■ ETHIOPIA: EAE to open enlarged apron at Addis Ababa Bole in coming months; projects in Jimma, Assosa, Bahir Dar soon.

The Ethiopian Airports Enterprise (EAE) says the opening of Addis Ababa Bole International's USD84million upgraded apron, capable of handling 44 aircraft, is expected to come online in the next few months.

► FLEET UPDATE BULLETIN: Rwandair, Haajara Airline, AeroContractors, SA Express, Afriqiyah, Kush Air, Skyward International, Tunisair.

The following is a fleet update bulletin for aircraft that are in use, have been in use or will be in use for these listed airlines: Rwandair, Haajara Airline, AeroContractors, SA Express, Afriqiyah, Kush Air, Skyward International, Tunisair.

► BOTSWANA: Kenya Airways boosts Gaborone flights; eyes Francistown, Maun next.

Buoyed by the success of its Gaborone flights, Kenya Airways (KQ) is considering introducing flights to Francistown and Maun, the airline's country manager Juliet Zintambila has announced. Both airports have recently seen upgrades allowing them to handle heavier aircraft and greater passenger volumes.

 

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Boeing, CSIR to cooperate on research for use of titanium powder in manufacturing.

Boeing and South Africa’s Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) have announced that they will conduct joint research on ways to incorporate titanium powder into industrial manufacturing processes. This mutually beneficial research collaboration supports South Africa’s long-term economic development and could expand the supply of titanium for many industries, including aerospace.

► COMOROS: New carrier, Gafo Air, eyes flights to South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya and Sudan.

New Zealand energy consortium, GAFO Energy NZ, appears to be in the process of setting up a new regional carrier out of Moroni in the Comoros, dubbed Gafo Air.

● GHANA: First African Air Expo due to be held in Accra from 9 - 11 October 2014.

A completely new African aviation exhibition, African Air Expo 2014, was launched at this year’s Cannes AirShow when Didier Mary, Managing Director of AirShow organizers, Adone Events signed a protocol agreement to organize the show. Under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Ghana, Mr John Dramani Mahama and the Minister of Transport, Mrs Dzifa Ativor, Adone Events will coordinate the exhibition to be held in Ghana 9 – 11 October, 2014.   The event will take place at Kotoka International Airport in Accra, capital of Ghana, and will welcome exhibitors and delegates from across the Sub-Saharan region.

■ KENYA: Jetlink Express pitches debt-restructuring deal to creditors as means of returning to operations.

Jetlink Express (J0), the bankrupt Kenyan regional operator, has attempted to offer its various creditors shares in a recovery plan, set to be funded by CFC Stanbic Bank.

► CONGO (KINSHASA): Korongo to add another 737, turboprop before year-end: Allard.

Korongo Airlines (ZC) CEO Christophe Allard says his airline is expecting to add an additional 737 (type unspecified) and a 50-seater turboprop to its fleet before the end of the year. Funding arrangements are to be confirmed.

■ UNITED KINGDOM: fastjet boss David Lenigas resigns.

David Lenigas has resigned as chairman of struggling Tanzanian LCC, fastjet (FN) with immediate effect and has been replaced by Chief Executive Officer, Ed Winter, on an interim basis, until a permanent successor is found. 

■ KENYA: Fly540, Qatar Airways sign interline deal.

Fly540 Kenya (5H), has announced the expansion of its flight network with the signing of its first international interline agreement with Qatar Airways (QR) which will initially entail providing an inbound interline service for passengers arriving in Kenya.

■ NIGERIA: (Pics) Controversy over Dana Air 9J997's Memorial Cenotaph in Lagos.

Controversy has been sparked following the unveiling by the Lagos State government of a cenotaph at the site of the crash of Dana Air 9J977 at Iju-Ishaga in Lagos in which the names of the crew were omitted and a poorly built, mangled aircraft model used to replicate the doomed McDonnell Douglas MD83. The disaster, which occurred on June 3 last year, claimed the lives of all 153 passengers on-board with a further 10 on the ground.

■ UNITED KINGDOM: fastjet scraps $23.5mln deal with New York's Bergen Global.

fastjet (FN) has scrapped its convertible arrangement with New York-based asset management firm Bergen Global Opportunity Fund, because of the "potential adverse impact on the share price."

■ NAMIBIA: Theo Namases blames NAC for holding back Air Namibia.

Theo Namases, the Managing Director of Air Namibia (SW), says a lack of collaboration between the airline and fellow parastatal, the Namibia Airport Company (NAC), is adversely affecting the former's operations.

■ RÉUNION: Air Austral sees overall losses for FY2012/13 drop by 40%.

La Réunion's Air Austral (UU) has announced a turnaround in its fortunes, roughly one year on from the appointment of Mr Marie-Joseph Malé as new CEO of the company. For its 2012/13 Financial Year which ended on March 31, the carrier posted losses of USD35.8million (EUR27.06million), an improvement of  40%  on last year's numbers (USD50.8million loss).

► BRAZIL: Royal Air Maroc to return to Brazil from mid December.

Morocco's national carrier, Royal Air Maroc (AT) is set to join the growing number of African carriers jostling for a share of the growing South America - Africa market when it resumes flights to Brazil from December this year. Swiss aviation newswire, ch-aviation, reports that flights from Casablanca to Sao Paolo will operate 3x weekly using a 767-300ER effective 20 December.

► MALAWI: See Video of Proflight Zambia's inaugural Lusaka - Lilongwe flight.

Proflight Zambia (P0) débutted its regional operations with direct Lusaka to Lilongwe, Malawi flights on Tuesday June 4. According to the airline, the return flight is timed so that it can provide smooth connections to Emirates (EK) daily service from Harare to Dubai via Lusaka. Flights will initially operate with Proflight’s 29-seater Jetstream 41 aircraft.

► TUNISIA: Tunisair believed to have cancelled its order for three A350-800s.

Tunisia's national carrier, Tunisair (TU), has apparently backed out of plans to acquire three Airbus A350-800s, the shortest fuselage version in Airbus' new A350 XWB family of mid-sized widebody airliners, after the European aircraft manufacturer failed to list the order in its May 2013 orders summary.

► SINGAPORE: Ethiopian seeks closer ties with Singapore Airlines as means of entering Australian market.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) is eyeing closer ties with fellow Star Alliance carrier, Singapore Airlines (SQ), as a means of entering the Australian market, airline CEO, Tewolde Gebremariam has disclosed.

■ TANZANIA: Precision Air announces operational review; Harare flights to begin "shortly".

Tanzanian operator, Precision Air (PW), has announced it is in the process of reviewing its operational 5-year plan as part of its expansion and business review. According to CEO, Sauda Rajab, her airline intends to review its operational and fleet expansion measures while reassessing its current position on the Tanzanian and regional markets.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Comair Ltd forecasts 20% rise in earnings for this year as fastjet may face more launch obstacles.

South African aviation group, Comair Ltd, the parent company of both kulula.com (MN) and its British Airways-franchise, BA Comair, says it expects its headline earnings and earnings per share for the first nine months of the year to June 2013 to be over 20% higher than last year, but did not, however, quantify the extent of its results.