■ TANZANIA: TAA's big dreams for Kajunguti airport stall over its price tag as Kenya, Uganda push ahead with their own upgrades.

The Tanzanian Airports Authority says it requires USD20billion to develop and construct Kajunguti International Airport, located in the north eastern province of Kagera, as a means of boosting the region's profile in the great Lakes region. Kagera forms part of Tanzania's border with Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi, and lies across Lake Victoria from Kenya.

■ KENYA: Kenya Airways takes $4million knock from Nairobi fire as Kenyatta speeds up Terminal 4's opening.

Kenya Airways (KQ) has suffered USD4million in losses owing to the recent outbreak of fire at Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, CEO Dr Titus Naikuni has said. Despite the erection of tents to process international flights five days after the fire, passengers are still facing long delays and cancellations.

■ KENYA: KAA begins talks with local government concerning lengthening of Malindi Airport runway.

Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has begun talks with the Kilifi County government ahead of a planned expansion of Malindi Airport's runway 17/35 in which the plans to acquire more than 25 hectares of land from about 100 families on the southern boundary of the airport to facilitate the airport’s expansion. 

■ NIGERIA: Kenya, Nigeria sign revised BASA; Kenya Airways eyes Abuja flights soon.

Kenya Airways (KQ) will "soon" commence direct flights to the Nigerian capital, Abuja, Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced. Mr Kenyatta made the remarks during a recently ended official visit to West Africa in which various trade and bilateral agreements were signed, among them, a revised Air Services Agreement. Speaking during a meeting with Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan, at State House Abuja, he pointed out that tourism was a potentially untapped market in bilateral relations between the two countries.

■ KENYA: Construction of Nairobi JKIA's second runway to start in November.

Construction of Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport's much needed second runway is set to begin in November this year after Kenyan Infrastructure Cabinet Secretary, Michael Kamau, gave the go ahead to ensure that the project is completed by 2017.

■ KENYA: Regulators grant Kenya Airways/KLM seven-year extension to Unfair Competition exemption.

Kenya Airways (KQ) and 26.73% shareholder, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KL), have been granted a seven-year extension to their Unfair Trade practices exemption by the Competition Authority of Kenya, having applied in February. The moratorium, introduced when KLM acquired a stake in the Kenyan national carrier back in 1996, prevents competitors from accusing them of unfair trade practices. 

■ KENYA: Tourism sector implores government to allow more scheduled operators into Mombasa.

Kenyan Tourism Cabinet secretary, Ms Phyllis Kandie, has implored the Kenyan government to allow more scheduled international carriers to serve the coastal city of Mombasa with regular, year-round flights to help boost waning tourist numbers.