► ALGERIA: Air Algérie's turnaround plan begins to bear fruit as Africa now a "priority" market.

Air Algérie's (AH) turnaround plan is beginning to pay off with the number of passengers uplifted increasing by more than 13% during the first four months of 2013. The carrier's traffic has grown by 13.61% on 2011/2012 resulting in a market share growth of 49%, CEO Mohamed Salah Boultif announced at a press conference in Algiers on Saturday.

► ZIMBABWE: See Pic of Air Zimbabwe's first Embraer ERJ145 all dolled up!

The first pictures of Air Zimbabwe's (UM) first Embraer ERJ145 (MSN 145607 | ZS-BBH) have been revealed. The aircraft is on wet-lease from South African ACMI specialists, Solenta Aviation.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: FedEx buys out SupaSwift South Africa, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland and Zambia.

FedEx, the American global courier delivery services company, says it has completed the first stage of a strategic acquisition by signing agreements to acquire the businesses operated by its current South African service provider, Supaswift (Pty) Ltd., in five countries in Southern Africa, including South Africa, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland and Zambia, and is also in discussions to acquire Supaswift’s businesses in Botswana and Namibia. These acquisitions will operate under the FedEx Express business unit and the transaction is subject to necessary regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.

■ KENYA: Kenya Airways considers setting up own fuel hedging firm.

Kenya Airways (KQ) is considering setting up a fuel procurement company as part of extensive measures aimed at stemming mounting losses incurred over the past two years. The Kenyan national carrier recently announced a USD92million loss for its 2012/13 Financial Year which it blamed on "harsh economic and geopolitical conditions" coupled with a global economic slowdown and volatile global oil prices.  

■ ZIMBABWE: Air Zimbabwe readmitted to IATA after passing its IOSA.

Air Zimbabwe (UM) has reportedly been readmitted to the International Air Travel Association's International Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) registry following the audit's completion in February.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: New SAA plan to be made public in late July/August as Ethiopian, Kenya Airways send out feelers.

Monwabisi Kalawe has outlined his first steps taken as the new South African Airways (SA) boss stating that he was aiming for a late July/early August public announcement of his airline's tentative Turnaround Plan #9, currently undergoing South African Cabinet scrutiny.

► MALAWI: Air Malawi Ltd's lone ATR42, two 737s put up for sale by liquidator.

Mr Lekani Katandula, a partner at audit and business advisory firm Deloitte, the officially appointed liquidators for the now defunct Air Malawi Ltd (QM), has announced that the airline's fleet of three aircraft, an ATR42, a B737-300 and a B737-500, are now up for sale to all interested parties.

■ CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE): More woes for Air CEMAC as talks with partner Air France stall.

The launch of Air CEMAC, the regional carrier aimed at linking Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Congo (Brazzaville), Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Chad and São Tomé & Príncipe together, is facing the prospect of further set backs following reports that negotiations with Air France (AF), the carrier's strategic partner, have progressed little since the collaboration was announced in July last year.

■ ETHIOPIA: Location of new Addis Ababa international airport switched to Tagi.

The site for the proposed replacement for Addis Ababa's Bole International Airport, set to outstrip its carrying capacity in the next five years, has been moved from Modjo, south-east of the capital, to the town of Tagi, roughly 30km west of Addis Ababa on the road to Jimma in the Oromia Special Zone.

■ CAMEROON: Camair-Co drops Lufthansa Technik as MRO provider; to drop the 737-700 citing lack of suitability.

Camair-Co (QC), the Cameroonian national carrier, will not renew an MRO contract signed with Lufthansa Technik in 2011 after the airline cited a "unilateral increase in charges" as well as unjustifiable staff perks as its reasons. Airline CEO Matthijs Boertien claimed that spurned attempts to negotiate with the Germans had resulted in the impasse, thereby forcing Camair to look to Dutch outfit, Aviacare BV, for its future MRO needs.

■ FRANCE: AFI KLM E&M wins MRO contracts with Air Zimbabwe, Egyptair.

Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M) has signed contracts with Air Zimbabwe (UM) covering component support for the Zimbabwean carrier's two Airbus A320s and has renewed an existing component support contract with Egyptair (MS) while at the same time extending its scope.

► SOUTH AFRICA: SAA Cargo to retire its last 737-200F in late June.

SAA Cargo, the cargo division of South African Airways (SA), are set to retire the last of their B737-200Fs, (MSN 22583 | ZS-SID), from revenue service with effect from June 25, it has emerged.

► KENYA: Air India to resume Nairobi, East African flights "soon".

Air India (AI) is set to resume flights to East Africa in the near future, India's civil aviation minister Ajit Singh, has announced. The Indian carrier last served Nairobi in 2010, but has since reconsidered its move in light of growing trade and cultural relations between Africa and India.

► NIGERIA: Arik Air signs up for three CRJ1000s, four Q400s from Bombardier.

Nigeria's largest carrier, Arik Air (W3), has signed a firm contract to acquire three CRJ1000 NextGen aircraft and four Q400 NextGen turboprop airliners from Canadian aircraft manufacturer, Bombardier.

► MOROCCO: Royal Air Maroc looking to acquire "20-30" Next Gen aircraft for fleet renewal.

Morocco's national carrier, Royal Air Maroc (AT), is planning to immediately acquire between "20 and 30 NextGen aircraft, including 15 medium-haul and 5 long-haul jets", airline Chief Executive Officer, Mr Driss Benhima, has announced.

► NAMIBIA: Air Namibia commits to Intrepid Aviation for two A330s due in September and November.

Air Namibia (SW) has announced its planned delivery schedule for its two new Airbus A330-200 aircraft, set to replace its ageing fleet of Airbus A340-300s on its Windhoek - Frankfurt, Germany route.

■ TANZANIA: Air Tanzania left hanging as big talking Omani consortium vanishes.

Al Hayat Development and Investment Company,  the big talking Omani outfit that earlier this year stated it was willing to invest USD100million (TSH160billion) into struggling airline, Air Tanzania (TC), has mysteriously vanished. The outfit had claimed that it was in the process of finalizing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tanzanian government at the end of January.

► CONGO (KINSHASA): Chapman Freeborn begins weekly Joburg - Lubumbashi - Kinshasa cargo ops.

Ad-hoc cargo charter specialists, Chapman Freeborn Africa, has launched a new scheduled service from Johannesburg to Lubumbashi and Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

► TUNISIA: Syphax Airlines commits to the Airbus A320neo, A320ceo.

Tunisia's Syphax Airlines (FS), has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Airbus to buy three A320neo. The order is the first time an African based carrier has ordered the NEO and marks a significant breakthrough for Airbus in one of the world’s fastest developing markets.

► NIGERIA: Saudia to drop Jeddah - Kano from September.

Saudi Arabia's national carrier, Saudia (SV), will from September 1, 2013 cancel its twice weekly Jeddah – Kano service. The flight operates with a Boeing 747.