► KENYA: fastjet, Don Smith agree to kiss and makeup.

Tanzanian LCC, fastjet (FN), has announced that it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Don Smith, CEO of FiveForty Aviation Limited which trades in Kenya as Fly540, thereby paving the way forward for the two to end a long standing legal battle over payment and licensing agreements in Africa.

■ NAMIBIA: Air Namibia allegedly tries to back out of A330 deal with Intrepid; Government served with $130million bill.

The Namibian press reports that the Government has been served with a Notice of default following national carrier Air Namibia's (SW) attempt at cancelling a USD130million deal signed last year for two Airbus A330-200s with US-based Intrepid Aviation, a privately held commercial aircraft lessor.

■ ETHIOPIA: Deadbeat Chanchangi Airlines given one last chance to repay debt owed to Ethiopian Airlines.

In yet another case of a deadbeat airline failing to pay its dues, Nigeria's Chanchangi Airlines (5B) has been given 30 days to pay Ethiopian Airlines (ET) its debt of USD772'000 for maintenance rendered to an unspecified Chanchangi aircraft (possibly a B727) and engine back in February 2004.

► ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian revenue on course for 2013 target as Ministry prepares final air transport liberalization law.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) has, in the first 8 months of its 2012/2013 Financial Year, generated USD1.35billion (ETB25.1billion) in revenue the Ethiopian Minister of Transport, Diriba Kuma has said.

■ NIGERIA: AeroContractors' employees get their way with sacking of company's controversial HR Director.

Tope Fagbemi, the controversial Director of Human Resources & Corporate Planning at Nigeria's second largest carrier, AeroContractors (AJ), was on Friday, removed from her position, likely as a concession granted to striking workers whose 3 week long strike ended this past week.

● BOTSWANA: New Civil Aviation Act, Aviation Security Act now being actively enforced by government.

Two important Civil Aviation Laws have now come into force in Botswana - The Civil Aviation Act (2011) and the Aviation Security Act (2011). The laws were crafted following numerous deficiencies relating to the primary aviation law and other elements of Botswana’s safety oversight system and aviation security system, that were identified by the ICAO's Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) in 2006 and Universal Security Audit Programme (USAP) of 2008.

■ KENYA: 540 Aviation's Don Smith claims fastjet's legal proceedings are a "breach of contract".

Don Smith, the owner of Five-Forty Aviation, who is currently embroiled in a lawsuit with fastjet PLC over ownership rights to to the Fly540 brand, says fastjet's move to initiate legal proceedings constitutes a breach of contract. 

■ SOUTH AFRICA: fastjet files letter of intent with 1Time's creditors in Johannesburg; one step closer to launching.

LCC fastjet (FN) has taken, what it terms, "a major step” towards its acquisition of defunct South African LCC 1Time (T6) through the filing of a letter of intent with the airline's liquidators in Johannesburg. The move comes on the back of a visit by fastjet's Chairman and Chief Executive, David Lenigas, to South Africa, last week.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: SAA considers legal action against kulula over the latter's new branding.

As previously speculated by The African Aviation Tribune, South African Airways (SA) is likely to instigate legal proceedings against Comair Ltd.'s LCC kulula (MN) over the latter's controversial new branding which mocks the South African national carrier.

■ NIGERIA: Stormy weather ahead as Senate to proceed with review of all BASAs, Civil Aviation Act.

The Nigerian Senate is to embark on a review of all Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASA) signed with foreign countries with the Open Skies agreement signed with the US also up for scrutiny. The Senate claims that the BASAs have been heavily skewed in favour of other countries' interests at the detriment of Nigeria's and its domestic airlines.

■ SUDAN: Government announces plan to rehabilitate Sudan Airways; to hold accountable those responsible for Sudan Airways' lost Heathrow slot.

Following a consultative meeting with President Omar Al Bashir regarding the current state and future of national carrier Sudan Airways (SD), Sudan's Minister of Transport, Roads and Bridges, Dr. Ahmed Babikir Nahar, has made mention of a 3-step government plan aimed at rehabilitating and restructuring the ailing national carrier. Nahar also added that possible punitive steps are to be taken against those fingered in an investigation into the loss of Sudan Airways' valuable landing slot at London's Heathrow airport.

■ UNITED KINGDOM: fastjet takes Don Smith to court over ownership of Fly540.

In the latest episode in the fastjet vs Don Smith soap opera, the Tanzanian LCC has now moved to take legal proceedings against Mr Smith, owner of 540 Aviation, seeking "a declaration that it has fulfilled its obligations under the Sale and Purchase Agreement" regarding Mr Smith's shares in Fly540.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Comair Ltd takes SAA's current and previous bailouts to the High Court; disputes their legality.

South Africa's Comair Ltd, the British Airways (BA) franchise owner for South Africa and owner of LCC kulula (MN), is to dispute the legality of South African national carrier, South African Airways (SA)'s ZAR5billion bail out from Government last year and its previous injections amounting to ZAR11billion, in the High Court in Pretoria tomorrow.

■ TANZANIA: Air Tanzania allegedly tries to evade court ordered building evaluation over unpaid debts.

In yet another case of a deadbeat Tanzanian airline not paying its bills, national carrier, Air Tanzania (TC), who was threatened with the auction of its headquarters, Air Tanzania House, after it failed to settle a debt of over USD700'000 (TZS1.1billion) owed to Leisure Tours & Holidays Limited for car rentals, has allegedly obstructed the court ordered evaluation of their building.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: NTM calls off strike, to take dispute with SAA to Labour Courts.

South Africa's National Transport Movement trade union has ended its 28 day strike but said it will seek an order from the South African Labour Court this week to compel South African Airways (SA) to grant it recognition rights. 

■ NIGERIA: Bi-Courtney wins its case against FAAN, Aviation Ministry over rights to Lagos General Aviation Terminal.

Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), the current concessioner for Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 2 (MMA2), has won a court case against the Nigerian Ministry of Aviation  and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) over the concession of the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) terminal.

■ MAURITANIA: Former Mauritania Airways' boss jailed; international arrest warrant issued for 3 other execs on charges of embezzlement.

A Mauritanian court in Nouakchott on Friday issued international arrest warrants for three officials of the now defunct airline, Mauritania Airways (YD), following the arrest and incarceration of Mohamed Ould Debagh, the carrier's former chairman of the board, on charges of "his participation in the bankruptcy of the company."

■ KENYA: Fly540 disputes Fastjet's claim that its owns 540 Aviation; maintains it is "independent of Fastjet".

Don Smith's Five Forty Aviation Limited has issued its own statement on yesterday's Fastjet statement issued on behalf of David Lenigas, Fastjet's boss. The update seeks "to correct the factual inaccuracies contained in the statement issued by FastJet". Smith asserts that, contrary to Lenigas' claims, brand licence agreements do in fact exist.

■ KENYA: Fly540 now withdraws brand licence issued to Fastjet for Tanzania, Angola, Ghana; Fastjet claims it is sole owner of Fly540 brand.

Fly540's owner Don Smith has ratcheted up the stakes in his ongoing war with Fastjet (FN) by withdrawing his carrier's brand licences granted to fastjet for Angola, Ghana and Tanzania. Fly540 yesterday claimed that Fastjet still owes its USD7.7 million in licensing fees (USD6.9 million in Tanzania, USD500'000 in Angola and USD300,000 in Ghana), a claim David Lenigas, Chairman of fastjet, disputed stating that fastjet is the sole owner of the 540 brand (including fly540 Kenya).

■ TANZANIA: Fastjet working closely with creditors over Don Smith's undisclosed historic debts: Ed Winter.

After yet another round of press reports stating the carrier was in legal trouble regarding its alleged failure to settle bills run up by its Tanzanian predecessor, Fly540 Tanzania, LCC fastjet has issued a second statement rebuking claims it still owes money to its Kenyan subsidiary Fly540 Kenya.