► NIGERIA: FirstNation Airways resumes operations with Lagos - Abuja flights.

Nigerian domestic carrier, First Nation Airways (FRN), has resumed operations with its maiden flight between Lagos and Abuja on September 30. Flights are onboard the airline's fleet of two A319s, leased from the International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC).

► 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.

► CONGO (KINSHASA): International Trans Air Business deploys its B737-200M into service to Kinshasa.

Lubumbashi-based carrier, International Trans Air Business (ITAB), deployed its B737-200(M) (MSN 21959 | ZS-PVU) into service on September 10 with its maiden flight being to the Congolese capital, Kinshasa.

► NIGERIA: Emirates SkyCargo to start Kano flights from early October.

Emirates (EK) cargo division, Emirates SkyCargo, is set to launch a once weekly dedicated freighter flight from Dubai to the northern Nigerian city of Kano with effect from October 4, 2013. The flight will operate on board a B777F.

► SOUTH SUDAN: (Pics) Rwandair begins its 3x weekly Kigali - Juba service.

Rwanda's national carrier, Rwandair (WB), launched its long awaited flights to the South Sudanese capital, Juba with its maiden flight on Saturday, September 21, 2013. The 3x weekly flights operate on-board a CRJ900.

► MOROCCO: Royal Air Maroc to establish Rabat as second local base; eyes five new routes before year end.

As part of plans to establish Rabat as its second local base after its main hub in Casablanca, Royal Air Maroc (AT) says it will launch twenty-two new flights from the Moroccan capital before year end.

► COTE D'IVOIRE: Air Cote d'Ivoire to roll out new destinations once a third A319, two Q400s arrive in November.

Air Côte d’Ivoire (HF) says it will roll out the new part of its regional expansion programme, set to include new services from Abidjan to Lagos, Kinshasa, N'Djamena, Niamey, Monrovia, Freetown and Bangui, from mid November. The new routes were due to have launched in late August.

► 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.  

► GHANA: Eagle Atlantic Airlines outlines initial West African launch timetable, network.

Ghana's Eagle Atlantic Airlines (E2) has outlined its initial West African regional service schedule now set to tentatively launch on October 21, 2013. Flights between Accra, Abidjan, Freetown, Dakar and Monrovia (Roberts) will operate on-board the airline's leased McDonnell Douglas MD82.

► TANZANIA: Auric Air announces new Njombe flights while Flightlink goes double daily to Mtwara.

Tanzanian operators Auric Air (H8) and Flightlink have announced the launch of two new domestic routes. Auric has started a 4x weekly operation from Dar es Salaam to Njombe via Iringa while Flightlink has begun double daily Dar es Salaam to Mtwara, south-eastern Tanzania flights. Both routes became effective September 16.

► TANZANIA: Proflight Zambia to start Dar es Salaam from late October; plans to boost Lilongwe from November.

Proflight Zambia (P0) has announced plans to launch a 3x weekly Lusaka to Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania service with effect from October 23. According to the airline, as it stands, only a Day 1 & 5 operation have been set with confirmation from regulators on the timing.of a Wednesday slot still pending. Operations are on-board a Jetstream 41 turboprop. In addition, the carrier is also hoping to boost its Lilongwe flights to 4x weekly effective November 16, subject to regulatory approval. 

► BRAZIL: Arik Air now eyes a November launch for São Paulo flights; in talks with Embraer over possible deal for 15 jets.

Nigeria's Arik Air (W3) says it hopes to launch its vaunted Lagos - São Paulo, Brazil flights in November of this year, though this is still dependent on the Brazilian National Civil Aviation Agency (Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil - ANAC) issuing it convenient landing slots at Guarulhos International Airport.

■ SOMALIA: Ethiopian suspends Hargeisa, Berbera flights over impasse with Somaliland government.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) has suspended its services to the Somalian towns of Berbera and Hargeisa owing to sub-standard infrastructure. Flights between Addis Ababa and the capital of Somaliland, Hargeisa, were only recently resumed after significant upgrade works to the airport's infrastructure. However, it has since emerged that the quality of work done to runway 06/24 has allegedly proven substandard resulting in Ethiopian suspending its flights.

► 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.

► BOTSWANA: Kalahari Airways turns to crowdfunding for 747s to operate London Gatwick flights.

Kalahari Airways is a Botswana-based startup that intends to offer flights from Cape Town, South Africa to London Gatwick via Gaborone Botswana using three B747-400s.

► NIGERIA: Dana Air eyes regional flights by year end; to roll out more domestic routes.

The commercial head of Nigeria's Dana Air (9J), Mr Obi Mbanuzo, says the airline has applied to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for regional traffic rights with flights to tentatively launch before year-end.

► NIGER: Ethiopian Airlines to add a 4x weekly Niamey service from late November.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) is set to commence flights to the Nigerien capital, Niamey,  on-board a B757-200 with effect from November 20. AirlineRoute writes that the 4x weekly service will operate onwards to the capital of Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou.

► SUDAN: South Supreme Airlines launches flights between Juba and Khartoum.

Juba-based startup, South Supreme Airlines, has officially launched operations with its maiden flight between the South Sudanese capital and Khartoum on Sunday, September 7. Speaking on arrival at Khartoum International Airport, airline boss and South Sudanese tycoon, Ayii Duang Ayii, said the flight was a sign of improved relations between the two countries, and that it will further enhance cooperation ties for the benefit of their people.

► CAMEROON: Gabon's Afric Aviation goes regional with 4x weekly Douala flights.

Gabonese carrier Afric Aviation (L8) has launched its first international route with four times weekly flights between Gabon's capital, Libreville, and the Cameroonian commercial hub of Douala. Operations are on board one of the airline's two ATR72-200s.