► TUNISIA: Syphax Airlines firms its orders for three A320ceos, three A320neos.

Tunisia's Syphax Airlines (FS), has confirmed its order with Airbus to buy three A320neo and three A320ceo, having signed a Memorandum of Understanding regarding the deal at the recently ended 2013 Paris Air Show.

 

► ITALY: Alitalia mulls Kenya, South Africa resumption from 2014 onwards; more Libyan, Moroccan routes too.

As part of its new 3-year restructuring industrial plan aimed at stemming continued losses, Italian carrier Alitalia (AZ) says it is considering introducing new flights to Morocco and Libya during the course of 2013/2014 with flights to South Africa and Kenya to possibly resume from 2014 on.

► ETHIOPIA: One more 777 for Ethiopian as Gebremariam is upbeat about this year's bottom line.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) has taken delivery of its sixth Boeing 777-200LR (MSN 43814 | ET-AQL) at a ceremony held at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport on July 2. The added aircraft comes at a time when Ethiopian is expecting to post very strong numbers for this year, in spite of the 787 Grounding debacle.

► SOUTH AFRICA: DoT grants fastjet Foreign Operators Permit paving way for Dar - Joburg; no mention of Kigali or Lusaka (yet).

Following on from its previous announcement, fastjet (FN) says it has been issued a Foreign Operator Permit from the South African Department of Transport thereby paving the way for the launch of flights between Dar es Salaam and Johannesburg.

► NIGERIA: Kabo Air takes delivery of its first B747-400 in Kano.

Nigerian Hajj specialist, Kabo Air (N9), recently took delivery of its first B747-400 (MSN 26878 | 5N-MDK) at a ceremony held at its base at Kano Mallam Aminu International Airport.

■ SOMALIA: SKA Group shows commitment to Mogadishu Aden Abdulle International Airport with new generator.

SKA International Group, the Dubai-based logistics firm that was awarded the management contract of Mogadishu's Aden Abdulle International Airport, Mogadishu has announced the addition of a 500KVa generator to the terminal as show of its commitment to the project. Recently, the Somali press has speculated about the firm's future at Aden Abdulle given the awarding of a construction and management contract for a new passenger terminal to Turkish company, Favori LLC.

► NIGERIA: Dana Air to resume Uyo, Calabar in the next few weeks.

Nigerian domestic carrier, Dana Air (9J), will re-launch flight services to Uyo and Calabar "in the coming weeks", Tony Usidamen, head of corporate communications at the airline, has said. Currently, Dana Air serves Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt.

● IATA: Africa's May Passenger Traffic continues strong growth as Cargo continues to flatline.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced global passenger traffic results for May 2013 with the global air travel industry continuing its April growth momentum with emerging markets, among them Africa and the Middle East, showing the strongest potential. Compared to the same period last year, overall demand rose 5.6%, while capacity climbed 5.2% pushing the load factor up 0.3 percentage points to 78.1%. Figures for global air cargo markets show that growth has continued to flatline in May, Africa included, broadly following the trend of the last 18 months. 

► TOGO: Magma Aviation launches new West African cargo ops beginning July 14.

Magma Aviation, a private United Kingdom-based cargo operator, will from July 14, launch flights from Brussels to Lome, Brazzaville and onto Kinshasa with a weekly B747-400F. Out of Lome, scheduled connections are to be offered into Bamako, Cotonou, Douala, Libreville, Monrovia and Niamey onboard ATR aircraft.

■ MOZAMBIQUE: LAM seeking partners to help launch international carrier.

Marlene Manave, the current CEO of LAM - Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique (TM), says the Mozambican government-backed national carrier is looking for an international partner with which to create an international carrier for the airline.

► TUNISIA: Tunisair eyes more Italian; sub-Saharan African routes.

During a recent meeting with Tunisian businessmen based in Italy, Tunisian Ambassador to Italy, Mr Naceur Mestiri, announced that Tunisair (TU) would soon begin flights from Tunis to the newly commissioned airport of Comiso, an ex-military base turned civilian airfield located in the Sicilian province of Ragusa, 5 km from Comiso and 15 km from Ragusa.

► MALAWI: It's hello "Malawi Airlines" as government completes deal with Ethiopian Airlines.

The Malawi government has announced that negotiations with Ethiopian Airlines (ET) have now been successfully completed, with the successor to defunct Air Malawi Ltd to be known as "Malawi Airlines Ltd".

► LIBYA: Ghadames Air Transport takes delivery of another A320.

Libya's Ghadames Air Transport (0G) has taken delivery of an Airbus A320-200 (MCN 438 | 5A-WAT) to be operated by Gambian ACMI specialists, Aeolus Air (AAZ). The aircraft is currently in Tripoli awaiting deployment into service.

► NIGER: Government to go ahead with new pax/cargo terminal for Niamey Diori Hamani International Airport.

Niger will reportedly push ahead with plans to add a new international passenger and freight terminal to Niamey's Diori Hamani International Airport as part of President Mahamadou Issoufou's plans to modernize the country's lagging infrastructure. 

■ KENYA: Tourism sector implores government to allow more scheduled operators into Mombasa.

Kenyan Tourism Cabinet secretary, Ms Phyllis Kandie, has implored the Kenyan government to allow more scheduled international carriers to serve the coastal city of Mombasa with regular, year-round flights to help boost waning tourist numbers.

► NIGERIA: Ghana's Africa World Airlines confident of gaining Lagos, Abuja rights despite delays.

Africa World Airlines (AW) has joined the growing list of Ghanaian carriers eager to break into the lucrative Nigerian market but which has thus far encountered various bureaucratic obstacles.

■ DJIBOUTI: Government looking for partners for planned new USD600million pax/cargo transit hub.

Djibouti has announced that it is seeking partners to help in building a proposed new USD600million airport situated in a 225 km² area south-west of Djibouti City, set to replace the near 60 year old Ambouli International Airport. The government plans to combine the country's sea-cargo facilities with the air terminal to offer a unique regional air/sea cargo and passenger transit hub that will help transform the Horn of African nation's economy.

► UNITED KINGDOM: Afriqiyah to boost Tripoli - London Gatwick to 4x weekly from mid-July.

Libyan carrier, Afriqiyah (8U), will from 12JUL, increase its Tripoli - London Gatwick frequency from three times weekly, to four times weekly with the addition of a Friday flight. While flights are scheduled to operate with an Airbus A320, the use of a McDonnell Douglas MD83 leased from Spain's Swiftair (W3) is also likely.

► SOMALIA: Air Uganda to start Entebbe - Mogadishu from July 8.

True to its word, Air Uganda (U7) will from 8 July 2013, launch its previously announced 3x weekly service between Entebbe and Mogadishu, Somalia using its recently delivered CRJ200 (MCN 7363 | 5X-UGH).

■ SEYCHELLES: Sri Lanka, Seychelles sign BASA; SriLankan Airlines "keen" on flights.

Following bilateral discussions held between President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his Seychelles counterpart James Alix Michel on June 30, in Mahé, Sri Lanka and Seychelles signed three Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) on Defence Cooperation, a Bilateral Air Services Agreement and a MoU on Vocational Training and Youth Development.