► CHINA: Ethiopian Airlines modifies its planned Boeing 787 China Service in Dec 2012/Jan 2013.

According to the 10 December 2012 GDS timetable and inventory display, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) is postponing its planned Boeing 787 ops to China from 16 December 2012 to 31 January 2013. 

 

► IRAQ: Air Austral's unwanted Boeing 777-200LR finds a home with Iraqi Airways.

Respite has come to Réunion-based carrier Air Austral (UU) who, at last, have found a solution to the nagging problem of an unwanted Boeing 777-200LR (MSN 40993 | F-OLRB) that has been sitting idle in Seattle, awaiting delivery. Unable to pay for the aircraft, Air Austral have now been able to find a willing buyer in the form of the Iraqi Government who will then lease the aircraft out to Iraqi Airways (IA).

► SOUTH AFRICA: British Airways boosts Johannesburg from late April 2013.

British Airways (BA) will once again boost its London Heathrow – Johannesburg, South Africa frequencies  from 14x to 17x weekly effective 29 April 2013. A Boeing 777-200ER will add capacity.

►► CHINA: TAAG Angolan increases flights to Beijing from November.

[UPDATE 12 NOVEMBER 2012] Effective 1 November 2012, Angolan national carrier, TAAG Angola Airlines (DT), will double its Boeing 777-200ER operated flights between Luanda, Angola and Beijing, China from once weekly, to twice weekly.

► BOTSWANA: Air Botswana offloads an ATR72 as part of fleet renewal and regional expansion programme.

Botswana's national carrier, Air Botswana (BP), has put up one of its ATR72-500 aircraft for sale. Delivered new in 2009, (MSN: 788 | A2-ABS) is powered by 2 x PWC PW127F power-plants.

►► ZAMBIA: Ethiopian to operate 787/777 service to Harare & Lusaka for duration of October.

[UPDATE 7 NOVEMBER 2012] Despite having previously announced that its originally intended Boeing 787  Dreamliner service from Addis Ababa to Harare, Zimbabwe and Lusaka, Zambia was cancelled, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) has loaded a 6x weekly Dreamliner service onto the route, with a Boeing 777-200LR once weekly starting 30 September 2012 and valid until 27 October 2012.

► MOZAMBIQUE: (Pics) Qatar Airways launches 3x weekly Maputo flights.

Qatar Airways (QR) today inaugurated the first of three weekly services to the Mozambique’s capital city of Maputo. Touching down in Maputo enroute from Doha and Johannesburg, QR584 arrived to a water salute and a welcome by traditional dancers followed by an airport ceremony attended by more than 80 local dignitaries and media.

► CANADA: Ethiopian announces 787 ops to Toronto & Frankfurt for Winter 2012.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) has announced further adjustments to its planned Boeing 787 operations. Frankfurt, Germany will receive the 787 on a daily basis from 27 October 2012 replacing its current 767, whilst Toronto, Canada's current 777-200LR service will be replaced with a 787 effective 9 November.

► SENEGAL: Air France switches Dakar to 777-300ER service from December.

Air France (AF) will, from 3 December 2012, boost their capacity on their Paris CDG - Dakar, Senegal with the introduction of a 3-class Boeing 777-300ER, replacing the current Boeing 777-200ER.

► UNITED STATES: Ethiopian swaps Guangzhou and Washington equipment over Christmas period.

Effective 15 December 2012, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) is to switch operational aircraft in service between Addis Ababa and Guangzhou, China and Addis Ababa and Washington DC, USA as traffic demands during the period grow.

► SPAIN: CEIBA Intercontinental starts Malabo - Madrid flights.

Since transferring its sole Boeing 777-200LR (MSN 40668| CS-TQX) onto the registry of Portuguese airline White Airways, Equatoguinean national carrier CEIBA Intercontinental (C2) has now been able to launch a 3x weekly service between Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, and Madrid, Spain, effective 4 October 2012.

►► TUNISIA: Emirates cancels planned Tunis reduction to 5x weekly service from December.

[SEE UPDATE AT THE BOTTOM] Following on from its previous announcement, Dubai based carrier Emirates (EK) will, from 1 December 2012, reduce its weekly service from Dubai to Tunis, Tunisia, from daily to 5x weekly; Mondays and Sundays being nixed. 

► UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Emirates announces various equipment changes to Accra & Abidjan, Lagos, Entebbe and Nairobi effective 2013.

Dubai based carrier, Emirates (EK), has announced various changes to some its African destinations, effective from between January and February of next year.  

For other previously announced updates, see these posts.

► SOUTH AFRICA: Air France extends Cape Town route into May 2013.

Air France (AF) is to extend its seasonal Paris CDG (France) – Cape Town (South Africa) operation for the Northern Winter 2012/13 season.

The thrice weekly Boeing 777-200 operated route will remain in effect from 28 October 2012 until 12 May 2013, instead of the previously announced date of 30 March 2013.

► FRANCE: Egyptair increases capacity to Paris from December 2012.

Egyptian airline, Egyptair (MS), will from 1 December 2012, replace its current daily Airbus A330-300 operated service to Paris Charles de Gaulle, France with a larger Boeing 777-300ER. 

This comes after the carrier previously announced that from 28 October 2012 it would increase frequencies on the route from daily to 11x weekly.

► ZIMBABWE: Emirates switches to Boeing 777 on Harare/Lusaka flights from February 2013.

Dubai based carrier Emirates (EK) will, from 1 February 2013, switch from an Airbus A330-200 to a Boeing 777-300ER on its daily Dubai - Lusaka - Harare route. The date is iconic in that it will be the 1 year anniversary of the route's introduction.

Economy Class cabin on-board an Emirates 777-300ER (moaksey)

Emirates: Dubai - Lusaka, Zambia - Harare, Zimbabwe
- Effective 01 February 2013

• EK713 DXB 0925 - 1450 LUN 1620 - 1720 HRE 77W 1234567
• EK714 HRE 1850 - 1950 LUN 2120 - 0640+1 DXB 77W 1234567

Source [Amadeus]

It was expected that the Emirati carrier would decouple the two African destinations from one another at some stage, though this has apparently changed.

►► EQUATORIAL GUINEA: CEIBA Intercontinental waves Adios to its 777.

The Boeing 777-200LR (3C-LLS) of Equatorial Guinean carrier CEIBA Intercontinental (C2) (with what had to be one of the coolest liveries ever on a Boeing 777) today left Malabo, Equatorial Guinea for Lisbon, Portugal to be re-registered under White Airways (WI), a Portuguese leisure and charter flight operator out of Lisbon, becoming CS-TQX on the Portuguese registry.

(ex) CEIBA Intercontinental Boeing 777-200LR (sabian404)

It is unclear, however, what purpose the 777 served whilst under the CEIBA name, as the Equato-guinean flag-carrier is on the European Union's Banned Operator's List. In all honesty, it wouldn't be a massive surprise if it turned out that the aircraft had originally been bought for exclusive Presidential/VIP usage given Equatorial-Guinean President Teodoro Obiang's family's penchant for the high life and luxury which of late, has come under increasing scrutiny from the international media.

With the departure of the 777, CEIBA is now left with a fleet of two ATR 72-500s, one ATR 42 - 500, one ATR 42-320 and three Boeing 737-800 on order whilst its network consists of Malabo (Equatorial Guinea), Bata (Equatorial Guinea), Cotonou, Douala, Accra, Abidjan, Lomé, Libreville, Pointe Noire and Brazzaville.

[UPDATE]: SkyLinerAviation informs us that the 777 has now been re-registered as CS-TQX and is to be ferried back to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea as of 21 August 2012. Hopefully the plane will now return to operation for CEIBA and we'll see it in possible international service in the near future. Watch this space for further details!

► SAUDI ARABIA: Saudia increases capacity to Addis Ababa & Casablanca from October.

Saudi Arabian national carrier Saudia (SV) is to increase its capacity on flights between Riyadh and Jeddah to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Jeddah and Casablanca, Morocco with effect from 28 October 2012.

► MAURITIUS: British Airways changes departure times from Spring 2013.

British Airways (BA) will, with effect from 31 March 2013, switch its 3x weekly London Gatwick - Mauritius Boeing 777-200 flight to an afternoon departure from its current evening departure. The resultant inbound sector Mauritius - London Gatwick will switch to a daytime flight.

British Airways Boeing 777 in Mauritius (NAS)

British Airways: London Gatwick, UK - Port Louis, Mauritius

- Effective 31 March 2013

• BA2063 LGW1500 – 0545+1MRU 777 246
• BA2062 MRU0805 – 1705LGW 777 357

Source [Airline Route]

■ KENYA: Kenya Airways puts faith in newer aircraft and staff cuts as global oil prices continue to hit hard.

Citing "a downturn in passenger volumes, declining revenues, unstable fuel prices and an increasingly competitive environment", Kenya Airways' CEO and Managing Director, Titus Naikuni, (KQ) on Friday announced plans to reduce the Kenyan national carrier's staff overhead in a bit to streamline the airline following a 57% drop in profit from KSh3.5billion last year, to KSh1.6billion in Q1 of this year.

Naikuni stated that Kenya Airways' wage bill had more than doubled from KSh6billion in 2007 to KSh13.4billion in 2012 following a rise in the workforce size from 3'729 to 4'170 over the same period, which, with some 664 foreigners included, brings the overall tally to 4'834 employees. It was this increase that had eaten away at the airlines profitability and thus necessitated the redundancy drive which would start primarily with junior and management staff.

“Despite various initiatives that we have put in place, our cost base continues to be extremely high. This coupled with other direct operating costs, have put pressure on our contribution margin reducing our overall ability to operate profitably,” he explained.

Source [Kenya Airways]

Brent Crude Prices 2007 - 2012

As part of the streamlining initiative, Kenya Airways will first offer a "Voluntary Early Retirement Package" (VERP) to staff willing to leave the organization before 31 August, after which, it will pursue a mandatory redundancy programme, should the VERP fail to attract satisfactory figures.

In recent weeks, Kenya Airways has moved to implement a number of measures designed to ensure the company's viability in both the short term, and long term - with particular reference to the airlines Project Mawingo which aims to transform the airline into a more globally competitive player by 2020. In late June, it signed a mandate with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) to secure financing for Kenya Airways' fleet renewal initiative which will involve the purchase of nine (9) new Boeing 787-800s (Dreamliners) (B787s), one (1) Boeing 777-300ER (B777-300ER), and ten (10) Embraer EMB190 aircraft (E-190s). The new aircraft and their added efficiency will ensure Kenya Airways' fuel bill is kept as low as possible.