■ LIBYA: LYCAA awards Italy's ENAV, TechnoSky, ATC overhaul and upgrade contracts.

The Libyan Civil Aviation Authority (مصلحة الطيران المدني‎ - LYCAA) has awarded L'Ente Nazionale di Assistenza al Volo (ENAV), the Italian state-owned company specializing in air navigation services together with its subsidiary Techno Sky, two contracts for the supply of consultancy, technical and training services to assist in the modernisation of the LYCAA's systems and its organisational and regulatory processes.

► MOROCCO: Royal Air Maroc outlines planned Summer 2014 network additions.

Royal Air Maroc (AT) will,  in Summer 2014, be adding four new European services to its network beginning March 30, 2014. Among the planned services are flights to Montpellier, Venice. Flights will use a combination of B737NGs and Embraer E190s.

► MOROCCO: Royal Air Maroc to establish Rabat as second local base; eyes five new routes before year end.

As part of plans to establish Rabat as its second local base after its main hub in Casablanca, Royal Air Maroc (AT) says it will launch twenty-two new flights from the Moroccan capital before year end.

■ EGYPT: Various airlines issue travel advisories, suspend services to Egypt in the wake of ongoing unrest.

Owing to the precarious political and social situation in Egypt, the following countries and airlines have issued advisories regarding their current and future operations into the North African country: Belgium, Egypt, Germany, Italy, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovenia, the UAE, the United Kingdom, the US.

► ITALY: Alitalia mulls Kenya, South Africa resumption from 2014 onwards; more Libyan, Moroccan routes too.

As part of its new 3-year restructuring industrial plan aimed at stemming continued losses, Italian carrier Alitalia (AZ) says it is considering introducing new flights to Morocco and Libya during the course of 2013/2014 with flights to South Africa and Kenya to possibly resume from 2014 on.

► TUNISIA: Tunisair eyes more Italian; sub-Saharan African routes.

During a recent meeting with Tunisian businessmen based in Italy, Tunisian Ambassador to Italy, Mr Naceur Mestiri, announced that Tunisair (TU) would soon begin flights from Tunis to the newly commissioned airport of Comiso, an ex-military base turned civilian airfield located in the Sicilian province of Ragusa, 5 km from Comiso and 15 km from Ragusa.

► ITALY: Alitalia outlines changes to Cairo, Oran and Tunis due from late October.

As per the 12JUN13 GDS timetable/inventory display, Alitalia (AZ)'s planned operational changes to its Cairo, Oran, Tunis service, effective 27OCT13, are as follows.

► CANADA: Ethiopian to operate via Rome to/from Toronto from mid June 'til late October.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET), from 16JUN13 to 26OCT13, are to adjust their planned operation on the Addis Ababa – Toronto route. In addition to a 3rd weekly frequency being introduced, the airline will operate the Toronto service with technical stop in Rome, in both directions.

►► ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian announces operational changes to Italy, France, Belgium effective June 2013.

[UPDATE 10 APRIL] Ethiopian Airlines (ET), from 20 June 2013, is adjusting its planned European operations, which will see changes to its Italy, France and Belgium operations.

► ITALY: Royal Air Maroc resumes Casablanca - Turin from June.

Moroccan national carrier, Royal Air Maroc (AT), during Summer 2013 season, will resume its Casablanca – Turin service, where it plans to operate 3 weekly flights effective 11 JUN13. RAM last operated this route in mid-January 2012.

► CAPE VERDE ISLANDS: TACV Cabo Verde Airlines unveils further Summer 2013 routes.

Leading on from our previous post, as per the 21MAR13 GDS timetable display, TACV Cabo Verde Airlines’ (VR) planned Summer 2013 operation changes are as follows.

► LIBYA: Alitalia adds second daily flight to Tripoli from late March.

Italian carrier, Alitalia (AZ), is to boost service between Rome Fiumicino and Tripoli, Libya through the introduction of a second daily A319 operated service effective 31 March. New flights leave Rome at 1500L and Tripoli at 1755L.

► ERITREA: Eritrean Airlines signs deal with Sudan Airways; looks to expand into West Africa.

Eritrean Airlines (B8), has signed a deal with Sudanese national carrier, Sudan Airways (SD), that will result in the Eritrean national carrier,operating various flights on behalf of Sudan Airways to the UAE and South Sudan. Eritrean is also looking to boost its own international frequencies to Dubai, Sudan, Saudi Arabia and Italy with West African flights also in the pipeline.

► SOUTH AFRICA: Alitalia mulls resuming Rome - Johannesburg from September.

Italian carrier, Alitalia (AZ), is mulling the resumption of operations from Rome Fiumicino to Johannesburg, South Africa this September as part of the reorganization of its long haul route network. According to Alitalia, Johannesburg has become a "highly requested intercontinental destination".

► ITALY: Tunisair boosts Manchester, Milan, Venice ops from late March.

Tunisair (TU), for the upcoming Summer 2013 season, will increase its services to select European cities most notably Manchester, Milan and Venice. The planned operation from 31MAR13 is as follows:

► ALGERIA: Alitalia to start Rome Fiumicino - Oran from late March.

Italian carrier Alitalia (AZ) will, starting 26MAR13, commence 3x weekly Rome (Fiumicino) – Oran, Algeria flights on board a CityLiner Embraer E175 aircraft. 

► LIBYA: (Pic) New Terminals for Benghazi, Misrata as Libyan Airlines moves to expand network in 2013.

The Libyan Ministry of Civil Aviation is to embark on two infrastructural improvement projects in the cities of Benghazi and Misrata as Libyan Airlines (LN) are to launch new regional routes following the delivery of their fifth and sixth brand new Airbus A320s in Misrata and Beiba respectively.

 

► SPAIN: Ethiopian to start Madrid via Rome from June 2013.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) are to start flights to Madrid, Spain via Rome, Italy starting 15 June 2013 with a 3x weekly Boeing 757 service. Consequently, Ethiopian's overall Rome service will increase from 8x to 11x weekly (Northbound, 10 on Southbound).

► 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.

■ TUNISIA: Royal Luxemburg Soparfi SA set to invest in unnamed Tunisian carrier shortly.

Italo-Luxembourger financial holding company, Royal Luxemburg Soparfi SA, are set to invest in an as-yet undisclosed Tunisian airline. Exact details on the deal are still murky at this stage.