► NIGERIA: fastjet to enter Nigerian market via tie-up with Red 1 Express.

fastjet plc (fastjet) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nigeria's Red 1 Airways Ltd (Red 1), to create a low-cost airline operating within Nigeria and to destinations across Africa. The MoU brings together fastjet's strong brand, reputation, management experience and economies of scale, and RED 1's extensive local market knowledge within Nigeria.  The airline will be branded fastjet Nigeria strongly mimicking the airline's planned South African venture.

► LIBYA: Tunisair to start Tunis - Bayda/Al Abraq from 18 June.

Tunisair (TU), will from 18JUN13, introduce a new 2 weekly service from Tunis to Bayda/Al Abraq in Libya on board Boeing 737 or Airbus A320 aircraft.

► SÃO TOMÉ & PRÍNCIPE: Punto Azul begins 3x weekly Malabo - São Tomé flights.

Equato-guinean carrier Punto Azul (ZR) has begun regional operations following the arrival of one of its three Embraer ERJ145s in São Tomé from Malabo on Tuesday.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Trade Union Solidarity threatens SAA with legal action over alleged bias against white males at Academy intake.

South African trade union Solidarity has embarked on a legal process on behalf of white male candidates who were excluded from the cadet programme at South African Airways (SAA), allegedly because of the colour of their skin. The trade union requested SAA to provide reasons why Daniël Hoffman, Dirk Kotze and several other white male candidates' applications for inclusion in the cadet programme had been unsuccessful.

► ITALY: Alitalia outlines changes to Cairo, Oran and Tunis due from late October.

As per the 12JUN13 GDS timetable/inventory display, Alitalia (AZ)'s planned operational changes to its Cairo, Oran, Tunis service, effective 27OCT13, are as follows.

■ 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.