► NAMIBIA: Air Namibia to get A330s; aims to become profitable by 2016.

Namibian national carrier Air Namibia (SW) is "to soon get rid of" its ageing Airbus A340s and replace them with newer Airbus A330s in an effort to modernize and thus bring the quality and standards of the airline up to a globally competitive level - along the lines of Dubai-based mega-carrier, Emirates.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Business booming at Durban's King Shaka Airport.

After Kwazulu-Natal's aviation sector suffered years of stunted growth due to the old Durban International Airport's infrastructural limitations, it seems its hefty investment is finally paying off: the recent introduction of a Boeing 777-300ER by Emirates on its Dubai - Durban route and South African Express set to make it its hub for expanding into Africa, business is certainly booming at Durban's new King Shaka International Airport (KSIA).

KSIA is now moving to lure bigger carriers from further abroad, and in particular, is looking at a future London service using British Airways. Why British Airways and not South African Airways - the logical choice after all? Well, after last week's dramatic axing of the age old Cape Town - London Heathrow service (which is now routed va Johannesburg) due to viability problems, it seems unlikely that SAA would venture into a future Heathrow - Durbs route. 

Said Mr. Ahmed Bassa, Dube TradePort’s aeronautical executive, at a business breakfast organised by the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry recently:

Emirates SkyCargo 747 at Durban (GVD)

"“London is our biggest market, with approximately 100 000 passengers that travel between the UK and KZN. Besides a connecting flight via Joburg, an increasing number of these passengers currently fly on Emirates via Dubai to the UK.

"We are looking strongly at British Airways to start a route from King Shaka to either London’s Heathrow or Gatwick airports. Virgin Atlantic airlines won’t come into Durban because they are a small airline with just 24 planes that fly on the high-profile routes.” He said that after London, Dubai, with Emirates’ non-stop service, was the next most important market for Durban."

Read More Here [IOL South Africa]

In the 80s, British Airways did serve Durban, albeit with a stopover in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Last year, Comair, British Airways' franchise holder in Southern Africa,  too applied to British Airways to see if Comair’s franchise to carry BA passengers in southern Africa could be extended to a proposed route between Durban and London. Nothing came of it, as BA considered Durban to simply be marginal, warranting only feeder-route status.

► SOUTH AFRICA: Emirates adds A380 to Johannesburg for duration of June.

Emirates (EK) has issued a slightly revised June schedule for its Dubai - Johannesburg, South Africa service.

From 11 June to 24 June 2012 and again on 30 June, EK761 & EK762 will be operated with an Airbus A380, instead of the planned Boeing 777-300ER.

Emirates' A380 in Johannesburg (Bianca Renz)

  

 Emirates: Dubai - Johannesburg, South Africa

• EK761 DXB0440 – 1050JNB 388 D
• EK763 DXB1015 – 1625JNB 77W D
• EK765 DXB1440 – 2050JNB 77W D

• EK762 JNB1410 – 0010+1DXB 388 D
• EK764 JNB1915 – 0515+1DXB 77W D
• EK766 JNB2220 – 0820+1DXB 77W D

As previously reported, the A380 remains on schedule to operate a regular daily service from 1 October 2012.

Read More Here [Airline Route]

► SOUTH AFRICA: Emirates delays A380 service to Joburg; reduces Cape Town.

Emirates Airlines (EK) has announced the postponement of the resumption of its A380 service from Dubai to Johannesburg originally reported to start 11 June 2012, to 1 October 2012.

Dubai – Johannesburg EK761/762 Planned A380 service resumption now postponed till 01OCT12, instead of 11JUN12"

Read More Here [Airline Route]

Emirates 777 at Cape Town (© Jacobus Saayman)

Additionally, Emirates has announced the reduction in frequency of its Dubai - Cape Town service between 1 September and 30 November 2012 , presently operating 2x daily.

Emirates: Dubai - Cape Town

- Valid 1 Sept - 30 Nov 2012

• EK770 DXB0850 – 1625CPT 77W D
• EK771 CPT1810 – 0525+1DXB 77W D

Read More Here [Airline Route]

► SOUTH AFRICA: Emirates to boost Durban to B777-300ER daily from June.

Since its inauguration in May 2010 in time for the FIFA World Cup of 2010 held in South Africa, Durban's King Shaka International Airport has being growing from strength to strength.
 

Durban's King Shaka International Airport

Following reports last week that regional carrier SA Express were to start Durban to Lusaka flights effective July 2012 with the intention of hopefully then expanding out into sub-Saharan Africa with routes to Harare and Lubumbashi, so Emirates Airlines (EK) has thrown its hat into the ring and is to replace its current Dubai - Durban daily service using an Airbus A330, with a larger Boeing 777-300ER with effect from June.

"The introduction of the Boeing 777-300ER is in response to strong demand on the route. In 2011, Emirates carried over 165 000 passengers between Durban and Dubai with a high average seat factor of 83 percent,” said Jean Luc Grillet, Emirates senior vice-president for commercial operations in Africa."

Read More Here [The Mercury South Africa]

► SOUTH AFRICA: Emirates to resume A380 Johannesburg service.

Emirates (EK) has announced the resumption of Airbus A380 services from Johannesburg to Dubai with effect from 11 June 2012.

Emirates A380 at Johannesburg (Robert Matthews )

The aircraft were withdrawn for inspection after Singapore Airlines and Qantas found cracks in their wings in January 2012.

● UGANDA: Ugandan CAA seeks partners to develop Entebbe Airport; Plans to build second runway.

With the rapid growth occurring in the Ugandan civil aviation field, it stands to reason that the country's infrastructure would have to be up standard, in order to stand any hope of being a player in the region, given Kenya's dominance.

 

Uganda's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)’s Corporate affairs Manager, Mr Ignie Igunduura stated that Uganda’s Aviation will perform better in the next twelve months and coming years provided the economy sustains its growth.

“We have been growing and expect to sustain this growth. Air transport does not work in isolation. It facilities the economy and in turn, the economy facilities it. Provided the indicators of growth are still present and bearing results in our economy, Aviation will also keep growing,” Mr Igunduura said.

Read More Here [The Monitor, Uganda]

It seems that for once, a government run department is taking the initiative to lead the field, instead of playing a game of catch up. Recently, the Ugandan Civil Aviation Authority issued a tender in the Ugandan Investment Authority's website seeking partnerships with foreign companies for the following projects at the Entebbe International Airport: 

• Design and construction of new cargo centre
• Renovation and refurbishment of general aviation terminal for domestic use 
• Development of an export processing zone at the airport, similar to the Freeport at Dubai International Airport
• Construction of an in-flight catering services unit
• Development of a ferry port at Entebbe airport area
• Construction of an aircraft maintenance hanger
• Construction of passenger loading bridges 
• Provision of airline business operations

"The Civil Aviation Authority has a five-year strategic plan to expand Entebbe Airport that includes remodelling the car parking lot to a multi-levelled one, and double the aeroplane hangars from the current 11 to 22. It is also planning for a second runway to accommodate bigger planes like those owned by Qatar and Emirates Airways."

Read More Here [TradeInvestAfrica]