► SPAIN: Arik Air flight to Heathrow diverts to Mallorca after pregnant passenger suffers severe pains, bleeding.

Arik Air (W3) flight W3101 from Lagos, Nigeria to London Heathrow, Untied Kingdom, was on Sunday, September 15, forced to divert to Palma Mallorca Airport, Spain, after a pregnant passenger required urgent medical attention while onboard.

► BOTSWANA: Kalahari Airways turns to crowdfunding for 747s to operate London Gatwick flights.

Kalahari Airways is a Botswana-based startup that intends to offer flights from Cape Town, South Africa to London Gatwick via Gaborone Botswana using three B747-400s.

► NIGERIA: Med-View Airlines leasing a 747-300 for Hajj/Umrah flights; 767s a possibility.

Nigeria's Kano-based Med-View Airline (VL) has leased an B747-300 (MSN 23032 | TF-AME) from Icelandic ACMI specialists, Air Atlanta Icelandic (CC), with plans to add two B767-300s for use on Hajj and Umrah flights this year.

► NIGERIA: Kabo Air takes delivery of its first B747-400 in Kano.

Nigerian Hajj specialist, Kabo Air (N9), recently took delivery of its first B747-400 (MSN 26878 | 5N-MDK) at a ceremony held at its base at Kano Mallam Aminu International Airport.

► ALGERIA: Air Algérie's turnaround plan begins to bear fruit as Africa now a "priority" market.

Air Algérie's (AH) turnaround plan is beginning to pay off with the number of passengers uplifted increasing by more than 13% during the first four months of 2013. The carrier's traffic has grown by 13.61% on 2011/2012 resulting in a market share growth of 49%, CEO Mohamed Salah Boultif announced at a press conference in Algiers on Saturday.

► SOUTH AFRICA: Cathay Pacific reduces 747-400 ops to Joburg from January 2014.

As per the 17 January 2013 GDS inventory display, the latest changes to Cathay Pacific’s Winter 2013/14 long-haul operation reflect its on-going retirement of the Boeing 747-400 from the Hong Kong based carrier's fleet. From January 2014, the oneWorld member will further reduce planned Boeing 747-400 long-haul services. 

► SENEGAL: Corsair International launches 4x weekly Paris - Dakar from October.

After signing an agreement with the Senegalese Government, France's second largest carrier, Corsair International (SS), will from 26 October 2012 offer a 4x weekly, Boeing 747-400 operated Paris (Orly) - Dakar, Senegal service, with a fifth frequency (a Saturday flight south, and a Sunday flight north) to follow in January 2013.

► SOUTH AFRICA: Qantas drops First Class from Johannesburg flights effective October.

Australian carrier, Qantas (QF), will from 1 October 2012 no longer offer First Class on its daily Boeing 747-400 flights between Sydney, Australia and Johannesburg, South Africa, with the last flight to have the service to operate on 30 September 2012.

● 3 Truly amazing Aviation Videos shot in Africa.

No, not 3 dopey videos some nerd sent you on Facebook or 3 videos we mooched off of Discovery Channel's Air Crash Investigations but rather 3 truly mind blowing aviation videos we found on Youtube, all shot in Africa! (And excuse the crappy dance music in the first one - we would have preferred some Kenny G but hey, you can't have it all...)

• The Belly of the Beast - A cam was attached to the belly of a 747 on a ferry flight from Johannesburg to Maputo, Mozambique.

 

• Ilyushin IL76 (Nose Cam) Landing 4 de Fevereiro International Airport, Luanda, Angola - Ever wonder what the navigator in the nose of those enormous Ilyushin 76s sees on landing? 

• Stowaway Wheel-well View 747 flight from Lusaka, Zambia to Nairobi, Kenya - Pretty crazy video shot from the wheel well of an MK Airlines 747 Cargo flight.

 

Now how awesome was that huh?

► SOUTH AFRICA: British Airways switches Cape Town to night flight from Winter 2012.

British Airways (BA) will, from Winter 2012 (28 October 2012), switch its seasonal flight BA042 from Cape Town, South Africa to London Heathrow to a night time departure.

The flight will be operated by a Boeing 747-400.

British Airways' B747-400 at Cape Town (Sara Joachim)

British Airways: London, Heathrow - Cape Town, South Africa

- Effective 28 October 2012

• BA043 LHR1735 – 0700+1CPT 744 D
• BA059 LHR1930 – 0855+1CPT 744 D

• BA058 CPT2050 – 0625+1LHR 744 D 
• BA042 CPT2220 – 0800+1LHR 744 D

Read More Here [Airline Route]

Citing route viability problems, South African Airways last week announced it would drop its Cape Town - Heathrow service effective August 2012.

► EGYPT: Saudia suffers 2 birdstrikes in 7 days at Cairo; new fad amongst birds?

It seems birds hanging around Cairo International Airport, Egypt have taken a strong liking to being mowed down by Saudi Arabian Airlines (SU) jets, as The Aviation Herald reports that within the space of a week, two Saudia aircraft have suffered bird strikes: one on landing, the other on take off.