► EGYPT: Egyptair cancels Sharm el Sheikh - London Heathrow in favour of added Cairo - London flights.

Following on from our original July update, Egyptian carrier Egyptair (MS) has announced a revision to its Cairo - London Heathrow and Sharm el Sheikh - London Heathrow routes, the latter of which will be cancelled and rerouted ex-Cairo from 28 October 2012.

The once (1x) weekly Luxor - London Heathrow flight remains unchanged.

Egyptair Boeing 777-300ER

Egyptair: Cairo - London Heathrow, United Kingdom

-Effective 28 October 2012, the existing 3x weekly Sharm el Sheikh – London Heathrow service will be cancelled and will shift to Cairo – London Heathrow, whose overall frequencies to LHR will now increase from 11x to 14x weekly. 

• MS777 CAI0920 – 1235LHR 333 x5
• MS777 CAI1145 – 1500LHR 333 5
• MS779 CAI1435 – 1755LHR 738 2
• MS779 CAI1700 – 2020LHR 333 4
• MS779 CAI1745 – 2100LHR 738 13
• MS779 CAI1745 – 2100LHR 333 67
• MS779 CAI1745 – 2105LHR 333 5

• MS778 LHR1355 – 2040CAI 333 1
• MS778 LHR1400 – 2045CAI 333 x15
• MS778 LHR1725 – 0010+1CAI 333 5
• MS780 LHR2230 – 0515+1CAI 738 123
• MS780 LHR2230 – 0515+1CAI 333 x123

Source [Airline Route]

► EGYPT: Egyptair announces operational changes to Johannesburg, London and Mumbai routes.

Egyptair (MS) has announced operational changes to its Cairo - Johannesburg, South Africa, Cairo - London Heathrow and Cairo - Mumbai routes.

An Egyptair Boeing 777-300ER.

Egyptair: Cairo, Egypt - Johannesburg, South Africa

- Effective October to November 2012, Egyptair is to use its Airbus A330-300. The A330-300 is to operate from 6 October 2012 to 20 October 2012, and from 28October 2012 until 16November 2012 (JNB departs next day).

- From 28 October 2012 onwards, Johannesburg will have a 5x weekly service instead of the previously planned daily flight. The following schedule is effective from 6 October 2012 to 20 October 2012.

• MS839 CAI2300 – 0705+1JNB 333 D
• MS840 JNB2145 – 0540+1CAI 333 D

Read More Here [Airline Route]

Egyptair: Cairo, Egypt - London Heathrow, United Kingdom

- Starting 15 November 2012, Egyptair is to reduce its existing daily Boeing 777-300ER and 4x weekly A330-300 flights to a 11x weekly A330-300 service.

• MS777 CAI0920 – 1235LHR 333 5
• MS777 CAI0945 – 1305LHR 77W 5
• MS779 CAI1700 – 2020LHR 333 4
• MS779 CAI1740 – 2100LHR 333 67
• MS779 CAI1745 – 2105LHR 333 5

• MS778 LHR1355 – 2040CAI 333 1
• MS778 LHR1400 – 2045CAI 333 15
• MS778 LHR1730 – 0015+1CAI 333 5
• MS780 LHR2230 – 0515+1CAI 333 123

Read More Here [Airline Route]

Egyptair: Cairo, Egypt - Mumbai, India

- Valid from 9 July 2012 until 27 October 2012, Egyptair has cut flights to Mumbai from 4x weekly previously, to 3x weekly.

• MS968 CAI2315 – 0840+1BOM 738 136
• MS969 BOM0940 – 1210CAI 738 247

 Read More Here [Airline Route]

► UNITED KINGDOM: British Airways announces changes to Africa network from October onwards.

British Airways (BA) has announced various changes to its African timetable effective 28 October 2012 some of which have been previously reported on here at The African Aviation Tribune.

British Airways' Africa Network

● British Airways Africa Timetable ●

-Effective 28 October 2012

-Additional changes remain possible

• London Heathrow – Accra, Ghana: First Class service on 777-200ER is only available on Thursdays and Fridays in W12 
• London Heathrow – Agadir, Morocco: 2x weekly service operated by BA, operating on weekends. This replaces existing BMI operation on Day 26 
• London Gatwick – Algiers, Algeria: Service reduces from daily to 5x weekly in Winter 2012 (1x Daily in W11) 
• London Heathrow – Cairo, Egypt: (BMI) 1x Daily A321 CANCELLED (20 July 2012)
• London Heathrow – Cairo, Egypt: Boeing 747-400 replacing 777-200ER from 01 October 2012 
• London Heathrow – Cape Town, South Africa: BA042 from CPT shifts from morning hours departure in NW11 back to evening departure in NW12

               -BA043 LHR1735 – 0700+1CPT 744 1234567
               -BA059 LHR1930 – 0855+1CPT 744 1234567

               -BA058 CPT2050 – 0625+1LHR 744 1234567
               -BA042 CPT2220 – 0800+1LHR 744 1234567

• London Heathrow – Casablanca, Morocco: Service operates 4x weekly in W12 with BMI Airbus A319 aircraft, same as W11 CANCELLED (20 July 2012)
• London Heathrow – Entebbe, Uganda: Revised operational day to Day 247 from LHR, Day 135 from EBB 
• London Heathrow – Freetown, Sierra Leone:  2x weekly Boeing 767, replacing 3x weekly A330-200 bmi operation: 

             - BA137 LHR2230 – 0525+1FNA 767 36
             - BA136 FNA1100 – 1730LHR 767 47

• London Heathrow – Johannesburg, South Africa: Service to continue to operate at 14x weekly. Planned 17x weekly service increase cancelled 
• London Heathrow – Khartoum, Sudan via Beirut: (BMI) 3x weekly A321 
• London Heathrow – Lusaka, Zambia: Operational day changes from Day 357 to Day 257 (LUN departs next day) 
• London Heathrow – Luanda, Angola: Service continues to operate with 4-class Boeing 777-200ER twice a week. Previously 1 of 2x weekly to be operated with 3-class aircraft 
• London Heathrow – Marrakech, Morroco: (BMI) operation reduces from 5x to 3x weekly 
• London Gatwick – Marrakech, Morocco: Service increases from 3x weekly to daily

Read More Here [Airline Route]

► UNITED KINGDOM: Stelios Haji-Ioannou acquires Fly540's parent company Lonrho Aviation; FastJet one step closer to reality.

EasyJet founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou's Rubicon Diversified Investments today acquired Lonrho Aviation, the parent company of Nairobi-based LCC Fly540, for USD$87.5 million.

Stelios Haji-Ioannou (easyGroup)

As part of the deal, Haji-Ioannou's easyGroup Holdings Limited will own 5% of the ordinary share capital of Rubicon with the option of acquiring a further 10% in addition to receiving royalties equivalent to 0.5% of revenue. Rubicon will also avail its substantial financial resources and experience with its successful Fly540 brand, to allow for the realization of "FastJet", the soon-to-be Ghanaian startup that will service West Africa.

Lonrho Aviation t/a Fly540 is a Nairobi-based LCC with franchises in Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana and Angola, who, as of 31 December 2011 had Total Assets of US$ 83.5 million and in the 15 months to December 2011, made a loss after tax of US$ 19.0 million. The majority of these losses were predominantly due to the start-up and establishment costs of opening the Angola and Ghana operational hubs.  

"In addition to the partnership with easyGroup, a key benefit of the Transaction to Lonrho is the substantial cash resources held by Rubicon (£8.8m as at 31 December 2011) which will be available for continued investment in the airline business following Completion.  

Fastjet will focus on developing a true low cost airline for Africa based on the existing Lonrho Aviation platform which, in its existing operations as Fly540, had turnover of US$57 million and carried 525,375 passengers in the 15 months to 31^st December 2011. Passenger loads continue to increase with Fly540 carrying 53,225 for the month of May 2012."

Read More Here [Lonrho]

► NIGERIA: Air Nigeria lands at London Gatwick (Picture).

As previously reported by The African Aviation Tribune, Air Nigeria this week started Lagos - London Gatwick using a leased Egyptair Airbus A330-200.

Air Nigeria A330 at London Gatwick (Skylineraviation.de)

► UNITED KINGDOM: British Airways announces changes to Accra, Cairo , Luanda, Algiers, Johannesburg.

British Airways (BA) has announced changes to its Winter Schedule for Accra, Cairo , Luanda, Algiers, Johannesburg, effective 28 October 2012.

London Heathrow – Accra 

• First Class service on 777-200ER is only available on Thursdays and Fridays in W12

London Heathrow – Cairo 

• Boeing 747-400 replacing 777-200ER from 01OCT12

London Heathrow – Luanda 

• Service continues to operate with 4-class Boeing 777-200ER twice a week. Previously 1 of 2 weekly to be operated with 3-class aircraft 

London Gatwick – Algiers 

• Service reduces from daily to 5 weekly in Winter 2012 (1 Daily in W11) 

 London Heathrow – Johannesburg 

• Service to continue to operate 14x weekly. Planned 17x weekly service cancelled

Read More Here [AirlineRoute]