► SOUTH AFRICA: British Airways starts A380 service to Johannesburg from February 2014.

British Airways (BA) will, starting 12 February 2014, begin introducing the Airbus A380 aircraft on its London Heathrow – Johannesburg route, where it’ll operate 3 times a week, replacing the Boeing 747-400. 

►► ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian Airlines maintains Brussels, Paris from December; drops Munich plans.

[UPDATE 27 AUGUST] Ethiopian Airlines (ET) will tentatively begin serving Stockholm via Munich, Germany daily effective December 1. Flights will operate using a Boeing 757. Also from December 1, Brussels will be dropped from the Ethiopian national carrier's network leaving Paris CDG to be operated direct.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Eurocopter authorizes Denel Aviation to provide MRO services to Super Pumas.

Eurocopter has expanded its partnership with South Africa’s Denel Aviation on helicopter repair and maintenance. Under the new contract with the European helicopter manufacturer, Denel Aviation has received authorization to offer its repairs and servicing capabilities on Super-Puma helicopters in Southern Africa.

► ALGERIA: Air Malta reduces, now suspends, Algiers flights until mid August, just 3 weeks after their launch.

According to the GDS, Air Malta (KM) has suspended its Malta Valletta - Algiers flights, barely one month after their June 17 launch with a twice weekly A319 service.

► KENYA: ALS-Aircraft Leasing Services axes scheduled Kenyan, South Sudanese operations?

Nairobi-Wilson based operator, ALS - Aircraft Leasing Services (K4) has reportedly ceased offering scheduled services between Nairobi and various remote strips in northern Kenya and South Sudan.

► SOUTH AFRICA: SAA takes delivery of first two of twenty A320s from Airbus.

South African Airways (SAA) has taken delivery of its first two A320s, (MCN 5637 | ZS-SZA) & (MCN 5680 | ZS-SZB), out of a total of twenty A320-200s ordered from Airbus. The development will allow SAA to expand its Sub-Sahara regional route network and boost revenue in the rapidly growing market.

► UGANDA: fastjet outlines further African licencing plans with Uganda, Zambia now mentioned.

Further to a previous report in which fastjet (FN) allured to being in talks with four unnamed African carriers over possible partnerships, company Chief Commercial Officer, Mr Richard Bodin, has said that his airline, in addition to now having a "confirmed licence" in Nigeria, was now close to completing the initial steps for applications to fly in Uganda though gave no further details.

►► TUNISIA: DGAC reportedly refuses to certify Tunisair's leased HiFly A310.

The prospects of Tunisair (TU) operating an A310-300 (MCN 565 | CS-TEX) on wet-lease from Portuguese ACMI specialists, Hi Fly (5K), for the duration of summer are getting slimmer and slimmer following reports that authorities in Tunis have refused to certify the aircraft on the grounds that it was not compliant with local "safety and air-worthiness regulations."

► SEYCHELLES: Kenya Airways adds extra flight to Mahé until late August.

Kenya Airways (KQ) has increased its services between Nairobi and Mahé, Seychelles with effect from July 6 until August 31. The new flight operates on Saturdays and is expected to handle the anticipated rise in demand for flights to the island. Equipment on this route varies according to demand.

■ KENYA: So close yet so far as Jetlink Express struggles to sell its recovery plan to all its creditors.

Kenya's Jetlink Express (J0), grounded since November last year, has managed to convince 70% of its unpaid creditors to accept a business recovery proposal which would see the Kenyan domestic and regional carrier back in operations come October 1, though one, Kenya's Equity Bank, has remained adamant that it wants to see the bankrupt airline wound up and its debt of USD8.1million settled forthwith.

■ SENEGAL: Menzies Aviation pulls out of Senegal after local partner is implicated in Karim Wade corruption trial.

Global passenger, ramp and cargo handling services provider, Menzies Aviation, has withdrawn its support and ceased doing business in Senegal after its local partner, Aviation Handling Services (AHS), was placed under judicial administration following an investigation into the alleged corrupt business activities of the former Minister of State for International Cooperation, Regional Development, Air Transport, and Infrastructure, Karim Wade, the son of former Senegalese president, Abdoulaye Wade.

■ CONGO (KINSHASA): See Renderings for Kinshasa N'djili International Airport's new passenger terminal due in 2014.

 

Kinshasa's N'Djili International Airport's New stop-gap International Terminal

French airport equipment firm Alpha Airports, the winner of the Build-Operate-Transfer contract for this project, has commenced the construction of Kinshasa's Ndjili International Airport's new USD21million Terminal. The works were officially launched by Congolese prime minister, Mr Augustin Matata Ponyo and are expected to be concluded in the first quarter of 2014.

► BELGIUM: brussels airlines modifies Banjul, Dakar, Freetown and Monrovia from late October.

Belgian carrier brussels airlines (SN), will from October 27, 2013 adjust its operations to the following West African destinations including: Banjul, Dakar, Freetown and Monrovia.

► ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian Q400 reportedly suffers engine problems on finals into Axum; makes a safe landing.

An Ethiopian Airlines (ET) Bombardier Q400 operating a domestic flight ET128 from Addis Ababa to Axum, Ethiopia, on Wednesday, July 17, reportedly suffered engine problems on its port side shortly before touchdown at Axum's Emperor Yohannes IV Airport.

■ VIETNAM: Ethiopia, Vietnam sign Bilateral Air Services Agreement.

Ethiopia and Vietnam have now signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a Bilateral Air Services Agreement following talks between officials from the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority (ECAA) and the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (Cục Hàng không Dân dụng Việt Nam - CAAV) in the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, recently. According to a statement by the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority, the MoU was signed by Colonel Wossenyeleh Hunegnaw for the ECAA and by his Vietnamese counterpart, Vo Huy Cuong, after two days of discussions held between officials from 11-12  July 2013.

■ TUNISIA: Government rolls out Tunisair's turnaround plan; approves initial funding for A320s.

The Tunisian national assembly has approved a bill allowing national carrier, Tunisair (TU), to secure EUR74million in funding for the acquisition of its ten Airbus A320 necessary for its renewal plan. The move is part of a raft of measures laid down by Tunis to help the struggling airline return to profitability following the events of the last three years which saw Tunisia's tourism numbers plummet.

► FLEET UPDATE BULLETIN: Afriqiyah, Libyan Airlines, Syphax Airlines, Comair, Afric Aviation, Solenta Aviation, Tassili Airlines, Air Algérie, AfricaWest, Air Memphis & Royal Air Maroc.

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: Afriqiyah Airlines (8U), Libyan Airlines (LN), Syphax Airlines (FS), Comair Ltd (MN), Tassili Airlines (SF), Air Algérie (AH), Africa West (FK), Afric Aviation (L8), Solenta Aviation, Air Memphis (E9), Royal Air Maroc (AT).

► UNITED KINGDOM: AAIB releases special bulletin on Ethiopian 787 fire as FAA moves to issue Airworthiness Directive for 787 ELTs.

The United Kingdom's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB)has issued a special bulletin pertaining to a fire onboard a parked Ethiopian Airlines (ET) Boeing 787-8 (MSN 34744 | ET-AOP) at London Heathrow Airport last week has been released. According to the report, suspicions thus far point to the aircraft's Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) and its associated system wiring. On the basis of these initial findings and a recommendation from the AAIB, the US Federal Aviation Administration has said it is preparing to issue an Airworthiness Directive in the coming days that would make inspections of all ELTs aboard Boeing 787 aircraft, mandatory.

► ANGOLA: Air Namibia increases Luanda to daily from early August.

From 6 August 2013, Air Namibia (SW) will introduce an additional flight per week on Tuesdays on its Windhoek and Luanda route, bringing the total number of flights operated by the Namibian national carrier between the Namibian and Angolan capitals to seven weekly (i.e daily). Flights operate using an Airbus A319.

► NIGERIA: Ethiopian Airlines boosts Abuja to daily from late August.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) will, from 27 August 2013, increase the frequency of its Addis Ababa – Abuja flights where overall service will increase from 5x weekly to daily. The new flight operates on Mondays and Thursdays on-board a Boeing 777-200LR.