► INDONESIA: Fadel confirms Egyptair's new Jakarta route as a request for St. Catherine flights is put in.

Egyptair's (MS) previously outlined plans for a service to the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, are one step closer to reality following a recent meeting between the Egyptian Minister of Civil Aviation, Abdel Aziz Fadel, and Mr Nurfaizi Suwandi, the Indonesian Ambassador to Egypt in which an agreement pertaining to the route (operated via Kuala Lumpur) is set to start operating from December 2.

► EGYPT: Egyptair planning Ndjamena, Jakarta flights this December.

In line with previously announced plans to expand its international network during the Winter 2013/14 season, Egyptair (MS) has outlined its initial plans for services to Ndjamena, Chad and Jakarta, Indonesia beginning in mid December this year. Jakarta will tentatively operate 4x weekly via Kuala Lumpur onboard an A330 beginning December 2 while Ndjamena flights, scheduled to begin on December 17, will operate 3x weekly on-board an A320. The operations at this stage are still subject to changes, postponements and cancellations.

► 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).

■ NIGERIA: Kabo Air, Hak Air, Max Air, Service Air sign MRO deal with Indonesia's GMF AeroAsia.

Nigerian aviation blog Aviation in Nigeria reports that four Nigerian carriers Kabo Air (N9), MaxAir (NR), Hak Air and an unknown carrier Service Air have signed a USD60million maintenance contract with Indonesian MRO outfit GMF AeroAsia, a subsidiary of Indonesian carrier Garuda (GA).