africanflyer

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed this week between the Nigerian Eagle and Delta Airlines. The agreement is aimed at exploring areas of commercial cooperation that will expand travel options between North America and Nigeria.

Nigerian Eagle and Ethiopian Airlines have signed a network wide code-share and interline agreement. Details of the code share deal have not been announced.

Nigerian Eagle has signed interline and code share agreements with Kenya Airways. Details of the code share deal have not been announced.

Recently re-branded Nigerian Eagle Airlines unveiled its livery on a B733.

Virgin Nigeria took delivery of its second E190 last week.

Virgin Nigeria will take delivery of one 96-seat E-190 and one 76-seat E-170 this month.

Virgin Nigeria launched new service between Abuja, Nigeria and Accra, Ghana last week. Flights are operated 2x per week on Tuesdays and Fridays.

VK811 ABV - ACC: 2140 - 2210
VK812 ACC - ABV: 700 - 930

Virgin Nigeria will begin service to Banjul, Gambia from Lagos, Nigeria in June. Flights will be operated 2x per week.

Virgin Nigeria has doubled its service from Lagos, Nigeria to Dakar, Senegal, with two flights operated nonstop and the other two operated via Accra, Ghana.

Virgin Nigeria announced today that it will suspend long haul services from its base in Lagos on January 27, affecting its flights to London, UK and Johannesburg, South Africa. In the official press release, the airline states “the decision to suspend both services is to enable us to review our entire long haul operations including our product offerings on these routes. In the mean time, our focus is on consolidating and continuing to expand our profitable domestic and regional flight operations.”

Virgin Nigeria took delivery of its first Embraer 190 this week.

Virgin is reportedly in discussion to sell its 49% stake in Virgin Nigeria. The deal is also likely to see Virgin, chaired by Sir Richard Branson, remove its branding from the airline once it finds a buyer.

Virgin Nigeria will inaugurate service to Libreville, Gabon from its base in Lagos, Nigeria on June 23. Flights will operate on Mondays and Fridays using B733s.

VK823 LOS - LBR: 900 - 1230
VK822 LBR - LOS: 1320 - 1640

Virgin Nigeria was granted a foreign carrier permit by the US Department of Transportation, allowing it to begin services to the US from Nigeria. The airline’s application filed in 2005 was delayed due to opposition from US carriers claiming that the airline was controlled by UK-based Virgin Atlantic, and in the case of Continental, its own application to serve Lagos was denied by Nigerian authorities.

A condition withing the authorization also states “[ …] Virgin Nigeria Airways Limited may only use aircraft wet leased from a duly authorized and properly supervised U.S. or foreign air carrier (or operate through a code-share arrangement with such a carrier, where Virgin Nigeria is not physically operating the flight)”

Virgin Nigeria has agreed to buy 10 Embraer aircraft comprised of seven Embraer 170 aircraft and three 190s. The agreement also includes an option to buy six more 190s and purchase rights for eight 190 and 195 aircraft

Virgin Nigeria has resumed service to Port Harcourt, landing at the the Nigeria Air Force Base while the airport is under rehabilitation. The airline has leased a Fokker 50 for this service, and operates up to 3 daily flights from Lagos.

According to posted schedules, Virgin Nigeria will begin service to Monrovia, Liberia via Accra, Ghana on May 1. Flights will be operated on Tuesdays and Saturdays using B733 aircraft.

VK801 LOS - ACC: 730 - 725
VK801 ACC - ROB: 820 - 1020
VK800 ROB - ACC: 1120 - 1320
VK800 ACC - LOS: 1415 - 1615

According to posted schedules, Virgin Nigeria will serve Abidjan effective March 31. Flights will be opearted 3x per week using B733 aircraft.

VK825 LOS - ABJ: 1110 - 1140 Wednesdays, Fridays
VK824 ABJ - LOS: 1240 - 1510

VK825 LOS - ABJ: 1500 - 1530 Mondays
VK824 ABJ - LOS: 1630 - 1900

This service will increase in August to add a frequency on Thursdays, with another increase in November with service on Sundays, bringing the total to 5x per week by the end of the year.

North American and Virgin Nigeria have signed an agreement to cooperate on flights between the US and Africa. The first phase will see the airlines implementing an interline agreement whereby each will sell tickets on the other’s network. North American will also support Virgin Nigeria’s application to serve New York, where the latter would amend its application to serve the route using wet-leased aircraft. Once approval is granted, both airlines would codeshare on each other’s flights.

Virgin Nigeria will reduce its frequency on flights between Lagos and Dakar from the current 3x per week to 2x per week effective August 7. Services to Douala will also be reduced to 2x per week from the current 3x and will be operated nonstop as opposed to via Port Harcourt.

Virgin Nigeria will serve the city of Dubai in the UAE nonstop from Lagos, Nigeria effective May 2. Flights will be operated 3x per week using A340 aircraft on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

VK313 LOS - DXB: 2230 - 920
VK312 DXB - LOS: 1120 - 1620

Virgin Nigeria has announced the start of services between Lagos, Nigeria and Dakar, Sénégal effective March 16. Flights will be operated 3x per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays using B733 aircraft.

VK843 LOS - DKR: 2100 - 2350
VK842 DKR - LOS: 0050 - 0540

Virgin Nigeria submitted an application to the US Department of Transportation for a foreign air carrier permit, with initial plans to serve either Newark or New York from Lagos with a 4x per week frequency, to be eventually increased to daily. Additional points to be served eventually are Washington DC, Houston, Atlanta, Miami and Los Angeles.

Virgin Nigeria intends to operate flights to the US using wet-leased A340 aircraft from Virgin Atlantic Airways configured in Business, Premium Economy and Economy classes.

Virgin Nigeria is set to have a fleet of seven B733s and four A340s by November 2006, all on lease.

Following the recent crashes and subsequent groundings of airlines that operate B732s in Nigeria, as well as the revocation of Bellview Airline’s air operator’s certificate, Virgin Nigeria and Aero Contractors are increasing their domestic frequencies to help alleviate the shortage of available seats. As of today, Virgin will increase its daily flights between Lagos and Abuja by two while it introduces one extra frequency between Lagos and Port Harcourt. Aero Contractors on the other hand will increase its frequency by one daily flight to both Abuja and Port Harcourt from Lagos.

Virgin Nigeria has made changes to operate its Lagos to Douala flights with a stop at Port Harcourt, Nigeria three times per week, while on the other four days, flights are operated nonstop. Flights on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays are now operated with one stop at Port Harcourt.

VK77 LOS - PHC: 1400 - 1500
VK77 PHC - DLA: 1545 - 1630
VK76 DLA - PHC: 1715 - 1800
VK76 PHC - LOS: 1845 - 1945