► SWAZILAND: Government to force Swazi Airlink to use Sikhuphe Int'l Airport come its opening in September - PM

The Swaziland Government is set to force national carrier, Swazi Airlink (SZL) to use Sikhuphe International Airport come its opening due in either "August or September 2013." Works are scheduled to be completed in April with a three month staff testing familiarization period planned thereafter.

■ BOTSWANA: Air Botswana inaugurates new Pula Lounge at Gaborone SSKIA Airport.

Air Botswana (BP) has officially opened its new lounge at Gaborone's Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (SSKIA). Dubbed the Pula Lounge, after Botswana's national currency, the Pula, the facility will be available to members of Air Botswana's frequent flyer scheme, Teemane Club.

► UNITED KINGDOM: Air Zimbabwe pushes back planned launch of London flights to July.

Air Zimbabwe (UM) has delayed its planned launch date for international operations to London Gatwick to 1 July as its pushes to consolidate its domestic and regional operations first. Previously, the carrier had mentioned March as a possible date.

■ LIBYA: Lufthansa Systems, Libyan Airlines sign 5 year deal for supply of flight ops software.

Lufthansa Systems, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group that  provides consulting and IT services for selected industries, today announced that Libyan Airlines (LN) has signed a five-year contract for its Lido/Flight flight planning solution as well as its Lido/RouteManual and Lido/eRouteManual navigation charts.

► 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.