► KENYA: Astral Aviation outlines B747-400F plans; to codeshare with Emirates SkyCargo on Joburg - Nairobi flights.

Nairobi-based cargo operator, Astral Aviation (8V), and ANA Aviation Services have announced a new strategic partnership in Africa following the delivery of a B747-400F (MSN 29261 | N408MC), on wet-lease from ACMI specialists, Atlas Air (5Y), on September 27.

► SOUTH AFRICA: Airlink resumes Skukuza ops from June 2014; rebuffs SA Express' recent route launch announcement.

South Africa's Airlink (4Z) has delayed the launch of flights to Skukuza from the previously announced March, to June 2, 2014. According to the carrier, it will commence direct daily flights between Johannesburg and Skukuza as well as Cape Town and Skukuza from Monday 2 June 2014 using an Embraer 135.

► SOUTH AFRICA: SA Express rolls out Cape Town - George, Joburg - Pietermaritzburg, Kruger/Mpumalanga from November.

SA Express (XZ) is set to commence three new domestic South African flights with effect from November 1: Cape Town - George, Johannesburg (ORTIA) - Kruger/Mpumalanga and Johannesburg (ORTIA) - Pietermaritzburg. With the exception of the Pietermaritzburg flights which operate onboard a Q400, both other routes are operated with a Bombardier CRJ200.

► SOUTH AFRICA: DoT redtape forces Fastjet to suspend launch of Dar es Salaam - Johannesburg flights.

fastjet (FN) has announced that its first international flight between Dar es Salaam and Johannesburg, previously scheduled to take place on Friday 27 September 2013, has been temporarily postponed owing to what it claims are "unexpected administrative delays caused by  a very late request for additional documentation by the South African Department of Transport".

► SOUTH AFRICA: FlySafair outlines its tentative schedule; operational launch due in mid-October.

In spite of a pending legal application by both Comair Ltd and Skywise to block its launch, nascent South African Low Cost Carrier FlySafair (FA) has outlined its initial timetable for multiple daily Johannesburg - Cape Town flights, now tentatively scheduled to launch on October 17. Flights will be operated by a fleet of B737-400s. Reservations are now open.

► SPAIN: Arik Air flight to Heathrow diverts to Mallorca after pregnant passenger suffers severe pains, bleeding.

Arik Air (W3) flight W3101 from Lagos, Nigeria to London Heathrow, Untied Kingdom, was on Sunday, September 15, forced to divert to Palma Mallorca Airport, Spain, after a pregnant passenger required urgent medical attention while onboard.

► MOZAMBIQUE: Qatar Airways granted rights to Johannesburg - Maputo from late October.

Qatar Airways (QR) has tentatively been granted local traffic rights on the Johannesburg - Maputo, Mozambique sectors of its 3x weekly flights between Doha, Qatar and the Southern African nations with effect from October 27, 2013.

► SAUDI ARABIA: Saudia Cargo to boost Morocco, Kenya, South Africa freight capacity.

Saudia Cargo (SV) has announced an increase in its belly and freighter capacity on a number of routes across its global network. In terms of its African destinations, the Saudi Arabian operator plans to boost its dedicated freighter frequencies to Nairobi while adding bellyhold capacity to Casablanca and Johannesburg through increased passenger flights.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Comair Ltd profits soar to USD23.1million for latest Financial Year.

Comair Ltd has announced a significant improvement in its profitability for the 12-month period ending 30 June 2013. Revenue grew by 29% to ZAR5.38billion (USD537.46million) from ZAR4.16billion (USD415.96million) in 2012. As such, the airline declared a headline profit of ZAR231million (USD23.09million), a marked improvement on that of 2012 which totalled ZAR18 million.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: SATAWU calls off strike as deal is reached with SAA.

South African Airways (SA) has announced that a strike by South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) members at South African Airways Technical (SAAT), the maintenance subsidiary of the national carrier, has come to an end. 

► SENEGAL: South African Airways' Johannesburg - New York goes via Dakar once more from late October.

With Summer on hand in the Southern Hemisphere, South African Airways (SA) has announced its daily outbound Johannesburg - New York JFK service will once more incorporate a stopover in Dakar, Senegal with effect from October 27. The inbound remains direct.

► TANZANIA: mango starts scheduled Johannesburg - Zanzibar flights from late September.

South African LCC, mango (JE), will début its first scheduled international operations between Johannesburg (OR Tambo International) and Zanzibar effective September 21. The twice weekly flights will operate on-board a B737-800. 

► BRAZIL: TAM Lineas Aéreas, South African Airways sign codeshare deal.

As previously speculated about, South African Airways (SA) and Brazil's TAM Linhas Aéreas (JJ) have implemented a code share agreement in which SAA will place its designator code “SA” on flights operated by TAM from Sao Paulo to Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre, Curitiba, Brasília, Salvador, Florianopolis, Iguaçu Falls, Recife, Belo Horizonte. Likewise, TAM will place its designator code “JJ” on flights operated by SAA between Sao Paulo and Johannesburg, and to other cities within South Africa, namely, Cape Town, Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth. 

■ SOUTH AFRICA: SAA Technical brokers deal with AUSA, breaks off talks with SATAWU over alleged incidents of violence.

South African Airways Technical (SAAT), the maintenance subsidiary of the national carrier, South African Airways (SAA), has resolved part of an ongoing strike with the signing of a wage deal with the Aviation Union of Southern Africa (AUSA), said to represent "a large portion of engineers and technical staff at SAAT", on Wednesday August 28, 2013. However, negotiations with the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) have now been called off following what SAA called "striking SATAWU members’ disregard of the picketing rules and intensified unruly behaviour."

► SOUTH AFRICA: And suddenly a new LCC, FlySafair, appears aiming for a Q4 launch.

South Africa’s Air Service Licensing Council has given local ACMI & MRO specialists, Safair (FA), the go ahead for its LCC startup, FlySafair, to launch domestic operations in the last quarter of this year. Tickets for its planned Cape Town - Johannesburg (OR Tambo International) route are expected to go on sale in September.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: SAA Technical staff affiliated with SATAWU go on strike; some flights to be affected.

Employees affiliated with the SA Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) at South African Airways' (SA) MRO unit, SAA Technical, have gone on strike over a requested 12% wage increase. According to a statement by the union, the strike will go on until their demands are met.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Gauteng calls for study on potential new international airport for Johannesburg as part of 25-Year Transport Plan.

The Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Dr Ismail Vadi, this week released the "25-Year Integrated Transport Master Plan (ITMP25)" for Ekurhuleni, the local authority and government for Gauteng, South Africa's former East Rand area, to ensure province-wide mobility in future for all residents. The 25 year plan, developed by an inter-disciplinary team of experts led by Gautrain CEO Jack van der Merwe, provides an assessment of the current transport and land-use challenges. It also forecasts economic and population growth scenarios, which have been used to plan the future transport needs and solutions in the province. Pertaining to aviation, the Plan states that OR  Tambo  International  Airport  will  remain the main airport serving Gauteng and South Africa but notes that "a thorough study should be done to determine the feasibility and, if found necessary, land should be reserved to develop a second major airport in Gauteng which can accommodate wide body aircraft up to and including the A380."

► SOUTH AFRICA: mango to start 3x weekly Johannesburg - George from mid November.

South African LCC, mango (JE), has announced plans to launch three times weekly flights from Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport to the south-western city of George with effect from November 18. Flights will operate using a B737-800.

► ZIMBABWE: PAKAfrica Aviation to use 1time buy out, stake in CATS to establish hub out of Harare.

South Africa-based PAKAfrica Aviation has reportedly acquired a 49% stake in Zimbabwe's Central Air Transport Services (ZO) and intends to use the acquisition, in conjunction with a proposed ZAR15million (USD1.5million) buy out of defunct South African LCC, 1time (T6), to establish a regional hub out of Harare. 

► UNITED STATES: South Africa's Global Airways to resume Johannesburg - Miami via Cape Town; appoints Fuelstream its US rep.

With the impending relaunch of its Johannesburg - Miami via Cape Town flights, South Africa's Global Airways (QG) has appointed Fuelstream Inc. as their US Representative. Fuelstream will evaluate and recommend ground handling companies, caterers, crew transportation and services, coordinate with cargo handlers, and serve as Global's GSA for cargo in Miami. It will also work with the Aviation Department on gate assignments and ticket counters, and with all government authorities (TSA, Customs & Immigration and the local police) to ensure compliance.