• The African Aviation Tribune •

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

► LIBYA: Qatar Airways A320 diverts to Alexandria after militia forces Tripoli tower to deny landing permission.

Qatar Airways (QR) has once again been victimized in Libya, this time in Tripoli when on Sunday, August 4, an armed militia are said to have forced Tripoli ATC tower staff to deny an inbound Qatar Airways A320 permission to land, instead forcing it to divert to Alexandria, Egypt. The flight, QR528, then refuelled and returned to Qatar.

The Zanzibari House of Representatives has taken the government there to task over continuous delays and cost overruns in the construction of an urgently needed new international terminal (Terminal II) at Zanzibar's Abeid Amani Karume International Airport.

British Airways (BA) has announced that from October 25, it will cease its 3x weekly flights from London Gatwick to Tunis, Tunisia citing a lack of profitability on the route. Currently, both the B737-400 and the A319 are used to service the route.

The Republic of Congo's third international airport, situated in Djambala, 400km north of Brazzaville, has seen its runway inaugurated following the arrival of a Trans Air Congo (Q8) B737-300 carrying a delegation of government suits and bureaucrats late last week. The project was launched in 2001.

► GHANA: Aero Surveys Ltd appoints Sukhjinder Mann CFO of Starbow Airlines.

The board of directors and management of Aero Surveys Limited, operators of Ghana's Starbow Airlines (S9), have announced the appointment of Mr Sukhjinder Mann to the position of Chief Financial Officer. Mr Mann arrived at the airline 7 months ago as the Financial Controller and has been the acting CFO for over 3 months.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released its June passenger demand figures showing year-on-year global growth of 6.0%. Africa saw a growth of 11.2% with African airlines benefiting from strong domestic economic growth in key markets such as Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. While global air freight demand figures showed a 1.2% year-on-year expansion, Africa's figures showed growth in June of 2.4% on June 2012.

Ethiopia and Australia have reportedly signed a Bilateral Air Services Agreement in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. Present at the signing ceremony last week was the Director

General of the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority (ECAA), Colonel Wesenyeleh Hunegnaw, and the Australian Ambassador to Ethiopia, Ms Lisa Filipetto.

The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) on Friday, August 2, reportedly grounded eleven of British Airways-Comair's aircraft after they were found to be flying with components whose life-cycle expired in August 2012.

Air Tanzania (TC) is reportedly to acquire five Xian MA60s and three Harbin Y-12 turboprops (whether they are on lease or outright purchase is unclear) from JoyAir (JR), a Chinese carrier that is 95% owned by China's state-backed aircraft manufacturer and Xian's parent, the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), with the remaining 5% held by China Eastern Airlines (MU).

Kenya Airways (KQ) has released its Operations Report for the First Quarter of its 2013/14 Financial Year. Overall, the company put into the market place a total capacity of 3'464million seat kilometres which gives a year on year growth of 3.0%. During this quarter the airline successfully launched three weekly operations into Livingstone, the third destination in Zambia after Lusaka and Ndola.

In line with an announcement made in mid-March during the commissioning of the newly renovated and expanded international terminal at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Turkish Airlines (TK) are set to begin 4x weekly flights from Istanbul to Ndjamena, Chad via Kano, Nigeria with effect from December 12. Flights will operate using a Boeing 737-800.

► RÉUNION: Air Austral concedes that any A380 delivery would not be in an all-economy configuration.

La Réunion-based carrier Air Austral (UU) CEO Marie-Joesph Malé says his carrier will not take delivery of the A380 in an all-economy lay out citing the threat to its premium traffic such a layout would present to the airline's overall viability.

► SOUTH AFRICA: Gryphon Airlines to début Johannesburg to Gabon, Congo & Benin flights in November.

South Africa's Gryphon Airlines (6P) will start scheduled flights from South Africa through to Benin via Congo and Gabon with effect from November 1. The airline will operate a former 1Time (T6) McDonnell Douglas MD83 (MSN 49829 | ZS-TRJ) on the route.

Kinshasa-based Air Kasaï has added a B737-200Adv (MSN 22123 | ZS-EVE) to its fleet on lease from South Africa's Gryphon Airlines. Air Kasai also operates the Congo's sole ATR72-200 and various smaller Antonovs.

Angolan carrier, SonAir (SOR), Africa’s largest oil and gas helicopter operator, has become the first operator to resume passenger transportation flights with the suspended Eurocopter Super Puma EC225 fleet. Three flights were performed successfully with two EC225s from Luanda to two offshore platforms.

Kenya Airways (KQ) has increased its flights between Nairobi and Bujumbura, Burundi with the recent introduction of two daily direct flights; one in the evening and one in the morning operating on board an Embraer E170. Overall, there are now 21 weekly frequencies between the East African capitals.

Air Mauritius (MK) Vice President (Business Sector) Mr Raj Deenanath has stated that his airline does not plan to acquire any new aircraft before 2020 despite recent comments made by Chairman Appalsamy Thomas stating that new aircraft would be a "real game changer" for the struggling airline.

Saudi Airlines cargo division, Saudia Cargo (SV), has announced the re-launch of its Nairobi, Kenya hub along with the expansion of its network coverage into sub-Saharan Africa. Saudia Cargo currently serves six other freighter destinations in Africa, namely: Addis Ababa, Johannesburg, Kano, Khartoum, Lagos and N’Djamena. Saudia also offers a Lagos, Nigeria hub focussing on West Africa.

Nigeria's Inland Revenue Services (IRS) acting on behalf of the Edo State Government, temporarily closed Benin Airport on Monday over allegations of tax evasion by airport workers. The move resulted in numerous flights to both Abuja and Lagos being cancelled.

British Airways (BA) is to tentatively reduce its London Heathrow – Johannesburg operation with effect from 3 March 2014, with overall frequencies being reduced from 17x to 14x weekly. This is mainly due to the introduction of the Airbus A380 aircraft on the route, scheduled to enter service 3x weekly with effect from 12 February 2014 and which will increase to 6x weekly from 10 March 2014.

■ ALGERIA: Fire in Algiers Houari Boumediene Airport control tower temporarily disrupts flights.

Authorities at Algiers Houari Boumediene International Airport were on Monday, July 29 forced to divert all inbound flights to Wahran and Annaba airports after a fire broke out in the control tower at 18h00L.

Italian construction conglomerate, Salini-Impregilo, have had a 2010 contract to renovate and upgrade the airport at Al Kufra in the south-eastern Libyan desert, reactivated with construction set to go ahead from the end of August.

US-based domestic and regional carrier, JetBlue Airways (B6), and South African Airways (SA) have announced a bilateral codeshare agreement aimed at connecting the carriers’ networks via New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Washington’s Dulles International

Airport (IAD). While the agreement is still pending U.S. Department of Transport regulatory approval and subject to receipt of foreign government operating authority, it will allow customers to purchase a single ticket combining SAA and JetBlue-operated flights and is an expansion of an interline agreement first inked in 2010.

A Batswana parliamentary inquest into the operations of state-owned national carrier, Air Botswana (BP) has uncovered purported oversights in the airline's fuel procurement, fleet selection and employee accountability procedures.

Tanzania's Precision Air (PW) has reportedly retired its last remaining B737-300 (MSN 28573 | 5H-PKS) from service with the aircraft now listed by a US-based leasing firm as being available for either sale or lease immediately. The move effectively leaves the Dar-es-Salaam based carrier with an exclusively turboprop fleet of five ATR42s and five ATR72-500s.

Kenya Airways (KQ) and Air Namibia (SW) have announced the signing of a new code-share agreement paving the way for daily connections between the airlines’

Nairobi and Windhoek hubs through Johannesburg in South Africa and Lusaka in Zambia. This code-share agreement with Air Namibia brings the total number of code-share arrangements that Kenya Airways has signed with other international carriers to twenty.

Air Côte d’Ivoire (HF) will from late August 2013 gradually roll out 4 new regional destinations - Kinshasa, N’Djamena, Niamey and Pointe Noire - boosting its presence in both West and Central Africa.

■ UNITED KINGDOM: Government donates airport security equipment to Angola, Kenya.

The British Government, via its Safe Skies initiative aimed at improving airport security measures in force around the world, has donated security equipment to both Kenya and Angola in a bid to enhance the quality of security screening procedures at both Kenyan and Angolan airports.

Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has begun talks with the Kilifi County government ahead of a planned expansion of Malindi Airport's runway 17/35 in which the plans to acquire more than 25 hectares of land from about 100 families on the southern boundary of the airport to facilitate the airport’s expansion.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Monday, August 5, 2013

Friday, August 2, 2013

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Monday, July 29, 2013

Friday, July 26, 2013

Thursday, July 25, 2013