► TANZANIA: fastjet to embark on a staff-cutting exercise in bid to ease financial pressure.

Struggling LCC fastjet (FN), is set to become the second major Tanzanian carrier to embark on a redundancy drive following reports that it is in consultations with its employees regarding pending staff cuts aimed at trimming its head-count by 12%. 

■ CONGO (KINSHASA): Government once more looking for a strategic partner in its planned national carrier.

Its back to the drawing board for Kinshasa so far as finding a strategic partner for its renewed national carrier is concerned. Accordingly, the country's Minister of Transport, Mr Justin Kalumba, Congo has reissued a tender for interested parties & carriers which closes on August 31.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: SAA renews, expands contract with ARINC for its Aircraft Comms systems.

South African Airways (SA) has signed a five year exclusive data link contract with US-based Aeronautical Radio, Incorporated (ARINC) for its GLOBALink Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) Services. This new agreement configures ARINC for all VHF, HF and Satellite ACARS traffic. ARINC also provides cabin connectivity on South African Airways long haul flights. 

► GUINEA BISSAU: ASKY Airlines eyes a mid September launch date for Bissau flights.

As the saying goes, better 2 months late than never, ASKY Airlines (KP) has at long last unveiled a possible launch date for flights to the capital of Guinea-Bissau, Bissau. Operations should commence from September 15 with a 2x weekly flight extending the current Lome - Accra - Monrovia (James Spriggs Payne Airport) route flown by a Q400.

► NAMIBIA: Air Namibia issues further amendments to timetable for early - late September.

Namibian national carrier, Air Namibia (SW), has issued yet another advisory regarding an impending reorganization of its flights over the period September 9 to 23. In a statement, the airline said the move is necessary as one of its Airbus A319s and another Embraer ERJ135 are due to undergo mandatory maintenance over the period.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: mango seals deal with Acro Aircraft Seating for its 737 fleet.

South African LCC, mango (JE), has sealed a contract with UK-based passenger aircraft seat manufacturer, Acro Aircraft Seating, for the manufacture and installation of its Ultra R seats aboard mango's entire fleet of Boeing 737-800 aircraft. The deal, which includes six shipsets and equates to 1116 economy class seats, marks the first major African client for the Redhill, Surrey-based manufacturer.

► LIBYA: Afriqiyah launches Misrata - Cairo as Libyan Airlines upgrades Istanbul, Casablanca to the A330.

Afriqiyah (8U) has launched twice-weekly flights between between Misrata, Libya's third largest city 187 km east of Tripoli, and Cairo. Flights operate on-board an Airbus A320. Despite the troubles in Egypt, the Libyan Herald says flights to Egypt are "largely fully booked".

► NIGERIA: Ghana's Africa World Airlines eyes Nigeria ops from October; claims rights granted.

In yet another development related to Ghanaian carrier, Africa World Airlines (AW), Chief Operating Officer, Mr Apiigy Afene, has revealed that the airline has at long last been granted rights to serve Nigeria by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. Flights are scheduled to commence in October he said.

► MALAWI: Zimbabwe, Malawi sign revised Bilateral Air Services Agreement.

Malawi and Zimbabwe have announced the signing of a revised Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) that will see greater flexibility and freedom for each country's designatedcarriers. The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the recent Southern African Development Community (SADC) Heads of State Summit recently held in Lilongwe, Malawi.

■ MAYOTTE: New terminal at Dzaoudzi Pamandzi Int'l Airport due to open in February 2014.

The archipelago of Mayotte, a French overseas department located in the northern Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean, will unveil its new passenger terminal at Dzaoudzi Pamandzi International Airport in February 2014, with works expected to be complete by the end of the year. Originally due to come online this year, delays have been experienced owing to what the Mahoran press have described as "logistical difficulties."

► KENYA: Qatar Airways ramps up Nairobi to 18x weekly from September.

Qatar Airways (QR) has announced an increase in flights from Doha, Qatar to Nairobi, Kenya with effect from September 1. In its press release, the carrier said service will increase from 14x to 18x weekly using an Airbus A320 and comes as demand for flights to the Kenyan capital has steadily increased over the past three years.

► MALAWI: Air Cargo Malawi Ltd reiterates it is still fully operational despite Air Malawi's winding up.

Air Cargo Malawi Limited (ACL) has reiterated that it is still business as usual for the freight specialists despite its former parent, Air Malawi Ltd (QM), having been dissolved and its assets disposed of earlier this year. The firm specializes in the import and export of goods and freight to and from Malawi.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Gauteng calls for study on potential new international airport for Johannesburg as part of 25-Year Transport Plan.

The Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Dr Ismail Vadi, this week released the "25-Year Integrated Transport Master Plan (ITMP25)" for Ekurhuleni, the local authority and government for Gauteng, South Africa's former East Rand area, to ensure province-wide mobility in future for all residents. The 25 year plan, developed by an inter-disciplinary team of experts led by Gautrain CEO Jack van der Merwe, provides an assessment of the current transport and land-use challenges. It also forecasts economic and population growth scenarios, which have been used to plan the future transport needs and solutions in the province. Pertaining to aviation, the Plan states that OR  Tambo  International  Airport  will  remain the main airport serving Gauteng and South Africa but notes that "a thorough study should be done to determine the feasibility and, if found necessary, land should be reserved to develop a second major airport in Gauteng which can accommodate wide body aircraft up to and including the A380."

► SAUDI ARABIA: AlMasria Universal Airlines launches 2x weekly Cairo - Abha flights.

Egyptian domestic and regional operator, AlMasria Universal Airlines (UJ), has launched twice weekly flights between Cairo and Abha, Saudi Arabia. According to ch-aviation, the flights operate on-board an Airbus A320.

► EGYPT: Egyptair planning Ndjamena, Jakarta flights this December.

In line with previously announced plans to expand its international network during the Winter 2013/14 season, Egyptair (MS) has outlined its initial plans for services to Ndjamena, Chad and Jakarta, Indonesia beginning in mid December this year. Jakarta will tentatively operate 4x weekly via Kuala Lumpur onboard an A330 beginning December 2 while Ndjamena flights, scheduled to begin on December 17, will operate 3x weekly on-board an A320. The operations at this stage are still subject to changes, postponements and cancellations.

■ RWANDA: Burundi, Rwanda sign Open Skies agreement in line with EAC protocol.

Rwanda and Burundi have signed an Open Skies Bilateral Air Services Agreement with for provision for carriers from both countries to have unlimited frequencies to each other's airspace. The move is in line with the East African Community's (EAC) efforts to liberalize its airspace through the elimination, between member states, of all the economic restrictions in the aviation sub sector related to capacity, frequencies, city pairs, cabotage, and designation of airlines.

► SOUTH AFRICA: mango to start 3x weekly Johannesburg - George from mid November.

South African LCC, mango (JE), has announced plans to launch three times weekly flights from Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport to the south-western city of George with effect from November 18. Flights will operate using a B737-800.

■ NIGERIA: AMCON confirms appointment of new CEO, CFO at Aero.

The Nigerian government's Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON)'s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr. Mustafa Chike-Obi has confirmed the appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer (Mr Hugh Fraser) and a new Chief Financial Officer to Aero (AJ), also known as AeroContractors. Mr Fraser is understood to have been in the position since May.

► ETHIOPIA: (Pic) Ethiopian Airlines in line for first B737-400F.

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) is set to dry-lease a former Brussels Airlines (SN) B737-400 (MSN 28493 | ET-AQV) from global leaser, the Aviation Capital Group, following its conversion into a B737-400(F) freighter. 

■ EGYPT: Various airlines issue travel advisories, suspend services to Egypt in the wake of ongoing unrest.

Owing to the precarious political and social situation in Egypt, the following countries and airlines have issued advisories regarding their current and future operations into the North African country: Belgium, Egypt, Germany, Italy, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovenia, the UAE, the United Kingdom, the US.