EgyptAir (MS) in late January, signed a cooperation agreement with Palestinian Airlines (PF) to operate a series of pilgrimage flights on behalf of the Palestinian 
carrier out of its current base in El-Arish, Egypt to Muslim holy sites in Saudi Arabia. 
The Namibian Airports Company (NAC) is currently constructing a new USD1.36million (NAD12.5million) state-of-the art fire and rescue station at Windhoek's Eros Airport. Together with an emergency control centre, as well as ablution and recreational facilities for staff, the new facilities will allow the airport to comply with standards stipulated by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
Ethiopian Airlines' (ET) Aviation Academy is to acquire two new flight simulators for delivery later this year. The Bombardier Q400 simulator is expected in the coming months with a Boeing B787-8 simulator having recently been tendered for.
Planning for the construction of a new USD20billion "airport city" near Cairo International Airport is to be concluded come April reports from Egypt’s Ministry of Civil Aviation state. The new development will be the first of three similar projects to be built in the capital, Alexandria (Burg Al Arab airport) and at Port Said airport.
Following on from our last report, LCC fastjet (FN) is now reportedly in negotiations with a "credible local South African partner" to aide in its protracted battle to acquire control of bankrupt South African carrier, 1Time (T6). This comes after an outcry from the local airline community including South African Airways and Comair Ltd, forced fastjet to rethink its strategy to acquire 1Time, which until now, has been blocked by South African law.
Egypt's Minister of Civil Aviation, Wael al-Maddawy, says Egyptian national carrier, Egyptair (MS), has posted continuous losses of USD880million (EGP6billion) since the 2011 Egyptian revolution which lead to the fall of then president, Hosni Mubarak, and his regime.
Singapore Airlines Cargo (SV), the cargo wing of Singapore Airlines, on Monday 11 March 2013, operated a one-off Boeing 747-400F flight into the Zambian capital, Lusaka.
Nigeria's Dana Air (9J), has had its Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) revoked by the Nigerian Ministry of Aviation acting through the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). The move comes only 3 months after the carrier received its revalidated AOC and resumed operations.
Global ground service providers, Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), has entered into a long-term partnership with Wings Flight Services in Tanzania to operate a new cargo terminal at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam.
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.
Angola's airport and air traffic authority Empresa Nacional de Aeroportos e Navegação Aérea (ENANA) has announced the closure of Yuri Gagarin International Airport in the south western port city of Namibe. The airport will be closed until August 2013 at the earliest to allow for rehabilitation and expansion works to proceed.
Nigeria's Arik Air (WB) has signed an ACMI lease agreement with Kano-based Emirate Touch Aviation Services Limited for the use of two of Arik's stored Boeing 737-300s for cargo ops.
According to AirlineRoute, as per the 14MAR13 GDS timetable and inventory display, Rwandair (WB)’s
planned Summer 2013 operation will change as follows, with additional changes possible.
After the floating of a tender last year in September, the Tanzanian Civil Aviation Authority is to proceed with the upgrading of its aeronautical ground-ground communications network which currently uses the Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunication Network (AFTN) analogue standard.
After being spurned by Air France (AF) who cited a "lack of means" to commit to any partnership with lonesome Indian Ocean carrier, Air Mauritius (MK), Emirates (EK) may turn out to be the struggling airline's knight in shining armour after the two agreed to "explore further development of commercial opportunities for both companies." The announcement came after a one-off visit by an Emirates (EK) Airbus A380 to the island of Mauritius on Tuesday 12 March.
Italian carrier, Alitalia (AZ), is to boost service between Rome Fiumicino and Tripoli, Libya through the introduction of a second daily A319 operated service effective 31 March. New flights leave Rome at 1500L and Tripoli at 1755L.
Nigerian domestic operator, Aero Contractors A(J), was today, forced to suspend all flights following a strike by staff over pay and working conditions at the airline.
The Nigerian Government has appointed the Director of Aerodrome Services, Joyce Nkemakolam, as the acting Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA.
BinterSwift, the cargo division of Canary Islands-based carrier, Binter Canarias (NT), has initiated a series of meetings with entrepreneurs from the Cape Verde Islands to better understand market demands as the airline seeks to improve its African market niche by providing more alternatives for the movement of cargo from and via the Canaries to Africa and vice versa.
LAM - Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique (TM), Mozambique's national carrier is looking to boost its seats-available by 20% on 2012, to 700'000, through the exploitation of the growing domestic market to both Tete and Nampula in the northern part of the country.
Zambia's Defense Ministry has confirmed the crash of a Zambian Air Force Harbin Z-9 helicopter at Lusaka's City Airport (not to be confused with Lusaka's Kenneth Kaunda International Airport) following yesterday's Youth Day celebrations. The pilot of the chopper was killed with his co-pilot sustaining minor injuries, though the exact circumstances of the crash are still unclear.
The Nigerian Government is in the process of concluding a Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASA) with Israel, which, it is hoping, will result in the start of direct flights before October this year. Should flights begin, they would cut flying time between Nigeria and Israel down to "six hours".
Tanzanian domestic operator, Tanganyika Flying Co. (TFC), has launched services into Serengeti Lamai Airstrip bringing the number of airstrips that TFC serves in the Serengeti National Park, to five.
After being declared the "preferred bidder" for a stake in Malawi's now dissolved national carrier Air Malawi (QM), Ethiopian Airlines (ET) says it has officially entered into negotiations with the government regarding its 49% buy-in.
Algerian carrier Tassili Airlines (SF) has outlined its intended fleet expansion plans to aide in the roll out of its recently-launched domestic network with delivery estimated to be in late 2013/early 2014.
Saudi Airlines cargo division, Saudia Cargo (SV), has further strengthened its business relationship with Fast Forward Cargo in the UAE by increasing its frequencies to West Africa from Dubai World Central. Under an agreement signed by both parties, the new partnership will operate what is equivalent to 175 combined B747 flights between the UAE and West Africa, connecting mainly to Lagos in Nigeria and N’Djamena in Chad via Saudia Cargo’s hubs in Riyadh and Jeddah.
The UAE's General Civil Aviation Administration (GCAA) has released its final report on the 2009 crash of a Sudanese Boeing 707-330C (MSN 20123/788 | ST-AKW) operated by Azza Air (AZZ) on behalf of Sudan Airways(SD). The aircraft crashed into the desert outside Sharjah International Airport shortly after take off killing 3 passengers and 3 crew. The report blames a combination of poor aircraft maintenance, sloppy inspection standards on behalf of the Sudanese Civil Aviation Authority and inadequate crew training as the causes for the crash.
Dr. Harold Demuren, the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), has been sacked by Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan, with immediate effect.
The Airports of Mauritius Co Ltd. today inaugurated two out of the five new aircraft hangers at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport in Plaisance, Mauritius, that will be used for long-term aircraft parking. The inauguration comes as tomorrow (Tuesday 12 March), Emirates (EK) will operate a one-off Airbus A380 flight to the island to mark the 45th Anniversary of Mauritius' independence from Britain.
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.
Proflight Zambia (P0) is to resume twice daily Lusaka - Livingstone flights effective 01APR 2013. The service operates using a Jetstream J41.
Sections of the South African travel media have speculated that incumbent South African Airways (SA) CEO Nico Bezuidenhout, who is also the CEO of SAA's LCC wing, Mango, is likely to be confirmed as the carrier's de facto boss.
Algerian national carrier, Air Algérie (AH), is planning new routes to Ndjamena (Chad), Lagos, and Conakry (Guinea) during Winter'13/14 according to the airline's President and Director-General, Mohamed Saleh Bolatif.
As part of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA)'s effort to modernize and prioritize safety, Spanish information technology and defense systems company, Indra Sistemas, has completed the installation and testing of its voice communications system in 13 Nigerian airports.
One
year on from when Abu Dhabi-based carrier, Etihad Airways (EY), signed a
Memorandum of Understanding to acquire a 40 per cent stake in then
struggling Air Seychelles (HM), the Seychellois airline has unofficially
posted a USD1million profit.
Equato-guinean carrier Punto Azul (ZR) is to commence operations with its three Embraer ERJ145s leased from ECC Leasing Company Ltd, a subsidiary of Embraer, and operated by South Africa's National Airways Corp. (NAC). The first Embraer ERJ145 (MSN 145244 | PR-PSQ) was delivered to NAC in late February.
Air Namibia's (SW) has settled its outstanding debt with fuel supplier, South African based Engen. Fuel bills have continuously hurt the Namibian national carrier's coffers with an estimated 40% of revenue going to fuel related expenses alone.
AirlineRoute reports that, as per the 08MAR13 GDS timetable and inventory display, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) is to extend its Boeing 787 service cancellations until 30APR13 inclusive. Due to aircraft redeployment, a number of routes will also see aircraft changes, scheduled to be in effect until mid-June 2013.
This week (15 March), Turkish construction firms Çetin Group and Kozuva will begin building the new Turkish sponsored air terminal at Mogadishu's Aden Abdulle International Airport, following the signing of a deal in late January.
After having successfully concluded its derelict aircraft disposal operation at Lagos Murtala Muhammed International Airport, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is now set to move into Abuja's Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport with other regional airports in Kano and Edo states to follow.
Tanzanian based LCC, fastjet (FN), has secured an additional USD23.5million (GBP15.68million) in funding following an agreement with Bergen Global Opportunity Fund, an institutional investment fund managed by Bergen Asset Management, LLC, a New York asset management firm.
FlightSafety International, a global aviation training company, has selected Lanseria, Johannesburg-based National Airways Corporation (NAC) to be a FlightSafety Maintenance Training Centre through which the organization will now offer training for Pratt & Whitney Canada engines in South Africa and the surrounding region.
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.