►► MOZAMBIQUE: Federal Air drops Joburg - Vilanculos from 2013.

[UPDATE 12 JANUARY] Federal Airlines (7V) has announced that, effective February 1, it will cease its Johannesburg ORTIA - Vilanculos, Mozambique route, with the last operational flight on January 31. The flight currently operates daily with an ATR42.

■ BURUNDI: Lack of political, legal will sabotaging the privatization of Air Burundi, Civil aviation authority.

Bureaucratic infighting and legal nit picking are amongst the causes of the Burundian government's ongoing battles to reorganize and in some cases, privatize, its ailing civil aviation industry.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: 1Time's Jetworx MRO to be taken over by the American Industrial Acquisition Corporation.

In another promising development following the proposed acquisition of bankrupt South African LCC 1Time (T6) by LCC fastjet (FN), its sister MRO company, Jetworx, has been acquired by the American Industrial Acquisition Corporation (AIAC), thereby giving hope to its remaining 200 employees. The deal however, is still subject to approval by Jetworx creditors.

► MAURITANIA: ANAC grounds Mauritania Airlines International 737-500 over maintenance concerns.

The Mauritanian Civil Aviation Authority - l’Agence Nationale de l’aviation civile (ANAC) -  has grounded a Mauritanian Airlines International (L6) Boeing 737-500 (MSN 28469 | 5T-CLA) at its home base, Nouakchott International Airport, following revelations the aircraft had exceeded its maximum permissible flying cycles.

■ UGANDA: Air Uganda renews its IOSA certificate; launches new Premium Economy class product.

Celestair's Air Uganda (U7) has passed its IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) and has had its certificate renewed until 30 September 2013 according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) website. The certificate was awarded to Meridiana Africa Airlines Uganda Ltd t/a Air Uganda.

► COMOROS: (Pics) New Comorian government airline starts flights.

Following on from our previous post, the Comorian government has launched flights using its newly acquired Let 410-UVP20 (D6-NWD), to be used to ply inter island services. The aircraft is understood to be part of greater fleet expansion plans that the Comorian government has, following the crash of an Inter Îles Air (ZXA) Embraer 120ER in November.

► ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian Airlines' 787 timetable for Beijing, Frankfurt, Toronto, Washington DC announced.

AirlineRoute reports that as per the 11 January 2013 GDS timetable and inventory display, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) will continue to tweak its planned Boeing 787 long haul service between now and late-March 2013.

►►► CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: Air France suspends Bangui after riots outside French embassy.

[UPDATE 11 JANUARY] As the situation in the Central African Republic continues to deteriorate, so French carrier, Air France (AF), had to cancel its weekly flight to Bangui on 26 December, with the next flight on 2 January 2013, under review.

■ LIBERIA: Liberian, Ghanaian Civil Aviation Authorities order safety audits of Delta Airlines citing frequent delays.

Liberia's Civil Aviation Authority, along with the Liberian Ministry of Transport, have ordered a safety audit of American airline, Delta Airlines (DL) following a series of flight cancellations and intermittent technical problems. The LCAA has also recommended that Liberian President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and government officials not use the American carrier for travel.

► GABON: Air France boosts Libreville frequencies from March 2013.

Following on from bilateral talks between the French and Gabonese governments concluded last year, Air France (AF) will, starting 11 March 2013, progressively increase flights to Libreville, Gabon with the addition of a 6th weekly service between Paris CDG and Libreville, followed by the addition of 7th weekly service from 31 March 2013. 

■ TANZANIA: Omani consortium to invest $100m in Air Tanzania.

Tanzanian national carrier Air Tanzania (TC) is set to receive a much needed shot in the arm with reports that a consortium led by the Oman-based Al Hayat Development and Investment Company is to invest USD100million (TSH160million) into the struggling airline, with the final Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to be signed "by the end of next week" (January 18).

■ NIGERIA: Air Cote d'Ivoire seeks Arik Air's help in establishing southern hub as Arik Air boss takes swipe at 'frustrating' Nigerian government.

Nigerian carrier Arik Air (W3) and the new national carrier of the Ivory Coast, Air Cote d’Ivoire(HF), have entered into preliminary discussions over a possible partnership, following the visit this week of Air Cote d’Ivoire boss, General Coulibaly Abdoulaye (retired) and the airline’s Managing Director, Rene Decurey.

► SUDAN: KLM drops Khartoum, Addis Ababa from March 2013.

AirlineRoute is reporting that effective 31 March 2013, KLM is cancelling its Amsterdam – Khartoum – Addis Ababa route, where it currently operates 3x weekly service using an Airbus A330-200. Reservation for this route is closed and flights being removed from the system. Existing schedule as follows.

► KENYA: Bluebird Aviation Q400 rejects takeoff at high speed, closing Wilson Airport Runway 14/32 for 3 hours.

The Aviation Herald is reporting that a Bombardier Q400 (MSN 4009 | 5Y-VVY) belonging to Kenyan cargo carrier Bluebird Aviation (BBZ) went off Nairobi Wilson Airport's runway 14/32 following a rejected take off yesterday.

►►► EGYPT: Korean Air resumes Seoul - Cairo from January 2013.

[UPDATE 9 JANUARY] South Korean airline Korean Air (KE) is to resume its 2x weekly Airbus A330-300 Seoul Incheon - Cairo, Egypt nonstop flights, which from October 28, will be upgraded to a Boeing 777-200ER.

► TANZANIA: fastjet posts strong first month pax numbers with almost 30'000 flown with near 80% load factors.

Tanzanian based LCC fastjet (FN) has revealed its first month's operating figures since taking to the skies in late November 2012, with almost 30'000 passengers carried during the month of December, averaging almost 80% loads factors.

► MOZAMBIQUE: MEX-Moçambique Expresso to base two leased ERJ145s in Nampula, Tete as LAM's pax numbers grow 9% in 2012.

MEX-Moçambique Expresso (MXE), the domestic and regional subsidiary of LAM Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique (TM), is to operate two leased Embraer ERJ145s on behalf of LAM during the first quarter of this year.

► NAMIBIA: See Video & Pics of Air Namibia's new A319's Arrival Ceremony in Windhoek.

Namibia's national carrier, Air Namibia (SW), last week Friday 4 January 2013, took delivery of the first of two Airbus A319s (MSN 5400 | V5-ANN) with the aircraft performing a welcoming fly-past over the city of Windhoek, as well as Windhoek's Hosea Kutako International Airport.

► FRANCE: Transavia to start new routes to Cape Verde Islands, Morocco from April.

Transavia (TO), the Dutch-based low-cost airline operating as an independent part of the Air France-KLM group, is to launch two new routes to North and West Africa from bases in France. First up is a once weekly service from Lille to Agadir, Morocco beginning 13 April. Then, from May 16 to October 24, 2013, a once weekly Paris Orly - Boa Vista, Cape Verde Islands will start.

■ MOZAMBIQUE: AdM looks to add hotels, restaurants to Maputo International as new Nacala Airport completion now due in late 2013.

Aeroportos de Moçambique (AdM), the company tasked with running Mozambique's major airports, has announced plans to build hotels, restaurants and catering facilities at Maputo International Airport, with the aim of transforming the renovated airport into a world-class facility.