■ LIBYA: Libyan Airlines selects OnAir for onboard wifi connectivity for its four A330s, with two due next month.

Libyan carrier, Libyan Airlines, (LN), set to take delivery of its first of four Airbus A330s next month, has selected OnAir to provide on-board internet broadband connectivity. The aircraft will fly on long-haul international routes to Asia and Europe.

►► NAMIBIA: Air Namibia to axe Accra, reduces Cape Town, Joburg due to low demand, Frankfurt due to A340s undergoing maintenance.

[UPDATE 7 APRIL] Air Namibia (SW) is, according to Amadeus, to axe its Windhoek - Accra (Ghana) flights effective 10 April. In addition, Windhoek to Cape Town, and Windhoek to Johannesburg flights are to be reduced from 3 to 2 a day, with Windhoek to Frankfurt flights being reduced to 4x a week effective immediately.

► TURKEY: Turkish Airlines boosts Lagos, Dar es Salaam ops from May.

Turkish Airlines (TK) is to boost its capacity and frequency between Istanbul and Lagos and Istanbul and Dar es Salaam. Changes will come into effect from late May.

►► ZIMBABWE: KLM to restart Harare service from 29 October.

[UPDATE 14 MARCH] After a 10 year hiatus from the Zimbabwean capital Harare, KLM Dutch Airlines (KL) has announced the resumption of its Amsterdam - Harare service, albeit with a stopover in Lusaka.

► TUNISIA: Syphax to launch new Paris, Jeddah flights as A330 plans begin to take shape.

As per the 07MAR13 GDS timetable and inventory display, Tunisian carrier Syphax Airlines’ (FS) Summer 2013 operation will include new and added flights to Paris from Djerba, Sfax and Monastir. A new Jeddah - Sfax service is also planned.

► SEYCHELLES: (Media) Air Seychelles' second A330 touches down in Mahé.

Air Seychelles' (HM) second Airbus A330-200 (MSN ? | A6-EYZ), christened Vallée de Mai, this afternoon touched down at Seychelles International Airport, Mahé. The aircraft made its first test flight in February and will now enter active service on Air Seychelles’ new international schedule, which includes new services to Hong Kong and increased frequencies to Abu Dhabi, Johannesburg and Mauritius.

► SOUTH AFRICA: Edelweiss Air to continue 2x weekly Cape Town ops for Winter 2013/14.

Swiss charter airline, Edelweiss Airlines (WK) is to maintain its seasonal twice weekly Zurich - Cape Town service during the Northern Winter 2013/2014 season. The Airbus A330 service operates under a code share with Swiss Airlines (LX).

► MOZAMBIQUE: TAP Air Portugal outlines Maputo frequency increases for April - October.

Portuguese carrier TAP Air Portugal (TP) has announced it will increase its Lisbon - Maputo flights effective 1 April. In addition, TAP will deploy its Airbus A330 onto the route according to demand.

● LIBYA: LYCAA releases final report on crash of Afriqiyah 771; blames lack of pilot coordination, somatogravic illusions.

Libya's Civil Aviation Authority has released its final report on the crash of the Afriqiyah Airlines (8U) Airbus A330-200 (MSN 1024 | 5A-ONG) operating as flight 8U772 from Johannesburg, South Africa to Tripoli, Libya, which crashed on approach into Tripoli International Airport in May 2010. According to their findings, air crash investigators have blamed "the limited coordination and cooperation between the two crew members" exacerbated by fatigue and coupled with  the effects of somatogravic illusions (i.e. an optical illusion that can result in spatial disorientation) as the mitigating factors in the crash.

► RWANDA: KLM to boost Kigali, Entebbe frequencies to daily from April.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines(KL) will, from 5 April, boost its frequency on its Amsterdam to Entebbe, Uganda via Kigali, Rwanda route from 6x weekly, to a daily service with the introduction of a Tuesday (Day 2) service.

► NIGERIA: Etihad goes daily to Lagos from late March.

Following on from its increased Khartoum operations, Etihad Airways(EY), the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, will now upgrade its Lagos service to daily to meet growing demand from passengers travelling to and from Nigeria. Beginning 31 March a new Thursday service will be introduced on board an Airbus A330-200 bringing total weekly frequencies up to 7 (i.e. daily).

► SEYCHELLES: See Video of Air Seychelles' second A330 set to start ops in March.

Seychellois national carrier, Air Seychelles (HM), today took delivery of its second Airbus A330-200. The aircraft is scheduled to make its first test flight in February and will subsequently enter active service in March to launch Air Seychelles’ new international schedule, which includes new services to Hong Kong and increased frequencies to Abu Dhabi, Johannesburg and Mauritius.
 

►►► EGYPT: Korean Air resumes Seoul - Cairo from January 2013.

[UPDATE 9 JANUARY] South Korean airline Korean Air (KE) is to resume its 2x weekly Airbus A330-300 Seoul Incheon - Cairo, Egypt nonstop flights, which from October 28, will be upgraded to a Boeing 777-200ER.

► ALGERIA: Air Algérie in talks to buy 787-8s, 737-800NGs and A330s as international expansion plans move forward.

Algerian carrier, Air Algèrie (AH), in an announcement via its official Facebook page, is to forge ahead with the first stage of its previously announced renewal plan with the carrier said to be negotiating a deal for the purchase of an undisclosed number of Boeing 787-800s, that it hopes to "make concrete very soon." Delivery of the first aircraft is scheduled for 2017.

► TUNISIA: Syphax Airlines looks to expand to China, Canada in Summer 2013 with arrival of first of two Airbus A330s.

According to news reports out of Tunisia, Syphax Airlines (FS), Tunisia's largest private carrier, will in April 2013 take delivery of an Airbus A330 with a second due in early 2014 as the airline sets its sights on expanding internationally.

► NIGERIA: KLM, Air France announce capacity changes on Nigeria routes for 2013.

KLM Dutch Airlines (KL) and Air France (AF) have announced various changes to their Nigerian operations for 2013. Effective 31 March 2013, Air France is to boost capacity on its Abuja/Port Harcourt route while for the duration of June, KLM is to reduce capacity on its Lagos flights.

► DUBAI: Afriqiyah to launch 2x weekly Benghazi, Tripoli - Dubai flights from 20 December.

According to their official Twitter account, Libyan airline Afriqiyah (8U) has announced that its inaugural flight to Dubai will operate from both Benghazi and Tripoli twice weekly using an Airbus A330-200.

► NIGERIA: Egyptair boosts capacity to Abuja over December/January period.

Egyptian national carrier, Egyptair (MS) will, over December 2012 and January 2013, increase its capacity on its Cairo – Abuja, Nigeria route with an Airbus A330-200 operating for selected periods instead of the usual Boeing 737-800 aircraft. 

► RÉUNION: See Pics of Corsair International's sexy new A330 at Roland Garros!

Réunion, the French Overseas Territory in the Indian Ocean, was the first recipient of Corsair International's (SS) recently delivered Airbus A330-300; the first of two with the second due in late January 2013. The new aircraft are part of a renewal programme that follows a EUR300million recapitalization of the carrier by parent company, TUI, the largest tourism group in the world.

► COTE D'IVOIRE: Corsair International to start 4x weekly Abidjan flights from 2013.

French carrier Corsair International is to expand its presence in West Africa with the addition of Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. Effective 1 March 2013, Corsair will serve the Ivorian capital 4x weekly from Paris Orly with an A330-300.