► COTE D'IVOIRE: Air Cote d'Ivoire's November regional expansion plans outlined.

Referencing our previous report, AirlineRoute has outlined Air Cote d'Ivoire's (HF) revised regional traffic expansion plans, set to come into effect from mid-November. Various changes to its existing timetable are also to be effected.

■ CAMEROON: Biya appoints Frederic Mbotto new Camair-Co boss; Edouard Mfoumou new chairman.

Cameroon's president, Paul Biya, has officially appointed Mr Frédéric Mbotto Obounou the new Managing Director/CEO of the country's national carrier, Camair-Co (QC), and Mr Edouard Akame Mfoumou as the Chairman of the airline's board of directors with effect from September 11. 

► CAMEROON: Gabon's Afric Aviation goes regional with 4x weekly Douala flights.

Gabonese carrier Afric Aviation (L8) has launched its first international route with four times weekly flights between Gabon's capital, Libreville, and the Cameroonian commercial hub of Douala. Operations are on board one of the airline's two ATR72-200s.

► TOGO: Ethiopian Airlines to launch its Lomé cargo hub this week as more planned pax routes to Asia unveiled.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) are set to launch Lomé, Togo as their second cargo hub outside Addis Ababa with effect from August 15. In addition to a connection to the carrier's Ethiopian primary hub, Lomé will also serve Europe via Liege, Belgium with a twice weekly MD-11F Freighter. Lomé is already the hub or its West African passenger subsidiary, ASKY Airlines (KP).

► 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.

► CAMEROON: Turkish Airlines hurting Camair-Co on Europe-bound traffic - Perchat.

Camair-Co (QC) says Turkish Airlines' (TK) recent entry into the Cameroonian market is having a serious effect on the carrier's international traffic with almost 50% of the Paris-bound market having been lost to the Turks, Camair Commercial Director, Christian Perchat, has disclosed.

► 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.

■ CAMEROON: Camair-Co drops Lufthansa Technik as MRO provider; to drop the 737-700 citing lack of suitability.

Camair-Co (QC), the Cameroonian national carrier, will not renew an MRO contract signed with Lufthansa Technik in 2011 after the airline cited a "unilateral increase in charges" as well as unjustifiable staff perks as its reasons. Airline CEO Matthijs Boertien claimed that spurned attempts to negotiate with the Germans had resulted in the impasse, thereby forcing Camair to look to Dutch outfit, Aviacare BV, for its future MRO needs.

► 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.

■ CAMEROON: Camair-Co allegedly seeking government funds ahead of massive restructuring exercise.

The new CEO of Cameroonian national carrier, Camair-Co (QC), Matthijs Boertien, has reportedly asked the carrier's sole shareholder, the Cameroonian government, for funding to help support the airline for the next six months as part of a restructuring exercise.

► CAMEROON: Nigeria's AeroContractors eyeing late May for inaugural Douala flights.

Nigeria's AeroContractors (AJ) have announced Monday, May 27 as the date for its planned inaugural Lagos - Douala, Cameroon flights, its second international route after Accra, Ghana. According to the carrier, the flights will operate three times weekly.

► 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.

►► KENYA: A look at Kenya Airways' updated Summer 2013 Schedule, codeshare plans with Air Burkina.

[UPDATE 2 MAY 2013] AirlineRoute writes that as per the 27MAR13 GDS timetable and inventory display, the latest changes to Kenya Airways’ (KQ) planned Summer 2013 operation, effective 31MAR13, is as follows. Further changes remain possible.

► GHANA: RwandAir announces Douala, Accra, Juba as next destinations to come in June/July.

With the imminent arrival of the first of two Boeing 737-700NGs, replacing the airline's Boeing 737-500s whose leases expire mid year, Rwandair (WB) has announced that Douala and Accra will be the airline's next new destinations from 1 June 2013.

► 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.

► GAMBIA: Gambia Bird set to start Lagos and Douala from April; announces timetable revision.

Following on from our previous post, Gambia Bird (3G) has announced numerous changes to its network in anticipation of Summer 2013, effective 31 March 2013. Additionally, the carrier will launch Lagos and Douala flights from 02APR13.

►► KENYA: First of four Kenya Airways Boeing 737-300s set for Cargo conversion.

[UPDATE 18 MARCH] Kenya Airways (KQ) has announced plans to convert four of its six Boeing 737-300s into regional cargo freighters in a move that will see the carriers' cargo division, Kenya Airways Cargo, increasing its presence in Eastern, Central, and Southern Africa.

►► ETHIOPIA: ASKY Airlines now codesharing with Ethiopian on the latter's West Africa, Brazil flights.

[UPDATE 26 FEBRUARY] Ethiopian Airlines (ET) and its West African subsidiary ASKY Airlines (KP) have expanded their code-sharing agreement to now cover the majority of Ethiopian's routes between Ethiopia and West Africa with Nigeria, Senegal, Mali, Benin, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Togo and Burkina Faso now operating with an ASKY IATA code (KP).