► NIGERIA: Med-View Airlines leasing a 747-300 for Hajj/Umrah flights; 767s a possibility.

Nigeria's Kano-based Med-View Airline (VL) has leased an B747-300 (MSN 23032 | TF-AME) from Icelandic ACMI specialists, Air Atlanta Icelandic (CC), with plans to add two B767-300s for use on Hajj and Umrah flights this year.

■ CONGO (KINSHASA): Construction of new runway at new Boma International Airport nears completion.

Progress on building the Democratic Republic of the Congo's fifth international airport, to be located in Lukandu, a village 12 km from the town of Boma, Bas-Congo, near the mouth of the river Congo, is advancing with the first phase of funding and construction nearing completion. So far, a 3'000m clay runway has been built and inaugurated by the governor of Bas-Congo, Jacques Mbadu Situ, who recently landed on the strip as a means of showing his faith in the project.

► SOUTH AFRICA: fastjet starts Johannesburg from September 27 as yet another board member resigns.

fastjet (FN) has announced that its first international flights, from Dar es Salaam to Johannesburg, South Africa, will début from September 27. Initial frequencies will be limited to 3x weekly though this is expected to grow in line with demand. Flights will operate with an Airbus A319.

► KENYA: Missing Cessna 206F wreckage found in Aberdare forest; no survivors.

The wreckage of a Cessna U206F Stationair (MCN U206-02880 | 5Y-BUG) that disappeared on Thursday July 25 while en-route from Lentille Airstrip in Laikipia, Kenya to Nairobi Wilson Airport, has been found. All 3 persons on board (two American tourists and the pilot Captain Harro Trempaneau) are dead.

► NIGERIA: Ethiopian to add 4x weekly Addis Ababa - Enugu flights from late August.

Following from this post, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) will tentatively launch 4x weekly flights from Addis Ababa to the south-eastern Nigerian city of Enugu with effect from August 24. The service will mark the first international flights to the airport, which currently only sees domestic connections from Arik Air (W3).

► CZECH REPUBLIC: Royal Air Maroc starts 3x weekly Prague flights from February 2014.

Royal Air Maroc (AT) will, from February 17, commence 3x weekly flights from Casablanca to Prague, Czech Republic on board its Embraer E190 jets on lease from Denim Air ACMI. The two cities last saw direct service over thirty years ago.

► BURKINA FASO: Colombe Airlines, Ethiopian appointed official carriers for Hajj.

Burkinabe carrier, Colombe Airlines, has been selected by the government to operate the country's Hajj & Umrah flights. In a recent announcement, Ethiopian Airlines (ET) was also appointed an official operator for the pilgrimage.

► ZIMBABWE: Lufthansa not coming back to Harare any time soon: Dünhaupt

German carrier, Lufthansa (LH), will not be returning to the Zimbabwean capital, Harare, any time soon,  group communications director for Africa, Mr Aage Dünhaupt, has said, but would instead continue to maintain a presence in the market via a codeshare with its Star Alliance partner South African Airways' (SA) multiple daily Johannesburg - Harare flights.

■ MAURITIUS: Air Mauritius holds annual AGM; re-elects board.

Mauritian national carrier, Air Mauritius (MK), held its Annual Meeting of shareholders at the Grand Baie International Conference Centre in Port Louis on July 25, 2013 under the chairmanship of Mr. Appalsamy (Dass) Thomas. 

► CHAD: Royal Air Maroc eyeing 3x weekly Bangui via N'djamena flights from mid December.

Not to be outdone by regional rivals, Tunisair (TU) who themselves have already begun rolling out new West and Central African routes, Royal Air Maroc (AT), are planning to launch a 3x weekly service to the Chadian capital, Ndjamena. The route will operate onwards to the Central African Republic's capital, Bangui, before returning direct to Casablanca using a B737-800 effective December 20. The route therefore means Bangui will see a service increase from the current 2x weekly flights, operated via Douala, Cameroon. RAM have been granted 5th Freedom rights between Ndjamena and Bangui.

► TANZANIA: Tropical Air starts 3x weekly Zanzibar - Mbeya via Dar es Salaam flights.

Zanzibari carrier, Tropical Air, on July 19 officially launched a 3x weekly service from Zanzibar to Mbeya via Dar es Salaam using an ATR42-300. Flights in reality operate to Songwe International Airport which serves the town of Mbeya.

► FLEET UPDATE BULLETIN: SA Airlink, Africa Charter Airline, Trans Air Cargo Services, Air Zimbabwe, Syphax Airlines, Badr Airlines.

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: SA Airlink (4Z), Africa Charter Airline, Trans Air Cargo Services, Air Zimbabwe (UM), Syphax Airlines (FS), Badr Airlines (BDR).

■ GAMBIA: Construction of new $3mln Gambia International Airlines cargo facility at Banjul begins.

Construction of a new USD3million cargo terminal at Banjul International Airport has officially commenced following a ceremony presided over by Gambian vice president and Minister of Women's Affairs, Dr. Aja Isatou Njie-Saidy, on Tuesday. Once complete, the facility will be turned over to the Gambian national carrier, Gambia International Airlines (GC).

► SOUTH AFRICA: Skywise still aiming for an August launch as SACAA has yet to issue it an AOC.

Nascent South African Low Cost Carrier, SkyWise (SWZ), says it has already paid deposits on two Boeing 737-300s though operations, still scheduled for August as previously reported, will only begin once the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) issues it an Air Operator's Certificate.

► NIGER: Air France A330 grounded in Niamey after a stowaway's dead body discovered in city suburb.

An Air France A330-200 (MCN 519 | F-GZCL) operating as flight AF547 from Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso to Paris CDG via Niamey, Niger, has been grounded in the Nigerien capital since Thursday after a dead body, believed to have fallen from the aircraft as it approached Diori Hamani International Airport's runway 09R/27L, was discovered in one of the city's arrondissements.

■ UNITED KINGDOM: Stelios' easyGroup increases its shareholding in fastjet to 5.81%.

Tanzanian LCC, fastjet (FN), has announced that easyGroup,  the investment vehicle of Mr Stelios Haji-Ioannou has increased its stake in the airline from 3% to 5.81% in lieu of all royalty and consultancy payments due to the group up until year end.

► SOUTH AFRICA: SAA officially issues tenders to Boeing, Airbus for 23 widebodies.

Confirming former interim CEO Nico Bezuidenhout's statement regarding an order for 25-30 widebody aircraft, likely to be either 787s or A350s, South African Airways (SA) Chief Financial Officer, Mr Wolf Meyer, has confirmed that the airline has indeed issued a tender to both Boeing and Airbus for "twenty-three" aircraft, set to be delivered from 2017 onwards.

► ZIMBABWE: Twice weekly Air Zimbabwe Vic Falls - Johannesburg flights resume from today.

Air Zimbabwe (UM) has pushed back the resumption of its much anticipated Victoria Falls - Johannesburg route to today, Friday, July 26. Originally announced as operating 3x weekly from July 12, flights will now only operate on Fridays and Sundays with an Embraer ERJ145 (MSN 145607 | ZS-BBH) leased from South Africa's Solenta Aviation.

► PORTUGAL: HiFly refutes all claims pertaining to its A310 and the Tunisian authorities.

Portuguese ACMI firm, HiFly (5K), has refuted all claims pertaining to a tentative leasing deal with Tunisian national carrier, Tunisair (TU), for an A310-300 (MCN 565 | CS-TEX), in which a report carried by Tunisian television station, Watania2, and referenced here by The African Aviation Tribune, claimed the aircraft had been denied an airworthiness certificate on the grounds of non-compliance.

► SOUTH AFRICA: Condor begins seasonal Frankfurt - Cape Town ops from mid October.

German charter carrier, Condor Flugdienst (DE), will commence its seasonal operations between Germany and South Africa, starting October 16 and ending April 22. The twice weekly flights will operate using a wingletted B767-300ER.