► KENYA: Royal Air Maroc to tap into Kenyan market before year end.

Royal Air Maroc (AT) has once more announced plans to begin flights between Casablanca and Nairobi, Kenya. In a statement made in Nairobi at the signing of various bilateral trade agreements between Morocco and Kenya, Moroccan Minister for Industry and Trade, Mr Abdelkader Amara, said RAM would introduce direct flights to Nairobi "by the end of the year."

► DUBAI: Emirates outlines African routes to be affected by closure of DXB runway 12L/30R in 2014.

With Dubai International Airport's Northern runway 12L/30R nearing the end of its designed lifespan and therefore requiring rehabilitation and upgrading, Emirates (EK) has outlined its planned service reduction set to come into effect from May 1, 2014 and ending July 20, 2014. The following list contains the affected African flights:

■ KENYA: Gulf Energy planning to build new Fuel facility at Nairobi Wilson airport.

Gulf Energy has announced plans to construct a USD250'000 (KAS20million) aircraft fuelling facility on land leased from the Kenyan Airports Authority at Nairobi Wilson Airport.

■ KENYA: Kenya Airways considers setting up own fuel hedging firm.

Kenya Airways (KQ) is considering setting up a fuel procurement company as part of extensive measures aimed at stemming mounting losses incurred over the past two years. The Kenyan national carrier recently announced a USD92million loss for its 2012/13 Financial Year which it blamed on "harsh economic and geopolitical conditions" coupled with a global economic slowdown and volatile global oil prices.  

► KENYA: Air India to resume Nairobi, East African flights "soon".

Air India (AI) is set to resume flights to East Africa in the near future, India's civil aviation minister Ajit Singh, has announced. The Indian carrier last served Nairobi in 2010, but has since reconsidered its move in light of growing trade and cultural relations between Africa and India.

■ KENYA: Kenya Airways posts net loss of USD92million for latest Financial Year.

Kenya Airways (KQ) has posted a net loss of USD92million (KES7.86billion) for its 2012/13 Financial Year, compared with a profit of  USD19.39million (KES1.66 billion) a year earlier, Chief Financial Officer Alex Mbugua has announced. Losses were blamed on "harsh economic and geopolitical conditions" coupled with a global economic slowdown and volatile global oil prices.  The company last reported a loss in the fiscal year ended March 2009.

► COMOROS: New carrier, Gafo Air, eyes flights to South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya and Sudan.

New Zealand energy consortium, GAFO Energy NZ, appears to be in the process of setting up a new regional carrier out of Moroni in the Comoros, dubbed Gafo Air.

■ KENYA: Jetlink Express pitches debt-restructuring deal to creditors as means of returning to operations.

Jetlink Express (J0), the bankrupt Kenyan regional operator, has attempted to offer its various creditors shares in a recovery plan, set to be funded by CFC Stanbic Bank.

■ KENYA: Fly540, Qatar Airways sign interline deal.

Fly540 Kenya (5H), has announced the expansion of its flight network with the signing of its first international interline agreement with Qatar Airways (QR) which will initially entail providing an inbound interline service for passengers arriving in Kenya.

► CHINA: Kenya Airways, China Southern expand codeshare to encompass more routes.

Kenya Airways (KQ) has expanded the scope of its code share agreement with fellow SkyTeam member, China Southern Airlines (CZ). Under the expanded agreement, Kenya Airways will code share on China Southern Airlines services from Bangkok to Wuhan, one of the busiest cities in Central China that is an important centre for trade, finance and transportation.

■ TANZANIA: fastjet looks to reduce holding in Fly540 Tanzania as its Ghana, Angola, Kenya outfits "all underperform".

fastjet (FN), in its results for the 18 month period to 31 December 2012 has said that its Fly540 businesses in Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana and Angola - acquired from Lonrho Plc - have "all seriously underperformed relative to expectations" with management having now taken the necessary steps to restructure these businesses and remove legacy inefficiencies. Overall, fastjet says it had posted a loss before tax of USD55million, including USD23.5million of write-downs of goodwill and other matters. As a consequence, the airline says it will focus its attentions on its nascent South African operations with plans to reduce its majority shareholding in Fly540 Tanzania to various undisclosed Tanzanian shareholders.

► MALAWI: Kenya Airways to start 3x weekly flights to Blantyre from August.

Following its granting of rights to serve the city, Kenya Airways (KQ) has outlined its tentative timetable to Blantyre, Malawi which it plans to connect Nairobi with via a 3x weekly Embraer E190 operated flight, set to début from August 2.

► KENYA: Kenya Airways eyes greater presence in Middle East, Africa as part of long term strategy.

Kenya Airways (KQ) has outlined further key developments in terms of its planned route network and fleet upgrades that form its previously announced 10 year vision, Project Mawingu.

► KENYA: Astral Aviation outlines expanded regional cargo network; to replace DC9s with MD83Fs.

Kenyan cargo operator, Astral Aviation (8V), has announced an enhanced intra-African freighter schedule which is based on a cautious expansion strategy to increase connectivity from its Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International hub to the East African region.

► CHINA: Kenya Airways reduces Bangkok - Guangzhou route in early 2014.

As per the 23MAY13 GDS timetable/inventory display, Kenya Airways (KQ) is currently displaying service reductions on its Nairobi - Bangkok - Guangzhou route, effective 10FEB14. The airline plans to operate 5 weekly instead of a daily service, however further changes remain possible in the next few months.

■ KENYA: KAA deploys new ID management system to Kenyan Airports.

The Kenyan Airports Authority (KAA) has launched a state of the art, Identity Management Security System (IDMS) that will not only ensure security is heightened at its airports, but also improve customer experience. Managing access throughout its airports is critical not only for operational reasons but also for security in general.

► SOUTH SUDAN: Imatong Airlines looking to resume ops from July; seeks either an F50 or F27.

Kenyan-based South Sudanese specialists, Imatong Airlines, are to resume charter operations out of the Sudanese capital, Juba, from July 1, the carrier has confirmed to The African Aviation Tribune.

► KENYA: British Airways sees strong East African market potential as a result of newly discovered mineral wealth.

British Airways (BA) plans to leverage Kenya’s strategic position to help improve its market share in East & Central Africa and South Sudan, with the region's recent discovery of oil and minerals set to boost it's passenger and cargo traffic potential, BA's regional commercial manager George Mawadri, has said.

■ KENYA: Kenya Airways, Kenya Tourism Board sign joint marketing deal.

Kenya Airways (KQ), and the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) have entered into a one-year joint marketing programme to boost tourist arrivals. Under the deal, the Kenyan national carrier will bankroll the KTB to the tune of USD240'000 (KSH20million)  while in return, the KTB will ensure KQ brand visibility at its tourism promotion forums as they seek to increase the number of tourists visiting Kenya.

► TANZANIA: Tanganyika Flying Co. & Safarilink announce codeshare deal.

After many weeks of system testing, East African tourism aviation specialists, Safarilink (F2) and Tanganyika Flying Co (TFC), have announced the launch of a codeshare agreement that is fully integrated into both their reservation systems. This will allow travel industry customers of either airline to book flights from either carrier from within one carrier’s reservation system.