► ETHIOPIA: Abedair Aviation Ethiopia rebrands itself as Aquarius Aviation.

Addis Ababa-based Aberdair Aviation Ethiopia has been re-branded as Aquarius Aviation to distinguish itself from the Nairobi-based operator, Aberdair Aviation. On launching in 2009, Aquarius leased various aircraft from Aberdair Kenya, as well as paid it royalties for the use of its name in order to help establish a reputation for the ad-hoc charter airline.

► MAURITIUS: MegaMaldives Airlines planning Beijing - Mauritius flights from July.

Mega Global Air Services, also known as MegaMaldives Airlines (5M), is planning to start a once weekly Beijing - Mauritius service from 9 July writes Swiss aviation newswire, CH-Aviation.

► NETHERLANDS: See Pic of Rwandair's first 737-700 fresh out the paint shop!

Rwandan national carrier, Rwandair's (WB), first of two Boeing 737-700NGs (MSN: 30717 | 9XR-WJ) (ex D-AHXB) leased from the  International Leasing Finance Corporation, has come out of the paint shop in Eindhoven, Netherlands.

► ZAMBIA: Mukuba Airlines, Zambia's first LCC, set to start ops in coming months with ATR42s, 72s.

Mukuba Airlines, dubbed Zambia's first Budget airline/LCC, is set to start operations in the next few months, in time for the XXth United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) General Assembly to be jointly held in Livingstone & Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe in August this year.

► NIGERIA: AeroContractors resumes operations today.

As previously reported, Nigeria's second largest airline, AeroContractors (AJ), will resume flights effective today, 29 March bringing to an end, a strike that had lasted 20 days. Dana Air (9J) however, remains grounded despite being given the go ahead by government to resume operations nearly 2 weeks ago.

► GHANA: RwandAir announces Douala, Accra, Juba as next destinations to come in June/July.

With the imminent arrival of the first of two Boeing 737-700NGs, replacing the airline's Boeing 737-500s whose leases expire mid year, Rwandair (WB) has announced that Douala and Accra will be the airline's next new destinations from 1 June 2013.

►► KENYA: Etihad Airways, Kenya Airways sign partnership deal; KQ to launch 3x weekly Abu Dhabi flights from July.

[UPDATE 29 MARCH] Etihad Airways(EY), has signed a strategic commercial partnership agreement with Kenya Airways (KQ), which will see Etihad Airways placing its EY code on Kenya Airways flights while Kenya Airways will place its KQ code on Etihad Airways’ daily service from Nairobi to Abu Dhabi and, subject to government approval, onto Etihad various other routes.

► CAMEROON: Camair-Co outlines Summer 2013 schedule changes; starts Abidjan from June.

CH-Aviation reports that, as part of its Summer 2013 schedule, Camair-Co(QC), the Cameroonian national carrier, has announced it is to start flights between Douala and Abidjan effective 04JUN. Additionally, the carrier has been awarded 5th Freedom rights on the Brazzaville - Kinshasa sectors of of its Douala - Brazzaville - Kinshasa flights, along with Lagos - Cotonou on its Douala - Lagos - Cotonou flights.

● BOTSWANA: New Civil Aviation Act, Aviation Security Act now being actively enforced by government.

Two important Civil Aviation Laws have now come into force in Botswana - The Civil Aviation Act (2011) and the Aviation Security Act (2011). The laws were crafted following numerous deficiencies relating to the primary aviation law and other elements of Botswana’s safety oversight system and aviation security system, that were identified by the ICAO's Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) in 2006 and Universal Security Audit Programme (USAP) of 2008.

► MALAWI: Ulendo Airlink releases its Low & High Season domestic schedule for 2013/2014.

Ulendo Airlink (7Q), the trading name for Nyasa Express - the aviation division of Malawi’s Ulendo Travel Group - has outlined its High Season (01JUL13 - 31OCT13) and Low Season (15MAR13 - 30JUN13 & 01NOV13 - 15JAN14) domestic timetable.

■ SOMALIA: Mogadishu Aden Adde International Airport closed for 2 hours following bomb scare.

Mogadishu's Aden Adde International Airport was temporarily closed today after a vehicle belonging to ground-handling services provider, SKA Logistics, was suspected of carrying explosives.

► GAMBIA: Damaged A319 forces Gambia Bird to temporarily reduce its operations.

Gambia Bird (3G), the 90/10 venture between German carrier, Germania (ST) and the Gambian government, has announced that it will temporarily reduce its flight schedule in the coming weeks owing to damage sustained by one of its Airbus A319s.

■ MOZAMBIQUE: AdM to increase airport taxes to offset $350mln airport renovation debts.

Aeroportos de Moçambique (AdM), the Mozambican parastatal tasked with running the country's major airports and airspace, is set to increase passenger fees to help pay for the ongoing modernization and upgrading of Mozambique's airports.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: SAA selects Rockwell Collins avionics suite for use in Airbus A320/A319 fleet.

South African Airways (SA) has selected  Rockwell Collins' communications, surveillance and navigation avionics for use on 20 new Airbus A320 aircraft. The selection includes Rockwell Collins' MultiScan Threat Detection System, GLU-925 Multi-Mode Receiver (MMR), and Iridium SATCOM system. Deliveries are scheduled to begin later this year. The airline also plans to retrofit MultiScan on its current fleet of 11 A319 aircraft.

►► SOUTH AFRICA: SA Airlink boosts Joburg - Upington flights from May.

[UPDATE 27 MARCH] SA Airlink, the regional and domestic arm of South African Airways (SA), will from 6 May, increase its frequencies to Upington, Northern Cape, with the introduction of a new 4x weekly early bird flight from Johannesburg leaving at 07h10 with the return leaving Upington at 09h25.

■ NIGERIA: Government finalizes plans to source funding for new national carrier as ATR pitches its turboprops for use in the Aviation Intervention Fund.

After a meeting of the Economic Management Team chaired by President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja, the Nigerian government is set to finalize plans for funding for the establishment of a national carrier.

► SOUTH AFRICA: Russia looking to sell SSJ100s, MS21s passenger jets to South African buyers.

Russia's Interfax news agency reports that undisclosed South African buyers are in talks with aircraft manufacturer, Sukhoi, over a possible deal for the purchase of Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100) passenger jets as well as Irkut MS-21s.

■ ZAMBIA: NAC2000 selects Kale Logistics' Galaxy Ground Handling Management System.

Zambian ground handling services company, NAC2000 (formerly known as National Air Charters), has opted for Kale Logistics’ "Galaxy" Airport Ground Handling Management system for the automation of its activities at Lusaka Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, Zambia. With this selection, NAC2000 is now poised to move from its manual operations to a globally connected web-based cargo management system which will help it better serve its customers & communicate with all its external stakeholders.

► GAMBIA: Gambia Bird set to start Lagos and Douala from April; announces timetable revision.

Following on from our previous post, Gambia Bird (3G) has announced numerous changes to its network in anticipation of Summer 2013, effective 31 March 2013. Additionally, the carrier will launch Lagos and Douala flights from 02APR13.

► NIGERIA: AeroContractors to tentatively resume ops come Easter weekend?

AeroContractors (AJ), grounded by virtue of an NCAA directive following a workers' strike that has now gone into its 14th day, is to tentatively resume operations this coming Easter weekend hinging on the successful completion of an audit by the NCAA.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Dube Tradeport, Action Group India sign MoU for $200mln development at Durban King Shaka International Airport.

On the sidelines of the ongoing BRICS Summit in Durban, South Africa, Dube TradePort Corporation and Indian conglomerate, Action Group, signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the USD216million (ZAR2billion) development of a "Mega Industrial Integrated Township" located adjacent to Durban's King Shaka International Airport. The development will form part of the airport's long term "aerotropolis" expansion vision.

► ZIMBABWE: Egyptair in talks to lease aircraft to Air Zimbabwe?

Egyptian national carrier, Egyptair (MS), says it is in talks with Zimbabwean national carrier, Air Zimbabwe (UM), over a possible code-share deal as well as a lease arrangement for an unspecified number of aircraft, for use during the upcoming XXth United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) General Assembly to be co-hosted by both Livingstone, Zambia and its Zimbabwean counterpart, Victoria Falls, from 24 to 30 August.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Denel Aviation to open sub-Saharan Africa's first Russian Helicopters MRO facility in due course.

Denel Aviation, a division of South Africa's government-backed Denel Corporation, is to unveil the first MRO facility in sub-Saharan Africa catering for Mil and Kamov military and utility helicopters, both of which are manufactured by Moscow-based Russian Helicopters.

►► UNITED KINGDOM: British Airways increases capacity to Cairo, Luanda, Johannesburg in 2013.

[UPDATE 26 MARCH] British Airways (BA) has announced various changes to its African timetable to come into effect for the Northern Summer 2013.

■■ BURKINA FASO: (Pics) Construction of Ouagadougou's new Donsin International Airport set to start before year end.

Ouagadougou Donsin International Airport, Burkina Faso

[UPDATE 26 MARCH] Construction work on Ouagadougou's new Donsin International Airport, situated roughly 40km outside of the Burkinabe capital, is set to go ahead this year as officials from L'Agence pour la Sécurité de la Navigation Aérienne en Afrique et à Madagascar (Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar - ASECNA) have put themselves at the disposal of the Burkina Faso government.

■ COTE D'IVOIRE: AERIA proceeds to clean up Abidjan's Port Bouet International Airport's aircraft boneyard.

Taking a leaf from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA)'s book and their ongoing clean-up exercise of Nigerian airports, AERIA, the Ivorian company responsible for the management and running of Abidjan's main air gateway, l'Aéroport International Félix Houphouët-Boigny, (also known as Port Bouet International Airport) has embarked on a similar clean up of the airport's grounds, with some 20 abandoned and derelict aircraft having been scrapped or in the process of being scrapped.

■ CONGO (KINSHASA): (Video) Korongo commissions new 2'400sqm hangar as Alpha Airports awarded contract to build temporary terminal at Kinshasa N'djili.

Congolese regional operator, Korongo Airlines (ZC) has inaugurated a new prefabricated hangar at its Lubumbashi Luano International Airport base. The airline says the new facility, which conforms to all IATA and ICAO specifications, will allow for the on-site servicing and maintenance of its current lone aircraft, a Boeing 737-300.

■ RWANDA: Government finalizing plans for $350mln bond issuance of which RwandAir will be major benefactor.

The Rwandan Government is finalizing plans for the issuance of a sovereign bond aimed at raising "about USD350million (RWF222billion)", part of which will be used to prop up national carrier Rwandair (WB) in whom government has a 99% shareholding.

►► GUINEA: Air France announces changes to Nouakchott, Conakry, Freetown, Monrovia ops from late March.

[UPDATE 25 MARCH] Air France (AF) will from 31MAR13 adjust its operations to the West African destinations of Nouakchott (Mauritania), Conakry (Guinea), Freetown (Sierra Leone) and Monrovia (Liberia).

► CONGO (KINSHASA): (Pic) CAA set to add a sixth Airbus A320 to its fleet.

CAA - Compagnie Africaine d'Aviation (FPY), the Kinshasa-based Congolese domestic operator, is set to take delivery of its sixth Airbus A320 (MCN 395 | 9Q-?).

■ MAURITIUS: Air Mauritius signs up for OSyS's Fuel Management System in a bid to reduce fuel overheads.

Mauritian national carrier, Air Mauritius (MK), has selected Optimized Systems and Solution's (OSyS) Fuel Management Solution (FMS) to further optimize its operational fuel usage, reducing associated costs and emissions.

► TANZANIA: Auric Air outlines added routes to Zanzibar, Mafia Island, Tanzanian mainland from June 2013.

Tanzanian private operator, Auric Air (AUK), has announced plans to launch flights to numerous new destinations on both the Tanzanian mainland, Mafia Island and Zanzibar effective 01JUN13.

► JAPAN: Egyptair wants to drop Tokyo and Osaka routes citing poor governmental support.

The Associated Press is reporting that Egyptian national carrier, Egyptair (MS), says it will cease operating flights to Japan until further notice citing "major economic losses and lack of support from either the Egyptian or Japanese governments."

► SOUTH AFRICA: Virgin Atlantic Cargo reaping the rewards of deploying the A340-600 on its Johannesburg route.

The introduction of Airbus A340-600 flights between London and Johannesburg during South Africa's peak season has provided a welcome boost in capacity for Virgin Atlantic Cargo (VS) on one of its most in-demand routes.

► MALAWI: Nyassa Air Taxi, Wilderness Safaris enter into partnership.

Nyassa Air Taxi, a Private Charter and Fly-In Safari company operating out of Lilongwe and Blantyre, has partnered Wilderness Safaris Malawi in offering guests direct access to the best rates for fly-in safaris and charters in Malawi and its neighbouring countries.

► UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Etihad Cargo launches its Africa Summer 2013 timetable.

Etihad Cargo, the cargo division of Abu Dhabi based carrier, Etihad Airways (EY) has published its planned Summer 2013 Freighter operation, which has been in effect since 11MAR13. Its planned African operation based on the airline’s PDF timetable listing as follow.

► TURKEY: Turkish Cargo looking to add 10 additional stations in Africa before 2014.

Turkish Cargo, the cargo division of Turkish Airlines (TK) plans to add a further 10 operational stations in Africa before the end of the year says Halit Anlatan, Turkish Cargo VP of Sales & Marketing.

► BURUNDI: New Air Burundi website appears; to resume operations in near future?

Burundian national carrier, Air Burundi (8Y), is in the process of launching a re-branded website (though it currently lacks any functionality) with a possible resumption of services to follow writes Rwandan aviation blog, Rwandan-Flyer.

● ETHIOPIA: IATA boss Tony Tyler to mark Aviation Day Africa in Addis Ababa next month.

Tony Tyler, the Director General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) will visit the Ethiopian capital,  Addis Ababa, next month (16 April) on the occasion of Aviation Day Africa where he and his delegation will meet with executives from Ethiopian Airlines (ET) and officials from the Ethiopian Ministry of Transport and the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority.

► EGYPT: Air Memphis sold to Rami Lakah; to launch charter flights to Iran "in coming weeks".

Struggling Egyptian charter carrier, Air Memphis (MHS), has been sold to French-Egyptian businessman, Raymond Lakah, (aka Rami Lakah) who intends to use the airline to début charter flights between upper Egypt and Iran it has emerged.

► FLEET UPDATE BULLETIN: Nasair Eritrea, Viajes Guinea, Air Madagascar, Forces Aériennes du Bénin and AeroJet Angola.

The following is a fleet update bulletin for aircraft that are in use, have been in use or will be in use for these listed airlines: Nasair Eritrea (UE), Viajes Guinea (GS),  Air Madagascar (MD), Forces Aériennes du Bénin and AeroJet Angola.

► ZAMBIA: Refuelling truck rams into Emirates 777 at Lusaka KK International Airport causing "substantial" damage.

An Emirates (EK) Boeing 777-300ER (MSN: 37707 | A6-ECP) operating as flight EK714 from Harare to Dubai via Lusaka, sustained substantial damage on Wednesday 20 March at Lusaka's Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (Zambia) when a fuel tanker truck collided with it.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Murky business meetings and an unapproved USD1billion Airbus fleet renewal deal at centre of SAA's boardroom woes claims report.

Murky private business meetings and a USD1.08billion (ZAR10billion) fleet procurement tender awarded to Airbus Industrie SAS are at the heart of South African Airways (SA)'s boardroom troubles claims an article by the amaBhungane investigative column of The Mail & Guardian newspaper.

● IATA: Global, African aviation outlook improving with African carriers expected to post $100mln profit in 2013: Tyler

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has improved its global outlook - African carriers included - for the 2013 financial performance of the global airline industry primarily based on stronger revenues from increased passenger demand and growing cargo markets. Overall, IATA now expects airlines to produce a combined net post-tax profit margin of 1.6% (up from the previously forecast 1.3%) with a net post-tax profit of USD10.6 billion (up from the previously projected USD8.4 billion).

► ITALY: Royal Air Maroc resumes Casablanca - Turin from June.

Moroccan national carrier, Royal Air Maroc (AT), during Summer 2013 season, will resume its Casablanca – Turin service, where it plans to operate 3 weekly flights effective 11 JUN13. RAM last operated this route in mid-January 2012.

■ SWEDEN: Entry Point North ATS academy providing training to Egyptian ATCOs.

Swedish air traffic services academy, Entry Point North, has, during the months of February and March, been providing training to Air Traffic Controllers (ATCOs) from Egypt's National Air Navigation Services Company (NANSC). The NANSC is responsible for preparing and operating Air Traffic Services, Navigational Aids and Safe guarding Air Navigation Services within the Egyptian Airspace.

► RWANDA: Rwandair's first B737-700NG due in two weeks time.

Rwanda's national carrier Rwandair (WB) is set to receive its first Boeing 737-700 leased from the International Leasing Finance Corporation, in the coming weeks.

► CAPE VERDE ISLANDS: TACV Cabo Verde Airlines unveils further Summer 2013 routes.

Leading on from our previous post, as per the 21MAR13 GDS timetable display, TACV Cabo Verde Airlines’ (VR) planned Summer 2013 operation changes are as follows.

►► ETHIOPIA: Lufthansa reduces Khartoum, Addis Ababa flights from 31 March.

[UPDATE 21 MARCH] German carrier Lufthansa (LH) is to reduce operations on its route between Frankfurt and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia via Khartoum, Sudan effective between 31 March and 1 June.

■ EGYPT: ECAA gives greenlight for Star NSG to install its inflight safety systems onboard a Midwest 737-800.

Star Navigation Systems Group Ltd. has announced that it has received a Supplementary Type Certificate validation from the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority which will allow for the installation of Star's STAR-In-flight Safety Monitoring System aboard a Midwest Airlines (WV) Boeing 737-800, in accordance with the purchase agreement between Star and Midwest Airlines.