■ BOTSWANA: Parliamentary inquest picks holes in Air Botswana's operations, finances.

A Batswana parliamentary inquest into the operations of state-owned national carrier, Air Botswana (BP) has uncovered purported oversights in the airline's fuel procurement, fleet selection and employee accountability procedures.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Now SAExpress needs $60million in state funding to cover debt covenants with aircraft suppliers.

SA Express (XZ) is in the process of finalizing a USD60million (ZAR539million) state guarantee (read Bailout) needed to help it cover the terms of various debt covenants. The funding however, falls far short of its originally requested USD111million (ZAR1billion) extension.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: SAA's ninth turnaround plan in 13 years will work because it is "cutting edge" claims Myeni.

South African Airways (SAA) acting board chairman Ms. Duduzile Myeni claims that the airline's latest turnaround plan, its ninth in 13 years, set to be presented on either March 28 or 2 April, will be "cutting edge" and will be more successful than its eight predecessors because it has been developed and "owned by our own people".

► NIGERIA: Aero Contractors gets two extra 737-400s as Parliament launches safety inquest.

Nigeria's second largest domestic airline, Aero Contractors (AJ), has acquired two additional Boeing 737-400 aircraft, bringing its total fleet to 12, the company's publicists said in a statement Monday.

► SOUTH AFRICA: SAA looking at Ghana for a potential West Africa hub as biting economic times push Mango to go regional.

In a Q&A session before the South African Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises on Tuesday 28 August 2012, South African Airways (SA) CEO Siza Mzimela gave an overview of SAA's current financial state and outlook in addition to future route developments, critical to the carrier's long term viability.