■ LIBERIA: Liberian, Ghanaian Civil Aviation Authorities order safety audits of Delta Airlines citing frequent delays.

Liberia's Civil Aviation Authority, along with the Liberian Ministry of Transport, have ordered a safety audit of American airline, Delta Airlines (DL) following a series of flight cancellations and intermittent technical problems. The LCAA has also recommended that Liberian President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and government officials not use the American carrier for travel.

► GABON: Air France boosts Libreville frequencies from March 2013.

Following on from bilateral talks between the French and Gabonese governments concluded last year, Air France (AF) will, starting 11 March 2013, progressively increase flights to Libreville, Gabon with the addition of a 6th weekly service between Paris CDG and Libreville, followed by the addition of 7th weekly service from 31 March 2013. 

■ TANZANIA: Omani consortium to invest $100m in Air Tanzania.

Tanzanian national carrier Air Tanzania (TC) is set to receive a much needed shot in the arm with reports that a consortium led by the Oman-based Al Hayat Development and Investment Company is to invest USD100million (TSH160million) into the struggling airline, with the final Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to be signed "by the end of next week" (January 18).

■ NIGERIA: Air Cote d'Ivoire seeks Arik Air's help in establishing southern hub as Arik Air boss takes swipe at 'frustrating' Nigerian government.

Nigerian carrier Arik Air (W3) and the new national carrier of the Ivory Coast, Air Cote d’Ivoire(HF), have entered into preliminary discussions over a possible partnership, following the visit this week of Air Cote d’Ivoire boss, General Coulibaly Abdoulaye (retired) and the airline’s Managing Director, Rene Decurey.

► SUDAN: KLM drops Khartoum, Addis Ababa from March 2013.

AirlineRoute is reporting that effective 31 March 2013, KLM is cancelling its Amsterdam – Khartoum – Addis Ababa route, where it currently operates 3x weekly service using an Airbus A330-200. Reservation for this route is closed and flights being removed from the system. Existing schedule as follows.

► KENYA: Bluebird Aviation Q400 rejects takeoff at high speed, closing Wilson Airport Runway 14/32 for 3 hours.

The Aviation Herald is reporting that a Bombardier Q400 (MSN 4009 | 5Y-VVY) belonging to Kenyan cargo carrier Bluebird Aviation (BBZ) went off Nairobi Wilson Airport's runway 14/32 following a rejected take off yesterday.

►►► EGYPT: Korean Air resumes Seoul - Cairo from January 2013.

[UPDATE 9 JANUARY] South Korean airline Korean Air (KE) is to resume its 2x weekly Airbus A330-300 Seoul Incheon - Cairo, Egypt nonstop flights, which from October 28, will be upgraded to a Boeing 777-200ER.

► TANZANIA: fastjet posts strong first month pax numbers with almost 30'000 flown with near 80% load factors.

Tanzanian based LCC fastjet (FN) has revealed its first month's operating figures since taking to the skies in late November 2012, with almost 30'000 passengers carried during the month of December, averaging almost 80% loads factors.

► MOZAMBIQUE: MEX-Moçambique Expresso to base two leased ERJ145s in Nampula, Tete as LAM's pax numbers grow 9% in 2012.

MEX-Moçambique Expresso (MXE), the domestic and regional subsidiary of LAM Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique (TM), is to operate two leased Embraer ERJ145s on behalf of LAM during the first quarter of this year.

► NAMIBIA: See Video & Pics of Air Namibia's new A319's Arrival Ceremony in Windhoek.

Namibia's national carrier, Air Namibia (SW), last week Friday 4 January 2013, took delivery of the first of two Airbus A319s (MSN 5400 | V5-ANN) with the aircraft performing a welcoming fly-past over the city of Windhoek, as well as Windhoek's Hosea Kutako International Airport.

► FRANCE: Transavia to start new routes to Cape Verde Islands, Morocco from April.

Transavia (TO), the Dutch-based low-cost airline operating as an independent part of the Air France-KLM group, is to launch two new routes to North and West Africa from bases in France. First up is a once weekly service from Lille to Agadir, Morocco beginning 13 April. Then, from May 16 to October 24, 2013, a once weekly Paris Orly - Boa Vista, Cape Verde Islands will start.

■ MOZAMBIQUE: AdM looks to add hotels, restaurants to Maputo International as new Nacala Airport completion now due in late 2013.

Aeroportos de Moçambique (AdM), the company tasked with running Mozambique's major airports, has announced plans to build hotels, restaurants and catering facilities at Maputo International Airport, with the aim of transforming the renovated airport into a world-class facility.

■ ANGOLA: TAAG's first Green Initative pays off handsomely with savings of $35mln.

Angolan national carrier, TAAG Linhas Aéreas de Angola (DT), over the period between November 2011 and late 2012, was able to save USD35million (AOA3.5billion) following the successful implementation of its first Green program to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions said the company's CEO, Pimentel Araújo, in his year-end message.

► SUDAN: Marsland Aviation leases B737-300 from Alexandria Airlines.

Egytian ACMI & charter specialists, Alexandria Airlines (XH), having taken delivery of their first Boeing 737-300 (MSN 29244 | SU-KHO) in August, are to lease the aircraft to Sudanese scheduled carrier, Marsland Aviation (M7), according to Swiss aviation site, CH-Aviation.

► BELGIUM: brussels airlines announces changes to its West & Central Africa network for Summer 2013.

Belgian carrier brussels airlines (SN) has announced various frequency fluctuations on its West and Central African route networks, effective late-February 2013.

► KENYA: Airkenya Express launches flights to Nakuru from Nairobi Wilson Airport.

Kenyan domestic operator, Airkenya Express (P2), has launched flights from Nairobi's Wilson Airport to Nakuru National Park via Naishi Airstrip effective 21 December. The daily flight departs at midday and also offers a connection from Nakuru into the Maasai Mara.

► INDIA: Kenya Airways swaps 767 for 737-700 on some Mumbai flights starting 16 January.

Effective 16 January 2013, Kenya Airways(KQ) is temporarily adjusting capacity on its Nairobi – Mumbai, India service. Three of the 10 weekly flights (KQ204/205) are to switch from the Boeing 767-300ER to the Boeing 737-700. 

►► RÉUNION: Air Austral, Air France announce new flights following passage of Cyclone Dumile.

[UPDATE 6 JANUARY] The passage of tropical Cyclone Dumile over the Indian Ocean islands of Mauritius and Reunion have had their affect on the local aviation industry with Air France (AF) and Air Austral (UU) having to postpone and in some cases, cancel flights. Listed below are the reassigned flights.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: SAA gets another USD64million bailout as poor fuel sourcing deals return to haunt the carrier.

South African Airways' (SA) perennial problems with sourcing competitively priced Jet A1 fuel came back to haunt it once more as reports emerge of the carrier receiving an emergency USD64million (ZAR550million) "bank facility" from its sole shareholder, the South African government. 

■ KENYA: (Pics) A Look at Lamu's Manda Airstrip's old and new facilities set for completion in May 2013.

Construction works at Manda Airstrip, located on Manda Island in the Lamu Archipelago in eastern Kenya, are progressing with completion expected in May of this year. The upgraded 2'000m long runway and new terminal will allow tourists to fly directly to Lamu from their respective countries. At present, tourists arriving on international flights have to clear customs and immigration formalities at either Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, or Mombasa, or Malindi before flying into Lamu as a domestic flight.