pushed back until January 2014 pending the finalization of protracted talks with strategic partner, Air France (AF).

South African logistics and freight specialists, Imperial Logistics, has joined the growing list of South African private firms taking action against state-backed carriers with a request to the Competition Commission of South Africa to initiate a market inquiry into alleged anti-competitive behaviour by South African Airways' (SA) freight division, SAA Cargo, in the domestic overnight express airfreight market.

TUIfly Nordic(6B), the Stockholm-based charter subsidiary of the TUI Travel international leisure travel group, is set to offer a once weekly B787 service between Scandinavia and Mombasa, Kenya with effect from December 22 until March 30, 2014.

► ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian Airlines clarifies its 787 order plans in light of media mixup.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) has moved to clarify various misleading international media reports regarding its 787-fleet ambitions. According to Ethiopian Television, it has been widely reported that the airline has an additional eight aircraft on order on top of the thirteen 787s it has currently signed up for, of which five have now been delivered.

South African LCC, mango (JE), and regional operator, South African Express (XZ), have announced that, leveraging an existing SAX Cadet Pilot scheme, the airlines will cooperate to see cadet pilots from disadvantaged or previously disenfranchised backgrounds absorbed into mango’s pilot body as per growth requirements. The initiative forms part of Mango’s greater transformation and social engagement programme.

The first photos of Kenya Airways' (KQ) first B777-300(ER) (MSN ? | 5Y-KFA) have emerged with the airliner now set to undergo painting and a B1 test flight ahead of its planned delivery to Nairobi next month. The aircraft, one of two on 12 year-leases with General Electric Capital Aviation Services (GECAS), is set to début operations with a Nairobi - Guangzhou flight due on November 19. 5Y-KFA will feature 28 Business Class seats in a 2-3-2 layout and 369 Economy Class seats in a 3-3-3 Layout. The second B777-300ER is due in May 2014.

Ghanaian president, John Mahama, has reconstituted the Boards of both the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) appointing new board chairmans and members.

During a speech in Lagos, Nigeria on September 17 to mark Aviation Day Africa, Tony Tyler, the CEO of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), called on public and private stakeholders to work together to address critical priorities to enable aviation to do more to drive economic growth in Africa.

Ghana's Eagle Atlantic Airlines (E2) has outlined its initial West African regional service schedule now set to tentatively launch on October 21, 2013. Flights between Accra, Abidjan, Freetown, Dakar and Monrovia (Roberts) will operate on-board the airline's leased McDonnell Douglas MD82.

AJW Aviation, a British complete aircraft spares support specialist, has been selected by African airline Skypower Express Airways Nigeria Limited to provide power-by-the-hour support to its B737-300F, (MSN 24209 | 5N-BMA).

■ SOMALIA: Favori LLC takes over Aden Adde Int'l as Minister repudiates leaked UN letter as a "hoax".

Turkish firm, Favori LLC officially assumed control of Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport from Dubai-based SKA Logistics on Saturday September 14. Somali Minister for Information, Abdullahi Herso Elmoge, said the process of handing over control of the facility was completed on the morning of Sunday September 15.

Arik Air (W3) flight W3101 from Lagos, Nigeria to London Heathrow, Untied Kingdom, was on Sunday, September 15, forced to divert to Palma Mallorca Airport, Spain, after a pregnant passenger required urgent medical attention while onboard.

Tanzanian operators Auric Air (H8) and Flightlink have announced the launch of two new domestic routes. Auric has started a 4x weekly operation from Dar es Salaam to Njombe via Iringa while Flightlink has begun double daily Dar es Salaam to Mtwara, south-eastern Tanzania flights. Both routes became effective September 16.

► FLEET UPDATE BULLETIN: Overland Airways, Aero, Blue Bird Aviation (Kenya), Swazi Airlink

The following is a fleet update bulletin for aircraft that are in use, have been in use or will be in use for these listed airlines: Overland Airways, Aero, Blue Bird Aviation (Kenya), Swazi Airlink.

Everett Aviation Tanzania has secured a multi-year helicopter contract with Norwegian petroleum giant, Statoil. Under the deal, Everett will lease three new AgustaWestland AW139 helicopters from a major operator in Q4 of this year in support of Statoil’s offshore drilling operations in Tanzania and Mozambique in which two choppers will be used for crew change work whilst the third will be a high specification, dedicated search and rescue aircraft.

Ethiopian private airline, National Airways (7N) has reportedly abandoned previously announced plans to acquire and operate Fokker 50s and Embraer EMB-170s, and now has its sights set on Embraer ERJ-135s instead.

Qatar Airways (QR) has tentatively been granted local traffic rights on the Johannesburg - Maputo, Mozambique sectors of its 3x weekly flights between Doha, Qatar and the Southern African nations with effect from October 27, 2013.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Comair, SkyWise launch legal bid to block FlySafair's launch.

Following through with its threats of legal action, Comair Ltd and now startup, SkyWise, have dragged the Air Services Licensing Council (ASLC) to court in a bid to block the launch of the Safair's nascent low cost subsidiary, FlySafair (FA), due to commence flights between Cape Town and Johannesburg later this year.

The town of Somerset East in the province of the Eastern Cape in South Africa will next year begin operating a new ZAR413million (USD40.9million) regional airport aimed at boosting the region's connectivity and economic profile.

Malawi's Ulendo Airlink (7Q) has commenced a 5x weekly air service between the country's two commercial hubs, Blantyre and Lilongwe effective September 15. Services were previously operated in 2011 before a moratorium was placed on the route by the Malawian government to protect the now defunct Air Malawi (QM).

The entire board of the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) has been dissolved by the Ghanaian president, John Mahama, just one week after the Minister of Transport, Dzifa Attivor, announced the dismissal of the firm's Managing Director, Doreen Owusu-Fianko.

Proflight Zambia (P0) has announced plans to launch a 3x weekly Lusaka to Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania service with effect from October 23. According to the airline, as it stands, only a Day 1 & 5 operation have been set with confirmation from regulators on the timing.of a Wednesday slot still pending. Operations are on-board a Jetstream 41 turboprop. In addition, the carrier is also hoping to boost its Lilongwe flights to 4x weekly effective November 16, subject to regulatory approval.

Nigeria's Arik Air (W3) says it hopes to launch its vaunted Lagos - São Paulo, Brazil flights in November of this year, though this is still dependent on the Brazilian National Civil Aviation Agency (Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil - ANAC) issuing it convenient landing slots at Guarulhos International Airport.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) has suspended its services to the Somalian towns of Berbera and Hargeisa owing to sub-standard infrastructure. Flights between Addis Ababa and the capital of Somaliland, Hargeisa, were only recently resumed after significant upgrade works to the airport's infrastructure. However, it has since emerged that the quality of work done to runway 06/24 has allegedly proven substandard resulting in Ethiopian suspending its flights.

► GABON: Royal Air Maroc, Libreville to resurrect Air Gabon International venture?

Royal Air Maroc (AT) and the Government of Gabon are reportedly set to proceed with the establishment of a new Gabonese national carrier, Air Gabon International, seven years after its original proposal. The development comes after Morocco and Gabon earlier this month signed five cooperation agreements dealing mainly with customs services, country planning and people's movement.

The Mayotte Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI Mayotte) along with Air Austral (UU) and the Yland Investment consortium officially signed an investment contract last week effectively breathing life into the new Dzaoudzi-based regional carrier, Ewa Airlines.

Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific (CX) has mentioned Africa as being part of its longterm expansion plans with the intention being to exploit the growing Africa - China market; Nigeria and Algeria in particular.

Kalahari Airways is a Botswana-based startup that intends to offer flights from Cape Town, South Africa to London Gatwick via Gaborone Botswana using three B747-400s.

Responding to threats by local carriers Antrak Air (O4) and Starbow Airlines (S9) to withdraw from the oversubscribed Ghanaian market, the Ghanaian Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) says it has henceforth placed a moratorium on the issuance of domestic airline licences. At present, Ghana has four local operators including Africa World Airlines (AW) and Fly540 Ghana (5G). A fifth, CTK CityLink (CTY) went bankrupt last year.

Cameroon's president, Paul Biya, has officially appointed Mr Frédéric Mbotto Obounou the new Managing Director/CEO of the country's national carrier, Camair-Co (QC), and Mr Edouard Akame Mfoumou as the Chairman of the airline's board of directors with effect from September 11.

With the recent suspension of flights to Tokyo Narita, Egyptair (MS) has now announced plans to terminate its twice weekly Cairo - Osaka Kansai service with effect from October 20.

► SAUDI ARABIA: Saudia Cargo to boost Morocco, Kenya, South Africa freight capacity.

Saudia Cargo (SV) has announced an increase in its belly and freighter capacity on a number of routes across its global network. In terms of its African destinations, the Saudi Arabian operator plans to boost its dedicated freighter frequencies to Nairobi while adding bellyhold capacity to Casablanca and Johannesburg through increased passenger flights.

Following a recent ministerial summit held on the French island of La Réunion on September 10, Air Madagascar (MD) and the Vanilla Islands Organization (VIO) of the Indian Ocean have announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which aims to strengthen and liberalize air connectivity between member island states was signed by the Seychelles Minister for Tourism & Culture, Alain St. Ange, the sitting President of the VIO, and the CEO of Air Madagascar, Mr Hughes Ratsiferana.

The Board of Kenya Airways (KQ) has appointed Willem Alexander Hondius as Chief Executive Officer of Jambo Jet Limited, the airline’s nascent low-cost carrier subsidiary.

Ghanaian start-up, Eagle Atlantic Airways (EAB), has announced that it will commence operations with effect from October 15 using a McDonnell Douglas MD82 (MSN 49119 | YR-OTN) on lease from Romania's Ten Airways (OTJ).

► NIGERIA: (Pic) Business charter specialists, Air Peace, awaiting first B737-500.

Nigerian business charter specialists, Air Peace, are set to add their first Boeing metal to their fleet of two Dornier Do328-300s with the impending arrival of a B737-500, (MSN 27530 | 5N-BQS).

Fly540 Kenya (5H) has announced that it has increased the frequency of flights between Nairobi (Jomo Kenyatta International Airport) and Lodwar, the largest town in north-western Kenya, located west of Lake Turkana, from six to nine per week in response to rising demand. The LCC said it had added an additional flight on Monday, Wednesday and Friday respectively, resulting in two flights operating on each of these days. The return flights operate via Eldoret.

The Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority (ECAA) has announced the selection of the Thales TopSky-ATC Flight Data Processing System (FDPS) component, TopSky–Flight Plan, to manage all critical flight plan and aeronautical information interfaces with internal and external systems as well as airline counterparties.

Uíge Airport, situated in Uige, the capital city of its namesake province in northwestern Angola, could be inaugurated later this year following the successful completion of renovation and expansion works. Speaking to ANGOP, the CEO of Angola's airport and air traffic authority (Empresa Nacional de Aeroportos e Navegação Aérea - ENANA), Mr Manuel Ceitas, said the facility will also offer night-time operations given the recent installation of runway lighting.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Monday, September 23, 2013

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Monday, September 16, 2013

Friday, September 13, 2013

Thursday, September 12, 2013