► GHANA: Starbow Airlines increases flights to Kumasi, Tamale in February.

Ghanaian carrier Starbow Airlines (S9) has announced the addition of added flights on its Accra - Kumasi and Accra - Tamale  routes following strong demand to both destinations.

► GAMBIA: Gambia Bird to launch two new European routes this summer; in early talks with 2 Middle Eastern carriers over possible partnership deal.

Gambia Bird (3G) has outlined its intended Summer network plans. Highlights include the launch of two new European destinations in addition to an increase in frequencies to Barcelona and London Gatwick. The fledgling carrier has also mentioned its involvement in early negotiations with two Middle Eastern carriers.

► GREECE: Egyptair boosts Athens flights from June.

Egyptian national carrier Egyptair (MS) will from 01JUN13 increase its Cairo – Athens service. The Star Alliance member will operate this route 14 weekly flights, compared to 10 weekly in same period (June – October) in 2012.

► DUBAI: RwandAir resumes Mombasa - Dubai, reduces Bujumbura frequencies from February.

Rwandair (WB) has announced the resumption of its 5th freedom flights between Mombasa (Kenya) and Dubai with3x weekly flights effective 02FEB13. Additionally, the carrier will from 01FEB13 reduce its current service to the Burundian capital, Bujumbura, from 3x to 2x daily flights, following the suspension of flights to Mwanza (Tanzania) effective 31JAN13.

► MOROCCO: Air Méditerranée to start Marseille - Oujda from mid June.

French carrier Air Méditerranée (ML) is to launch Oujda, Morocco, its fourth destination there, with twice weekly flights to Marseilles, France starting 16 June. The service will operate with a Boeing 737-500.

► 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.

►► SPAIN: Iberia to drop Cairo; to boost capacity to Casablanca, Algiers, Dakar, Nouakchott, and Malabo.

[UPDATE 30 JANUARY] Spanish carrier, Iberia (IB), has announced details of its new commercial and routes policies under the Transformation Plan it announced recently with various routes in Africa to be affected, for better and for worse.

■ ZAMBIA: Successful bidder for new $200m terminal at Lusaka's KK International Airport to be announced in next few weeks: NACL.

Zambia's National Airports Corporation Ltd should, in the next two weeks, announce the winner of the contract for the construction of a new passenger terminal at Lusaka's Kenneth Kaunda International Airport. The terminal is part of a USD500million project to upgrade the airport as a whole.

► MADAGASCAR: Air Madagascar reorganizes its domestic schedule, reduces Bangkok, Guangzhou flights from mid February.

Air Madagascar (MD) has announced a variety of changes to its local and international network in an attempt at improving customer satisfaction and avoiding disruption and inconvenience. Some of the changes have been effect since late January with others set to come into effect in mid February.

► LIBYA: See Pics of Afriqiyah's first A320 painted in the new livery!

In a ceremony held in Sebha, Libyan carrier Afriqiyah (8U) has taken delivery of its sixth and first A320 (MSN 5448 | 5N-ONO) painted in the airlines new "dove" livery.

■ ETHIOPIA: ECAA claims offers for talks with the UAE over a possible BASA have been ignored.

The Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority (ECAA) says its "invitation" to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to negotiate and complete a Bilateral Air Transport Service Agreement (BASA) between the two states, has been ignored.

► CONGO (KINSHASA): See Pics of Kabila's refurbished Presidential 707 due back in Kinshasa.

The Congolese Government is set to take redelivery of its Presidential Boeing 707-138B (MSN 64 | 9Q-CLK) used by strongman Joseph Kabila for international flights. The aircraft is one of 13 unique aircraft built for Qantas (QF) in 1959 and is also a sister-ship to John Travolta's Boeing 707.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: NTM's strike enters its 12th day as SAA remains defiant.

Claims by South African Airways (SA) that a 12 day old strike by the National Transport Movement (NTM) over lack of recognition has not affected its operations, have been hotly disputed by the union's deputy secretary general, Liver Mngomezulu.

► NIGERIA: Chanchangi Airlines to acquire two more 737s in the next 6 weeks with a further 2 jets to come thereafter.

Nigerian carrier, Chanchangi Airlines (5B), having resumed operations in December last year, is now set to acquire new aircraft under the auspices of the aviation intervention fund as provided for by the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON).

► SEYCHELLES: See Video of Air Seychelles' second A330 set to start ops in March.

Seychellois national carrier, Air Seychelles (HM), today took delivery of its second Airbus A330-200. The aircraft is scheduled to make its first test flight in February and will subsequently enter active service in March to launch Air Seychelles’ new international schedule, which includes new services to Hong Kong and increased frequencies to Abu Dhabi, Johannesburg and Mauritius.
 

► MAYOTTE: Air Caraïbes codesharing with Corsair on its Madagascar, Réunion, Dzaoudzi routes.

Air Caraïbes (TX), the regional airline of the French Caribbean, has since 10JAN13 expanded its codeshare operation with Corsair International (SS), which covers the latter’s France – Indian Ocean routes to Madagascar, La Réunion and Dzaoudzi (Mayotte).

■ KENYA: Fly540 issues statement regarding its legal battle with Lonrho Aviation.

Further to the press comment made by the UK’s Sunday Times newspaper (“EasyJet’s chairman quits after Stelios rows”, Section 3: Business, Page 1), Five Forty Aviation Ltd confirms that it has instructed its lawyers to recover an acknowledged debt of USD6.8million from Lonrho Aviation Ltd.

► SOUTH KOREA: SA Tourism looks to woo Korean Air as South Africa increasingly looks East to bolster its tourism numbers.

In a bid to woo more Asian tourists, South African Tourism, the South African department responsible for marketing the country as a tourist destination, has said it intends to lobby Korean Air (KE) to start flights between Seoul and Johannesburg and Cape Town.

■ NIGERIA: Bombardier appoints ExecuJet Nigeria as a Line Maintenance Facility for its Business Jets.

Bombardier Aerospace has named ExecuJet Nigeria in Lagos as a Line Maintenance Facility (LMF) for its line of Challenger 300, Challenger 604, Challenger 605, Global 5000, Global 6000, Global Express and Global Express XRS business jets.  The facility will complement ExecuJet’s centre in Lanseria, South Africa, which has been part of Bombardier’s Authorized Service Facility (ASF) network since 2002.

► KENYA: fastjet in talks to "partner" Jetlink Express; refutes allegations it owes money to Fly540 founder.

The "investors" bankrupt Kenyan regional operator, Jetlink Express (J0), mentioned have turned out to be none other than fastjet (FN). In a scenario that resembles its ongoing battle to acquire defunct South African LCC 1Time (T6), fastjet has mentioned that its interest in Jetlink revolves around the latter "owning the traffic rights for all local destinations, as well as a number of regional routes."