► 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."

► 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: 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: Midwest Airlines, Egypt Leisure Airlines eye Egyptair's retired 737-500 fleet for planned ops.

Egyptair's (MS) fleet of retired Boeing 737-500s have become a hot potato on the Egyptian domestic scene with two carriers, Midwest Airlines and Egypt Leisine Airlines, eyeing them for use in planned operations.

► 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. 

► COTE D'IVOIRE: Egyptair to start Abidjan via Accra from June; boosts Kano, Tunis capacities.

AirlineRoute reports that Egyptair (MS) is to start daily flights from Cairo to Abidjan via Accra with effect from 1 June 2013. In addition, the Star Alliance carrier will also boost capacity to Kano, Nigeria and Tunis also effective 1 June.

■ SIERRA LEONE: Government signs $198m deal with China to build new Freetown International Airport.

Not to be outdone by its neighbour Liberia, the Sierra Leone Government is to move ahead with the first phase in the construction of a new USD198million Freetown International Airport, following the signing of a contract between the Government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Transport and Aviation and the China Railway International Company in December last year. Financing is to come from the Chinese Export-Import Bank (EXIM Bank).

► GREECE: Egyptair boosts Athens flights from June.

Egyptian national carrier Egyptair (MS) will from 01JUN13 increase its Cairo – Athens service. The Star Alliance member will operate this route 14 weekly flights, compared to 10 weekly in same period (June – October) in 2012.

► SAUDI ARABIA: Egyptair to boost services for Summer 2013.

Egyptian national carrier EgyptAir(MS) is to tentatively expand its service to Saudi Arabia during the Summer 2013 season. Planned new routes and/or additional flights as follows.

► CANADA: Egyptair to start Toronto flights from June.

Egyptair (MS) will from 2 June 2013 introduce a 4x weekly Cairo – Toronto service on board Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. The Star Alliance member previously planned to launch Toronto service in 2011, but postponed it due to political instability in January 2011.

■ GHANA: Decision on EgyptAir's deal for 49.9% stake in CTK CiTylinK deferred to 2013.

Egyptian national carrier, Egyptair (MS), is expected to announce in early 2013 a decision on whether it will purchase a 49.9% minority stake-holding in grounded Ghanaian carrier CTK CiTyLinK (CTQ), following the submission of a Due Diligence report by accounting firm, Ernest & Young, last week.

► ZIMBABWE: Egyptair to resume Harare from June 2013.

Egyptair (MS) has joined the list of foreign carriers returning to the Zimbabwean capital with plans to tentatively start a 4x weekly Boeing 737-800 operated Harare via Dar Es Salaam service from 1 June 2013. The Egyptian national carrier last served Harare in 2003 as an intermediate stop between Cairo and Johannesburg using an Airbus A340-200.

► UNITED KINGDOM: Egyptair launches Manchester from June 2013.

EgyptAir (MS) will from 1 June 2013, launch a new service to the United Kingdom, with 5x weekly Cairo – Manchester flights on board Boeing 737-800 aircraft. 

■ EGYPT: Egyptair Express to be liquidated, with E170 fleet returned to Egyptair on the back of poor finances.

According to Egyptian paper, Ahram, EgyptAir Express (MSE) is to be reintegrated into its parent company, Egyptair (MS), six years after it was launched to offer passengers increased frequencies on domestic and thin international routes, such as Cairo-Budapest.

 

► TURKEY: Egyptair increases Istanbul from 14x to 17x weekly from January 2013.

Egyptian national carrier, EgyptAir (MS), from 16 January 2013, will increase its frequency between Cairo and Istanbul, Turkey, from 14x to 17x weekly.

■ EGYPT: Snake bites passenger on Egyptair flight to Kuwait; forced diversion to Hurghada.

A Jordanian man, who had smuggled a snake aboard Egyptair (MS) flight MS610 from Cairo (Egypt) to Kuwait City (Kuwait) with 91 passengers, was bitten by the reptile after it managed to escape the bag he was carrying it in.

► ITALY: Egyptair increases Rome frequency from Spring 2013.

Egyptair (MS) will from 31 March 2013, increase frequencies on its Cairo – Rome Fiumicino route, with overall service to rise from 11x to 14x weekly. The service increase comes with the afternoon departure.

► NIGERIA: Egyptair boosts capacity to Abuja over December/January period.

Egyptian national carrier, Egyptair (MS) will, over December 2012 and January 2013, increase its capacity on its Cairo – Abuja, Nigeria route with an Airbus A330-200 operating for selected periods instead of the usual Boeing 737-800 aircraft. 

► DJIBOUTI: Egyptair set to start Cairo - Djibouti flights in near future.

Djibouti Aviation officials on Thursday announced that, following the signing of a bilateral air services agreement between Djibouti and Egypt by the Director of Djiboutian Civil Aviation, Almis Mahamoud Haid, and the Egyptian Director of the Department of Transportation, Khaled Abd El Monem, Egyptian carrier Egyptair (MS) will soon start several direct flights per week between the two countries.