■ CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE): Air CEMAC launch now delayed 'til early 2014 as more talks with Air France are due in October.

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).

■ CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE): Second module at Brazzaville Maya-Maya International set to become operational.

The second module of the terminal building at Brazzaville's Maya-Maya International Airport is set to come online shortly, the Congolese Minister at the Presidency for Spatial Planning, Jean Jacques Bouya, has disclosed. The works are part of the government's plan to develop Brazzaville into a strong regional hub with modern facilities.

► KENYA: Saudia Cargo relaunches its Nairobi hub; adds 23 new African destinations via interline deals.

Saudi Airlines cargo division, Saudia Cargo (SV), has announced the re-launch of its Nairobi, Kenya hub along with the expansion of its network coverage into sub-Saharan Africa. Saudia Cargo currently serves six other freighter destinations in Africa, namely: Addis Ababa, Johannesburg, Kano, Khartoum, Lagos and N’Djamena. Saudia also offers a Lagos, Nigeria hub focussing on West Africa.

► COTE D'IVOIRE: Air Cote d'Ivoire rolls out Kinshasa, Ndjamena, Niamey, Pointe Noire from late August.

Air Côte d’Ivoire (HF) will from late August 2013 gradually roll out 4 new regional destinations - Kinshasa, N’Djamena, Niamey and Pointe Noire - boosting its presence in both West and Central Africa.

■ CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE): Equatorial Congo Airlines selects Zodiac's Rave IFE system for its 757s.

Zodiac Aerospace has announced that Equatorial Congo Airlines (LC), the Brazzaville-based Congolese operator, has selected Zodiac Inflight Innovations' Rave Inflight Entertainment (IFE) System to be installed on its two B757-200 aircraft.

► TOGO: Magma Aviation launches new West African cargo ops beginning July 14.

Magma Aviation, a private United Kingdom-based cargo operator, will from July 14, launch flights from Brussels to Lome, Brazzaville and onto Kinshasa with a weekly B747-400F. Out of Lome, scheduled connections are to be offered into Bamako, Cotonou, Douala, Libreville, Monrovia and Niamey onboard ATR aircraft.

► LIBERIA: AV Cargo Airlines adds Monrovia; boosts Bamako flights.

Effective immediately, AV Cargo Airlines (Z3) has announced an increase in the frequency of flights to Bamako, Mali while at the same time, added Monrovia, Liberia as a new destination on its West African network. Flights will be operated out of the carrier's Liege hub using an MD11F.

■ CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE): More woes for Air CEMAC as talks with partner Air France stall.

The launch of Air CEMAC, the regional carrier aimed at linking Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Congo (Brazzaville), Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Chad and São Tomé & Príncipe together, is facing the prospect of further set backs following reports that negotiations with Air France (AF), the carrier's strategic partner, have progressed little since the collaboration was announced in July last year.

► TOGO: AfricaWest Cargo Airlines acquires a 737-300F, two ATR72Fs for planned regional expansion.

AfricaWest Cargo Airlines (FK) has announced the addition of a Boeing 737-300F with two ATR72Fs set to join its fleet in June and October respectively. The cargo operator intends to use the aircraft as part of its plans to expand throughout Africa during 2013 and 2014.

► NIGERIA: AeroContractors planning big regional push before Q4 of this year.

Nigeria's second largest airline, Aero Contractors, is considering a big push into the subregion following the recent announcement of its inaugural flights to Douala, Cameroon's largest city, set for today 27 May.

► TOGO: Ethiopian Cargo to set up West African hub based out of Lomé.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) cargo division, Ethiopian Cargo, is nearing the final stages of setting up a cargo hub in the Togolese capital of Lomé, the carrier has said. Lomé currently acts as a hub for Ethiopian's West African subsidiary, ASKY Airlines (KP), and will shortly play a pivotal role in the airline's plans to launch flights to South America.

● CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE): AFRAA sees strong short term growth in African air travel market as doomsayers remain pessimistic about the long term.

The African air travel market growth is set to remain strong with an increase of 5.2% projected for this coming year, Elijah Chingosho, the Secretary General of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) has said in Brazzaville. Doom-sayers in the industry, however, remain very pessimistic about the long term future of the continent's airlines given their inability and/or disinterest in merging.

► RWANDA: Rwandair outlines new Accra via Lagos and Douala via Brazzaville, Libreville ops.

Rwandan national carrier, RwandAir (WB) has outlined its planned Kigali - Accra and Kigali - Brazzaville - Libreville - Douala services due to launch in June. According to Amadeus, Accra flights will operate 3x weekly via Lagos, Nigeria with Rwandair obtaining 5th Freedom rights between Lagos and Accra. Douala flights will operate 4x weekly.

► ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian Airlines to boost Muscat, Brazzaville & Kinshasa services from mid June.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET), will, starting 16JUN13, add a 5th weekly service to its Addis Ababa – Muscat route while from 18JUN13 service to Brazzaville and Kinshasa will increase from 7 to 10 flights weekly. In addition, the existing daily Addis Ababa – Kinshasa – Brazzaville – Addis Ababa service will be adjusted.

► CAMEROON: Camair-Co outlines Summer 2013 schedule changes; starts Abidjan from June.

CH-Aviation reports that, as part of its Summer 2013 schedule, Camair-Co(QC), the Cameroonian national carrier, has announced it is to start flights between Douala and Abidjan effective 04JUN. Additionally, the carrier has been awarded 5th Freedom rights on the Brazzaville - Kinshasa sectors of of its Douala - Brazzaville - Kinshasa flights, along with Lagos - Cotonou on its Douala - Lagos - Cotonou flights.

■ CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE): Despite not actually operating any flights, Air CEMAC opens new swanky HQ in Brazzaville.

At a ceremony held today in the Republic of Congo's capital, Brazzaville, Congolese Minister of State for Transport, Civil Aviation and Shipping, Rodolphe Adada, officially handed over the keys of the headquarters of Air CEMAC, the planned regionally backed airline, to chairman of the board of Air CEMAC's directors, Etienne Robin Mintsa Mi Owono. 

► SOUTH AFRICA: Comair Ltd, SAA, SA Airlink set sights on regional expansion.

South African Airways (SA), its subsidiary SA Airlink (4Z) and competitor Comair Ltd, the British Airways franchise holder in South Africa in addition to owning LCC Kulula, have applied for new frequencies to the Democratic Republic of the Congo amongst other destinations as South African carriers seek to broaden their market bases.

► COTE D'IVOIRE: Air Côte d’Ivoire announces Pointe Noire, Ouagadougou, Yaounde; various timetable changes.

AirlineRoute states that Air Côte d’Ivoire from 01FEB13 is adjusting its operations, which includes the launch of 3 new destinations in west Africa - Pointe Noire (Congo Brazzaville), Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) and Yaounde (Cameroon).

►►► CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: Air France suspends Bangui after riots outside French embassy.

[UPDATE 11 JANUARY] As the situation in the Central African Republic continues to deteriorate, so French carrier, Air France (AF), had to cancel its weekly flight to Bangui on 26 December, with the next flight on 2 January 2013, under review.

► CHAD: Tunisair looking to start Ndjamena via Douala amongst other routes?

Tunisair (TU), the Tunisian national carrier, are said to be in the process of finalizing a possible Tunis - Ndjamena (Chad) via Douala (Cameroon) route according to Chadian newspaper reports.