► MOZAMBIQUE: Qatar Airways to fly to Maputo from October.

In another positive development for Mozambique's aviation industry following last week's announcement by TAP Air Portugal (TP) that it would increase frequencies between Lisbon and Maputo, Qatar Airways (QR) is to start flights between Doha, Qatar and Maputo, Mozambique effective 31 October 2012.

The flights will operate as Doha - Johannesburg - Maputo and will be flown 3x weekly with a Boeing 777-300ER.

Qatar Airways B777 at Johannesburg (Daniel Fretwell)

Qatar Airways: Doha, Qatar - Johannesburg, South Africa - Maputo, Mozambique
-Effective 31 October 2012

• QR584 DOH0105 – 0825JNB0935 – 1040MPM 77W 357
• QR585 MPM1210 – 1315JNB1425 – 2325DOH 77W 357

Read More Here [Airline Route]

Recently, Qatar Airways started an aggressive expansion into Africa, adding Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar and Mombasa to its network, along with increasing its flights to Cairo and Algiers. Rumours are also afoot for potential Harare, Zimbabwe and Kinshasa, DRC services in 2013.

► 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]

► ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian starts Toronto from July 2012.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) has announced a twice weekly service from Addis Ababa to Toronto, Canada starting 16 July 2012 using its Boeing 777-200LR. the westerly leg will have a fuel stop at Rome, Italy.

Ethiopian Airlines 777 at Washington DC

Ethiopian Airlines: Addis Ababa - Toronto

• ET502 ADD2230 – 0340+1FCO0440+1 – 0740+1YYZ 77L 15
• ET503 YYZ1015 – 0715+1ADD 77L 26

Read More Here [AirlineRoute]

► SOUTH AFRICA: Emirates to boost Durban to B777-300ER daily from June.

Since its inauguration in May 2010 in time for the FIFA World Cup of 2010 held in South Africa, Durban's King Shaka International Airport has being growing from strength to strength.
 

Durban's King Shaka International Airport

Following reports last week that regional carrier SA Express were to start Durban to Lusaka flights effective July 2012 with the intention of hopefully then expanding out into sub-Saharan Africa with routes to Harare and Lubumbashi, so Emirates Airlines (EK) has thrown its hat into the ring and is to replace its current Dubai - Durban daily service using an Airbus A330, with a larger Boeing 777-300ER with effect from June.

"The introduction of the Boeing 777-300ER is in response to strong demand on the route. In 2011, Emirates carried over 165 000 passengers between Durban and Dubai with a high average seat factor of 83 percent,” said Jean Luc Grillet, Emirates senior vice-president for commercial operations in Africa."

Read More Here [The Mercury South Africa]

► ANGOLA: TAAG to get more 777s in 2016; starts ticket sales in Argentina.

As previously reported by The African Aviation Tribune, Angolan national carrier TAAG (DT) is to commence sales of its tickets in the Argentinian capital Buenos Aires through AVIAREPS, who will also act as their agents in other member states of the MERCOSUR: Chile, Peru, Colombia and Ecuador. No mention however, has been made of a potential Luanda - Buenos Aires service.

"The information was released by Luis de Almeida, TAAG's general representative to the Americas, having said that negotiations are underway for the signing of agreements with Argentine carrier Aerolineas Argentinas. The accords will then enable the passengers to get the single ticket from the origin to destination (ex: Buenos Aires / Luanda / Buenos Aires)."

Read More Here [AngolaPress]  

 

TAAG 777-300ER (Paulo Santos)

Argentina's President, Cristina Kirchner, in the company of a high power business/governmental delegation, is to pay a 3 day official state visit to the Angolan capital, Luanda on May 17, in what is seen as a courting of this rising African economic power.

Meanwhile, TAAG has also announced the delivery of 3 Boeing 777-300ER, in addition to its current 2, from 2016 onwards, in part of a major expansion drive.

"The information was released on Tuesday in Luanda by TAAG CEO, Pimentel Araujo, while speaking about the development of the company, during a cycle of workshops called “Empresa Feliz”."

Read More Here [AngolanPress]