► EGYPT: Qatar Airways boosts its Cairo frequencies to 16 weekly.

Qatar Airways (QR) has been operating an increased weekly service between Doha and the Egyptian capital, Cairo, since late-April 2013, where it now offers 16 weekly flights instead of 14. Extra flights operate on Thursdays and Saturdays from Doha.

► SAUDI ARABIA. Air Arabia Egypt boosts Dammam, Riyadh ops from June.

Air Arabia Egypt (E5) will, from 01JUN13, increase its operations to Saudi Arabia, with an additional 1 and 2 weekly flights being added to Dammam and Riyadh respectively.

► LIBYA: Libyan Airlines inaugurates Tobruk International Airport with flights to Alexandria.

Libya's oldest airport, Tobruk, has been successfully upgraded to an  International Airport with the launch of twice weekly flights now offered to Alexandria Borg el Arab courtesy of Libyan Airlines (LN).

► JAPAN: EgyptAir to reduce Tokyo Narita to 2x weekly from May.

Despite previous utterances claiming it would immediately cease its Tokyo and Osaka flights citing poor loads and little to no government support for the flights, Egyptair (MS), as per the 30APR13 GDS inventory display, will, during the Winter 2013/14 season, continue to operate a twice weekly Cairo – Tokyo Narita flight using a Boeing 777-200ER.

► QATAR: Egyptair to go double daily to Doha from June.

EgyptAir (MS) has announced the addition of direct flights between Cairo and Doha, Qatar starting 01JUN 2013 using Boeing 737-800 aircraft. The increase will bring the total number of weekly flights to 14 per week in a double daily operation, up from the current 10x weekly. The new frequencies will leave Cairo in the late evening, returning from Doha in the early morning.

► ANGOLA: More foreign carriers making a beeline to Luanda's door as calls for higher route frequencies grow louder.

RAM - Royal Air Maroc (AT) and Ethiopian Airlines (ET) have joined a growing chorus of carriers servicing the Angolan capital, Luanda, in asking the Instituto Nacional da Aviação Civil (the National Institute of Civil Aviation - INAVIC) to increase their frequencies on the lucrative route. 

► UNITED STATES: Egyptair reduces Cairo - New York JFK ops for duration of April.

Egyptair (MS), during the month of April 2013,  is temporarily reducing its Cairo – New York JFK operations, where overall service is being reduced from daily to 5 weekly. A Boeing 777-300ER aircraft operates on this route.

► EGYPT: Air Memphis forced to suspend Tehran flights after just 1 week following sectarian protests.

Just one week after having launched Egypt and Iran's first direct air link in over 30 years,  Air Memphis (MHS), the Egyptian charter operator, has been forced to suspend the flights after protests broke out at the Iranian ambassador's residence in Cairo just prior to Saturday's inaugural flight.

► ZIMBABWE: Egyptair in talks to lease aircraft to Air Zimbabwe?

Egyptian national carrier, Egyptair (MS), says it is in talks with Zimbabwean national carrier, Air Zimbabwe (UM), over a possible code-share deal as well as a lease arrangement for an unspecified number of aircraft, for use during the upcoming XXth United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) General Assembly to be co-hosted by both Livingstone, Zambia and its Zimbabwean counterpart, Victoria Falls, from 24 to 30 August.

►► UNITED KINGDOM: British Airways increases capacity to Cairo, Luanda, Johannesburg in 2013.

[UPDATE 26 MARCH] British Airways (BA) has announced various changes to its African timetable to come into effect for the Northern Summer 2013.

► CONGO (KINSHASA): (Pic) CAA set to add a sixth Airbus A320 to its fleet.

CAA - Compagnie Africaine d'Aviation (FPY), the Kinshasa-based Congolese domestic operator, is set to take delivery of its sixth Airbus A320 (MCN 395 | 9Q-?).

► JAPAN: Egyptair wants to drop Tokyo and Osaka routes citing poor governmental support.

The Associated Press is reporting that Egyptian national carrier, Egyptair (MS), says it will cease operating flights to Japan until further notice citing "major economic losses and lack of support from either the Egyptian or Japanese governments."

► EGYPT: Air Memphis sold to Rami Lakah; to launch charter flights to Iran "in coming weeks".

Struggling Egyptian charter carrier, Air Memphis (MHS), has been sold to French-Egyptian businessman, Raymond Lakah, (aka Rami Lakah) who intends to use the airline to début charter flights between upper Egypt and Iran it has emerged.

■ EGYPT: ECAA gives greenlight for Star NSG to install its inflight safety systems onboard a Midwest 737-800.

Star Navigation Systems Group Ltd. has announced that it has received a Supplementary Type Certificate validation from the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority which will allow for the installation of Star's STAR-In-flight Safety Monitoring System aboard a Midwest Airlines (WV) Boeing 737-800, in accordance with the purchase agreement between Star and Midwest Airlines.

► SAUDI ARABIA: Air Cairo to start Alexandria & Assuit - Riyadh from late March.

After the successful 1 March launch of twice weekly Alexandria - Tripoli and once weekly Assuit - Tripoli flights, Egyptian LCC, Air Cairo (SM) has now announced the launch of direct flights from Alexandria and Assuit to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, effective 25 March 2013. 

► SAUDI ARABIA: Palestinian Airlines, Egyptair cooperating on El Arish - Jeddah Umra flights.

EgyptAir (MS) in late January, signed a cooperation agreement with Palestinian Airlines (PF) to operate a series of pilgrimage flights on behalf of the Palestinian carrier out of its current base in El-Arish, Egypt to Muslim holy sites in Saudi Arabia. 

■ EGYPT: Finalized plan for new $20billion Cairo "airport city" development to be presented in April.

Planning for the construction of a new USD20billion "airport city" near Cairo International Airport is to be concluded come April reports from Egypt’s Ministry of Civil Aviation state. The new development will be the first of three similar projects to be built in the capital, Alexandria (Burg Al Arab airport) and at Port Said airport.

■ EGYPT: Egyptair losses total $880million since 2011 Revolution: al-Maddawy.

Egypt's Minister of Civil Aviation, Wael al-Maddawy, says Egyptian national carrier, Egyptair (MS), has posted continuous losses of USD880million (EGP6billion) since the 2011 Egyptian revolution which lead to the fall of then president, Hosni Mubarak, and his regime.

■ EGYPT: Egypt Airports Co. awards ARINC 3 year passenger processing software contract.

The Egyptian Airports Company (EAC) has awarded US-based Aeronautical Radio, Incorporated (ARINC) a three year contract for the installation of its vMUSE passenger processing solution at five regional airports in Egypt including Sharm El Sheikh, Luxor, Aswan, Borg El Arab and Abu Simbel.

► JAPAN: Egyptair to reduce Tokyo Narita ops from 31 March.

As per the 27FEB13 GDS timetable and inventory display, Egyptair (MS), starting 31MAR13, is to reduce its Cairo – Tokyo Narita service from 3 to 2 weekly.