► NIGERIA: Etihad Cargo launches 15 new West African destinations via its reactivated Lagos hub.

Etihad Cargo, a division of Etihad Airways (EY), will re-introduce a weekly freighter service from Abu Dhabi to the Nigerian city of Lagos, effective November 15. The service will be complemented by the addition of 16 new interline destinations across West Africa.

■ NIGERIA: Arik Air celebrates 6th birthday, plans large network expansion.

Nigeria's largest carrier, Arik Air (W3), celebrated its 6th birthday at an event held at its corporate headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria. 

► SPAIN: CEIBA Intercontinental starts Malabo - Madrid flights.

Since transferring its sole Boeing 777-200LR (MSN 40668| CS-TQX) onto the registry of Portuguese airline White Airways, Equatoguinean national carrier CEIBA Intercontinental (C2) has now been able to launch a 3x weekly service between Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, and Madrid, Spain, effective 4 October 2012.

► NIGERIA: Saudia Cargo launches 9 new West African destinations via its Lagos hub.

Using its various interline partners in West Africa, Saudi Airlines Cargo (SV) is to launch cargo services from Jeddah and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to Abidjan (Cote d'Ivoire), Accra (Ghana), Cotonou (Benin), Douala (Cameroon), Libreville (Gabon), Lomé (Togo), Malabo (Equatorial Guinea), Niamey (Niger) and Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) via its new Lagos, Nigeria hub, which it presently serves with a daily Boeing 747F.

►► EQUATORIAL GUINEA: CEIBA Intercontinental waves Adios to its 777.

The Boeing 777-200LR (3C-LLS) of Equatorial Guinean carrier CEIBA Intercontinental (C2) (with what had to be one of the coolest liveries ever on a Boeing 777) today left Malabo, Equatorial Guinea for Lisbon, Portugal to be re-registered under White Airways (WI), a Portuguese leisure and charter flight operator out of Lisbon, becoming CS-TQX on the Portuguese registry.

(ex) CEIBA Intercontinental Boeing 777-200LR (sabian404)

It is unclear, however, what purpose the 777 served whilst under the CEIBA name, as the Equato-guinean flag-carrier is on the European Union's Banned Operator's List. In all honesty, it wouldn't be a massive surprise if it turned out that the aircraft had originally been bought for exclusive Presidential/VIP usage given Equatorial-Guinean President Teodoro Obiang's family's penchant for the high life and luxury which of late, has come under increasing scrutiny from the international media.

With the departure of the 777, CEIBA is now left with a fleet of two ATR 72-500s, one ATR 42 - 500, one ATR 42-320 and three Boeing 737-800 on order whilst its network consists of Malabo (Equatorial Guinea), Bata (Equatorial Guinea), Cotonou, Douala, Accra, Abidjan, Lomé, Libreville, Pointe Noire and Brazzaville.

[UPDATE]: SkyLinerAviation informs us that the 777 has now been re-registered as CS-TQX and is to be ferried back to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea as of 21 August 2012. Hopefully the plane will now return to operation for CEIBA and we'll see it in possible international service in the near future. Watch this space for further details!

► FRANCE: Air France announces various Africa changes for Winter 2012.

French carrier Air France (AF) has announced various operational equipment changes to its Africa network, effective 28 October 2012 (i.e Winter 2012).

Air France Equipment Changes (Effective 28 October 2012)

• Paris CDG – Bangui (Central African Republic)1 weekly service operates with A330-200, replaces A340-300
• Paris CDG – Niamey (Niger) – Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) 4 weekly service operates with A330-200, replaces mix of A330/340

Other Equipment changes announced previously: 

Air France 777 over the Sahara (Ken Iwelumo)

• Paris CDG – Antananarivo (Madagascar) 3-class Boeing 777-200ER operating, replaces A340-300 in W12.
• Paris CDG – Douala (Cameroon) – Malabo (Equatorial Guinea) Boeing 777-300ER replaces -200ER, daily operation
• Paris CDG – Mauritius 3-class “COI” Boeing 777-300ER operating, replaces 747-400 in NW11

In Northern Winter 2012/13 season, Air France’s Airbus A340-300 and Boeing 747-400 operational frequencies continue to be reduced on following routes:

Airbus A340-300

• Paris CDG – Bamako (Mali)1 Daily
• Paris CDG – Cotonou (Benin) 5 weekly
• Paris CDG – Lome (Togo) 4 weekly

Boeing 747-400

• Paris Orly – St. Denis de la Reunion 3 weekly

 Read More Here [Airline Route]

► CAMEROON: Camair-Co starts Douala - Kinshasa, Douala - Lagos; Misses 1st Year targets.

Camair-Co (QC), the "newly" founded (2006) flag carrier of Cameroon, has announced Douala - Kinshasa and Douala - Lagos with effect from 10th June 2012 and 12th June 2012, with 3x weekly frequencies, using their Boeing 737-700.

Douala – Kinshasa eff 10JUN12, 3 weekly service
QC341 DLA1710 – 1900FIH 73G 247
QC342 FIH1950 – 2135DLA 73G 247

Douala – Lagos eff 12JUN12, 3 weekly service
QC361 DLA0940 – 1105LOS 73G 246
QC362 LOS1135 – 1310DLA 73G 246

Read More Here [AirlineRoute]

However, despite also launching flights to Lyon, Ndjamena and Malabo, the airline has not fulfilled its own 1st year service expectations

"Camair’s initial objective was to handle 400,000 passengers during 2011 and expand its network to 13 destinations, an objective that fell short. Current destinations including its hub number 10 (Kinshasa and Lagos will bring the number to 12) while traffic was well below expectations. 

Although no full year data is available, the carrier flew 110,000 passengers over its first eight months of operations, with most traffic concentrated in the latter half as traffic accelerated following fleet expansion to three aircraft and increasing public confidence.

Passenger and cargo revenue in the first eight months was reportedly XOF15 billion (USD32.2 million). Losses in the first year of operations were approximately XOF9 billion (USD18.1 million), although losses had been anticipated for the first three to four years of operations."

Read More Here [CAPA Centre For Aviation]