► KENYA: Astral Aviation outlines expanded regional cargo network; to replace DC9s with MD83Fs.

Kenyan cargo operator, Astral Aviation (8V), has announced an enhanced intra-African freighter schedule which is based on a cautious expansion strategy to increase connectivity from its Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International hub to the East African region.

► SOUTH AFRICA: Government to forge ahead with plans to acquire "one or more" VVIP jets.

South Africa's  Defence and Military Veterans Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has announced the acquisition of one or more new VVIP aircraft during the course of the current financial year. According to the minister, the added aircraft will give the South African military its own airlift capacity.

► SEYCHELLES: Qatar Airways to axe Seychelles flights from September.

Qatar Airways (QR) are set to abandon their daily A319-operated flights to Mahé, Seychelles with effect from 01SEP.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Comair Ltd signs deal with Investec to finance purchase of four 737-800s.

Following a previous transaction which saw South Africa's Comair acquire four new Boeing 737-800s for its LCC, kulula (MN), the airline group has selected Investec Aviation Finance to act as financier of the pre-delivery payments and as lead arranger and advisor on the term finance for Comair’s additional four Boeing 737-800 purchases.

► CONGO (KINSHASA): Korongo's only aircraft suffers wing damage in Lubumbashi; Safair 737 being leased in the meantime.

Korongo Airlines (ZC) sole remaining aircraft, a Boeing 737-300 (MSN 25070 | OO-LTM), on the evening of Friday May 24, suffered damage to its left wing tip while taxiing to its parking position at Lubumbashi's Luano International Airport, the carrier has announced.

► NIGERIA: Ethiopian deploys 787 onto Lagos route until late June.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET), from 27MAY13 to 30JUN13, are to change their operational aircraft on their Addis Ababa – Lagos route, where Boeing 787 aircraft now replace B777-200LR aircraft on a daily basis.

►► CHINA: Egyptair cancels plans to boost Beijing flights to 4x weekly from July.

[UPDATE 27 MAY] As per 13MAY13 GDS Inventory display, Egyptair is currently planning to add a 4th weekly Cairo – Beijing flight, starting 01JUL13. The new flight will operate from Cairo on Mondays, Wednesdays from Beijing. Reservation for the new flight, however, is not currently available.

■■ EGYPT: Cairo International Airport shelves plans to partially close in the early hours from June onwards in bid to cut costs.

[UPDATE 27 MAY] From 1 June onwards, Cairo International Airport, one of the Middle East's most important aviation hubs, is to partially close during the early morning hours in a bid to reduce soaring costs as the Egyptian government struggles to pay its ever increasing power bills.

► NIGERIA: AeroContractors planning big regional push before Q4 of this year.

Nigeria's second largest airline, Aero Contractors, is considering a big push into the subregion following the recent announcement of its inaugural flights to Douala, Cameroon's largest city, set for today 27 May.

■ LIBERIA: Equatorial Guinea to finance the expansion of Monrovia's Roberts International Airport.

Equato-Guinean strongman, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, has agreed to arrange the financing and construction of infrastructure at Liberia's sole international airport, Monrovia's Roberts International Airport, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Thales to upgrade ATNS South Africa's Radar system, ATM systems.

Thales and Air Traffic Navigation Services (ATNS) Company of South Africa have announced the recent signing of contracts including the replacement of the legacy ATNS ATM system with Thales' TopSky-ATC and the installation of Thales 970s Radars at the Wakkerstroom, Potgieterus and Rhodes radar sites. The contract also provides for a support and maintenance agreement for all existing ATNS radar sensors and TopSky-ATC systems.

► CHAD: New carrier, AG Air, begins ops using a 737-300 leased from Georgian Star.

AG Air, a new Chadian carrier, has taken delivery of a leased B737-300 (MSN 24717 | 4L-IMA) from Georgian Star International.

■ CAMEROON: Camair-Co allegedly seeking government funds ahead of massive restructuring exercise.

The new CEO of Cameroonian national carrier, Camair-Co (QC), Matthijs Boertien, has reportedly asked the carrier's sole shareholder, the Cameroonian government, for funding to help support the airline for the next six months as part of a restructuring exercise.

► ZIMBABWE: See Pics of Air Zimbabwe's first A320 fully painted in new colours.

Air Zimbabwe (UM) has taken re-delivery of its Airbus A320-200 (MCN 630 | Z-WPM) following recent pre-entry-into-service checks carried out at Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport.

► CHINA: Kenya Airways reduces Bangkok - Guangzhou route in early 2014.

As per the 23MAY13 GDS timetable/inventory display, Kenya Airways (KQ) is currently displaying service reductions on its Nairobi - Bangkok - Guangzhou route, effective 10FEB14. The airline plans to operate 5 weekly instead of a daily service, however further changes remain possible in the next few months.

► ANGOLA: TAP Portugal to boost Luanda frequencies between June and September.

In line with its increased flights to former colony Mozambique this summer, Portugal's TAP Portugal (TP) will also increase its weekly frequencies between Lisbon and Luanda, Angola, from daily, to ten times weekly for the period  June 8 to September 29. During the period an additional 3 weekly day time flights (ex-Lisbon) will operate.

► PERU: South African Airways considering Lima flights as talk of possible codeshare deals with Brazil's TAM and Azul grows.

South African Airways (SA) has expressed interest in commencing flights to Lima, Peru according to Carlos Canales, the head of Peru's National Chamber of Tourism (Cámara Nacional de Turismo del Perú - CANATUR).

■ NIGERIA: US-based Flight Source International, AvonHeli Systems planning to establish MRO facility in Nigeria.

US-based Flight Source International, in cooperation with Nigeria’s Avon Heli System West Africa Limited, is planning to establish a helicopter and aircraft MRO hangar facility in Nigeria, Avon CEO, Mr. Ajayi Aremu, has said.

■ UGANDA: UCAA to upgrade Entebbe departure lounge; to finalize master plan for expansion works.

Uganda's Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) has contracted Arch Design Architects & Engineers to redesign the entire departure area of Entebbe International Airport as part of plans to improve the airport and its ageing facilities.

■ 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.