► COTE D'IVOIRE: Air Cote d'Ivoire's November regional expansion plans outlined.

Referencing our previous report, AirlineRoute has outlined Air Cote d'Ivoire's (HF) revised regional traffic expansion plans, set to come into effect from mid-November. Various changes to its existing timetable are also to be effected.

■ TOGO: Lomé-Tokoin Airport upgrade works to be completed next year; opening due in 4Q 2014.

Expansion works at Lomé's Tokoin Airport, also known as l’Aéroport International Gnassingbé Eyadèma (AIGE), are expected to be completed within a year with an official opening scheduled for December 2014, Colonel Gnama Latta, the Director General of Togo's civil aviation authority l'Agence Nationale de l'Aviation Civile du Togo (ANAC), has said.

► GUINEA BISSAU: ASKY Airlines eyes a mid September launch date for Bissau flights.

As the saying goes, better 2 months late than never, ASKY Airlines (KP) has at long last unveiled a possible launch date for flights to the capital of Guinea-Bissau, Bissau. Operations should commence from September 15 with a 2x weekly flight extending the current Lome - Accra - Monrovia (James Spriggs Payne Airport) route flown by a Q400.

► ETHIOPIA: (Pic) Ethiopian Airlines in line for first B737-400F.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) is set to dry-lease a former Brussels Airlines (SN) B737-400 (MSN 28493 | ET-AQV) from global leaser, the Aviation Capital Group, following its conversion into a B737-400(F) freighter. 

► TOGO: Ethiopian Airlines to launch its Lomé cargo hub this week as more planned pax routes to Asia unveiled.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) are set to launch Lomé, Togo as their second cargo hub outside Addis Ababa with effect from August 15. In addition to a connection to the carrier's Ethiopian primary hub, Lomé will also serve Europe via Liege, Belgium with a twice weekly MD-11F Freighter. Lomé is already the hub or its West African passenger subsidiary, ASKY Airlines (KP).

► TOGO: Magma Aviation launches new West African cargo ops beginning July 14.

Magma Aviation, a private United Kingdom-based cargo operator, will from July 14, launch flights from Brussels to Lome, Brazzaville and onto Kinshasa with a weekly B747-400F. Out of Lome, scheduled connections are to be offered into Bamako, Cotonou, Douala, Libreville, Monrovia and Niamey onboard ATR aircraft.

► TOGO: Benin-based trader comes to rescue of broke Mauritania Airlines flight left stranded in Lomé, Togo.

Passengers on board a Mauritania Airlines International (L6) flight, L6101, from Nouakchott to Abidjan via Bamako, Mali, on Monday June 4, were left to fend for themselves after their flight was diverted to Lomé, Togo following poor visibility and bad weather in the Ivorian capital.

► TOGO: AfricaWest Cargo Airlines acquires a 737-300F, two ATR72Fs for planned regional expansion.

AfricaWest Cargo Airlines (FK) has announced the addition of a Boeing 737-300F with two ATR72Fs set to join its fleet in June and October respectively. The cargo operator intends to use the aircraft as part of its plans to expand throughout Africa during 2013 and 2014.

► GUINEA BISSAU: ASKY Airlines to start Bissau from July 15; plans South Africa, Angola and possibly Europe in future.

Ethiopian Airlines' West African subsidiary, ASKY Airlines (KP), is set to commence flights to Bissau, the capital of Guinea Bissau, from July 15 following the signing  of an agreement between the Bissau-Guinean civil aviation authority (Agência da Aviação Civil da Guiné-Bissau - AACGB) and ASKY officials.

►► BRAZIL: Ethiopian Airlines to start 787 flights to Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo via Lome from July 2013.

[UPDATE 19 MAY] Having postponed their intended December launch of flights to Brazil via Lome, Togo owing to "inconvenient slot times given the airline" by the Brazilian aviation authorities, Ethiopian Airlines is said to be readying itself for a possible 1 June 2013 service to Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, Brazil via Lome, Togo.

► TOGO: Ethiopian Cargo to set up West African hub based out of Lomé.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) cargo division, Ethiopian Cargo, is nearing the final stages of setting up a cargo hub in the Togolese capital of Lomé, the carrier has said. Lomé currently acts as a hub for Ethiopian's West African subsidiary, ASKY Airlines (KP), and will shortly play a pivotal role in the airline's plans to launch flights to South America.

► TOGO: Ethiopian Airlines to maintain 5x weekly ops to Lomé in June; daily in July.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET), as a result of the delay of its Addis Ababa – Lome – Rio de Janeiro – Sao Paulo – Lome – Addis Ababa service launch by 4 weeks, will, during the month of June 2013, continue to operate 5 weekly service on Addis Ababa – Lome sector. Boeing 737-700 aircraft operates this route.

► SENEGAL: ASKY Airlines boosts Dakar ops to 6x weekly with new flight via Ouagadougou.

Ethiopian Airlines' (ET) Lomé, Togo-based subsidiary, ASKY Airlines (KP), has boosted its operations to Dakar, Senegal from 3x to 6x weekly during the course of the last month or so via the introduction of  new flight which goes via Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

► COTE D'IVOIRE: Ethiopian announces various changes to its West African network from June.

AirlineRoute reports that Ethiopian Airlines (ET) will from June 2013 adjust its operations to West Africa with numerous equipment and frequency changes to come into effect.

► TOGO: (Pics) ASKY Airlines takes delivery of three Bombardier Q400NGs.

West African regional carrier ASKY Airlines (KP) has taken delivery of three additional Bombardier Q400s at a ceremony held recently in the Togolese capital, Lomé, which is also the carrier's primary hub. The delivery comes almost 3 years ago to the day that the carrier was born.

■ TOGO: Construction works at l’Aéroport Lomé-Tokoin nearing completion.

The upgrading and expansion of the Togolese capital, Lomé's, l’Aéroport International Gnassingbé Eyadèma (AIGE), also known as Lomé-Tokoin Airport, is progressing with work nearing 80% completion. The project, funded by the Chinese Export-Import Bank (ExIm Bank) to the tune of USD150million and using the China Airport Construction Group Corporation (CACC) and WIETEC, aims to transform Lomé into a "sub-regional transport hub."

► COTE D'IVOIRE: Air Cote d'Ivoire to add an Embraer E170 as further routes in West Africa are announced.

According to Airline Route, the Ivory Coast's new national carrier, Air Côte d’Ivoire (HF), is set to receive an Embraer E170 to add to its two Airbus A319s, as the airline seeks to expand its operations.

► SENEGAL: ASKY Airlines to start Lomé - Dakar via Bamako from mid December.

Lomé, Togo based operator ASKY Airlines (KP), Ethiopian Airlines' subsidiary in West Africa, will from 18 December 2012, commence three times weekly Lomé - Bamako (Mali) - Dakar (Senegal) flights, to be operated with a Boeing 737-700.

■ SENEGAL: ASECNA signs $35million contract with Thales, INEO Engineering for Radar, ATM Systems.

The Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (L'Agence pour la Sécurité de la Navigation aérienne en Afrique et à Madagascar) or ASECNA has signed a USD35million contract with a French consortium comprising Thales Air Systems SAS and INEO Engineering & Systems for the supply and installation of Monopulse Secondary Surveillance Radars (MSSR) with Mode S capability in addition to its Air Traffic Management (ATM) systems.

► COTE D'IVOIRE: Air Cote d'Ivoire announces further destination launches.

Following on from our post yesterday, Air Cote d'Ivoire (HF) have announced further details about their intended network launch, set for 12 November 2012.