► CONGO (KINSHASA): Air Kasaï now leasing a B737-200Adv from Gryphon Airlines.

Kinshasa-based Air Kasaï has added a B737-200Adv (MSN 22123 | ZS-EVE) to its fleet on lease from South Africa's Gryphon Airlines. Air Kasai also operates the Congo's sole ATR72-200 and various smaller Antonovs.

► ZAMBIA: See Pics of Proflight Zambia's inaugural 737 flight between Lusaka and Livingstone

Proflight Zambia (P0) successfully deployed its B737-200ADV (MCN 23472 | ZS-SMD), leased from South Africa's Star Air (BRH), into active service on May 15 with its first revenue flight being Lusaka to Livingstone.

► ZAMBIA: See Pics of Proflight Zambia's first B737-200Adv in company colours!

Domestic Zambian operator, Proflight Zambia (P0), are set to deploy their first B737-200ADV (MCN 23472 | ZS-SMD), leased from South Africa's Star Air (BRH), into active service shortly.

► COMOROS: Air Tanzania resumes Dar es Salaam - Moroni flights from late March.

Tanzanian national carrier Air Tanzania (TC) will resume flights from Dar es Salaam to Moroni (Comoros) effective 25 March. Flights will operate three times weekly using Air Tanzania's leased Boeing 737-200Adv.

►► ZIMBABWE: See Pics of Air Zimbabwe's A320 along with other updates.

[UPDATE 5 JANUARY] On a recent trip to Harare International Airport, we were lucky to spot one of Air Zimbabwe's (UM) two Airbus A320s rumoured to be starting service fairly soon, amongst other juicy tid bits.

■ TANZANIA: AeroVista, Air Tanzania talks fall through; this time for good?

A photo of AeroVista's Boeing 737-500 (MSN 27354 | 4L-AJB) in Cairo, Egypt has led to speculation that the Dubai-based ACMI company's negotiations with Tanzanian national carrier, Air Tanzania (TC), have fallen through. 

► BOTSWANA: Bluesky Airways launches charter ops; new website (at last).

Botswana's BlueSky Airways, on 14 October, flew its first commercial charter flight while today it finally launched its website - http://www.blueskyairways.co.bw - albeit 4 months after its original launch date of 9 July.

► TANZANIA: Chaos as Air Tanzania 'sort of' resumes services and Fly540 TZ suddenly drops various domestic routes.

In what turned out to be a less than auspicious relaunch, Tanzanian national carrier Air Tanzania (TC) made a pig's breakfast of its debut on Friday morning, by canceling its Dar es Salaam to Mwanza via Kilimanjaro flight. A lone flight to Mwanza later in the evening on Friday served as the carrier's return to service, though news reports state that Dar es Salaam - Kilimanjaro flights will be postponed for roughly a week.

► CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE): Check out Trans Air Congo's swanky new livery! (Pic)

Pointe Noire-based regional carrier Trans Air Congo (Q8) has applied a smart new livery to its Boeing 737-200 (TN-AHI). 

► BOTSWANA: Bluesky Airways gearing up for service?

From info garnered from Botswanan charter company Bluesky Airways' website, it appears that  Air Botswana could be in for a run for its money in the very near future. Having recently performed proving flights with its leased Boeing 737-200 to Maun for the Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana (CAAB), and with a new website on its way for a 9 July launch, the airline seems to be gearing up for scheduled operations, given the green light from the CAAB. At present, the airline only offers a charter service.

► MALAWI: Air Malawi struggles to get back on feet; rebuild confidence.

Having been forced to temporarily cease operations last year due to lack of aircraft, Air Malawi (QM) has been finding the going hard since re-entering the market for both regional and domestic flights.

Upon resuming flights on 29 March 2012 to Johannesburg using a leased Boeing 737-200, the airline encountered severe customer backlash as it was forced to fly a solitary passenger to Lusaka shortly after - a phenomenon not unknown to southern African airlines these days.

However, in an attempt to woe back passenger numbers on the domestic Lilongwe-Blantyre front, Air Malawi says it has carefully designed schedules for its daily flights between Blantyre and Lilongwe to serve the needs of business travellers between the two cities, using its Boeing 737 and ATR-42.

"Air Malawi's Tariffs and Industry Affairs Manager Tony Chimpukuso said the flights have  already proved useful and convenient for local travellers as it leaves early in the morning in Blantyre and returns late in the evening to enable customers do all their business assignments during the day.

The flights also operate during weekends, according to Chimpukuso."

Read More Here [The Daily Times Malawi]

The updates come as Malawi is scheduled to hold a summit of the African Union in July.