► ETHIOPIA: Russian Mil-8 chopper on WFP ferry flight to Juba crashes near Debre Zeyit; no casualties.

A Russian Mil Mi-8MTV (MSN 95642 | RA-25497) helicopter leased from Krasnodar-based firm, PANH Helicopters, by the United Nations World Food Program (UNWFP) enroute to South Sudan, on the morning of Wednesday 31 July, crashed in a locality called Chefe Donsa, near the town of Debre Zeyit, about 50 km outside Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. All four occupants onboard survived though three sustained serious injuries.

► DJIBOUTI: Air France starts dedicated weekly flights to Djibouti from late October.

Air France (AF) will, from October 27, 2013, commence once weekly dedicated flights from Paris CDG to Djibouti Ambouli onboard an Airbus A340-300. As such, the current 3x weekly service to the Horn of Africa state which operates via Riyadh, Saudi Arabia will cease with effect from that date with flights to Riyadh increasing to 5x weekly.

► KENYA: Saudia Cargo relaunches its Nairobi hub; adds 23 new African destinations via interline deals.

Saudi Airlines cargo division, Saudia Cargo (SV), has announced the re-launch of its Nairobi, Kenya hub along with the expansion of its network coverage into sub-Saharan Africa. Saudia Cargo currently serves six other freighter destinations in Africa, namely: Addis Ababa, Johannesburg, Kano, Khartoum, Lagos and N’Djamena. Saudia also offers a Lagos, Nigeria hub focussing on West Africa.

■ DJIBOUTI: Government looking for partners for planned new USD600million pax/cargo transit hub.

Djibouti has announced that it is seeking partners to help in building a proposed new USD600million airport situated in a 225 km² area south-west of Djibouti City, set to replace the near 60 year old Ambouli International Airport. The government plans to combine the country's sea-cargo facilities with the air terminal to offer a unique regional air/sea cargo and passenger transit hub that will help transform the Horn of African nation's economy.

► DJIBOUTI: Turkish Airlines to boost Mogadishu, Djibouti flights to 5x weekly from October.

Turkish Airlines (EK) will, from 27OCT13, adding a 5th weekly frequency on its Istanbul – Djibouti – Mogadishu route, through the addition of a new Sunday flight from Istanbul, Mondays from Djibouti and Mogadishu. 

► ETHIOPIA: National Airways eyes Fokker 50s, Embraer ERJ170s for future ops.

Ethiopia's National Airways (7N) is planning to add several Fokker 50s and to acquire Embraer ERJ-170s in the near future as the airline looks to expand beyond its current operations that are limited to helicopter charter flights, ad-hoc charter ops and a single scheduled weekly flight to Hargeisa (Somaliland) set to be extended to Djibouti.

■ DJIBOUTI: Ethiopian Airlines signs MoU with Djibouti Ambouli International Airport to aide trade facilitation.

Ethiopian Airlines has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport regarding the transport of goods using both  sea-air and air-sea means throughout the Horn of Africa. 

► SOMALIA: Daallo Airlines set to start Dubai - Burao via Berbera.

Daallo Airlines (D3), the Dubai-based national carrier of Djibouti, are to add another route to their network with the launch of Burao - Berbera - Dubai. Burao and Berbera are cities in Somaliland, an unrecognised self-declared sovereign state that is internationally recognised as an autonomous region of Somalia.

► KENYA: Freedom Airline Express set to receive second Embraer 120ER Brasilia.

Kenyan air charter and scheduled ops company, Freedom Airline Express Ltd, is set to receive a second Embraer 120ER Brasilia (MSN 247 | 5Y- ?) as it seeks to expand its operations.

► DJIBOUTI: Egyptair set to start Cairo - Djibouti flights in near future.

Djibouti Aviation officials on Thursday announced that, following the signing of a bilateral air services agreement between Djibouti and Egypt by the Director of Djiboutian Civil Aviation, Almis Mahamoud Haid, and the Egyptian Director of the Department of Transportation, Khaled Abd El Monem, Egyptian carrier Egyptair (MS) will soon start several direct flights per week between the two countries.

► SOMALIA: Turkish Airlines boosts Djibouti and Mogadishu flights from 2013 on.

Turkish Airlines (TK) will, starting from 26 January 2013, increase its current 2x weekly Boeing 737-800 operated  Istanbul – Djibouti – Mogadishu (Somalia) service, to 3x weekly by adding a Saturday flight to the roster.

► KENYA: See Pics of 748 Air Service's Bombardier Dash 8!

Nairobi-based air charter specialists 748 Air Services (SVT) is set to receive its first Bombardier Dash 8-400 (MCN: 4013 | 5Y-SMJ) from Amsterdam, Holland where it has just received its paint-job in 748's livery.

►► DJIBOUTI: Daallo Airlines adds a BAe146-200 to fleet.

Updated: 9 August 2012 [New Photo]. Djibouti-based airline Daallo Airlines (D3) has announced the addition of a BAe146-200 from UK-based aircraft management company Falko to its fleet which at present, consists of 2 Antonov An-24s and a DC 9.

► DJIBOUTI: Turkish Airlines to serve Mogadishu via Djibouti from September.

It seems hardly a week goes by that Turkish carrier Turkish Airlines (TK) doesn't announce a new African destination. This time round, the new African route to be served will be Djibouti, with a tag on leg to Mogadishu, Somalia, which was previously serviced via Khartoum, Sudan. 

Turkish Airlines Africa Network

The 2x weekly flights are scheduled to begin 4 September 2012 with an Airbus A320 and, it should be noted, Turkish Airlines has also been given 5th Freedom rights to ferry passengers on the Djibouti - Somalia sector of the flight.

Turkish Airlines: Istanbul – Djibouti – Mogadishu, Somalia

- Effective 4 September 2012

• TK686 IST2325 – 0440+1JIB0530+1 – 0705+1MGQ 320 24
• TK687 MGQ0830 – 1005JIB1055 – 1600IST 320 35

Source [Airline Route]

► DJIBOUTI: Air France alters Paris - Djibouti service.

Air France (AF) is to alter its present 3x weekly service from Paris to Djibouti via Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to operate via Riyadh, Saudi Arabia instead, with effect from 2 September 2012. An Airbus A330-200 is used on the route.

An Air France A330 in Djibouti (Pepa T.)

Paris CDG – Riyadh – Djibouti

• AF524 CDG1350 – 2050RUH2205 – 0030+1JIB 332 146

• AF525 JIB0220 – 0440RUH0600 – 1130CDG 332 257

Riyadh service will increase from 3 to 5 weekly as a result (existing non stop terminator service will operate as 2x weekly instead of 3x). Djibouti frequencies remain unchanged.

Paris CDG – Jeddah – Djibouti 3 weekly service operates until 2 September 2012.

• AF3870 CDG1110 – 1805JED1920 – 2125JIB 332 136

• AF3871 JIB2345 – 0150+1JED0305+1 – 0805+1CDG 332 136

Read More Here [Airline Route]