• The African Aviation Tribune •

Monday, November 5, 2012

■ TUNISIA: Government blocks launch of Jasmin Airways.

Tunisia's government has again moved to protect its loss-making national carrier Tunisair (TU) this time, by blocking the launch of startup Jasmin Airways, set to operate charters out Enfidha Airport using two Airbus A320 from early 2013.

The Arab Air Carriers Organization is holding its 45th Annual General Meeting from 5-7 November 2012 in the Algerian capital, Algiers. The symposium this year is hosted by the Chief Executive Officer of Air Algérie, Mohamed Salah Boultif, who is also Chairman of the AGM, with patron, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, President of Algeria.

Ethiopia's Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn, has given the go ahead to the Ethiopian Airports Enterprise to proceed with plans for a new Addis Ababa international airport, to be constructed near the town of Modjo.

fastjet, the continent's first pan-African low cost carrier set to launch later this month, today unveiled its new brand image and aircraft livery as the carrier readies itself for ops. It also announced it will begin selling tickets next week ahead of the airline's first flight this month.

► SOUTH AFRICA: (Pics) Condor inaugurates Frankfurt - Cape Town flights.

The arrival of Condor flight DE6228 from Frankfurt to Cape Town at 10h52L today, marked the launch of the airline's 2x weekly return Frankfurt/Cape Town flights.

The Tanzanian Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) has given the go ahead for the construction of an international airport in the town of Mugumu in the Serengeti District of Mara Region, having itself, been given the green light by the Tanzanian Ministry of Transport.

►► GHANA: Ethiopian makes various operational changes to Accra, Abidjan, Cotonou, Lomé and Ouagadougou flights from late November.

Effective 25 November 2012, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) will adjust its operations to Accra, Abidjan, Cotonou, Lomé and Ouagadougou service. Of particular interest is that Accra will receive a daily 787 service, replacing its current 757.

Air Uganda (U7) have announced an increase in their Entebbe, Uganda - Kigali, Rwanda flights effective immediately. The Bombardier CRJ-200ER operated flights will now fly daily with the addition of an extra Saturday frequency.

British LCC, EasyJet (EZY) has announced plans to launch two new North African routes from its London Stansted base as of mid February 2013. Both flights will be served with an Airbus A319.

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.

US based aircraft lessor specialists, the International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC), yesterday announced the signing of a deal with Ethiopian Airlines (ET), for the lease of three Boeing 787-8 aircraft, of which Ethiopian currently has three (with a further seven due for delivery).

Embattled South African LCC, 1Time (T6), has filed for liquidation and has subsequently ceased operations as of 3pm this afternoon, 2 November 2012.

■ KENYA: Kenya Airways releases its Operations Report for Q2 2012 (July - September).

Kenya Airways (KQ) today released its Operations Report for the Second Quarter of 2012 ending 30 September 2012.

Ghana's Starbow Airlines (S9) are set to launch ops from its hub in Accra, Ghana to Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire effective Thursday 8 November 2012, according to the carrier's Co-Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Brock Friesen, who made the announcement at a press conference in Accra on Wednesday.

With effect from 1 December 2012, Kenya Airways (KQ) will increase its flights to South Africa with the introduction of an additional four weekly flights between Nairobi and Johannesburg (ORTIA), South Africa, using its newly acquired Embraer E-190.

Following last week's deferment, made public by Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara, Air Cote d'Ivoire (HF) has announced it will launch scheduled flights on 12 November with Abidjan - Dakar, Senegal to be its launch route.

Fresh from the launch of its Addis Ababa - Kuala Lumpur route launch yesterday, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) has announced that plans to set up possible a code share and pro-rate agreement (an agreement between airlines to give each other a fixed price for interlining) with Malaysian carrier, Malaysian Airlines (MH), are at an advanced stage and could come to fruitition "as early as next year, 2013."

► MOZAMBIQUE: (Pics) Qatar Airways launches 3x weekly Maputo flights.

Qatar Airways (QR) today inaugurated the first of three weekly services to the Mozambique’s capital city of Maputo. Touching down in Maputo enroute from Doha and Johannesburg, QR584 arrived to a water salute and a welcome by traditional dancers followed by an airport ceremony attended by more than 80 local dignitaries and media.

► HONG KONG: Air Seychelles to start 3x weekly Hong Kong via Abu Dhabi flights from 2013.

Seychelles national carrier (HM), today announced intentions to start flights between Mahé, Seychelles and Hong Kong (SAR) China via Abu Dhabi, UAE effective February 2013.

Abu Dhabi based carrier Etihad Airways (EY) has announced the indefinite postponement of its inaugural Abu Dhabi - Addis Ababa, Ethiopia flight, set to begin this Friday, 2 November 2012.

Reports out of Chad claim that the Chadian Presidential Jet, carrying strongman Idriss Deby, was yesterday involved in an accident whilst landing in Bir Kalait, 750 kilometres North East of the capital, Ndjamena. No casualties were reported, though the aircraft is said to have sustained damage.

At a gala dinner held yesterday, Monday, in Cape Town, South Africa, the AviAssist Foundation in conjunction with the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation CANSO, announced Uganda's Daniel Wanjala as the winner of its 2012 African Aviator Award, this year selecting Air Traffic Management/Control as the area of expertise for the award.

► ZIMBABWE: (Pics) KLM resumes Harare after 13 year hiatus.

A KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Airbus A330-200 operating flight KL523 touched down 30 minutes early at 20.57L at Harare International Airport this evening, signifying the resumption of services to Amsterdam, cancelled 13 years ago.

South Africa's 1time Holdings Ltd, the parent company of LCC 1Time (T6) and its sister company, Jetworx, has posted a USD5.02million loss according to its unaudited results for the interim period ended 30 June 2012, with "higher fuel costs, airport taxes and an excess of capacity in the market" continuing to take their toll.

Nigeria's Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, last Monday officially opened Lagos's Murtala Mohammed Airport's newly remodelled domestic terminal popularly called the General Aviation Terminal (GAT), built at a cost of USD4.1million.

■ GABON: Ethiopian Airlines gives Gabon Airlines 30 days to pay up or risk losing its 767.

Ethiopian Airlines' MRO has given Gabon's now defunct Gabon Airlines (GY) thirty days as of 24 October 2012, to pay up over €750'000 it owes the facility for repairs and maintenance done to its Boeing 767-200 (MSN 21877 | TR-LHP), now stored in Addis Ababa since 2010.

► TOGO: ASKY Airlines to resume Bangui, Banjul, Pointe Noire from November.

Lomé, Togo based ASKY Airlines (KP) is to resume flights to Bangui (Central African Republic), Banjul (Gambia) and Pointe Noire (Republic of the Congo) from November onwards.

A Cessna 208B Grand Caravan (MCN: 208B2098 | 5N-BMJ) operated by the Taraba State Government and piloted by the Governor of Taraba State in Nigeria, Dambaba Sunta, has crashed with 6 persons aboard. All are said to have survived, but are in a critical condition.

■ ETHIOPIA: Lufthansa Technik lands MRO deal for Ethiopian's 787s.

Germany's Lufthansa Technik have signed a 10 year deal with Ethiopian Airlines (ET) that will see the Hamburg-based MRO specialists providing component support for Ethiopian's growing fleet of Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners.

Air Seychelles (HM) has announced a new domestic schedule, effective October 28, which will see an increase in capacity between Mahé and Praslin by 38%.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) has announced further adjustments to its planned Boeing 787 operations. Frankfurt, Germany will receive the 787 on a daily basis from 27 October 2012 replacing its current 767, whilst Toronto, Canada's current 777-200LR service will be replaced with a 787 effective 9 November.

Air Mauritius(MK) will, from 1 April 2013, increase their Port Louis, Mauritius - Perth, Australia frequency from two to three times weekly, using an Airbus A330-200.

Air France (AF) will, from 3 December 2012, boost their capacity on their Paris CDG - Dakar, Senegal with the introduction of a 3-class Boeing 777-300ER, replacing the current Boeing 777-200ER.

As an addendum to our post on Friday regarding Zambia's ongoing aviation infrastructural improvement programme and its government's plans to form a new national carrier, Zambia's Ambassador in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia today announced the signing of a "number of economic, scientific and technical measures aimed at boosting existing bilateral relations" between the two countries.

► NIGERIA: FirstNation Airways A320s repoed by lessors?

Nigerian aviation blog Aviation in Nigeria is reporting that domestic carrier FirstNation Airways' (FRN) three leased Airbus A320s have been repossessed by their owners, US based Aviation Capital Group, though the report has yet to be verified by independent sources.

As reported previously by The African Aviation Tribune, Air Zimbabwe(UM), the on/off Zimbabwean national airline, has confirmed its intended return to service in a news conference held last night in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare.

Just a week after sealing a 5 year deal with FastJet to provide general service and maintenance to its Airbus A319 fleet set to be based out of Dar es Salaam, Belgium's Sabena Technics, today, extended an existing contract with yet another Tanzanian carrier, Precision Air (PW), to now provide component support for its new fleet of ATR 42-600s and ATR72-600s.

Italy's Livingston Compagnia Aerea (JN), successor to the now defunct Italian airlines Livingston Energy Flight and Windjet (IV), has outlined plans for its proposed Winter 2012/2013 network.

Equatoguinean start-up, Air Annobón, has received the first of two BAe146-300s from South African wet-leasors Fair Aviation, to be used on domestic routes. BAe 146 'ZS-SOR' is to be based on the island of Annobon, Equatorial Guinea, though what future plans the airline has, are as yet, unclear.

Nigeria's Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah-Ogiewonyi, moved quickly to dispel any rumours of an "attempted bombing" of an Arik Air (W3) domestic flight from Maiduguri to Abuja, in which a passenger is said to have suddenly started shouting "Allahu Akhabar!" (God is Great!), culminating in him being tackled by fellow passengers.

► COTE D'IVOIRE: (Pics) Ouattara officially presented Air Cote d'Ivoire's aircraft but inaugural flights delayed again.

Air Cote d'Ivoire (VRE), the joint venture between the Government of Ivory Coast, Air France and the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development, is to postpone its inaugural flight once more, this time "for a few weeks" likely implying a November launch.

Two of the world's leading aircraft manufacturers, Brazil's Embraer and Canada's Bombardier, are set to invest millions of dollars, in one way or another, into the African aviation scene, in the coming months and years.

Ethiopia's National Airways (7N), in conjunction with Nairobi-based Kenya Aeronautical College (KAC), are to open a centre for the training of aviation personnel in Addis Ababa, to cater for the shortage of skilled manpower currently facing Ethiopia's aerospace and aviation sectors.

Following on from our previous post on the subject in September, Zimbabwean parastatal and national carrier, Air Zimbabwe (UM)'s plans to resume regional and international flights, have been scuppered due to "boardroom squabbles", reports the government mouthpiece, the ZBC (Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation).

An Airbus A320 (MSN 528 | LY-COM) belonging to Spanish charter airline Cosmo Airlines, on Saturday night, landed in Banjul from Barcelona, Spain, signaling its resumption of service to the Gambian capital, suspended several years ago.

On Sunday 21 October, an Emirates (EK) Airbus A330-200 (MCN 525 |A6-EAP) plying the Lusaka - Dubai route as flight EK714, suffered an uncontained port engine failure, 30 minutes into its flight. The crew promptly shut down the engine and opted to return to Lusaka for a safe landing, contrary to early sensational news reports out of Zambia which claimed "the plane had a tyre burst and slipped into the bush, receiving considerable damage."

After two disastrous crashes in three months and a perilous aviation safety record, the Sudanese government has announced the restructuring of the country's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in which the regulatory body and the operational body are kept separate from each other, in line with ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) recommendations.

Egyptian charter airline Midwest Airlines (MY) is to venture into the domestic Egyptian scheduled flight market with the launch of flights between Cairo and Alexandria effective early January 2013.

Rwandan national carrier Rwandair (WB) has officially received its first of two Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ) 900NGs (MSN# 15286 | 9XR-WH) following a hand-over ceremony in Montreal, Canada and a delivery flight routed Montréal - Goose Bay - Reykjavík - Ancona - Aswan - Kigali.

Monday, November 5, 2012

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Friday, November 2, 2012

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

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Thursday, October 25, 2012

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