■ SOUTH AFRICA: SAA's Turnaround Plan to undergo parliamentary committee scrunity this week.

Monwabisi Kalawe, South African Airways' (SA) Chief Executive Officer, says the airline's strategic turnaround plan #9 will be presented to a South African parliamentary inquest committee this week ahead of a possible release to the public at the airline's AGM tentatively due later this month.

► FLEET UPDATE BULLETIN: Air Burkina, Malu Aviation, Skyward Int'l, Jetlink Express, Air Madagascar, Ethiopian Airlines Cargo, Mango, Sahara African Aviation, SKA Aircraft Leasing.

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: Ethiopian Airlines Cargo, Mango, Sahara African Aviation, SKA Aircraft Leasing, Air Burkina, Malu Aviation, Skyward International Aviation, Jetlink Express, Air Madagascar.

■ SOMALIA: Turkey's Favori LLC to assume control of Mogadishu Aden Adde International Airport.

Favori LLC, a consortium of Turkish construction firms Çetin Group and Kozuva with USD3million capital, is set to assume the management of Mogadishu's Aden Adde International Airport with effect from September 15, the airport's current manager, Ali Mohamed Ibrahim, has said. The news comes after months of speculation about the future of a 10-year concession awarded to Dubai-based firm, SKA Air & Logistics, in 2010. 

■ SOUTH AFRICA: PAKAfrica Aviation clarifies its designs on 1Time and its launch plans.

PAKAviation Africa has clarified its plans to establish a new regional African carrier using a restructured 1Time Airline (T6) as its foundation. According to the Dubai/Pakistani-backed firm, 1Time Holdings Ltd is to be used as a housing company for assets once a controlling stake (still pending regulatory approval) is acquired. 

► CAMEROON: Gabon's Afric Aviation goes regional with 4x weekly Douala flights.

Gabonese carrier Afric Aviation (L8) has launched its first international route with four times weekly flights between Gabon's capital, Libreville, and the Cameroonian commercial hub of Douala. Operations are on board one of the airline's two ATR72-200s.

■ TOGO: Lomé-Tokoin Airport upgrade works to be completed next year; opening due in 4Q 2014.

Expansion works at Lomé's Tokoin Airport, also known as l’Aéroport International Gnassingbé Eyadèma (AIGE), are expected to be completed within a year with an official opening scheduled for December 2014, Colonel Gnama Latta, the Director General of Togo's civil aviation authority l'Agence Nationale de l'Aviation Civile du Togo (ANAC), has said.

► NIGERIA: (Pic) Start-up Discovery Air's first B737-300 rolls out the paint shop.

The first of two B737-300s, (MSN 28571 | 5N-BQO) formerly with brussels airlines(SN), has been painted in the livery of its new owner, Nigerian start-up, Discovery Air, and has been parked at London Southern Airport awaiting delivery to Lagos. A second ex-bmibaby (WW) B737-300 (MSN 28870 | 5N-?) is also expected.

■ CONGO (KINSHASA): Korongo boss dismisses reports of Air France/Kinshasa tie up; claims game still on.

Christophe Allard, the managing director of Congolese operator, Korongo Airlines (ZC), has dismissed recent media reports that Kinshasa has reached a definitive agreement with Air France (AF) in which the latter will become a partner in a new Congolese national carrier due in the skies in either late 2013/early 2014.

► UNITED KINGDOM: British Airways announces further modifications to Entebbe, Cape Town, Tripoli.

British Airways (BA) has announced further modifications to its African timetable with a doubling of Cape Town frequencies due from October 27 and an added fourth weekly flight to Entebbe, Uganda due from March 31, 2014. Flights to Tripoli meanwhile have already been increased to four times weekly.

■ VIETNAM: Seychelles, Vietnam sign a Bilateral Air Services Agreement and various other MoUs.

During a state visit to Vietnam at the end of August, Seychellois President, Mr James Michel, and Vietnam's President, Mr Truong Tan Sang, witnessed the signing of five Memoranda of Understanding involving bilateral cooperation between the Republic of Seychelles and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam of which one pertained to a Bilateral Air Services Agreement.

► NIGERIA: Ex Camair-Co boss Alex Van Elk to help set up new Nigerian LCC.

A new Low Cost Carrier will commence operations in Nigeria in 2014 with former Camair-Co (QC) CEO, Alex Van Elk, one of the project's coordinators. According to Mr Van Elk, the carrier is a joint partnership between Nigerian and European investors.

■ CONGO (KINSHASA): Government set to form new national carrier with Air France; ops by early 2014.

The Democratic Republic of Congo has reportedly chosen Air France (AF) as its strategic partner in its planned new national carrier to replace the defunct LAC Lignes Aériennes Congolaises (4V) following months of speculation.

■ TANZANIA: Precision Air posts a USD18.8million loss for FY2012/13.

Tanzania's Precision Air (PW) has confirmed sustaining a hefty loss of TZS30.4billion (USD18.84million) for its most recent 2012/13 Financial Year ended March 31, 2013. In their statement, the the Board of Directors of Precision Air Services Plc said that while total revenues had grown by 8.2% on the previous years figures to TZS176.4billion (USD109.3million), the loss was attributable to rising fuel, maintenance and equipment costs, rising personnel expenditure and an unfavourable USD exchange rate also taking its toll.

► LIBYA: (Pics) Ministry of Defense takes redelivery of Gaddafi's repainted A340.

The Libyan Ministry of Defense has taken redelivery of an Airbus A340-300 (MCN 151 | 5A-ONE) following an overhaul and a refit in Toulouse, France. The aircraft was made famous as the private jet of deposed Libyan strongman Muammur Gaddafi prior to his death in 2011.

■ SEYCHELLES: Air Seychelles posts very strong 2Q & 1H2013 Financial results.

Air Seychelles (HM) has announced a strong second quarter (Q2) and half-year financial performance, reflecting continued solid growth and success in its turnaround strategy. Overall, during the quarter, the Seychellois national carrier posted total revenues of USD26.03 million (up from USD10.87million in 2012), a significant increase of 139%. Total revenues for the first half of 2013 reached USD42.05million (2012: USD18.76million), up by 124%.

► TURKEY: Turkish Airlines to boost Algiers, Kigali/Entebbe, launch flights to Tobruk.

Turkish Airlines (TK) will effect various changes to its African route network over the coming weeks with flights Algiers to be increased from daily to 11x weekly with effect from September 18 until October 26. Additionally, AirlineRoute writes that the Entebbe via Kigali route will see a 6th weekly flight from October 27 with the frequency to go daily come November 14. The airline is also expected to announce its the launch of 3x weekly flights to its 4th Libyan destination, Tobruk, in mid October.

► MADAGASCAR: MTA opens own aerodrome at Bekopaka; eyes twice weekly Antananarivo, Morondava flights.

Madagascar Trans Air, a private small-prop based Malagasy operator, has opened its own airport near the western town of Bekopaka. The facility will help stimulate local tourism trade with the capital, Antananarivo, now just 75minutes away and Morondava now only 30 minutes away by air.

■ UGANDA: Qatar, Uganda sign an Open Skies treaty.

The State of Qatar, represented by  the Qatari Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) and the Republic of Uganda have revised their previous Bilateral Air Services Agreement with therecent signing of an Open Skies treaty effectively granting Qatar Airways (QR) unlimited frequencies (both passenger and cargo) to any destination in the Central African country. The agreement was signed in the Qatari capital, Doha, on August 26.

● IATA: African airlines' July Pax traffic grows 7.5% on 2012 as Cargo takes a knock.

In its July pax & cargo figures, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has noted that overall global demand for air travel recorded another solid month of growth in July. Overall revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs) were up 5.0% compared to July 2012. All regions were up year-on-year, with emerging markets recording the strongest increases with African airline's pax figures growing 7.5% on July 2012. Overall global air cargo traffic results for July showing a continuation of the modest improvement trend experienced in June though African airlines faired for the worse with a 4.9% contraction in July year-on-year.

► UNITED KINGDOM: British Airways to axe Lusaka, increase Accra flights from late October.

British Airways (BA) has outlined its initial Winter 2013/14 schedule with tentative plans to axe its thrice weekly Lusaka, Zambia flights, AirlineRoute has reported. On a more positive note, Accra, Ghana will see an additional 3 weekly services being added . All changes are effective October 27.