Having progressively reduced the frequency of flights over the last year, Egyptair (MS) has now announced that it will suspend flights from Cairo to Tokyo Narita airport with effect from July 11. The decision is likely exacerbated by the continuing political turmoil in Egypt.
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.
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.
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.
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'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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.