► EGYPT: Air Cairo has started Amman, Misrata flights.

Air Cairo(SM) on 1 July launched three new scheduled routes: 3x weekly Alexandria (Borg Al Arab) - Amman (Jordan) flights, twice weekly Alexandria - Misrata (Libya) and a once weekly Assiut - Misrata service. Flights operate on board an Airbus A320.

► KENYA: Turkish Airlines boosts Mombasa via Kilimanjaro to daily from late October.

Turkish Airlines (TK) will, from October 27, be increasing its Istanbul – Kilimanjaro – Mombasa – Istanbul round trip frequency from 5x weekly, to daily, with the route operated by a Boeing 737-900ER. The route was launched in December 2012.

► NIGERIA: Kabo Air eyes domestic, international service resumption.

Fresh from the delivery of its first B747-400, Nigerian Hajj specialist, Kabo Air (N9), has now announced plans to enter the domestic Nigerian market with additional plans to go regional.

► FRANCE: Algeria's Tassili Airlines launches first international ops; eyes Dubai, Turkey, Spain by year end.

Algeria's Tassili Airlines (SF), on Friday July 5, launched its first international flights with two routes: Bejaia - Saint Etienne and Jijel - Grenoble in France.

■ CONGO (KINSHASA): IATA-backed safety audit of all Congolese carriers begins in Kinshasa.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo began its IATA-backed operational safety audit of all Congolese carriers at Kinshasa N'djili International Airport on Friday, July 5. During a working tour of the airport's and airlines' various facilities, Justin Kalunga, the Congolese Minster of Transport, was accompanied by Richard Nyanguile, the Director General of the Congolese Civil Aviation Authority ( l’Autorité de l’Aviation Civile - AAC) and Abdalla Bilenge, the Director General of the Congolese airports authority (Régie des Voies Aériennes - RVA).

► RUSSIA: Rosaviatsia reminds local carriers about unused South African traffic rights.

Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency, Rosaviatsia, has issued a reminder to local Russian airlines that there are still unused rights available for both passenger and cargo flights between Russia and South Africa.

■ TANZANIA: TCAA calls stakeholder meeting for July 11 over proposed steep nav, safety fee hikes.

The Tanzanian Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) is mulling doubling its Air Navigation Charges and Safety Fees as means of paying for various infrastructural upgrades set to be rolled out over the next two years. The move however is still subject to a stakeholders meeting set for July 11.

► SOMALIA: Presidential jet develops engine problems after take off for Juba; returns safely BUT..

A plane, an unconfirmed DC9-10 (MSN 45740 | 5Y-SAX) belonging to Kenya's FlySAX (B5), carrying Somalia’s president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, to Juba, South Sudan was yesterday forced to make an emergency landing at Mogadishu's Aden Adde International Airport after developing engine trouble shortly after takeoff, Radio Mogadishu has reported.

■ KENYA: Regulators grant Kenya Airways/KLM seven-year extension to Unfair Competition exemption.

Kenya Airways (KQ) and 26.73% shareholder, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KL), have been granted a seven-year extension to their Unfair Trade practices exemption by the Competition Authority of Kenya, having applied in February. The moratorium, introduced when KLM acquired a stake in the Kenyan national carrier back in 1996, prevents competitors from accusing them of unfair trade practices. 

■ SOUTH AFRICA: ATNS appoints Thabani Mthiyane as CEO.

South Africa's Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) Board has announced the appointment – with immediate effect – of Mr. Thabani Mthiyane to the position of Chief Executive Officer, following a rigorous and thorough recruitment process and subsequent approval by the Cabinet.

► ZIMBABWE: Air Zimbabwe resumes Vic Falls - Johannesburg from July 12.

Air Zimbabwe (UM) is to tentatively resume its Victoria Falls - Johannesburg flights with effect from July 12. The 3x weekly flights will operate with an Embraer E145. As of this posting however, the flight is not yet open to reservations and further changes to the schedule still remain possible.

► NIGERIA: Arik Air plans A330 London ops from July 12; Johannesburg A340 ops resume from 16 July.

As previously reported, Nigeria's Arik Air (W3) has outlined its initial Airbus A330-200 routes with the carrier's daily Lagos - London Heathrow flight set to switch from the current A340-500, to the A330 from July 12. Additionally, Lagos - Johannesburg will from July 16 see a return of the A340-500, replacing the current equipment, a B737-800.

► UGANDA: Air Uganda eyes future regional, international expansion once East Africa is "conquered".

Air Uganda's (U7) CEO, Mr Cornwell Muleya, has outlined his ambitions for the airline which include plans to expand "beyond the East African market" once all opportunities in the region have been exhausted.

■ CHINA: Sierra Leone Government finalizes $8billion worth of infrastructure projects including new airport for Freetown.

Sierra Leonian president,  Dr Ernest Bai Koroma, finalized a USD300million deal with the China Railway International Company for the construction of a new international airport to serve Freetown during his recent week-long trip to China. The airport forms part of a group of investments totalling USD8billion China is set to make in the impoverished West African state.

► ROMANIA: Ghana's Starbow Airlines awards BAe 146 MRO contract to Aerostar.

Romanian MRO outfit, Aerostar S.A., has won a contract from Starbow Airlines (S9) of Ghana to carry out ‘C’ checks on its fleet of four BAe 146 regional jetliners. The first aircraft, a BAe 146-300 (MSN E3123 | 9G-SBB), arrived at Aerostar’s Bacau facility on May 31 and departed on schedule on 2 July. 

■ NIGERIA: Government to move ahead with planned Aerotropolises in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt.

The Nigerian Government will move ahead with plans to develop aerotropolises (an urban plan in which the layout, infrastructure, and economy is centred around an airport) in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt. Currently the four cities' airports handle the bulk of Nigeria's passenger & cargo traffic.

► ETHIOPIA: Russia in talks to sell Ethiopia 18 Sukhoi Su-30K multirole fighters.

Russian state arms exporter, Rosoboronexport, is reportedly in talks with Ethiopia over the sale of eighteen Sukhoi Su-30K Multirole fighter aircraft. The jets, originally sold to India, were intended to go to Vietnam.

► GREECE: Kenya Airways 777 diverts to Athens following cargo-bay fire warning in mid flight.

A Kenya Airways Boeing 777-200ER (MSN 33683 | 5Y-KQS), operating as flight KQ117 en route from Amsterdam to Nairobi on Saturday July 6, was forced to make an emergency landing in Athens after a cargo-bay fire warning indication alarm sounded in mid flight.

■ EGYPT: Egyptair selects ARINC's AviNet for check-in system.

US-based Aeronautical Radio, Incorporated (ARINC) has announced that EgyptAir (MS) has signed a contract for its AviNet Airport service to support check-in operations using the Amadeus ALTEA Departure Control System (DCS).

■ MAURITIUS: Hitesh Patel appointed CEO of leasors, Veling Ltd.

The Board of Veling Ltd, a Mauritius-based aircraft leasing company, has appointed Hitesh Patel as Chief Executive Officer of the company with effect from the 15 July 2013.