■ UNITED KINGDOM: Two Arik Air hostesses stopped with 6kgs cocaine, 60 cartons of smokes.

On Monday, May 20, two Arik Air (W3) air hostesses were apprehended by UK Border officials at London Heathrow Airport from Lagos, Nigeria after they were found in possession of six kilograms of cocaine with a street value of about GBP600'000 in addition to 60 cartons of cigarettes.

► GUINEA BISSAU: ASKY Airlines to start Bissau from July 15; plans South Africa, Angola and possibly Europe in future.

Ethiopian Airlines' West African subsidiary, ASKY Airlines (KP), is set to commence flights to Bissau, the capital of Guinea Bissau, from July 15 following the signing  of an agreement between the Bissau-Guinean civil aviation authority (Agência da Aviação Civil da Guiné-Bissau - AACGB) and ASKY officials.

■ ANGOLA: TAAG renews its IOSA certificate until May 2015.

Following an audit conducted between January 27-31 of this year, TAAG Linhas Aéreas de Angola (DT), the Angolan national carrier, has had its IATA Operational Safety Audity certificate renewed until May 22, 2015, TAAG Quality director, Joaquim Fortes, has announced. 

■ NIGERIA: Akwa Ibom State approaches Bombardier, Lufthansa Technik over possibility of MRO facility, new regional airline.

The local government of Nigeria's Akwa Ibom State has approached various international firms among them Canadian aircraft manufacturer, Bombardier Aerospace and Lufthansa Technik, over the possibility of them partnering the government in its project to build and operate an MRO Hangar facility at Uyo's new Ibom International Airport, currently under construction. A new regional carrier, Ibom Airlines, is also planned.

■ ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian set to become Africa's first pan-global carrier - report.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) could well become Africa's first Pan-Global carrier having already realised its initial goal of being the continent's first truly Pan-African airline. In an interview with industry standard, Airline Weekly, CEO Tewolde Gebremariam set forth his airline's future expansion plans which include the possibility of hubs in the West Coast of the US and a direct Mozambique - Brazil route amongst others.

► MALAWI: Presidential Jet sold to Bohnox Enterprises of the British Virgin Islands for $15mln.

Malawi's presidential jet, a 15-year-old Dassault Falcon 900-EX (MSN 38 | 7Q-ONE), has been sold to Bohnox Enterprises of the British Virgin Islands for USD15million .

■ EGYPT: Government to refloat tender for lease of Cairo Airport Terminal 1's "Hall 4" GA facility.

Egyptian Minister of Civil Aviation, Engineer Wael El-Maadawy, has announced the impending launch of an international tender for the lease of Cairo Terminal 1's Hall "4"; a facility dedicated to private and executive jet services.

■ MOZAMBIQUE: UAE, Mozambique sign Bilateral Air Services Agreement.

On Thursday 16 May, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) аnd Mozambique signed a bilateral air services agreement; the culmination οf more than seven years οf negotiations аnd consultations. Thе treaty was signed bу UAE’s minister fοr nation Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri and Mozambique’s Transport minister, Paulo Zucula.

■ KENYA: KAA deploys new ID management system to Kenyan Airports.

The Kenyan Airports Authority (KAA) has launched a state of the art, Identity Management Security System (IDMS) that will not only ensure security is heightened at its airports, but also improve customer experience. Managing access throughout its airports is critical not only for operational reasons but also for security in general.

► EGYPT: Turkish Airlines boosts Cairo, Alexandria frequencies from June.

Following the conclusion of a revised Bilateral Air Services Agreement with Egypt, Turkish Airlines (TK), will from 15JUN13, increases its Istanbul Ataturk – Cairo  services, where it’ll operate 21 weekly flights. The Star Alliance member currently operates 17 weekly flights. Additionally, Alexandria will be boosted to daily effective 13JUN..

■ NIGERIA: Gulfstream Aerospace appoints Evergreen Apple authorized sales reps.

Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. has announced that it is increasing its sales and marketing efforts in Europe and Africa with the June opening of a sales and design center in London and the appointment of company-authorized independent sales representatives in the United Kingdom, central Europe, Turkey and Nigeria.

► COMOROS: Inter Îles Air resumes flights with Saab 340; eyes Madagascar, Tanzania ops from June.

Comorian carrier, Inter Îles Air (ZXA), has resumed services with a Saab 340. The airline had suspended operations following the crash of its Embraer 120ER (MSN: 120-149 | D6-HUA) off the coast of Hahaya, Grande Comore on November 27, 2012.

■ QATAR: QCAA signs Open Skies deals with Chad, Tunisia; BASAs with Burundi and Egypt.

The State of Qatar, through the Qatari Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA), has announced the signing of various bilateral air service-related agreements and memoranda with various African countries over the past month. Agreements and Memoranda include: a finalized bilateral air services agreement (BASA) with Burundi that had previously been only initialled back in March 2010; a memorandum of understanding with Tunisia regarding its planned Open Skies treaty, a finalized Open Skies deal with Chad and an MoU pertaining to a BASA with Egypt.

►► GHANA: Royal Jordanian to start Lagos, Accra from early July..

[UPDATE 21 MAY] Jordanian operator, Royal Jordanian (RJ) is to venture into West Africa beginning late-June 2013 through the introduction of  of a twice weekly Amman - Lagos - Accra set to be operated with an Airbus A330-200.

■ SWITZERLAND: JETNET becomes AfBAA's 20th founding member.

The African Business Aviation Association (AfBAA) has announced at EBACE 2013, that JETNET, an international data and analysis company for commercial and business aircraft worldwide, has become its 20th Founding Member. 

► DUBAI: Somalia's Jubba Airways eyes direct Mogadishu - Dubai flights from late June.

Fresh from the recent launch of flights to Adado, Kismayo and Baidoa, Somalia carrier Jubba Airways (6J), says it intends to launch direct Mogadishu - Dubai flights with effect from late June, though timetable checks reveal a potential July 1 launch.

■ MADAGASCAR: Nosy-Be runway extension Phase 1 complete; now A340s and B777s can land.

The first phase of renovation works at Nosy Be's Fascene Airport, a leading tourist destination on the island of Madagascar, has been completed. While it is still subject to regulatory approvals, the airport, in addition to its newly lengthened runway, can now accommodate large aircraft such as the A340 or B777. A second phase of work in the long term should see it capable of handling the A380, authorities claim.

► ALGERIA: Air Algérie details its planned Joburg, Sao Paulo and Amsterdam flights.

Algerian national carrier, Air Algérie (AH), has hinted at possible dates for its planned new routes to Johannesburg, Amsterdam and Sao Paulo. The new destinations are part of the airline's reorientation plans which will see it transform Algiers into an international hub. 

■ MOROCCO: Royal Air Maroc set to rebound as operating profits hit $83million in 2012.

Following a record USD50million (MAD499million) net loss posted in 2011 which necessitated a USD193million capital injection by the Moroccan government, Royal Air Maroc (AT), says it has generated an operating profit of USD83million (MAD718million) for its most recent 2012 Financial Year with turnover for the year rising 7% to USD1.6billion (EUR1.25billion).

■■ NIGERIA: NAMA strike to lockdown Nigeria's airspace from midnight as negotiations with management break down.

[UPDATE 20 MAY] Employees of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) affiliated to the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), are to proceed with a strike beginning Monday 20 May at 00h01. The walkout has come about as result of an ongoing wage dispute with the organization's management.