■ TUNISIA: Tunisair gets greenlight to proceed with job cuts but no word yet from unions.

Tunisian national carrier Tunisair (TU) has received the greenlight from government to proceed with the downsizing of the company announced in 2012 which will see the loss of 1'700 jobs, though the airline's all powerful unions have yet to come on board.

► TUNISIA: Tunisair boss Jrad whinges about Syphax's network expansion plans calling them "unfair."

Rabah Jrad, the boss of Tunisia's national carrier, Tunisair (TU), in an interview with a local Tunisian radio station has labelled as "illegal" and "unfair" the networkexpansion plans of private Tunisian private carrier, Syphax Airlines (FS).

► TUNISIA: Tunisia joins Madagascar, Malawi in offloading its unwanted Presidential Jet(s).

Tunisia is to auction off the Boeing 737-700 (MSN 29149 | TS-IOO) of deposed president Ben Ali, now on display in Dubai. A sale date of January 2013 has been announced though the overseer of the auction, Tunisair's CEO, Rabah Jrad, did not divulge the name of the aircraft's potential buyer.

■ TUNISIA: Tunisair to axe 1'700 jobs, dramatically grow Africa network as part of plans to return to profitability.

Rabah Jrad, the CEO of Tunisian national carrier Tunisair (TU), has said the airline intends to reduce its workforce of 8'500 employees by 1'700 workers between 2013 and 2014, as part of a restructuring plan to help reduce its bloated payroll, following a USD98.3million (EUR77.2million) loss for 2011.