► COMOROS: New Qatari-American start-up, Ola, also eyeing the Indianocéanie market.

The Indian Ocean region is set to see a battle of the start-ups with news that a new Qatari-American backed carrier, Ola, is planning to pre-empt the launch Air Austral's (UU) own start-up, Ewa. Ewa is set to take to the skies in November of this year using an ATR72-500.

Moroni Hahaya Int'l Airport (TakiTone)

The Mahoran press writes that Ola is planning to use Moroni Hahaya International Airport in the Comoros as its hub for regional operations around Indianocéanie and possibly into mainland Africa with the airline's backers emphasizing that the launch must come before that of Ewa in order to take full advantage of the open market. No fleeting plans have thus far been revealed but all MRO work will be taken care of by an undisclosed US contractor in Moroni. 

Qatar and the Comoros share strong ties with the Gulf state having pledged USD540million to support development in 2011.

The Comoros is home to yet another start-up, Gafo Air, who intend to service Johannesburg, Khartoum, Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta and Dar es Salaam using a B737-300 but have yet to give any exact launch date.