■ SOUTH AFRICA: ACSA awards ADB Airfield Solutions contract to upgrade Cape Town Int'l runway lighting.

Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has awarded a contract to US based airfield lighting specialists ADB Airfield Solutions to upgrade the AGL – Airfield Ground  Lighting at Cape Town International Airport. The contract comes after ACSA awarded ADB a double contract in December 2012 to install a CAT III Normarc ILS at Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport's runway 21L in addition to installing added taxiway centreline lighting to support the airport’s move to a CAT III airfield.

■ TANZANIA: Sauda Rajab appointed new helmsman at Precision Air as Kioko steps down.

Tanzania's Precision Air (PW) has announced the appointment of Ms Sauda S. Rajab to the position of Group Managing Director & CEO following the expiry of incumbent Alphonse Kioko's contract.

► SUDAN: Sudanese Government in talks with Antonov over purchase of An148s/158s for Sudan Airways.

Sudan’s Transport Minister, Ahmed Babiker Nahar has signed a preliminary deal with Ukrainian aircraft manufacturer, Antonov, for the purchase of  five Antonov aircraft for onward placement in Sudan Airways (SD). The move was precipitated by Sudan Airways' inability to access Western aircraft owing to US trade sanctions against Khartoum.

■ MALAWI: Ethiopian Airlines wins 49% stake in renewed Malawian national carrier.

Leading on from our previous post, Malawi's Privatization Commission yesterday declared Ethiopian Airlines (ET) the winner of the 49% Foreign Shareholder stake up for grabs in a renewed Malawian national carrier, set to succeed the quasi-defunct Air Malawi (QM). The Ethiopian national carrier was named the preferred bidder for the position of strategic partner in the new airline, Air Malawi (2012) Limited, based on its "global experience and competitiveness".

► SEYCHELLES: Air Berlin, Air Seychelles sign codeshare deal.

airberlin(AB), Europe’s seventh largest airline, and Air Seychelles (HM), the national airline of the Seychelles, today signed a codeshare agreement which will see Air Seychelles’ HM code placed on four of airberlin’s daily return services between Abu Dhabi and Berlin, Düsseldorf complementing the island carrier’s existing 26 weekly codeshare connections with Etihad Airways (AY) to Frankfurt, Munich and Düsseldorf.

► NIGERIA: Azman Airlines, JedAir looking to start domestic, regional ops in H1.

Two carriers are looking to start domestic operations in Nigeria shortly: Azman Airlines and Jedair, a former charter airline that has reportedly entered into an ACMI deal with a Canadian firm.

■ MAURITIUS: Viljoen's leadership beginning to pay off as Air Mauritius continues to improve, but not out of woods yet.

Mauritian national carrier, Air Mauritius (MK), is beginning to reap the rewards of its envisioned 7 Step Recovery Plan amid reports that it has posted a USD9.6million (EUR6.4million) profit for Q3 (October-December) of its 2012/2013 Financial Year. However, overall results combined for Q1, Q2, Q3 show the carrier still made a substantive pre-tax loss of USD3.33million (EUR2.5 million).

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Comair Ltd posts $9mln profit for H2 2012 as Middle Eastern carriers begin to bite.

South Africa's Comair Ltd, the owners of LCC Kulula (MN) the BA Comair franchise, has posted an after-tax profit of USD8.97million (ZAR79million) for H2 (July - December 2012) as revenue influx grew 20% on the same period in 2011. 

► MALAWI: Air Malawi ceases all flights as new foreign investor to be announced in due course.

Malawi's beleaguered national carrier, Air Malawi (QM), has officially ceased flights with 243 employees also having been laid off, as the airline is liquidated in preparation for the founding of a new privatized venture, Air Malawi 2012.

► BURKINA FASO: Tunisair to start Ouagadougou from 30 March; Ndjamena, Niamey, Douala to follow later.

Tunisian national airline, Tunisair (TU), has announced it will start 3x weekly Tunis - Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso flights with a stop in Bamako, Mali effective 30 March 2013. Flights will operate with an Airbus A320. The new route is part of Tunisair's new model of targeting under served emerging markets in Sub Saharan Africa, with twenty new routes planned for in the coming 5 years.

► SOUTH AFRICA: SAA seeks to alter Airbus A320 deal to lease, not buy.

South Africa's loss making parastatal, South African Airways (SA), is to renegotiate its deal with Airbus Industrie SAS signed 11 years ago for 20 Airbus A320s. The cash strapped national carrier is said to be looking to lease the aircraft, as opposed to buying them, thereby allowing SAA to recuperate pre-delivery payments it made to purchase the aircraft, bringing in some much needed liquidity into the struggling airline.

►► KENYA: Kenya Airways to adjust Thailand, China, India, Dubai, Hong Kong ops from late March.

[UPDATE 14 FEBRUARY] AirlineRoute reports that as per the 06FEB13 GDS timetable and inventory display, Kenya Airways (KQ) is to adjust its operations to Thailand, China, India, Dubai, and Hong Kong.

► ANGOLA: SAA switches Lagos, Luanda to A340-300 from late March.

According to AirlineRoute, as per the 14FEB13 GDS timetable and inventory display, South African Airways (SA) is to adjust its operational aircraft in service to Lagos and Luanda, effective 31MAR13. The Airbus A340-300 aircraft will replace the A340-600 in service in the routes currently.

► NIGER: Nigerien Government to form new national airline - Niger Airways - with Turkish Airlines as strategic partner.

The Nigerien Government has announced the formation of a new national carrier, Niger Airways, in which Turkish Airlines (TK) will be a strategic partner. Amongst the carrier's first priorities will be the operation of flights between Niamey and the country's secondary cities - Agadez, Arlit, Dosso and Zinder in particular - and regional capitals.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Negotiations opened with Air Seychelles, other carriers over possible start of Durban - Seychelles & India flights.

South Africa's KwaZulu/Natal MEC for Economic Development and Tourism, Mike Mabuyakhulu, says that negotiations have been opened with Air Seychelles (HM) over the possible start of flights from Seychelles to the Indian Ocean city of Durban. Additionally, direct flights to India are also said to have been discussed with “a number” of airlines, as Durban is home to the largest population of Indians outside of India itself.

► NIGERIA: Etihad goes daily to Lagos from late March.

Following on from its increased Khartoum operations, Etihad Airways(EY), the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, will now upgrade its Lagos service to daily to meet growing demand from passengers travelling to and from Nigeria. Beginning 31 March a new Thursday service will be introduced on board an Airbus A330-200 bringing total weekly frequencies up to 7 (i.e. daily).

► CONGO (KINSHASA): Allard dispels rumours of financial difficulties as Korongo sells off its sole BAe146.

CEO Christophe Allard, has denied media reports that Congolese carrier Korongo Airlines (ZC) is in financial trouble following the sale its sole BAe 146-200 (MSN 2196 | OO-DJJ) to an undisclosed American buyer last week.

► SUDAN: Etihad bucks trend, boosts Khartoum flights to daily.

UAE carrier Etihad Airways (EY) has increased its service from Abu Dhabi to the Sudanese capital, Khartoum with the addition of two extra weekly flights bringing the frequency up from five flights per week to daily. Etihad operates a two-class cabin A320-200 to Khartoum, configured to carry 136 passengers, with 16 in business class and 120 in economy class.

► TUNISIA: (Pics) Tunisair takes delivery of its fourth Airbus A320 at Tunis Carthage International.

Tunisian carrier, Tunisair (TU), yesterday took delivery of its fourth Airbus A320-214 (MSN 5474 | TS-IMU) christened "Sousse". The aircraft was welcomed at a ceremony held by the airline at Tunis Carthage International Airport.

►► EQUATORIAL GUINEA: Punto Azul to resume regional ops in March with Angola, Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana planned for later.

[UPDATE 12 FEBRUARY] Equato-guinean private operator Punto Azul (ZR) has announced the resumption of services with new routes in the pipeline. Making the announcement in Malabo, Punto Azul CEO, Rene Janata, explained the necessity of the measure in relation to the consolidation of future operations and compliance with airline's projected growth targets. The carrier has also signed a new agreement with a new operator, South Africa's National Airways Corporation.