► ZIMBABWE: China Sonangol denies its A320 being used for diamond smuggling.

China Sonangol, the joint venture between the Hong Kong based China International Fund (or the 88 Queensway group) and Angola's state-owned oil company Sonangol, has denied a report by whistle-blower site, 100Reporters, alleging that its Airbus A319 (MSN 2706 | VP-BEX) was being used to "smuggle" diamonds from Zimbabwe's controversial Marange diamond fields.

■ NAMIBIA: Air Namibia due for $120mln bailout from Government this year with more big spending to come.

In what is fast becoming a bad trend amongst southern African carriers - the South African government "loaning" South African Airways (SA) over USD500million and Zimbabwe set to cover Air Zimbabwe's USD188million debt bill - it appears that the Namibian Government has now budgeted a whooping USD120million (NAD1.1billion) to pay for "business plan updates and outstanding debts" for struggling national carrier Air Namibia (SW), with further allocations due until 2016.

► TUNISIA: Alitalia to launch 2x weekly Rome - Djerba flights from June.

Italian carrier, Alitalia (AZ), is to launch twice weekly seasonal flights from Rome Fiumicino to Djerba, Tunisia for the duration of Summer 2013.

►► CONGO (KINSHASA): CAA Fokker 50 crashes on approach into Goma; 6 dead.

Congo's Radio Okapi is reporting that a Fokker 50 (MSN 20270 | 9Q-CBD) belonging to CAA - Compagnie Africaine d'Aviation (FPY) crashed into a residential area at 17h44L on Monday afternoon while landing in bad weather at Goma International Airport, North Kivu Province in the eastern DRC. CAA operates four Fokker 50s.

■ NIGERIA: Arik Air to partner Lufthansa Technik, Boeing, Bombardier in rebuilding its MRO Hangar in Lagos.

Nigerian private carrier, Arik Air (W3), will partner Lufthansa Technik, Bombardier and Boeing in rebuilding its aircraft maintenance hangar at Lagos Murtala Mohammed International Airport.

► CONGO (KINSHASA): Air Kasaï due to take delivery of first ATR 72.

Kinshasa-based Air Kasaï is planning to take delivery of its first, and the Democratic Republic of Congo's first, ATR72 (MSN 408 | 9Q-?) according to Skyliner.de. The delivery will mark the relaunch of the airline into the local and regional market.

► SOUTH AFRICA: Blu Crane Air looking to start PE - George, Mthatha, King William's Town if market permits.

Marcus Van Heerden, the owner of Blu Crane Air, the Port Elizabeth based start up, says his plan for the airline is to fill "a gap in the Eastern Cape air route network," and not to compete with established carriers, though the addition of charter operations to Mozambique and Namibia in future does remain a possibility.

►► ALGERIA: Tassili Airlines to début domestic ops with Algiers - Adrar, Tamanrasset flights on 2 March.

On the occasion of its venture into the scheduled domestic operation scene, Algeria's Tassili Airlines (SF) has announced that its inaugural flight, with accompanying ceremony, will be held on 2 March at Algier's Houari Boumediene International Airport.

► THAILAND: Air Austral switches Chennai/Bangkok flights to night time ops from late March.

Réunion-based carrier Air Austral (UU), from 31MAR13, is to adjust its operational schedule on its St. Denis de la Réunion – Chennai (Madras) – Bangkok service. Currently, the airline operates morning and night-time departure from St. Denis, 1 weekly each. This will be changed to a night-time departure only.

■ ETHIOPIA: Works start on new $100mln Ethiopian Airlines MRO Hangar; new Cold Storage Cargo facility to come online shortly.

Ethiopian Airlines' (ET) Cargo and Maintenance divisions are to take a step closer to realizing their Vision 2025 objectives in the coming weeks following the launch of construction works for a new MRO hangar facility at Bole International Airport capable of housing Boeing 777s, 787s and 747s. Also on the cards is the upcoming inauguration of a USD3.4million (ETB63million) cold storage warehouse, due for completion shortly.

► MAURITIUS: Condor to start Munich - Mombasa, Mauritius from late 2013.

German charter carrier, Condor Flugdienst (DE), is to launch once weekly Munich - Mombasa and once weekly Munich - Mauritius flights in November and December respectively. Both destinations are currently served out of Frankfurt. 

► SOUTH AFRICA: Edelweiss Air to continue 2x weekly Cape Town ops for Winter 2013/14.

Swiss charter airline, Edelweiss Airlines (WK) is to maintain its seasonal twice weekly Zurich - Cape Town service during the Northern Winter 2013/2014 season. The Airbus A330 service operates under a code share with Swiss Airlines (LX).

► KENYA: Cargo outfit Coyne Airways expands to 30 destinations throughout Africa.

London-based cargo outfit Coyne Airways (7C) has launched what it terms "customer-focused services" to over 30 destinations across Africa, routed through three of the Continent’s main hubs - Lagos, Nairobi and Johannesburg.

► MOZAMBIQUE: TAP Air Portugal outlines Maputo frequency increases for April - October.

Portuguese carrier TAP Air Portugal (TP) has announced it will increase its Lisbon - Maputo flights effective 1 April. In addition, TAP will deploy its Airbus A330 onto the route according to demand.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Tough break for Denel AMG employees as just 139 out of 523 are to be retained under new SAAF deal.

South African trade union, Solidarity, has announced that only 139 employees out of 523 will be retained on a new aircraft maintenance contract to be signed between the South African Air Force (SAAF) and defense contractor Denel Aviation/AeroManpower Group. This means that 384 employees will lose their jobs by the end of March. The union had originally pinned its hopes on 150 personnel being retained. 

 

■ LIBERIA: Government clarifies awarding of contract for new $11mln hotel at Roberts International Airport.

The Liberian Government says it has indeed awarded an USD11million contract for the construction of a 5-star hotel at Monrovia's Roberts International Airport to local tycoon, Mr. George Abi-Jaoudi, a Lebanese businessman. Liberian Minister of Transport,  Eugene Lenn Nagbe, made the statement following much speculation in the Liberian press over the nature of the award given Mr Abi-Jaoudi's relationship to the Liberian First Family.

► SOUTH AFRICA: (Pics) Antonov An-2 biplane completes epic 20'000km journey from Russia to South Africa.

An Antonov An-2 christened Anushka (Little Annie in Russian) (MCN 1G226-49 | RA-33390) has completed its 20'000km journey from northern Russia to South Africa, where it is to be used to carry out charitable work supporting humanitarian causes in southern Africa. Donated by Russian airline UTair (UT) with South Africa's ExecuJet set to provide the necessary support and maintenance, Anushka, a former cargo hauler, will now operate out of Lanseria Airport, Johannesburg under the "Just Love" banner.

► EGYPT: Midwest Airlines, Egypt Leisure Airlines eye Egyptair's retired 737-500 fleet for planned ops.

Egyptair's (MS) fleet of retired Boeing 737-500s have become a hot potato on the Egyptian domestic scene with two carriers, Midwest Airlines and Egypt Leisine Airlines, eyeing them for use in planned operations.

► GAMBIA: Aeolus Air set to take delivery of A320; to start weekly Dakar ops from April.

Banjul based ACMI outfit, Aeolus Air (AAZ) is to offer a weekly scheduled Let 410 service between Banjul and the Senegalese capital, Dakar effective 7 April.

■ SENEGAL: ASECNA awarded €2.8mln contract to begin set up of Global Navigation Satellite System in Africa.

The Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (L'Agence pour la Sécurité de la Navigation aérienne en Afrique et à Madagascar - ASECNA) the pan-African air navigation service provider, has been awarded a EUR2.8million contract for the implementation of Global Navigation Satellite Systems across Africa. The contracts comes under a EUR9million programme entitled "Support to the airline industry and applications of satellite services in Africa" under the joint auspices of the ACP (Africa, Caribbean and Pacific) Group of States Secretariat and the European Commission (EC).