■ KENYA: Experienced-pilots shortage a headache to Kenya Airways and a possible dampener to Project Mawingu.

Kenya Airways (KQ) expansion plans, as outlined in its ambitious 10 year vision, Project Mawingu, could be hampered by a lack of adequately trained personnel, most critically among them, experienced pilots.

■ ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian Airlines shoots down Kenya Airways mega-merger idea as SAA now sets sights on dominating the African market.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) has, for want of a better term, "shot down" a proposal by Kenya Airways' (KQ) outgoing CEO Titus Naikuni regarding a possible mega-merger between Ethiopian, Kenya Airways and South African Airways, as being impractical.

■ KENYA: Reinstated workers reject Kenya Airways' "compulsory leave" directive; threaten to sue Naikuni and airline if not properly reinstated.

The 455 reinstated Kenya Airways (KQ) staff, whose claims of unfair dismissal were yesterday vindicated by an industrial court in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, today rejected a directive by the Kenyan carrier to send them all on compulsory paid leave until further notice.

●● SOUTH AFRICA: All set for the 44th AFRAA General Assembly to be held from 18-20 November in Johannesburg.

[UPDATE 23 NOVEMBER 2012] The African Airlines Association (AFRAA) is set to convene its 44th Annual General Assembly slated for the 18th – 20th November 2012, and to be held at the Sandton Convention Centre in South Africa's commercial hub, Johannesburg. 

■ KENYA: Defying Odinga, Kenya Airways completes its redundancy drive.

Defying a directive (or request, depending on whose point of view you take) from Kenya's Prime Minister Raila Odinga, to cease its planned redundancy drive, Kenya Airways (KQ) today announced the successful completion of its Staff Rationalization programme with 126 employees choosing the early retirement option whilst another 454 were made redundant.

■ KENYA: Kenya Airways Layoffs Debacle takes new twist after revelations KQ execs were awarded 25% payrises over the last year.

Quite a few eyebrows were raised in Nairobi during the presentation last week of Kenya Airways' (KQ) annual report in which it was revealed that executives' wages at the airline had risen by almost 25% over the last year; a development that comes at a time when the airline is facing protracted legal battles and now even Prime Ministerial condemnation over plans to lay off (or as KQ would prefer, "outsource") 650 'excess' employees cited by the company as being amongst the causes for their 57% slump in profits last year.

■ NAMIBIA: Air Namibia in partnership talks with Kenya Airways & Emirates as Ethiopian prepares for possible Windhoek launch.

Air Namibia (SW) is reportedly in talks with fellow African carrier Kenya Airways (KQ) over the possibility of forming a partnership, reports from Windhoek say with Kenya Airways' CEO Titus Naikuni expected in the Namibian capital sometime this week.