► 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.

► KENYA: Kenya Airways' LCC, Jambo Jet, to launch in 1Q 2014 - Naikuni.

Dr Titus Naikuni, the Managing Director of Kenya Airways (KQ), has announced that his airline's Low Cost subsidiary, Jambo Jet, will be operational during the first quarter of 2014. The news comes after Willem Hondius, a former executive with Dutch LCC Transavia, was recently appointed CEO of the startup.

► KENYA: Astral Aviation signs lease deal with Atlas Air Worldwide for one B747-400F due shortly.

Kenyan cargo carrier, Astral Aviation (8V), has signed a deal with US-based ACMI specialists Atlas Air Worldwide for the lease of one B747-400(F), Astral's first widebody freighter, for use in expanding its Africa-Europe cargo operations.

► KENYA: TUIfly Nordic to begin B787 Mombasa flights from December as Edelweiss pulls out from 2014.

TUIfly Nordic(6B), the Stockholm-based charter subsidiary of the TUI Travel international leisure travel group, is set to offer a once weekly B787 service between Scandinavia and Mombasa, Kenya with effect from December 22 until March 30, 2014.  

► KENYA: First photos of Kenya Airways' first B777-300ER emerge.

The first photos of Kenya Airways' (KQ) first B777-300(ER) (MSN ? | 5Y-KFA) have emerged with the airliner now set to undergo painting and a B1 test flight ahead of its planned delivery to Nairobi next month. The aircraft, one of two on 12 year-leases with General Electric Capital Aviation Services (GECAS), is set to début operations with a Nairobi - Guangzhou flight due on November 19. 5Y-KFA will feature 28 Business Class seats in a 2-3-2 layout and 369 Economy Class seats in a 3-3-3 Layout. The second B777-300ER is due in May 2014.

► 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.

► KENYA: Former Transavia exec, Willem Hondius, appointed boss of Kenya Airways' LCC, JamboJet.

The Board of Kenya Airways (KQ) has appointed Willem Alexander Hondius as Chief Executive Officer of Jambo Jet Limited, the airline’s nascent low-cost carrier subsidiary.

► KENYA: Fly540 increases Nairobi - Lodwar flights to 9x weekly.

Fly540 Kenya (5H) has announced that it has increased the frequency of flights between Nairobi (Jomo Kenyatta International Airport) and Lodwar, the largest town in north-western Kenya, located west of Lake Turkana, from six to nine per week in response to rising demand. The LCC said it had added an additional flight on Monday, Wednesday and Friday respectively, resulting in two flights operating on each of these days. The return flights operate via Eldoret.

■ DUBAI: Emirates appoints Orhan Abbas as Senior VP for its Southern & Central Africa, Latin American Commercial operations.

Emirates (EK) has appointed Orhan Abbas its Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Latin America, Central and Southern Africa. In his new role he will oversee a number of markets, including South Africa, Angola, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, the Indian Ocean islands Mauritius and Seychelles, and Latin American markets Brazil and Argentina.

■ KENYA: Tradewinds Aviation Services' Nairobi JKIA, Mombasa stations attain ISAGO certificates.

Kenyan ground-handling firm, Tradewinds Aviation Services (TAS), has announced that its stations at Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and Mombasa Moi International Airport have successfully passed their respective IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO).

► KENYA: Tropic Air's AOC reinstated following KCAA's investigation into Somalia ops.

Tropic Air, a private air charter company based in Northern Kenya, has resumed flights after a 3 week-long suspension of its operations owing to an enquiry by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) into a humanitarian flight the airline supported in Somalia, in July. 

► CHINA: Kenya Airways announces Guangzhou as début 777-300ER route due in mid November.

Kenya Airways (KQ) is set to launch 3x weekly direct flights from its Nairobi hub to Guanghzhou, China this year using its new Boeing 777-300ER. The aircraft, the first in the fleet, is due in East Africa in mid October in time for its deployment on November 19. At the moment, Kenya Airways flies to Guangzhou via Bangkok, daily.

► KENYA: Qatar Airways ramps up Nairobi to 18x weekly from September.

Qatar Airways (QR) has announced an increase in flights from Doha, Qatar to Nairobi, Kenya with effect from September 1. In its press release, the carrier said service will increase from 14x to 18x weekly using an Airbus A320 and comes as demand for flights to the Kenyan capital has steadily increased over the past three years.

■ RWANDA: Burundi, Rwanda sign Open Skies agreement in line with EAC protocol.

Rwanda and Burundi have signed an Open Skies Bilateral Air Services Agreement with for provision for carriers from both countries to have unlimited frequencies to each other's airspace. The move is in line with the East African Community's (EAC) efforts to liberalize its airspace through the elimination, between member states, of all the economic restrictions in the aviation sub sector related to capacity, frequencies, city pairs, cabotage, and designation of airlines.

■ TANZANIA: TAA's big dreams for Kajunguti airport stall over its price tag as Kenya, Uganda push ahead with their own upgrades.

The Tanzanian Airports Authority says it requires USD20billion to develop and construct Kajunguti International Airport, located in the north eastern province of Kagera, as a means of boosting the region's profile in the great Lakes region. Kagera forms part of Tanzania's border with Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi, and lies across Lake Victoria from Kenya.

■ KENYA: KAA board sends its MD, Stephen Gichuki, on leave; says won't renew his contract.

The Board of Directors of the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has announced that its outgoing Managing Director, Engineer Stephen Gichuki, will go on his terminal leave until the expiration of his contract on October 23.

■ KENYA: Kenya Airways takes $4million knock from Nairobi fire as Kenyatta speeds up Terminal 4's opening.

Kenya Airways (KQ) has suffered USD4million in losses owing to the recent outbreak of fire at Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, CEO Dr Titus Naikuni has said. Despite the erection of tents to process international flights five days after the fire, passengers are still facing long delays and cancellations.

► SEYCHELLES: SriLankan Airlines eyeing a 3x weekly Colombo - Seychelles and on to Nairobi service.

After the recent signing of a Bilateral Air Services Agreement between the two countries, the Seychellois Ministry of Home Affairs and Transport has announced tentative plans by Sri Lanka's national carrier, SriLankan Airlines (UL) to commence services between Colombo, Mahé and possibly Nairobi in October 2013.

■■ KENYA: Huge blaze rips through Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

A devastating fire tore through the International Arrivals building and Unit 1 departures at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Wednesday, August 7, forcing the local authorities to temporarily close the airfield until further notice. The fire was under control after three hours with no injuries, fatalities or damage to any aircraft thus far having been recorded. Kenya Airways did report that one member of its staff and a passenger had slight smoke inhalation and were safe in hospital for further investigation. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority has granted clearance to the Kenya Airports Authority to use Unit 3 for international departures and arrivals.

■ KENYA: Mass delays at Nairobi JKIA after pipeline fault starves airport of Jet A1.

Nearly two thousand passengers, among them 49 athletes from the Kenyan athletics team heading to the IAAF Athletics World Championships in Moscow were, on the night of Monday August 5, stranded at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport after the main pipeline supplying jet fuel to the airport malfunctioned resulting in the mass cancellation of flights.