■ ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian opens first phase of New Cloud Nine lounge in Addis Ababa.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) has opened the first phase of its new business class (Cloud Nine) lounge at its main hub, Addis Ababa Bole International Airport. The phase now features modern facilities and amenities and is available exclusively to premium travellers.

■ NIGERIA: (Pics) FAAN again gives aircraft owners 1 month to clean up airport boneyards.

The Nigerian Federal Aviation Authority (FAAN) has issued a 1 month ultimatum to the country's aircraft owners and operators, to remove all  abandoned aircraft that litter Nigeria's 8 major airports or risk legal proceedings as the country moves to cast off the stereotypical image of African aviation - decrepit potholed taxiways and runways, poorly maintained colonial era terminal buildings and above all, the obligatory aircraft boneyard filled with rusting 707 hulks (and the occasional Antonov tossed in for good measure).

► ANGOLA: See Pic of Guicango's Embraer 120 in new company colours!

Angolan private carrier Guicango Agência de Viagem (NCL) has had its first non-Russian aircraft - an Embraer 120 (MSN: 120212 | D2-FFZ) painted in the company's new livery and corporate identity.

■■ MOZAMBIQUE: Search for missing South African pilots to end Friday.

[UPDATED 20 NOVEMBER 2012] The search for two South African pilots who went missing on 27 October as they flew home to South Africa is to be called off Friday. 

Bryan Simms, 60, and his son Robert, 22, from Midrand, Johannesburg, were flying back to Lanseria airport, Johannesburg in a Beechcraft Baron 58 (MSN TH-737 | ZS-JPG). They had departed Lilongwe, Malawi en route to Lanseria when contact was lost around 45 minutes from Beira airport, Mozambique.

► SOUTH AFRICA: Mango to start Joburg & Cape Town to PE flights from December.

South African LCC Mango (JE) are to launch daily return flights between Johannesburg and the coastal city of Port Elizabeth as well as Cape Town and Port Elizabeth effective 5 December. Johannesburg - PE bookings will be available from Tuesday 20 November.

► SOUTH AFRICA: Singapore Airlines Cargo launches new dedicated Johannesburg flights.

Singapore Airlines Cargo (SQ) has announced various changes to its world cargo routes, in addition to the announcement of a new direct Singapore - Johannesburg, South Africa dedicated terminator service. The changes have been in vigour since 28 October.

● GABON: Air CEMAC names Etienne Robin Mintsa Mi Owono as boss, as January launch date seems increasingly unlikely.

Gabon's Etienne Robin Mintsa Mi Owono, the Deputy Director General of Gabon's Civil Aviation Department, has been named as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Air CEMAC whilst a Central African, Alfred Bouba Dalambaye, has been named Director General of the carrier.

► MOZAMBIQUE: Mozambican airspace "supposedly" now open to all as LAM gets a B737-500, Embraer E190.

During a speech on Friday to welcome the national carrier Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique LAM's (TM) latest aircraft - a Boeing 737-500 leased from GECAS (MSN: 29074 | C9-BAP) and an Embraer E190 (MSN? | C9-EMC) - Mozambican Transport and Communications Minister Paulo Zucula stated that Mozambique’s air space has been liberalised, and invited everyone that was interested in the sector to “come and invest, come and fly.”

►►► NAMIBIA: Flight disruptions as Pilot strike forces Air Namibia to issue revised timetable.

[SEE NEW POST FOR ADDED UPDATES] Air Namibia's (SW) pilot union, the Namibian Airline Pilots Association (NAPA), has proceeded with industrial action after a breakdown in talks with the carrier's management. The strike went into effect this morning, Friday 16 November 2012 at 00h01.

■ TANZANIA: fastjet to recruit local Tanzanian pilots, as Precision Air clears the air over PATP allegations.

fastjet's (FN) plans to include local Tanzanians in its pilot recruitment drive says the airline's Chief Commercial Officer, Richard Bodin. With its launch date fast approaching (29 November), the carrier has recruited pilots to fly its three Airbus A319 planes, set to arrive in Tanzania shortly.

► MALI: Douniah Airlines to start ops from 2013.

Malian startup, Douniah Airlines (DTS), is planning to launch operations from January 2013 using a Boeing 737-300. Its initial routes will encompass various destinations in West and Central Africa.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Bombardier appoints SA Express its first Authorized Aircraft Service Facility in Africa; sees strong potential market for C-Series jets.

The first deals of the recently convened African Airlines Association (AFRAA) 44th Annual General Assembly being held in Johannesburg have been announced with Canada's Bombardier selecting South African Express Airways better known as SA Express (XZ) for the company's first Africa-based Authorized Service Facility (ASF) for its CRJ100, CRJ200 and CRJ700 regional jets, as well as its Q400 turboprops and other Dash 8/Q-Series turboprops. 

■ MALAWI: Ethiopian Airlines, Comair Ltd express interest in 49% stake in Air Malawi.

The Malawian government this afternoon announced that a liquidator had been appointed for Air Malawi Ltd (QM) in order to facilitate the speedy settlement of its debts and liabilities as it moves ahead with the restructuring of the struggling national airline. Additionally, a short-list of possible investors has also been announced with Ethiopian Airlines, and twice shy suitor Comair Ltd in the running.

► ZIMBABWE: Very low pax uptake for Air Zimbabwe's regional routes.

In what is fast becoming a bad trait associated with Air Zimbabwe (UM), the carrier on Monday, flew an empty (i.e no pax) Boeing 767 aircraft from Johannesburg to Harare on its inaugural flight, as the carrier struggles to resume regional operations.

► CONGO (KINSHASA): See Pics of CAA's Fokker 50 in the new livery!

Kinshasa-based private carrier Compagnie Africaine d'Aviation CAA (FPY) has adopted a new livery and corporate image.

► SOUTH SUDAN: Kenyan Fokker 50 crash lands in Aweil; no casualties.

News wires are reporting the crash landing this afternoon, of a Kenyan Skyward International Fokker 50 (MSN: 20175 | 5Y-CAN) in Aweil, the capital of Northern Bhar al Ghazal state, South Sudan. The flight was carrying members of the International Office of Migration (IOM) returning from a conference in Khartoum, Sudan.

 

■■ SOUTH AFRICA: 7 million litres of fuel contaminated in pipeline to Joburg OR Tambo International.

UPDATE [16 NOVEMBER 2012 19h00L]The Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) this morning issued a statement to the effect that fuel in its AVTUR pipeline to Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport had been contaminated with "off-specification Jet A-1" and had therefore been rendered unfit for use by airlines.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Johannesburg's Lanseria Airport sold to Harith, BEE consortium.

Johannesburg's Lanseria International Airport has been sold to a consortium of investors, it has been announced. The consortium consists of Harith, an infrastructure development fund management company and a Black Economic Empowerment consortium which includes the women's empowerment company Nozala; and the Government Employee Pension Fund (GEPF), through the Public Investment Corporation (PIC).

► SOMALIA: Ethiopian boosts Berbera capacity from December.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) will, from 1 December 2012, increase its capacity from Addis Ababa to the coastal town of Berbera in Somaliland, Somalia, by operating a Boeing 737-700 on the route 5x weekly. The daily flight is currently operated by a Bombardier Dash 8-Q400 exclusively.

► KENYA: Jetlink Express ceases operations citing South Sudanese forex crunch.

Citing "an inability to access USD2million (KES171million) worth of funds tied up in South Sudan", Kenya's Jetlink Express (J0) has announced that effective today, Friday 16 November 2012, it is suspending operations.