► KENYA: Updates on ALS Aircraft Leasing, Mombasa Air Safari, Skyward International and Phoenix Aviation ops.

Kenyan operators ALS - Aircraft Leasing Services (K4) and Skyward International Aviation have taken delivery of an Embraer ERJ-145 and a Fokker 50 respectively while Mombasa Air Safari (RRV) and Phoenix Aviation are to retire their Let 410s and McDonnell Douglas MD83 respectively.

► COMOROS: Air Tanzania resumes Dar es Salaam - Moroni flights from late March.

Tanzanian national carrier Air Tanzania (TC) will resume flights from Dar es Salaam to Moroni (Comoros) effective 25 March. Flights will operate three times weekly using Air Tanzania's leased Boeing 737-200Adv.

■ SEYCHELLES: Air Seychelles officially announces $1mln profit for FY2012/2013.

Following three years of losses, Air Seychelles (HM), the national airline of the Seychelles, today officially reported a net profit of USD1million for its 2012/2013 Financial Year. The positive result comes just 12 months after Abu Dhabi carrier Etihad Airways (EY) acquired a 40 per cent stake in the airline and was awarded a five year management contract. The result beats Etihad's original expectations in which the Gulf carrier projected Air Seychelles to turn a profit albeit within the first 24 months of operation.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: fastjet files letter of intent with 1Time's creditors in Johannesburg; one step closer to launching.

LCC fastjet (FN) has taken, what it terms, "a major step” towards its acquisition of defunct South African LCC 1Time (T6) through the filing of a letter of intent with the airline's liquidators in Johannesburg. The move comes on the back of a visit by fastjet's Chairman and Chief Executive, David Lenigas, to South Africa, last week.

►► KENYA: First of four Kenya Airways Boeing 737-300s set for Cargo conversion.

[UPDATE 18 MARCH] Kenya Airways (KQ) has announced plans to convert four of its six Boeing 737-300s into regional cargo freighters in a move that will see the carriers' cargo division, Kenya Airways Cargo, increasing its presence in Eastern, Central, and Southern Africa.

► CHINA: Air Mauritius switches flights to Shanghai to afternoon ops during Northern Summer 2013.

AirlineRoute reports that Air Mauritius (MK) will, starting 31MAR13, adjust its northbound schedule on its Mauritius – Shanghai Pu Dong route, as the carrier shifts its night-time departure, ex-Mauritius, to the afternoon.

► SAUDI ARABIA: Palestinian Airlines, Egyptair cooperating on El Arish - Jeddah Umra flights.

EgyptAir (MS) in late January, signed a cooperation agreement with Palestinian Airlines (PF) to operate a series of pilgrimage flights on behalf of the Palestinian carrier out of its current base in El-Arish, Egypt to Muslim holy sites in Saudi Arabia. 

■ NAMIBIA: NAC upgrading Windhoek-Eros Airport with new fire station, blast fence.

The Namibian Airports Company (NAC) is currently constructing a new USD1.36million (NAD12.5million) state-of-the art fire and rescue station at Windhoek's Eros Airport. Together with  an emergency control centre, as well as ablution and recreational facilities for staff, the new facilities will allow the airport to comply with standards stipulated by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

■ ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian Airlines to acquire Q400, B787 simulators this year.

Ethiopian Airlines' (ET) Aviation Academy is to acquire two new flight simulators for delivery later this year. The Bombardier Q400 simulator is expected in the coming months with a Boeing B787-8 simulator having recently been tendered for.

► NIGERIA: Emirates, Turkish Airlines granted rights to Kano; flights to begin by end of March says Princess Stella.

Turkish Airlines (TK) and Emirates (EK) will commence services to the northern Nigerian city of Kano before month-end according to Nigerian Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah. Princess Oduah made the remarks during the recent opening of the newly renovated and expanded international terminal at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA).

■ EGYPT: Finalized plan for new $20billion Cairo "airport city" development to be presented in April.

Planning for the construction of a new USD20billion "airport city" near Cairo International Airport is to be concluded come April reports from Egypt’s Ministry of Civil Aviation state. The new development will be the first of three similar projects to be built in the capital, Alexandria (Burg Al Arab airport) and at Port Said airport.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: fastjet in talks with local South African partner to bypass 25% foreign ownership cap in 1Time.

Following on from our last report, LCC fastjet (FN) is now reportedly in negotiations with a "credible local South African partner" to aide in its protracted battle to acquire control of bankrupt South African carrier, 1Time (T6). This comes after an outcry from the local airline community including South African Airways and Comair Ltd, forced fastjet to rethink its strategy to acquire 1Time, which until now, has been blocked by South African law.

■ EGYPT: Egyptair losses total $880million since 2011 Revolution: al-Maddawy.

Egypt's Minister of Civil Aviation, Wael al-Maddawy, says Egyptian national carrier, Egyptair (MS), has posted continuous losses of USD880million (EGP6billion) since the 2011 Egyptian revolution which lead to the fall of then president, Hosni Mubarak, and his regime.

► ZAMBIA: (Pic) Singapore Airlines Cargo 747F touches down in Lusaka.

Singapore Airlines Cargo (SV), the cargo wing of Singapore Airlines, on Monday 11 March 2013, operated a one-off Boeing 747-400F flight into the Zambian capital, Lusaka.

► NIGERIA: Dana Air grounded as Aviation Ministry revokes its AOC.

Nigeria's Dana Air (9J), has had its Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) revoked by the Nigerian Ministry of Aviation acting through the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). The move comes only 3 months after the carrier received its revalidated AOC and resumed operations.

■ TANZANIA: Worldwide Flight Services, Wings Flight Services win tender to operate new USD6million cargo terminal at JNIA.

Global ground service providers, Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), has entered into a long-term partnership with Wings Flight Services in Tanzania to operate a new cargo terminal at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: SAA considers legal action against kulula over the latter's new branding.

As previously speculated by The African Aviation Tribune, South African Airways (SA) is likely to instigate legal proceedings against Comair Ltd.'s LCC kulula (MN) over the latter's controversial new branding which mocks the South African national carrier.

■ ANGOLA: Namibe Airport closed for renovation, expansion until August 2013: ENANA.

Angola's airport and air traffic authority Empresa Nacional de Aeroportos e Navegação Aérea (ENANA) has announced the closure of Yuri Gagarin International Airport in the south western port city of Namibe. The airport will be closed until August 2013 at the earliest to allow for rehabilitation and expansion works to proceed.

► NIGERIA: Arik Air signs ACMI deal with Emirate Touch Aviation for two B737-300s.

Nigeria's Arik Air (WB) has signed an ACMI lease agreement with Kano-based Emirate Touch Aviation Services Limited for the use of two of Arik's stored Boeing 737-300s for cargo ops.

►► ZIMBABWE: KLM to restart Harare service from 29 October.

[UPDATE 14 MARCH] After a 10 year hiatus from the Zimbabwean capital Harare, KLM Dutch Airlines (KL) has announced the resumption of its Amsterdam - Harare service, albeit with a stopover in Lusaka.