► SOUTH AFRICA: Mango to start Joburg & Cape Town to PE flights from December.

South African LCC Mango (JE) are to launch daily return flights between Johannesburg and the coastal city of Port Elizabeth as well as Cape Town and Port Elizabeth effective 5 December. Johannesburg - PE bookings will be available from Tuesday 20 November.

► NAMIBIA: Air Namibia announces numerous changes to its timetable from January 2013 onwards.

Air Namibia (SW) has announced various changes to its operational schedule. These changes are to take effect from 15 January 2013 onwards.

► SOUTH AFRICA: (Pics) Condor inaugurates Frankfurt - Cape Town flights.

The arrival of Condor flight DE6228 from Frankfurt to Cape Town at 10h52L today, marked the launch of  the airline's 2x weekly return Frankfurt/Cape Town flights. 

● SOUTH AFRICA: Uganda's Daniel Wanjala wins African Aviator Award for 2012.

At a gala dinner held yesterday, Monday, in Cape Town, South Africa, the AviAssist Foundation in conjunction with the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation CANSO, announced Uganda's Daniel Wanjala as the winner of its 2012 African Aviator Award, this year selecting Air Traffic Management/Control as the area of expertise for the award. 

► SOUTH AFRICA: Fly Go-Air to finally start ops in November?

Fly Go-Air, the off and on again, niche carrier aimed at the premium market in South Africa, has announced it will launch operations in late November from its hub at Johannesburg's Lanseria Airport to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport with plans to start Polokwane and Pietermaritzburg in January. In the near future, the airline is also considering flights to Bloemfontein and George and from KMIA to Cape Town.

► SOUTH AFRICA: BA Comair increases Durban – Cape Town Weekday flights from late October 2012.

South African franchise, British Airways (Comair) (BA/MN), has announced an increase in their Durban – Cape Town weekday flights with the addition of 3x to 4x additional daily flights, with effect from 29 October 2012. 

The flights are operated with a mixture of Boeing 737-300s and Boeing 737-400s.

► 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.

► BOTSWANA: Air Botswana planning Nairobi, Lilongwe, Blantyre, Cape Town, Lanseria flights from October onwards?

Reliable Zimbabwean aviation blog, Harare Airport Blogger, is reporting that Botswana's national carrier, Air Botswana (BP), is planning to launch various new regional routes with effect from 28 October 2012, though these reports have not yet officially been confirmed by Air Botswana itself.

► NAMIBIA: Air Namibia announces numerous changes to its timetable from October onwards.

As part of their strategy of efficient utilisation of their aircraft, Namibian carrier Air Namibia (SW) have again announced various changes to both their regional and international network, effective from October 2012 (the precise dates are subject to each individual post).

► GERMANY: Eritrean Airlines drops Frankfurt 6 months after its inaugural flight.

Eritrean Airlines (B8), the Eritrean national carrier, has announced that effective 1 October 2012, it will drop Frankfurt, Germany from its route network. The route is currently serviced once weekly via Rome, Italy using an Airbus A319, down from its original 3x weekly frequency when the route was inaugurated in April.

►► SOUTH AFRICA: SA Express increases Gaborone & George operations.

South African Express Airways (XZ), better known as SA Express, has announced, effective 2 September 2012, it’ll introduce a 6th daily operation on its Johannesburg – Gaborone, Bostwana route while domestically the airline will add a 4th weekly Cape Town – George, South Africa flight in addition to increasing its Johannesburg – George, South Africa route frequencies from 20x to 24x weekly.

■ ST HELENA: Tender for flights to Cape Town to be issued "soon".

Press reports out of Cape Town, South Africa state that tenders will soon be issued for flights to the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, part of a group of islands in the Mid/South Atlantic Ocean that includes Ascension Island and the islands of Tristan da Cunha, with the contract being awarded "next year."

Currently the island's only link to mainland anywhere is via a Royal Mail ship which sails from Cape Town twice monthly.

"The island will have open skies but it’s planned to start its own St Helena airline to provide regular scheduled services. Flights from Cape Town are expected to take three and a half hours. Tenders will be called for soon and a contract awarded early next year."

Source [IOL]

Before flights can start however, an airport will have to be constructed. 

St Helena's remote location in the Atlantic.

After various delays, a contract was finally awarded to Italian construction firm Impregilo in 2008 with  construction expected to last 3 years (2012 - 2015) and costing USD319million.

Originally planned to accommodate either Airbus A319s, Boeing 737-800s or Boeing 757-200s, a decision taken to shorten the runways length will invariably limit the airport to servicing Boeing 737-700s, which in turn will limit the variety of destinations served from St Helena to either Angola or Namibia with a full payload, or Cape Town and Johannesburg with a reduced payload.

► UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Emirates announces various changes to its Africa network for Winter 2012.

Dubai-based carrier, Emirates (EK) has announced various changes to its African network as it gears up for the Northern Hemisphere Winter.

Emirates Africa Route Network

  Emirates NH Winter 2012 Africa Changes

Dubai – Cape Town, South Africa

- Aircraft used gradually switches to an Airbus A340-300.

• EK772 DXB0350 – 1140CPT 343 1234567
• EK770 DXB0850 – 1625CPT 343 1234567
• EK773 CPT1330 – 0120+1DXB 343 1234567
• EK771 CPT1810 – 0535+1DXB 343 1234567
• EK770/771 operates with Airbus A340-300 instead of Boeing 777-300ER from 1 February 2013
• EK772/773 operates with Airbus A340-300 instead of -500 from 1 March 2013 (Service is suspended from 1 September 2012 until 30 November 2012).

Dubai – Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

- Effective 1 February 2013 (Previously stated as starting from 1 March 2013) 2-class 777-300ER replaces A340-500 hence no First Class service.

Previously announced:

Dubai – Johannesburg, South Africa 

- Effective 1 December 2012 Airbus A380 service resumes on EK761/762.

Dubai – Lusaka, Zambia – Harare, Zimbabwe

- Effective 1 October 2012 Service increases daily from 5 weekly; A330-200 operating.

 

Dubai – Tunis, Tunisia 

- Effective 1 December 2012, 3-class Boeing 777-300ER replaces Airbus A340-500; loss of First Class Suite service.

Source [Airline Route]

► RWANDA: RwandAir rumoured to start Lusaka and Cape Town "in November".

According to fellow blogger RwandanFlyer, Rwandan national airline Rwandair (WB) is set to launch flights from its hub in Kigali, Rwanda to Lusaka, Zambia and Cape Town, South Africa "sometime in November of this year", though no official confirmation has been made available as yet.

A RwandAir Ad on Facebook.

It is said that the launch of the flights will coincide with "the arrival of RwandAir's two new Bombardier CRJ-900NGs in October, that will be used on other regional routes, thereby freeing up RwandAir's Boeing 737-800s for use to Lusaka and Cape Town."

RwandAir's Network

It is uncertain whether or not the carrier will be granted 5th Freedom rights to service the Lusaka - Cape Town sectors and vice-versa.

In October 2011, RwandAir signed an 'option deal' for two Boeing 787s for delivery in either 2015 or 2016. This should hopefully be the beginning of an audacious expansion plan that will see the airline going head to head with two major regional players: Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways.

Stay tuned for further updates.

► NAMIBIA: Air Namibia announces sweeping changes to its African network.

As part of its efforts to rationalize its capacity and quality of service, Namibian flag carrier Air Namibia (SW) has announced various route changes to its Africa route network effective 5 August 2012.

► MAURITIUS: Air Mauritius wants either 787s or A350s for fleet renewal; announces further Africa route changes.

Mauritian national carrier Air Mauritius (MK) has gone on record as saying it is considering finding a suitable strategic partner in the form of a larger airline "to help it" in its fleet rejuvenation plans, something akin to Air Seychelles' (HM) deal with Abu Dhabi based Etihad Airways (EY) which has already seen the struggling Seychellois carrier receiving its first A330 as part of its turnaround efforts.

Air Mauritius boss Andre Viljoen said the objective was for Air Mauritius to be rid of its A340s by 2017 at the latest, and for them to be replaced by either Boeing 787 Dreamliners or Airbus A350s.

“A strategic partner may assist with our own required future fleet requirements,” he said in the presentation, adding that new twin-jet planes will be a “game-changer,” offering a saving of as much as 30 percent over the four-engine A340s."

Read More Here [Air Mauritius]

For the recent financial year, Air Mauritius posted a €30million loss compared with a €6.3million profit a year earlier, with operating expenses rising 14 percent. Viljoen was adamant though that in order for Air Mauritius to achieve its most important short term goal of returning to profitability in 2013/2014, it would have to undergo some much needed belt tightening in the form of route cancellations and modifications amongst which Durban, South Africa.will be dropped effective October 2012.

In the meantime, Air Mauritius has announced various operational changes to its African routes effective 28 October 2012 (European Winter) 2012).

Air Mauritius' Africa Network.

 

● Air Mauritius Africa Operational Changes Winter 2012 ●

-Effective 28 October 2012

-Additional changes remain possible:

Mauritius – Antananarivo, Madagascar

- Service increases from 4 to 5 weekly, with operational aircraft changes. Previously the airline planned to operate 6 weekly flights
- Service until 27October 2012 operates 4x weekly with an Airbus A340-300

• MK288 MRU1430 – 1510TNR 343 247
• MK288 MRU1430 – 1525TNR 319 35
• MK289 TNR1655 – 1940MRU 343 247
• MK289 TNR1655 – 1940MRU 319 35

Mauritius – Cape Town, South Africa 

- Planned service increase from 2x to 3x weekly remains unchanged

• MK843 MRU0900 – 1305CPT 319 246
• MK844 CPT1355 – 2110MRU 319 246

Mauritius – Johannesburg, South Africa

- Service increases from 5x to 10x weekly. Previously the airline planned to increase flights to 14x weekly.

• SA851 MRU0915 – 1150JNB 343 246
• SA851 MRU0915 – 1150JNB 319 x246
• SA847 MRU2040 – 2315JNB 319 246
• SA848 JNB0005 – 0605MRU 319 357
• SA852 JNB1335 – 1935MRU 343 246
• SA852 JNB1335 – 1935MRU 319 x246

Mauritius – Durban, South Africa 

- Service ceases from 28 October 2012.

Mauritius – Nairobi, Kenya

- Planned service increase from 2 weekly to 3 weekly remains unchanged

• MK534 MRU0855 – 1215NBO 319 246
• MK535 NBO1305 – 1820MRU 319 246

Read More Here [Airline Route]

► GERMANY: Lufthansa announces Africa schedule changes for European Winter.

German carrier Lufthansa (LH) has announced various operational and frequency changes to its Africa network for the duration of the European winter of 2012/2013.

Lufthansa's Africa Network

● Lufthansa Winter Africa Timetable ●

• Frankfurt – Johannesburg, South Africa: 08 January 2013 – 30 January 2013 - Service reduces from daily to 6x weekly.
• Frankfurt – Khartoum, Sudan – Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Service to operate 6x weekly instead of planned daily.
• Frankfurt – Lagos, Nigeria – Port Harcourt, Nigeria: 16 January 2013 – 06 February 2013 Service reduces from daily to 6x weekly.

Previously reported:

• Munich – Cape Town, South Africa: Effective 28 October 2012 - Service to switch from Frankfurt to Munich due to Frankfurt Noise Abatement rules.  

Read More Here [Airline Route]

► UNITED KINGDOM: British Airways announces changes to Africa network from October onwards.

British Airways (BA) has announced various changes to its African timetable effective 28 October 2012 some of which have been previously reported on here at The African Aviation Tribune.

British Airways' Africa Network

● British Airways Africa Timetable ●

-Effective 28 October 2012

-Additional changes remain possible

• London Heathrow – Accra, Ghana: First Class service on 777-200ER is only available on Thursdays and Fridays in W12 
• London Heathrow – Agadir, Morocco: 2x weekly service operated by BA, operating on weekends. This replaces existing BMI operation on Day 26 
• London Gatwick – Algiers, Algeria: Service reduces from daily to 5x weekly in Winter 2012 (1x Daily in W11) 
• London Heathrow – Cairo, Egypt: (BMI) 1x Daily A321 CANCELLED (20 July 2012)
• London Heathrow – Cairo, Egypt: Boeing 747-400 replacing 777-200ER from 01 October 2012 
• London Heathrow – Cape Town, South Africa: BA042 from CPT shifts from morning hours departure in NW11 back to evening departure in NW12

               -BA043 LHR1735 – 0700+1CPT 744 1234567
               -BA059 LHR1930 – 0855+1CPT 744 1234567

               -BA058 CPT2050 – 0625+1LHR 744 1234567
               -BA042 CPT2220 – 0800+1LHR 744 1234567

• London Heathrow – Casablanca, Morocco: Service operates 4x weekly in W12 with BMI Airbus A319 aircraft, same as W11 CANCELLED (20 July 2012)
• London Heathrow – Entebbe, Uganda: Revised operational day to Day 247 from LHR, Day 135 from EBB 
• London Heathrow – Freetown, Sierra Leone:  2x weekly Boeing 767, replacing 3x weekly A330-200 bmi operation: 

             - BA137 LHR2230 – 0525+1FNA 767 36
             - BA136 FNA1100 – 1730LHR 767 47

• London Heathrow – Johannesburg, South Africa: Service to continue to operate at 14x weekly. Planned 17x weekly service increase cancelled 
• London Heathrow – Khartoum, Sudan via Beirut: (BMI) 3x weekly A321 
• London Heathrow – Lusaka, Zambia: Operational day changes from Day 357 to Day 257 (LUN departs next day) 
• London Heathrow – Luanda, Angola: Service continues to operate with 4-class Boeing 777-200ER twice a week. Previously 1 of 2x weekly to be operated with 3-class aircraft 
• London Heathrow – Marrakech, Morroco: (BMI) operation reduces from 5x to 3x weekly 
• London Gatwick – Marrakech, Morocco: Service increases from 3x weekly to daily

Read More Here [Airline Route]

► SOUTH AFRICA: Lufthansa drops Frankfurt for Munich to Cape Town following curfew ruling.

Following on from April's landmark ruling by a federal court in Leipzig, Germany to ban flights at Frankfurt between 11pm and 5am in response to complaints about the noise from residents, so German carrier Lufthansa (LH) has been forced to switch its Cape Town, South Africa service from Frankfurt to Munich effective 28 October 2012.

Lufthansa Boeing 747 at Cape Town (Jacobus Saayman)

Lufthansa: Munich, Germany - Cape Town, South Africa
Effective 28 October 2012

• LH574 MUC2200 – 1035+1CPT 343 x13
• LH575 CPT1900 – 0535+1MUC 343 x24

Read More Here [Airline Route]

As if the restrictions and its economic consequences at Frankfurt were not enough, Lufthansa has threatened to move some of its traffic to either Brussels, Zurich or Vienna after a referendum in Munich on the 20 June put plans to build a third runway at Munich Airport into jeopardy.

► SOUTH AFRICA: British Airways switches Cape Town to night flight from Winter 2012.

British Airways (BA) will, from Winter 2012 (28 October 2012), switch its seasonal flight BA042 from Cape Town, South Africa to London Heathrow to a night time departure.

The flight will be operated by a Boeing 747-400.

British Airways' B747-400 at Cape Town (Sara Joachim)

British Airways: London, Heathrow - Cape Town, South Africa

- Effective 28 October 2012

• BA043 LHR1735 – 0700+1CPT 744 D
• BA059 LHR1930 – 0855+1CPT 744 D

• BA058 CPT2050 – 0625+1LHR 744 D 
• BA042 CPT2220 – 0800+1LHR 744 D

Read More Here [Airline Route]

Citing route viability problems, South African Airways last week announced it would drop its Cape Town - Heathrow service effective August 2012.