► SOUTH AFRICA: DoT grants fastjet Foreign Operators Permit paving way for Dar - Joburg; no mention of Kigali or Lusaka (yet).

Following on from its previous announcement, fastjet (FN) says it has been issued a Foreign Operator Permit from the South African Department of Transport thereby paving the way for the launch of flights between Dar es Salaam and Johannesburg.

■ TANZANIA: TCAA awards ATC upgrade contracts to Germany's Comsoft.

The Tanzanian Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) has contracted German ATC contractors, Comsoft, to deliver two modern technologies in the fields of air navigation and communication equipment, in order to increase flight safety in the region.

► TANZANIA: fastjet suspends South Africa launch as traffic rights to Lusaka, Kigali and Johannesburg are granted.

Struggling Tanzanian LCC, fastjet (FN), has been granted rights to service routes from Tanzania to South Africa, Zambia and Rwanda it has emerged. As a result of this development, the fastjet board has taken the decision to put the July 1 launch of its domestic South African operation temporarily on hold so that it can direct all its efforts and resources to starting its international services as soon as possible

► COMOROS: New carrier, Gafo Air, eyes flights to South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya and Sudan.

New Zealand energy consortium, GAFO Energy NZ, appears to be in the process of setting up a new regional carrier out of Moroni in the Comoros, dubbed Gafo Air.

► TANZANIA: Flightlink to begin Embraer E120 ops from July.

Tanzanian scheduled operator Flightlink will début its first, and Tanzania's first, Embraer E120ER operations with effect from July 1.

■ TANZANIA: Direct Maintenance's stations in Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro approved for EASA Part 145.

Dutch-based line maintenance provider, Direct Maintenance, has announced that its two Tanzanian line stations at Dar es Salaam (DAR) and Kilimanjaro (JRO) have been approved for line maintenance under the company's EASA Part-145 approval. Following an initial start during 2012 for launch customer Qatar Airways (QR), both stations were recently added to the EASA approval thereby offering the same capability to a larger customer base.

► TANZANIA: Air Tanzania planning to resume Tabora flights via Kigoma from June 1.

Air Tanzania (TC) has announced the resumption of 3x weekly flights to Tabora in Western Central Tanzania. Flights will launch on Saturday JUN01 using a Bombardier Dash 8-300. Flights on Days 1 and 6 will operate from Dar es Salaam direct to Tabora on the outbound with the inbound going via Kigoma. Day 4 will see a reversal of that; flights to Tabora will operate via Kigoma on the outbound with the inbound going direct to Dar es Salaam.

► MAYOTTE: New Indian Ocean regional carrier, Ewa, eyes Madagascar, Tanzania, Comoros and Mozambique flights from Q4.

La Réunion-based carrier, Air Austral (UU), is set to partner the Mayotte Chamber of Commerce and Industry among other shareholders in setting up a new regional carrier to be based out of Dzaoudzi.

► KENYA: Astral Aviation outlines expanded regional cargo network; to replace DC9s with MD83Fs.

Kenyan cargo operator, Astral Aviation (8V), has announced an enhanced intra-African freighter schedule which is based on a cautious expansion strategy to increase connectivity from its Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International hub to the East African region.

► COMOROS: Inter Îles Air resumes flights with Saab 340; eyes Madagascar, Tanzania ops from June.

Comorian carrier, Inter Îles Air (ZXA), has resumed services with a Saab 340. The airline had suspended operations following the crash of its Embraer 120ER (MSN: 120-149 | D6-HUA) off the coast of Hahaya, Grande Comore on November 27, 2012.

► ZIMBABWE: fastjet rumoured to be starting Victoria Falls flights from June.

UK-based Tanzanian LCC, fastjet (FN), is reportedly to commence regional operations to the Zimbabwean resort town of Victoria Falls starting June 4, Swiss aviation newswire ch-aviation reports.

► TANZANIA: British Airways to only resume Dar es Salaam flights once market is conducive.

British Airways (BA) could make a return to Dar es Salaam once market conditions are conducive, the Deputy British High Commissioner to Tanzania, Julian Chandler, has said. British Airways pulled its three times weekly service to the Tanzanian capital on March 31.

► RWANDA: Rwandair announces further changes to its Summer 2013 schedule.

AirlineRoute reports that as per the 23APR13 GDS timetable and inventory display, Rwandan national carrier, Rwandair (WB), will further revise its planned operation for Summer 2013 season, effective 01JUN13. 

► KENYA: fastjet, Don Smith agree to kiss and makeup.

Tanzanian LCC, fastjet (FN), has announced that it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Don Smith, CEO of FiveForty Aviation Limited which trades in Kenya as Fly540, thereby paving the way forward for the two to end a long standing legal battle over payment and licensing agreements in Africa.

■ TANZANIA: See Rendering for Dar es Salaam's new $170million Terminal III to be built by BAM International.

The Tanzanian Airport Authority has signed a contract worth USD170million with Dutch construction firm, BAM International, for the construction of a new international terminal (Terminal 3) at Dar es Salaam's Julius Nyerere International (JNIA).

► TANZANIA: Auric Air announces interim timetable changes effective 19 April.

Tanzania's Auric Air (H8) has announced an updated timetable to come into effect from 19 April 2013, as noted on its site. The airline operates an exclusively domestic Tanzanian service.

► RWANDA: Rwandair announces further Summer 2013 schedule changes.

Following on from our previous post, Rwandair (WB) will, according to the 08APR13 GDS timetable and inventory display, adjust a number of its operations from 01JUN13 in preparation for the Summer 2013 season.

► UGANDA: Air Uganda announces changes to Juba, Dar es Salaam ops effective 1 May.

In continuation to our previous post, Air Uganda (U7) has updated its schedule with changes to Entebbe - Dar es Salaam, Entebbe - Juba (South Sudan) routes coming into effect from 01MAY.

► OMAN: Oman Air looks to expand Africa network as part of efforts to become profitable.

Omani national carrier, Oman Air (WY), is planning to increase its services to Africa - with Casablanca first in line - as part of its plan to become profitable. The move comes after the airline posted a loss of USD253million (OMR97.47million) for 2012.

► TANZANIA: Auric Air outlines added routes to Zanzibar, Mafia Island, Tanzanian mainland from June 2013.

Tanzanian private operator, Auric Air (AUK), has announced plans to launch flights to numerous new destinations on both the Tanzanian mainland, Mafia Island and Zanzibar effective 01JUN13.