► GABON: Lufthansa to drop Frankfurt - Pointe Noire via Libreville from late December.

German carrier, Lufthansa (LH), will from December 23, 2013 cancel  its existing 5x weekly Frankfurt to Pointe Noire (Republic of Congo) via Libreville (Gabon). The flights operate on board a PrivatAir (PT) Boeing 737-800 aircraft. 

► CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE): Trans Air Congo adds a fourth B737-300 on lease from Star Air.

The Republic of Congo's Trans Air Congo - TAC (Q8) has bolstered its operations with the addition of yet another South African B737-300, (MSN 27346 | ZS-VDP), on lease from Johannesburg-based ACMI specialists, Star Air (BRH).

■ CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE): Air CEMAC launch now delayed 'til early 2014 as more talks with Air France are due in October.

In yet another unsurprising development regarding the formation and launch of Central Africa's bloc-based initiative, Air CEMAC, the airline's launch has now been pushed back until January 2014 pending the finalization of protracted talks with strategic partner, Air France (AF).

► SOMALIA: Jubba Airways begins wetlease of an An30F from Congo's Aéro-Frêt Business.

Somalia's Jubba Airways (6J) has reportedly wet-leased an Antonov An-30 freighter, TN-AHP, from Congolese cargo specialists, Aéro-Frêt Business, based out of Pointe Noire, for use on its domestic Somali passenger flights. 

■ CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE): Second module at Brazzaville Maya-Maya International set to become operational.

The second module of the terminal building at Brazzaville's Maya-Maya International Airport is set to come online shortly, the Congolese Minister at the Presidency for Spatial Planning, Jean Jacques Bouya, has disclosed. The works are part of the government's plan to develop Brazzaville into a strong regional hub with modern facilities.

■ CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE): Djambala International Airport's runway inaugurated.

The Republic of Congo's third international airport, situated in Djambala, 400km north of Brazzaville, has seen its runway inaugurated following the arrival of a Trans Air Congo (Q8) B737-300 carrying a delegation of government suits and bureaucrats late last week. The project was launched in 2001.

■ CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE): Equatorial Congo Airlines selects Zodiac's Rave IFE system for its 757s.

Zodiac Aerospace has announced that Equatorial Congo Airlines (LC), the Brazzaville-based Congolese operator, has selected Zodiac Inflight Innovations' Rave Inflight Entertainment (IFE) System to be installed on its two B757-200 aircraft.

► FRANCE: Equatorial Congo Airlines has begun a weekly Pointe Noire - Paris CDG service.

Brazzaville-based carrier Equatorial Congo Airlines, better known as EC Air Congo (LC), on June 29, launched a weekly service connecting the Congolese petroleum hub of Pointe Noire with Paris CDG using a B757-200. EC Air also connects Brazzaville with the French capital.

► CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE): Air Congo International takes delivery of its third MA60.

Air Congo International, the Brazzaville-backed carrier, has taken delivery of its third and final Xian MA 60 at a ceremony held last Thursday at Brazzaville Maya Maya International Airport and officiated by the Republic of Congo's Transport Minister Rodolphe Adada .

■ CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE): More woes for Air CEMAC as talks with partner Air France stall.

The launch of Air CEMAC, the regional carrier aimed at linking Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Congo (Brazzaville), Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Chad and São Tomé & Príncipe together, is facing the prospect of further set backs following reports that negotiations with Air France (AF), the carrier's strategic partner, have progressed little since the collaboration was announced in July last year.

► NIGERIA: AeroContractors planning big regional push before Q4 of this year.

Nigeria's second largest airline, Aero Contractors, is considering a big push into the subregion following the recent announcement of its inaugural flights to Douala, Cameroon's largest city, set for today 27 May.

● CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE): AFRAA sees strong short term growth in African air travel market as doomsayers remain pessimistic about the long term.

The African air travel market growth is set to remain strong with an increase of 5.2% projected for this coming year, Elijah Chingosho, the Secretary General of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) has said in Brazzaville. Doom-sayers in the industry, however, remain very pessimistic about the long term future of the continent's airlines given their inability and/or disinterest in merging.

► UNITED KINGDOM: AV Cargo Airlines plans African cargo ops from May onwards.

AV Cargo Airlines, the phoenix that has risen the ashes of Zimbabwe's bankrupt Avient Cargo Airlines (Z3) has introduced the first of three planned additional MD11 freighters (MSN 48746 | N278WA) into its fleet with flights to Africa planned in due course.

► RWANDA: Rwandair outlines new Accra via Lagos and Douala via Brazzaville, Libreville ops.

Rwandan national carrier, RwandAir (WB) has outlined its planned Kigali - Accra and Kigali - Brazzaville - Libreville - Douala services due to launch in June. According to Amadeus, Accra flights will operate 3x weekly via Lagos, Nigeria with Rwandair obtaining 5th Freedom rights between Lagos and Accra. Douala flights will operate 4x weekly.

► ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian Airlines to boost Muscat, Brazzaville & Kinshasa services from mid June.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET), will, starting 16JUN13, add a 5th weekly service to its Addis Ababa – Muscat route while from 18JUN13 service to Brazzaville and Kinshasa will increase from 7 to 10 flights weekly. In addition, the existing daily Addis Ababa – Kinshasa – Brazzaville – Addis Ababa service will be adjusted.

► CAMEROON: Camair-Co outlines Summer 2013 schedule changes; starts Abidjan from June.

CH-Aviation reports that, as part of its Summer 2013 schedule, Camair-Co(QC), the Cameroonian national carrier, has announced it is to start flights between Douala and Abidjan effective 04JUN. Additionally, the carrier has been awarded 5th Freedom rights on the Brazzaville - Kinshasa sectors of of its Douala - Brazzaville - Kinshasa flights, along with Lagos - Cotonou on its Douala - Lagos - Cotonou flights.

■ CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE): Despite not actually operating any flights, Air CEMAC opens new swanky HQ in Brazzaville.

At a ceremony held today in the Republic of Congo's capital, Brazzaville, Congolese Minister of State for Transport, Civil Aviation and Shipping, Rodolphe Adada, officially handed over the keys of the headquarters of Air CEMAC, the planned regionally backed airline, to chairman of the board of Air CEMAC's directors, Etienne Robin Mintsa Mi Owono. 

► SOUTH AFRICA: Comair Ltd, SAA, SA Airlink set sights on regional expansion.

South African Airways (SA), its subsidiary SA Airlink (4Z) and competitor Comair Ltd, the British Airways franchise holder in South Africa in addition to owning LCC Kulula, have applied for new frequencies to the Democratic Republic of the Congo amongst other destinations as South African carriers seek to broaden their market bases.

► GABON: Trans Air Congo applies for 5th Freedom flights out of Libreville.

Congo (Brazzaville)-based regional carrier Trans Air Congo (Q8) has applied for rights to operate 5th freedom flights out of the Gabonese capital, Libreville, according to the country's national aviation authority L'Agence Nationale de l’Aviation Civile du Gabon (ANAC).

► CHAD: Congolese government provides Chad with Il76 to aide with deployment of 2'000 troops to Mali.

The Congolese government has made ​​available its Ilyushin Il76 (MSN 1033415504 | TN-AFS) transport to the Chadian government following the latter's decision to deploy 2000 troops to join the growing international operation (Mission Internationale de soutien au Mali - MISMA) against Islamist insurgents in northern Mali.