The Democratic Republic of the Congo and its former colonial power, Belgium, on Saturday 2 February signed a revised Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) replacing that which was signed in 1965, five years after the DRC's independence. New provisions include increased frequencies to the DRC for Belgian carriers while Belgium, in return, will aide the DRC in its quest to improve its international safety image.
Rwandan aviation blog, Rwandan-Flyer, reports that Tanzanian private carrier and interim flag carrier, Precision Air (PW), is planning a big regional expansion programme in the coming months with new services to Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Angola and Mozambique to be added by 2016.
South African media reports state that Fly Go-Air (KEM), the South African startup which débuted in late December 2012, has since then, operated no more flights.
Tunisian national carrier, Tunisair (TU), will from 31MAR13 commence scheduled operations between Tunis and Madinah (Medina), Saudi Arabia with a 5x weekly Airbus A320 service.
After the successful launch of its new twice weekly direct Mauritius - Shanghai, China flights on 24 January 201, Air Mauritius (MK) has allured to the possible launch of flights to the Chinese capital, Beijing in May with flights to Russia also on the Mauritian national carrier's "To Do" list.
A Tunisair (TU) Airbus A320 (MSN 119 | TS-IMB) operating as flight TU712 from Casablanca to Tunis, yesterday suffered a runway excursion after landing at Tunis - Carthage International Airport's runway 09.
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).
Despite Africa having overall freight load factors of just 24.7% which, according to IATA is the lowest of any region by a significant margin, global courier DHL remains optimistic about Africa's cargo growth potential for 2013 with deepening trade ties with Asia, and above all, with fellow African countries, the catalyst.
Tunisair (TU), for the upcoming Summer 2013 season, will increase its services to select European cities most notably Manchester, Milan and Venice. The planned operation from 31MAR13 is as follows:
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.
A man, on Sunday, was taken into custody in Burkina Faso after an alleged parcel bomb was found to be in his possession as he prepared to depart Ouagadougou on board an Ethiopian Airlines (ET) Boeing 737-800 operating flight ET926 from Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
According to the Empresa Nacional de Aeroportos e Segurança Aérea (The Cape Verdian Airports Authority - ASA), the Cape Verde Islands have recorded another strong year of passenger arrivals with a growth of 3.7% on 2011's figures thanks largely in part to an increase in European travellers. However, the domestic front did not fare so well with a decline of 5.9%.
Despite reaching a deal with South African Airways (SA) on the terms of reference to be used for the verification of its membership numbers, South Africa's National Transport Movement trade union has maintained that it will continue to strike until the outcome of an arbitrator's report is published in mid February.
Three people were killed yesterday afternoon when their Cessna 337H Super Skymaster (MSN 337-1173 | 5U-ABP) crashed on take off from Niamey's Diori Hamani International Airport, Niger's Ministry of Transport has announced in a statement.
The Algerian Government has given national carrier, Air Algèrie (AH), in whom it is 100% shareholder, the green light to proceed with the acquisition of 16 new aircraft in a bid to bolster the airline's long term viability and therefore, profitability. However, until such time that Air Algèrie is capable of holding its own, the Government has deferred both the liberalization of the local aviation industry and the possibility of an Open Skies treaty, without completely excluding them in the future.
Following on from our previous post, Jetairfly (TB), the LCC successor to Jet4you, a low-cost Moroccan carrier, has announced the imminent launch of four new routes between the Netherlands, France and Morocco.
Following the resolution of what the International Civil Aviation Organization termed "a Significant Safety Concern", Zambia has taken a crucial step towards being struck off the ICAO's Safety Watch List, with removal from the EU's No-Fly List now a distinct possibility.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo's aviation authority, Régie des Voies Aériennes de la République Démocratique du Congo (RVA), has embarked on a €280'000 study for the construction of a new cargo facility at Kinshasa's N'djili International Airport.
AvMax Aircraft Leasing has joined the growing list of disgruntled suppliers demanding their money from Fastjet (FN). The Canada-based ACMI firm recently wrote to Fastjet stating it had moved to deregister three of its aircraft previously leased to Fastjet's predecessor, Fly540 Tanzania, over USD2million worth of unpaid leasing and maintenance bills.
Vistajet, the Swiss company luxury jet company specializing in short term leasing, has taken its Bombardier Global 6000 jet on a global roadshow with Africa being the first leg. Thus far, Kumasi, Accra, Abuja, Lagos, Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, Luanda, Johannesburg, Cape Town have been visited with Maputo, Kampala, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam still left.
For the upcoming IATA Northern Summer Season (from 31 March), Portugal's TAP (TP) will increase capacity on select Morocco flights with the delpoyment of the Airbus A319 aircraft on its flights to Marrakech and Casablanca.
Tanzanian private carrier, Precision Air (PW), has announced, effective 9 February, the launch of daily services between Dar es Salaam and Mbeya (Songwe) Airports, roughly 1 month after flights were resumed there. Additonally, a second Mwanza - Kigoma service has been launched that operates 5x weekly. Auric Air (AUK), an airline based in Mwanza, Tanzania offering both scheduled and air charter services, is to launch 4x weekly Mwanza - Musoma flights effective 15 February.
Corroborating our previous report, South African startup carrier Skywise, whose founders include ex-1Time honchos Rodney James and Glenn Orsmond, ex-1Time Chief Information Officer, Michael Kaminski, and Johan Borstlap, a former director at defunct domestic carrier Sun Air, have confirmed that they will not meet their target launch date of 1 March following the failure of their application for a domestic licence to the Air Services Licensing Council (ASLC) on 16 January.
Saudi Arabian low-cost carrier Nas Air (XY) is to expand its operations to the Sudan with the launch of flights between Dammam and Khartoum, Sudan as part of its regional expansion plans.
On the back of an 11% increase in passenger numbers posted for 2012, TAAG Linhas Aéreas de Angola (DT), Angola's national carrier, is to purchase an additional three Boeing 777-300ERs due for delivery from 2019/2020.
Not to be outdone by its neighbour Liberia, the Sierra Leone Government is to move ahead with the first phase in the construction of a new USD198million Freetown International Airport, following the signing of a contract between the Government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Transport and Aviation and the China Railway International Company in December last year. Financing is to come from the Chinese Export-Import Bank (EXIM Bank).
Nigeria's National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) has
come out in support of Nigerian Senate & House of Representatives whose recent Joint Committee on Aviation Report unequivocally condemned the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) as being staffed by "unqualified persons working as Aircraft Inspectors" and which recommended the immediate withdrawal of Dana Air's (9J) Air Operators Certificate, reinstated in early December.
AirlineRoute states that Air Côte d’Ivoire from 01FEB13 is adjusting its operations, which
includes the launch of 3 new destinations in west Africa - Pointe Noire (Congo Brazzaville), Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) and Yaounde (Cameroon).
Ethiopia has continued its push into southern Africa with the recent official signing of a new Bilateral Air Services Agreement with Botswana, paving the way for possible flights between Addis Ababa and Gaborone by Ethiopian Airlines. Negotiations were concluded in May 2012 following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in May 2010.
The Liberian Civil Aviation Authority, under the auspices of the Liberian Airports Authority (LAA), has embarked on the renovation of Monrovia's Roberts International Airport (RIA) as the country moves to renovate its decrepit infrastructure, left to decay during the Civil Wars of 1989 - 1996 and 1999 - 2003.
With the imminent arrival of Hurricane Felleng, Réunion based carrier Air Austral (UU) has, as a precautionary, issued a revised timetable for the next few days.
Brazil's Embraer Defense and Security today delivered the first three of six light attack and advanced training A-29 Super Tucano turboprops to the Força Aérea Nacional Angolana (National Air Force of Angola), at a ceremony held in Gavião Peixoto, São Paulo, Brazil.
Following speculation in the French aviation press, Air France (AF) has shot down any chance of closer strategic and financial ties with Mauritian carrier, Air Mauritius. The possibility of a tie up was discussed with French President François Hollande during the visit of Prime Minister of Mauritius, Navin Ramgoolam, to the Elysee Palace on January 21.
Ghanaian carrier Starbow Airlines (S9) has announced the addition of added flights on its Accra - Kumasi and Accra - Tamale routes following strong demand to both destinations.
Gambia Bird (3G) has outlined its intended Summer network plans. Highlights include the launch of two new European destinations in addition to an increase in frequencies to Barcelona and London Gatwick. The fledgling carrier has also mentioned its involvement in early negotiations with two Middle Eastern carriers.
Egyptian national carrier Egyptair (MS) will from 01JUN13 increase its Cairo – Athens service. The Star Alliance member will operate this route 14 weekly flights, compared to 10 weekly in same period (June – October) in 2012.
Rwandair (WB) has announced the resumption of its 5th freedom flights between Mombasa (Kenya) and Dubai with3x weekly flights effective 02FEB13. Additionally, the carrier will from 01FEB13 reduce its current service to the Burundian capital, Bujumbura, from 3x to 2x daily flights, following the suspension of flights to Mwanza (Tanzania) effective 31JAN13.
French carrier Air Méditerranée (ML) is to launch Oujda, Morocco, its fourth destination there, with twice weekly flights to Marseilles, France starting 16 June. The service will operate with a Boeing 737-500.
West African regional carrier ASKY Airlines (KP) has taken delivery of three additional Bombardier Q400s at a ceremony held recently in the Togolese capital, Lomé, which is also the carrier's primary hub. The delivery comes almost 3 years ago to the day that the carrier was born.
[UPDATE 30 JANUARY] Spanish carrier, Iberia (IB), has announced details of its new commercial and routes policies
under the Transformation Plan it announced recently with various routes in Africa to be affected, for better and for worse.
Zambia's National Airports Corporation Ltd should, in the next two weeks, announce the winner of the contract for the construction of a new passenger terminal at Lusaka's Kenneth Kaunda International Airport. The terminal is part of a USD500million project to upgrade the airport as a whole.