► CAMEROON: Gabon's Afric Aviation goes regional with 4x weekly Douala flights.

Gabonese carrier Afric Aviation (L8) has launched its first international route with four times weekly flights between Gabon's capital, Libreville, and the Cameroonian commercial hub of Douala. Operations are on board one of the airline's two ATR72-200s.

Afric Aviation's domestic Gabonese network

Speaking during the route's launch on September 1, Mr Alfred-Pierre Etouke, the CEO of Afric Aviation, said Douala was chosen as demand for the route had grown following the demise of Air Service Gabon (X7) in 2010; the last Gabonese carrier to service the two cities.

"We'll start with four flights per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. And depending on demand, we will move to a daily flight," he said.

Libreville - Douala is also operated by Camair-Co (QC), South African Airways (SA), Westair Bénin (WH) and Rwandair (WB).

Founded in 2009 as a joint venture between local Gabonese investors (53.5%) and Equaflight Services/Regourd Aviation (46.5%), Afric Aviation operates out of Gabon's second city, Port Gentil, and offers daily flights to Libreville with added services to Gamba, Franceville and Moanda added in June. It also operates contracts on behalf of oil and gas companies like Total Gabon, Shell Gabon, Perenco and Maurel & Prom.