■ GHANA: Antrak Air boss threatens Accra with legal action if plans for national carrier progress.

The founder and Chairman of domestic Ghanaian operator, Antrak Air (4O), Alhaji Asuma Banda, has threaten legal action against the government should plans to establish a new national carrier proceed. Earlier this year, Minster of Transport, Dzifa Attivor, had set forth a proposal involving the creation of a new national carrier, albeit under a  a Public/Private Partnership.

► COTE D'IVOIRE: Air Cote d'Ivoire's November regional expansion plans outlined.

Referencing our previous report, AirlineRoute has outlined Air Cote d'Ivoire's (HF) revised regional traffic expansion plans, set to come into effect from mid-November. Various changes to its existing timetable are also to be effected.

■ GHANA: Mahama appoints new boards, bosses for Ghana Airports Company, Civil Aviation Authority.

Ghanaian president, John Mahama, has reconstituted the Boards of both the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) appointing new board chairmans and members.

► GHANA: Eagle Atlantic Airlines outlines initial West African launch timetable, network.

Ghana's Eagle Atlantic Airlines (E2) has outlined its initial West African regional service schedule now set to tentatively launch on October 21, 2013. Flights between Accra, Abidjan, Freetown, Dakar and Monrovia (Roberts) will operate on-board the airline's leased McDonnell Douglas MD82.

■ GHANA: Mahama axes entire board of Ghana Airports Co. Ltd; new appointees due shortly.

The entire board of the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) has been dissolved by the Ghanaian president, John Mahama, just one week after the Minister of Transport, Dzifa Attivor, announced the dismissal of the firm's Managing Director,  Doreen Owusu-Fianko.

■ GHANA: GCAA freezes issuance of domestic operator licences in response to Antrak's, Starbow's threats to pull out.

Responding to threats by local carriers Antrak Air (O4) and Starbow Airlines (S9) to withdraw from the oversubscribed Ghanaian market, the Ghanaian Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) says it has henceforth placed a moratorium on the issuance of domestic airline licences. At present, Ghana has four local operators including Africa World Airlines (AW) and Fly540 Ghana (5G). A fifth, CTK CityLink (CTY) went bankrupt last year.

► GHANA: Eagle Atlantic Airlines to launch regional operations from October 15.

Ghanaian start-up, Eagle Atlantic Airways (EAB), has announced that it will commence operations with effect from October 15 using a McDonnell Douglas MD82 (MSN 49119 | YR-OTN) on lease from Romania's Ten Airways (OTJ).

■ GHANA: James Antwi appointed new CEO of Starbow Airlines.

The Board of Directors and Management of Aero Surveys Limited trading under the Commercial name "Starbow (S9)" have announced the appointment of Mr. James Eric Antwi as the Accountable Manager and Chief Executive Officer replacing Mr Keith Luxton who was appointed in February this year.

► UNITED KINGDOM: British Airways to axe Lusaka, increase Accra flights from late October.

British Airways (BA) has outlined its initial Winter 2013/14 schedule with tentative plans to axe its thrice weekly Lusaka, Zambia flights, AirlineRoute has reported. On a more positive note, Accra, Ghana will see an additional 3 weekly services being added . All changes are effective October 27.

► GHANA: Antrak Air reassures public after ATR72 suffers inflight engine-fire.

Ghana's Antrak Air (O4) has assured the travelling public that both its services and aircraft are safe following an incident on August 16 involving one of its two ATR72-500s, (MCN 809 | EC-KUL) being forced to shutdown its left-hand engine while on climb out of Tamale (Ghana), enroute to Accra.

► NIGERIA: Med-View Airline granted regional, international traffic rights; eyes Dubai by year end.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has reportedly granted Kano-based Med-View Airline (VL) regional and international traffic rights with flights to Dubai to launch before year end, the airline's managing director, Alhaji Muneer Bankole, has announced.

► EGYPT: Egyptair outlines further changes to its Winter 2013/14 schedule.

Further to the last post on the subject, AirlineRoute reports that Egyptair (MS) has unveiled further planned changes & developments to its Winter 2013/14 Timetable set to come into effect from October 27.

► GUINEA BISSAU: ASKY Airlines eyes a mid September launch date for Bissau flights.

As the saying goes, better 2 months late than never, ASKY Airlines (KP) has at long last unveiled a possible launch date for flights to the capital of Guinea-Bissau, Bissau. Operations should commence from September 15 with a 2x weekly flight extending the current Lome - Accra - Monrovia (James Spriggs Payne Airport) route flown by a Q400.

► NIGERIA: Ghana's Africa World Airlines eyes Nigeria ops from October; claims rights granted.

In yet another development related to Ghanaian carrier, Africa World Airlines (AW), Chief Operating Officer, Mr Apiigy Afene, has revealed that the airline has at long last been granted rights to serve Nigeria by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. Flights are scheduled to commence in October he said.

► GHANA: Africa World Airlines boosts Accra - Tamale to 12x weekly.

Ghanaian domestic carrier, Africa World Airlines (AW), has added an additional 5x weekly frequencies to its current daily Accra - Tamale service. The maiden morning flight for the route was yesterday, Monday August 19. All flights operate on-board an ERJ145.

► GHANA: Pison Airways looking to launch international ops in December as more carriers head to Accra.

Ghanaian startup, Pison Airways, is reportedly aiming to launch operations in December of this year and like fellow entrant Eagle Atlantic Airways (EAB), it too is hoping to fill the void left by the demise of Ghana Airways (GH) and Ghana International (G0), albeit on regional and international routes.

► NIGERIA: Chanchangi Airlines takes delivery of a South African B737-500 on wet-lease.

Kaduna-based Chanchangi Airlines (5B) has reportedly taken delivery of a B737-500 (MSN ? | 5N-BQZ) on wet-lease from an unnamed South African leaser. The aircraft reportedly arrived in Abuja on Saturday August 10.

► GHANA: (Pics) Eagle Atlantic Airlines' first MD82 arrives in Accra.

Ghana's latest start up, Eagle Atlantic Airlines (EAB), has taken delivery of its first McDonnell Douglas MD82 (MSN 49119 | YR-OTN) which is on lease from Romanian leasers, Ten Airways (OTJ). As previously reported, following the reception of its AOC from the Ghanaian Civil Aviation Authority last week, Eagle Atlantic intends to serve Abidjan, Monrovia and Freetown before expanded further into the region.

► TOGO: Ethiopian Airlines to launch its Lomé cargo hub this week as more planned pax routes to Asia unveiled.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) are set to launch Lomé, Togo as their second cargo hub outside Addis Ababa with effect from August 15. In addition to a connection to the carrier's Ethiopian primary hub, Lomé will also serve Europe via Liege, Belgium with a twice weekly MD-11F Freighter. Lomé is already the hub or its West African passenger subsidiary, ASKY Airlines (KP).

► GHANA: ASKY Airlines eyeing a secondary hub out of Kumasi as everyone complains about Nigeria.

Ethiopian Airlines' West African subsidiary, ASKY Airlines (KP), is reportedly considering turning Kumasi, Ghana into a secondary hub through the launch of direct flights to various West African capital cities and commercial centres. The move comes as domestic Ghanaian carrier Starbow Airlines (S9) is also planning a resumption and expansion of its regional services.