KENYA AIRWAYS AWARD
Nairobi – Kenya Airways has scooped a top award at the Africa Investor Tourism Investor Awards function held in Harare, Zimbabwe, recently. The airline was declared the Business Airline of the Year at the ceremony which was attended by over 350 guests. Kenya Airways was recognised for the efficiency and effectiveness of its management systems at the awards that had attracted a number of leading airlines from all over Africa. Kenya Airways was launched in 1977 after the collapse of East African Airways, of which it was a partner. Today it carries up to three million passengers annually, and flies to 45 destinations, including
cities across Africa, Europe and select destinations in Asia.
RWANDAIR AIRBORNE AGAIN
Kigali – RwandAir, the national carrier of Rwanda, last month celebrates its return to operations and relaunched a four-times weekly service to Johannesburg using its new Bombardier CRJ200 commuter airliner. The northbound Johannesburg service will provide passengers with onwards connections to Bujumbura, Entebbe, Nairobi and Dar es Salaam.
TTA SCHEDULES
Maputo – TTA has started scheduled services linking the Mozambican capital of Maputo with Johannesburg, initially using a single RJ85 jet leased from shareholder Airlink.
VELVET SKY
Durban – Velvet Sky is reported to be a new Durban-based carrier planning to start scheduled services in the South African market.
CAA RESTRUCTURES
Kinshasa – DRC airline, CAA, is planning a major restructuring of its operations following the loss, in quick succession, of two aircraft, a B727F and an MD-82. The company will resume operations with an Airbus A320,
Fokker 50 freighter and DC-8-73 freighter. The remaining two MD- 82s will be disposed of.
SECOND B737NG
Cairo – Egypt’s Midwest Airlines is to add a Boeing 737-800 to its fleet, joining the carrier’s single B737-600 in service.
COMMERCIAL PARTNERSHIP
Lusaka – Zambezi Airlines and Kenya Airways have entered into a commercial partnership that will see the Zambian carrier begin thrice weekly flights between Lusaka and Nairobi, with onward connections to all the major cities served by the Kenyan flag carrier. Zambezi Airlines will add a third Boeing 737-500 to its fleet and Kenya Airways has offered it a number of other benefits such as access to its prestigious Pride Centre training facility and its state-ofthe art aircraft maintenance base at Nairobi.
NEW ROUTES
Johannesburg – BA/Comair is expanding its African network with the start of scheduled services from Johannesburg to Dar es Salaam, in Tanzania, and to Walvis Bay, in Namibia. The new routes will add to BA/Comair’s existing regional African network from Johannesburg to Harare, Livingstone in Zambia, Victoria Falls, Windhoek and Mauritius.
AIRLINER RETURNED
Lagos – Arik Air has returned the last Fokker 50 turboprop it leased to lessor Denim Air. These aircraft were leased as an interim measure pending the delivery of new Bombardier Dash 8-Q400s.
AIR ADA
Nouakchott – Air Ada is a new non-scheduled Mauritanian airline known to be operating at least one Antonov An-2.
AFRICAN BOEING
Cotonou – Africa Airways,of Benin, has taken delivery of a Boeing 737-200 leased from South Africa’s AirQuarius. With the aircraft it plans to start scheduled services to Douala, Libreville, with future services to Niamey and Yaoundé.
FOKKER SALE
Johannesburg – AirQuarius has sold one of its Fokker F28-4000 jets to Myanma Airways, in Asia. The carrier recently lost one of its F28s in a crash and this aircraft replaces it in service.
CMC BOMBARDIER
Nairobi – CMC Aviation has expanded its Bombardier Dash 8 fleet with the addition of a single Q400 model.
NIGERIAN START-UP
Abuja – Rahamaniyya Airlines is a new low cost carrier that plans to operate domestic services from the Nigerian capital. Services are planned to begin “soon” using a fleet of “modern, young generation aircraft”.
SAFARI PLUS
Dar es Salaam – Safari Plus is a newly established feeder airline that has started services using two Beechcraft 1900D turboprops. The carrier was started with the backing of an investor from the United Arab Emirates.
ALL BOEING FLEET
Casablanca – Royal Air Maroc plans to sell its remaining four Airbus A321s, after which it will operate an all-Boeing jet fleet.
REGIONAL JET
Nairobi – Low cost carrier, Fly540, has taken delivery of its first Bombardier CRJ100 regional jetliner. The aircraft joins the carrier’s fleet of three Dash 8-100s.
ARIK A330
Lagos – Arik Air is to take delivery of its first Airbus A330-200 soon. The aircraft will be used on its daily scheduled services linking Lagos with Johannesburg, replacing the Boeing 737-800s currently operating the route.
FIRST NEW ATR
Algiers – Air Algerié has taken delivery of the first of four ATR72- 500s ordered in 2009. This brings the fleet to nine with the remaining three aircraft due by the end of the year.
COMAIR B737NGS
Johannesburg – Comair has officially announced a long anticipated order for eight Boeing 737-800s for 2012-2015. The carrier reported a R32,6- million net profit for six months ended December 31 (versus R31,8-million a year ago) on 12% lower revenues.
LAUNCH DELAY
Dakar – Media reports indicate that Senegal Airways is postponing the launch of operations until September. The carrier replaces now-defunct Air Senegal International and has placed an order for four Airbus A320s and two A330s.
AVIENT FREIGHTER
Harare – Avient has taken delivery of its second MD-11 freighter following the loss of the first aircraft just more than a week after delivery, in a take-off accident in China.
JET AIRWAYS TO JOHANNESBURG
Mumbai – Jet Airways has launched daily services linking Mumbai with Johannesburg. Johannesburg is the carrier’s first African destination adding to its 21 international destinations.
SERVICE RESUMPTION
Bangkok – Thai Airways will resume scheduled services to Johannesburg as from May 17.
