Malawi and the United Arab Emirates are set to sign a Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) in the coming weeks following a visit to the Southern African country by an Emirati delegation led by Mr. Khalid Ghanim Al Ghaith, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs responsible for Economic Affairs from the10th to 11th May, 2013.
Allied Air Cargo (4W) of Nigeria has selected Aeronautical Engineers, Inc. (AEI), to provide two firm B737-400SF 11 Pallet Configuration conversions, with an option for one additional conversion. The first aircraft is a high gross weight B737-400 (MSN 26081) built in 1993 and will undergo freighter modification in June 2013 at AEI’s Authorized Conversion Centre in Jacksonville, Florida.
Brazil and Mozambique could soon resume direct flights should Brazilian president, Dilma Youseff, consent to a bill already passed by the Brazilian Committee on Foreign Relations and the National Defense of Congress regarding the establishment of commercial flights between the South American country and Mozambique.
The Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) Company of South Africa and the Swaziland Civil Aviation Authority (SWACAA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which will result in better harmonised continental airspace, thereby improving the smoothness and cost-efficiency of the entire air traffic service chain between the two countries.
Shell International Exploration and Production B.V. has selected CHC Helicopter, a Canadian offshore helicopter services provider, for a five-year, multi-million dollar contract to support Shell's deep-water exploration activities off the coast of Sub-Saharan Africa.
Nigeria's largest carrier, Arik Air (W3), has formally launched negotiations with the Brazilian National Civil Aviation Agency (Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil - ANAC) regarding traffic rights and landing slots for São Paulo, it has emerged.
The North African countries of Morocco and Egypt on May 5 finalized a renewed Bilateral Air Servcies Agreement which will see frequencies between the countries doubled from the previous seven, to fourteen weekly for each country's respective designated carrier(s). According to the head of the Egyptian Holding Company for Airports and Air Navigation (EHCAAN), Engineer Magdy Abd El-Hady Hafez, the revised BASA also allows for Egyptair (MS) to serve other cities outside of Casablanca, including the Moroccan capital, Rabat.
Royal Air Maroc (AT) will this Summer lease two Embraer E190 aircraft from Holland's Denim Air ACMI (J7) for use on routes to Germany, Guinea Bissau, France, Denmark and the Canary Islands.
South African Airways (SA), from 01AUG13, is to increase capacity on it's Johannesburg – London Heathrow route, with 1 of its 2 daily flights scheduled to be operated by Airbus A340-600 aircraft on a daily basis.
UK-based Tanzanian LCC, fastjet (FN), is reportedly to commence regional operations to the Zimbabwean resort town of Victoria Falls starting June 4, Swiss aviation newswire ch-aviation reports.
Hot on the heels of its larger northern neighbour, Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport and its aerotropolis/aerocity plans, Bloemfontein's Bram Fischer International Airport is now set to launch its own bid for an aerocity.
Leading on from our previous report, Air Burundi (8Y) says it intends to resume operations on June 1 with flights between Bujumbura and the Rwandan capital, Kigali, using its MA60 aircraft. The GDS however, has yet to reflect any open flights.
Nigeria's Allied Air Cargo (4W) have launched a new weekly Ostend to Freetown, Sierra Leone flight via Lagos Nigeria. The maiden flight was launched on May 11.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is carrying out feasibility studies for the possible construction of an aircraft Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility to serve the region, the organization's Regional Director in charge of Air Transport, Dr. Paul Antoine Marie Ganemtore, has said.
Cape Verde’s airport management company, Empresa Nacional de Aeroportos e Segurança Aérea (ASA), says it is planning to spend over EUR17million to spend (CVE1.8billion) on renovating and expanding the country's airport infrastructure in line with the it's vision of providing quality service to the country's growing tourism industry.
Kenya Airways (KQ), and the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) have entered into a one-year joint marketing programme to boost tourist arrivals. Under the deal, the Kenyan national carrier will bankroll the KTB to the tune of USD240'000 (KSH20million) while in return, the KTB will ensure KQ brand visibility at its tourism promotion forums as they seek to increase the number of tourists visiting Kenya.
[UPDATE 12 MAY] A Portuguese national who made a wise-crack about having a bomb in his luggage that was ready to explode is due to appear in court in São Tomé today. The man, Manuel Ferreira, was travelling with his wife on STP Airways (8F) flight 8F508 from São Tomé International Airport to Lisbon earlier this week when he made the remarks.
SAA Cargo, the freight division of South African Airways (SA), has wet-leased a B737-400F, (MCN 1715 | S5-ABV), from Slovenia's Solinair (SOP). Regional competitor, Kenya Airways Cargo (KQ), recently upped its game through the addition of its first B737-300F, (MSN 29088 | 5Y-KQC).
South Supreme Airlines, the nascent South Sudanese carrier founded by local businessman, Ayii Duang Ayii, is planning to add B737s to its already announced fleet of one Antonov An26.
Turkish Airlines (EK) will, from 27OCT13, adding a 5th weekly frequency on its Istanbul – Djibouti – Mogadishu route, through the addition of a new Sunday flight from Istanbul, Mondays from Djibouti and Mogadishu.
A CAA - Compagnie Africaine d'Aviation (FPY) Airbus A320-200 (MSN ? | "9Q-CAA") operating as flight FPY-343 on May 1 with 130 passengers and 6 crew onboard blew all four main gear tyres prior to commencing its take off roll from Kisangani en-route to Kinshasa.
The Nigerian Export Import Bank, NEXIM, and Export Development Canada (EDC), Canada's export credit agency, are exploring the prospects of a partnership to provide short term financing to Nigeria's aviation sector.
After many weeks of system testing, East African tourism aviation specialists, Safarilink (F2) and Tanganyika Flying Co (TFC), have announced the launch of a codeshare agreement that is fully integrated into both their reservation systems. This 
will allow travel industry customers of either airline to book flights from either carrier from within one carrier’s reservation system.
The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) says it will commence full area radar control by the end of this month having up in place all the necessary logistics and equipment to run a hassle-free air traffic operation, the agency's Managing Director, Engr Nnamdi Udoh, has said.
ACMI specialists, Airstream International Group, have announced the onward placement of five former Royal Air Maroc (AT) Boeing 737-500s by Vx Capital Partners, a US based private investment firm.
The newly appointed CEO of Air Uganda (U7), Cornwell Muleya, has set forth a bold new initiative by saying his company plans to use it's recently acquired Bombardier CRJ200 (MCN 7363 | 5X-UGH) to commence direct flights between Entebbe and the Somali capital, Mogadishu, later this year.
During a recent visit to the Congolese capital of Kinshasa, Bernard Gustin, the CEO of Belgian airline, SN Brussels Airlines (SN), reaffirmed his company's commitment to its Congolese venture, Korongo (ZC), in which it owns a 34.65% stake.
SunExpress (XQ), the Turkish based scheduled and charter operator, launched a once weekly flights between Enfidha, Tunisia and Frankfurt on Friday, May 3.
Domestic Zambian operator, Proflight Zambia (P0), are set to deploy their first B737-200ADV (MCN 23472 | ZS-SMD), leased from South Africa's Star Air (BRH), into active service shortly.
Bankrupt Kenyan regional operator, Jetlink Express (J0), grounded since November owing to a liquidity crunch, is facing an uncertain future as reports out of Nairobi state that fuel supplier, FineJet, is seeking to have the company wound up following its failure to settle outstanding fuel bills that amount to USD1.2million (KES10million).
A Nigerian Air Force Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet on operations in Dargol, 60 km west of Niamey, capital of Niger, crashed at 13h05L yesterday killing both pilots. Chaibou Massalatchi, the head of Niamey’s airport, said the plane had taken off on the morning of Monday, May 6, for a reconnaissance mission into the north-west of Niger when it came down.
fastjet (FN) and Federal Air (7V) have announced plans to wet-lease a B737-300 (unconfirmed MSN 27345 | ZS-VDB) from Star Air Cargo South Africa (BRH). Inaugural flights will commence with a daily Johannesburg - Cape Town flight.
AFI KLM E&M and Afriqiyah Airways (8U) have signed an agreement covering support for the CF6-80E1 engines equipping the Libyan carrier's two Airbus 
A330-200s. This exclusive, longterm contract is for “Time & Materials” engine repairs. Afriqiyah Airways will shortly be taking delivery of three new A330-200s, the first by the end of this year, and the other two in 2014, and these will be automatically included in the scope of the contract.
TAP Portugal (TP) will, during Winter 2013/14, add 2 new destinations to its network, offering 2x weekly Lisbon – Boa Vista (Cape Verde) and a 5x weekly Lisbon – Tangier (Morocco) route.
Malian startup, Douniah Airlines (DTS), is now set to add an ATR72 to its fleet in preparation of its planned launch, delayed from earlier this year likely due to the crisis in Mali.
Rwanda is expecting to float two state-owned companies, the Commercial Bank of Rwanda (BCR) and national carrier, RwandAir (WB), on the country's fledgling stock market soon, the head of Rwanda's Capital Market Authority (CMA), Robert Mathu has said.
The chairman of the board at Air Mauritius (MK), Thomas Dass, has dismissed tentative plans to set up a regional Indian Ocean-based regional carrier, on the grounds that the Mauritian airline is still in too fragile a financial state to be part of any such initiative.
Air Arabia Egypt (E5) will, from 01JUN13, increase its operations to Saudi Arabia, with an additional 1 and 2 weekly flights being added to Dammam and Riyadh respectively.