► SOUTH AFRICA: SAA pushes further into Africa with Abidjan & Brazzaville.

South African Airways (SA) will, from 17 August 2012, resume its suspended Johannesburg, South Africa - Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire service that it last plied 3 years ago. The flight will be operated by an Airbus A330-200 twice a week.

► BENIN: Westair Benin to start Libreville, Abidjan, Niamey, Ouagadougou shortly; to acquire various aircraft.

Beninois start-up Westair Benin (WH) is to planning to use a Bombardier CRJ-200 on flights between the capital, Cotonou, and Libreville (Gabon), Niamey (Niger), Abidjan (Cote d'Ivoire) and Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) with other destinations to be added in future.

Founded in 2002, the airline has maintained a relatively low profile thus far, though it is considering a Boeing 737-300 for use in future operations.

Read More Here [CH Aviation]

► COTE D'IVOIRE: Air Cote d'Ivoire to start service using A332 from end of July.

In a collaboration between the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED), the Ivorian Government and Air France, new start up, Air Cote d'Ivoire, is to begin operations at "the end of July" following the signing of the Framework Partnership Agreement, the Shareholders' Agreement and the Articles of the airline Air Côte d’Ivoire yesterday in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast).

► GHANA: Starbow Airlines leases BAe146-300; To start Cotonou, Abidjan, Monrovia, Abuja, Ouagadougou.

Starbow Airlines (S9), a Ghanaian airline that commenced operations in 2011, has announced the lease of a BAe146-300 from Fair Aviation of Lanseria Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa.