► MAYOTTE: Air Austral, CCIM, Ylang Invest move to formally create Ewa Air.

The Mayotte Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI Mayotte) along with Air Austral (UU) and the Yland Investment consortium officially signed an investment contract last week effectively breathing life into the new Dzaoudzi-based regional carrier, Ewa Airlines.

► COMOROS: New Qatari-American start-up, Ola, also eyeing the Indianocéanie market.

The Indian Ocean region is set to see a battle of the start-ups with news that a new Qatari-American backed carrier, Ola, is planning to pre-empt the launch Air Austral's (UU) own start-up, Ewa. Ewa is set to take to the skies in November of this year using an ATR72-500.

► 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.

► COMOROS: New carrier, Gafo Air, eyes flights to South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya and Sudan.

New Zealand energy consortium, GAFO Energy NZ, appears to be in the process of setting up a new regional carrier out of Moroni in the Comoros, dubbed Gafo Air.

► MAYOTTE: New Indian Ocean regional carrier, Ewa, eyes Madagascar, Tanzania, Comoros and Mozambique flights from Q4.

La Réunion-based carrier, Air Austral (UU), is set to partner the Mayotte Chamber of Commerce and Industry among other shareholders in setting up a new regional carrier to be based out of Dzaoudzi.

► KENYA: Astral Aviation outlines expanded regional cargo network; to replace DC9s with MD83Fs.

Kenyan cargo operator, Astral Aviation (8V), has announced an enhanced intra-African freighter schedule which is based on a cautious expansion strategy to increase connectivity from its Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International hub to the East African region.

► RÉUNION: Air Austral outlines its Summer 2013 timetable; added Paris CDG flights due in November.

La Réunion-based French carrier, Air Austral (UU), has outlined its planned Northern Summer 2013 timetable, which runs from 31 March to 26 October 2013, and which aims to optimize its flight schedule in order to help return the airline to break-even during the 2013/2014 Financial Year.

► COMOROS: Air Tanzania resumes Dar es Salaam - Moroni flights from late March.

Tanzanian national carrier Air Tanzania (TC) will resume flights from Dar es Salaam to Moroni (Comoros) effective 25 March. Flights will operate three times weekly using Air Tanzania's leased Boeing 737-200Adv.

► TANZANIA: fastjet to launch Johannesburg, Moroni and Entebbe in coming weeks?

Tanzania-based LCC fastjet (FN) could announce new regional routes in the coming weeks spurred on by strong first month performance figures on its domestic Tanzanian routes, launched in late November 2012.

► TANZANIA: Air Tanzania resumes flights Friday as Government wants Lufthansa for joint venture.

As we reported last week, Tanzanian national carrier Air Tanzania (TC) will resume flights on Friday 12 October 2012 using their Bombardier Dash 8-300 (MSN 474 | 5H-MWF) along with two leased Boeing 737-500 of unknown origin. 

► TANZANIA: Air Tanzania temporarily ceases operations as 737 deal with AeroVista is called off.

What was touted as a new beginning for beleaguered Tanzanian national carrier, Air Tanzania (TC), has now turned into a nasty ordeal with the possibility of litigation after Air Tanzania suspended its contract with Dubai-based ACMI AeroVista from whom it leased a Boeing 737-500, effectively grounding the carrier.

► RÉUNION: Air Austral restructures Africa routes.

Troubled French carrier, Air Austral (UU), who last month announced the cancellation of several of its Provence France destinations as well as its Australia and New Caledonia routes, is to reorganize several of its African destinations, as it fights back from a miserable 2011 Financial Year, which saw it cancelling its order for two Airbus A380s.

A rendering of Air Austral's A380 (flightglobal)

The announced changes:

Air Austral

St. Denis de la Reunion – Dzaoudzi (Mayotte FOT) – Moroni (Comoros):

Twice weekly service moves from Tuesday & Sunday to Monday & Thursday.

• UU255 RUN1100 – 1210DZA1310 – 1350HAH 738 14
• UU256 HAH1450 – 1530DZA1650 – 1950RUN 738 14

St. Denis de la Reunion – Johannesburg (South Africa):

Operational schedule changes for the two weekly flights, moving from night-time to afternoon/evening hours, as well as moving from Thursday & Sunday to Monday & Thursday.

• UU341 RUN1515 – 1725JNB 738 4
• UU311 RUN1515 – 1725JNB 738 1
• UU342 JNB1825 – 0015+1RUN 738 4
• UU312 JNB1825 – 0015+1RUN 738 1

St. Denis de la Reunion – Nossi-Be (Madagascar) – Dzaoudzi (Mayotte FOT/Comoros)

Service increases from 2x to 3x weekly

• UU203 RUN1100 – 1150NOS1235 – 1320DZA 738 257
• UU204 DZA1520 – 1605NOS1650 – 1930RUN 738 257

St. Denis de la Reunion – Seychelles

Twice weekly service moving from Thursday & Saturday to Wednesday & Friday.

• UU431 RUN0900 – 1140SEZ 738 3
• UU451 RUN0900 – 1140SEZ 738 5
• UU432 SEZ1230 – 1505RUN 738 3
• UU452 SEZ1230 – 1505RUN 738 5

St. Denis de la Reunion – Toamasina (Madagascar)

Service reduces from 3x to 2x weekly.

• UU555 RUN1530 – 1620TMM AT7 5
• UU515 RUN1530 – 1620TMM AT7 1
• UU556 TMM1705 – 1950RUN AT7 5
• UU516 TMM1705 – 1950RUN AT7 1

Dzaoudzi (Mayotte FOT) – Mahajanga (Madagascar)

Twice weekly service moving from Wednesday & Friday to Wednesday & Saturday.

• UU244 DZA1310 – 1355MJN 738 36
• UU245 MJN1445 – 1530DZA 738 36

 Read More Here [Airline Route]