DREAMLINER IN AFRICA
Addis Ababa – Boeing’s model 787 Dreamliner visited the African continent for the first time
when it touched down at Addis Ababa on December 11. Its visit was part of its world tour and also gave Ethiopian Airlines, an early Dreamliner customer, a chance to see its new aircraft in action. Captain Desta Zeru, the airline’s Vice President Flight Operations, flew the new aircraft from Haikou, China, to Addis Ababa,
becoming the first African captain to fly the 787. Kenya Airways, another customer airline, also had a chance to see the new airliner when it arrived in Nairobi a day later (see caption story on page 29).
1TIME HEADS FOR KENYA
Johannesburg – 1time airline has announced that it is to open its second route to East Africa in March by flying to Mombasa, Kenya. The new route will supplement its other intra-Africa flight offerings, which includes two flights a week to Zanzibar, in Tanzania, and five flights a week to Livingstone, in Zambia. The Mombasa service will operate twice a week from OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg.
EARLY A320
Johannesburg – South African Airways was reportedly due to have taken delivery of an Airbus A320 late last month as part of a multi aircraft order. However, this particular aircraft is not fitted out to SAA requirements and is believed to be a “fill in” while the airline waits for its own machines. The carrier has been able to secure earlier production slots to make up for capacity shortage after the return to lessors of some of its Boeing 737-800 fleet. The carrier was also due to launch non-stop scheduled services between Johannesburg and Beijing on January 31 using Airbus A340-600 equipment (see story on page 19).
SERVICES TO LIBYA
Valletta – Air Malta has resumed scheduled air services to the Tripoli, in Libya, thus becoming
one of the first international airlines to return to the country after the popular uprising and
the lifting of United Nations Security Council resolution that established a no-fly zone over Libya in March last year. In later news, Air Malta announced that it is to increase its services to Tripoli to four times a week and that it hopes to also start services to Benghazi soon.
ADDITIONAL ATR
Brazzaville – Equaflight Services has taken delivery of an additional ATR42 for services from its Brazzaville base in the Republic of Congo.
PAS JET
Cairo – Petroleum Air Services has ordered a single Bombardier CRJ900, becoming the first jet in the carrier’s fleet.
LINEAGE 1000
Casablanca – Dalia Air has taken delivery of an Embraer Lineage 1000.
NEW LIVERY
Mahé – Air Seychelles has introduced a colourful new corporate livery as part of a reorganisation of the carrier.
NEW A320
Tunis – Tunisian carrier, Nouvelair, has taken delivery of a brand new Airbus A320 as part of its continued fleet expansion.
ANGOLAN SERVICES
Lagos – Arik Air has introduced twice weekly scheduled services between Lagos and the Angolan capital, Luanda.
FAN DC-8
Kinshasa – Transair Cargo is believed to be the operator of a newly delivered Guineanregistered DC-8-73 freighter.
CONGO A310
Kinshasa – Services Air will add an Airbus A310 freighter to its existing fleet of Boeing 727
freighters. The aircraft is registered in Uganda to owner Shiv Air which is believed to be owned by Services Air.
ANOTHER ATR
Luanda – Fly540 Angola has taken delivery of an additional ATR72 aircraft.
CONGOLESE YAK
Brazzaville – Aéro-Frêt Business has added a Yak 40 trijet to its fleet of aircraft.
