► 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.

► CONGO (KINSHASA): International Trans Air Business deploys its B737-200M into service to Kinshasa.

Lubumbashi-based carrier, International Trans Air Business (ITAB), deployed its B737-200(M) (MSN 21959 | ZS-PVU) into service on September 10 with its maiden flight being to the Congolese capital, Kinshasa.

■ CONGO (KINSHASA): RVA, Welthungerhilfe sign $15mln contract to rehabilitate Goma Airport runway.

After the successful issuance of a tender in August, German NGO Welthungerhilfe (German for "World Hunger Aid") and the Democratic Republic of the Congo's air navigation services and airport management provider, Regie des Voies Aériennes (RVA), have signed a USD15million contract to rehabilitate 500m of Goma International Airport's runway 18/36, previously covered with hardened lava.

► COTE D'IVOIRE: Air Cote d'Ivoire to roll out new destinations once a third A319, two Q400s arrive in November.

Air Côte d’Ivoire (HF) says it will roll out the new part of its regional expansion programme, set to include new services from Abidjan to Lagos, Kinshasa, N'Djamena, Niamey, Monrovia, Freetown and Bangui, from mid November. The new routes were due to have launched in late August.

■ CONGO (KINSHASA): Korongo boss dismisses reports of Air France/Kinshasa tie up; claims game still on.

Christophe Allard, the managing director of Congolese operator, Korongo Airlines (ZC), has dismissed recent media reports that Kinshasa has reached a definitive agreement with Air France (AF) in which the latter will become a partner in a new Congolese national carrier due in the skies in either late 2013/early 2014.

■ CONGO (KINSHASA): Government set to form new national carrier with Air France; ops by early 2014.

The Democratic Republic of Congo has reportedly chosen Air France (AF) as its strategic partner in its planned new national carrier to replace the defunct LAC Lignes Aériennes Congolaises (4V) following months of speculation.

► FLEET UPDATE BULLETIN: Gomair, Ghadames Air Transport, Air Niamey, AV Cargo and the Cameroon Air Force.

The following is a fleet update bulletin for aircraft that are in use, have been in use or will be in use for these listed airlines: Gomair, Ghadames Air Transport (0G), Air Niamey (A7), AV Cargo (Z3) and the Cameroon Air Force.

■ CONGO (KINSHASA): Government once more looking for a strategic partner in its planned national carrier.

Its back to the drawing board for Kinshasa so far as finding a strategic partner for its renewed national carrier is concerned. Accordingly, the country's Minister of Transport, Mr Justin Kalumba, Congo has reissued a tender for interested parties & carriers which closes on August 31.

■ CONGO (KINSHASA): MONUSCO upgrades Bunia Airport for night time ops.

The regional director of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), Martin Kobler, has officially inaugurated new air traffic control equipment for the international airport at its headquarters in Bunia, in the eastern Ituri region of Orientale Province of the DRC.

► ZAMBIA: Proflight mulls expansion into Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa, the DRC and Zimbabwe.

With the recent launch of its first regional flights to Lilongwe, Malawi, Proflight Zambia (P0) is mulling adding three further international destinations to its growing network by mid-2014, effectively making Lusaka a regional hub for air travel.

● IATA: Strong domestic pax traffic in Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia & the DRC buoys African growth as cargo ekes up in June.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released its June passenger demand figures showing year-on-year global growth of 6.0%. Africa saw a growth of 11.2% with African airlines benefiting from strong domestic economic growth in key markets such as Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. While global air freight demand figures showed a 1.2% year-on-year expansion, Africa's figures showed growth in June of 2.4% on June 2012.

► SOUTH AFRICA: Gryphon Airlines to début Johannesburg to Gabon, Congo & Benin flights in November.

South Africa's Gryphon Airlines (6P) will start scheduled flights from South Africa through to Benin via Congo and Gabon with effect from November 1. The airline will operate a former 1Time (T6) McDonnell Douglas MD83 (MSN 49829 | ZS-TRJ) on the route.

► 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.

■ CONGO (KINSHASA): Construction of new runway at new Boma International Airport nears completion.

Progress on building the Democratic Republic of the Congo's fifth international airport, to be located in Lukandu, a village 12 km from the town of Boma, Bas-Congo, near the mouth of the river Congo, is advancing with the first phase of funding and construction nearing completion. So far, a 3'000m clay runway has been built and inaugurated by the governor of Bas-Congo, Jacques Mbadu Situ, who recently landed on the strip as a means of showing his faith in the project.

■ CONGO (KINSHASA): See Renderings for Kinshasa N'djili International Airport's new passenger terminal due in 2014.

 

Kinshasa's N'Djili International Airport's New stop-gap International Terminal

French airport equipment firm Alpha Airports, the winner of the Build-Operate-Transfer contract for this project, has commenced the construction of Kinshasa's Ndjili International Airport's new USD21million Terminal. The works were officially launched by Congolese prime minister, Mr Augustin Matata Ponyo and are expected to be concluded in the first quarter of 2014.

■ EU BLACK LIST: Who's hot, who's not in Guinea, the DRC, Libya, Madagascar, Mauritania, Mozambique and Sudan.

The following is an extract from the latest Official Journal of the European Union detailing the group's most recent decisions and activities, with particular reference paid to the latest updates made to its ominous Banned Operators List. Among the countries that argued their cases to be struck off the list in Brussels (and in one instance, chose to remain on the list) were the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, Libya, Madagascar, Mauritania, Mozambique and Sudan. The extract lists the various changes, including carriers that have now been either certified or struck off the countries' respective verified operator's lists, that each regulatory authority has implemented with respect to EU & ICAO minimums.

■ CONGO (KINSHASA): IATA-backed safety audit of all Congolese carriers begins in Kinshasa.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo began its IATA-backed operational safety audit of all Congolese carriers at Kinshasa N'djili International Airport on Friday, July 5. During a working tour of the airport's and airlines' various facilities, Justin Kalunga, the Congolese Minster of Transport, was accompanied by Richard Nyanguile, the Director General of the Congolese Civil Aviation Authority ( l’Autorité de l’Aviation Civile - AAC) and Abdalla Bilenge, the Director General of the Congolese airports authority (Régie des Voies Aériennes - RVA).

► SOUTH AFRICA: DoT grants fastjet Foreign Operators Permit paving way for Dar - Joburg; no mention of Kigali or Lusaka (yet).

Following on from its previous announcement, fastjet (FN) says it has been issued a Foreign Operator Permit from the South African Department of Transport thereby paving the way for the launch of flights between Dar es Salaam and Johannesburg.

► CONGO (KINSHASA): Chapman Freeborn begins weekly Joburg - Lubumbashi - Kinshasa cargo ops.

Ad-hoc cargo charter specialists, Chapman Freeborn Africa, has launched a new scheduled service from Johannesburg to Lubumbashi and Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

► CONGO (KINSHASA): Air Kasaï selects Sabena technics for its ATR72 component support.

Air Kasai, a Democratic Republic of the Congo-based airline, has selected Sabena technics for the component support of its first ATR72-200 (MSN 408 | N408AT), leased from Nordic Aviation Capital.