africanflyer

South African Airways and SAS Scandinavian Airlines, both members of Star Alliance, will begin codesharing from European points points served by SAA to Scandinavian as well as South African destinations

1time is reportedly planning to start services from South Africa to Zanzibar early next year, pending government approval. Flights would be operated twice per week.

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

Jet Airways is reportedly planning to start services between Mumbai, India and Johannesburg, South Africa begining in April 2008 with a 3x per week frequency. The airline is also said to be interested in serving Durban before the end of the same year.

South African currently flies 4x per week between Johannesburg and Mumbai.

South Africa’s Civil Aviation Authority issued a directive to ground all B732 aircraft in order to perform inspections after an engine fell off an airplane belonging to Nationwide Airlines.

Air Tanzania is reportedly set to receive two used Bombardier Dash 8-Q300s before the end of the year, and two brand new -Q400s next year. The aircraft are to be used on short-range routes, while the airline is also reportedly working on acquiring A320 aircraft to serve international routes.

Sénégal’s government will retake control of its flag carrier Air Sénégal International in a move that will see it holding 75% of the company, while Royal Air Maroc will retain 25%. Since 2001, the government held 49% while RAM held the rest.

According to posted schedules, Hainan Airlines will begin services from Beijing, China to Luanda, Angola shortly with a weekly flight. The service will be operated on Mondays via Dubai using B763 aircraft.

HU7923 PEK - DXB: 730 - 1230
HU7923 DXB - LAD: 1350 - 1830
HU7924 LAD - DXB: 2030 - 730
HU7924 DXB - PEK: 850 - 2245

TAAG, Angola’s flag carrier, will begin services to Beijing, China on November 23. Flights will be operated on Wednesdays and Fridays using B772 aircraft.

DT690 LAD - PEK: 1700 - 1530
DT691 PEK - LAD: 1830 - 0230

Effective October 28, members of Ethiopian Airlines’ ShebaMiles and Lufthansa’s Miles & More will be able to earn miles and redeem reward tickets on flights operated by the other airline.

Turkish Airlines resumed services to South Africa this week following a 5-year hiatus. The airline now serves Cape Town via Johannesburg 3x per week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Sundays using A332 aircraft.

TK080 IST - JNB: 2320 - 0910
TK080 JNB - CPT:1030 - 1240
TK081 CPT - JNB: 1720 - 1930
TK081 JNB - IST: 2025 - 0605

TACV, the flag carrier of Cape Verde, will begin services from Praia and Sal to London Stansted using B752 aircraft. Flights from Praia will operate on Mondays, while those from Sal will operate on Thursdays.

VR658 RAI - STN: 0120 - 0810 (from Praia)
VR659 STN - RAI: 0920 - 1420

VR656 SID - STN: 0120 - 0810 (from Sal)
VR657 STN - SID: 0920 - 1420

The Times reports that Lohnro, 49% stake holder of Kenya-based Fly540, has acquired three BAe 146 aircraft for use by the airline which intends to expand services across sub-saharan Africa. The airline was recently granted ‘partial international designation’ rights by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority with authorization to operate to Southern Sudan and the DRC.

Air Namibia has sold its two Fokker 28s to Johannesburg-based aircraft charter and leasing firm Airquarius Aviation.

Air Mauritanie has been liquidated over its inability to pay $2.7 million in debt for leased aircraft. Two planes were recently seized in Paris at the request of lessor ILFC.

Following the airline’s liquidation, a new company by the name of Mauritanie Airways was formed with flights expected to start on November 8. The state will control 10% of the new airline, while the rest will be held by TunisAir and a private entity.

TAAG, Angola’s flag carrier, will begin services from Luanda to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia beginning the end of October. Flights will be operated nonstop using B73Gs on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

DT560 LAD - ADD: 1330 - 2000
DT561 ADD - LAD: 1000 - 1230

In response to British Airways’ pullout from Harare, Air Zimbabwe will boost its service between Harare and London Gatwick to 5x per week.

According to posted schedules, Atlanta-based Delta Airlines will begin services to the following African cities starting in mid-2008:

- New York JFK to Nairobi, Kenya via Dakar, Senegal; 4x per week
- New York JFK to Lagos, Nigeria; daily
- New York JFK to Cairo, Egypt; 5x per week

Air Namibia is reportedly set to scale back its frequency to London Gatwick from the current 3x per week to 2x per week effective January 18.

South African will boost its capacity on African routes by 10% as part of a plan to bring the airline back to profitability. Increases are as follows:

- A fourth weekly flight to Luanda, Angola
- Nairobi will see an increase in frequency from 7x to 10x per week (as posted here a few months ago)
- Mauritius will see an increase in frequency from 7x tp 8x per week
- Larger aircraft will be used on some or all services to Entebbe, Dar Es Salaam, Kinshasa, Blantyre, Lilongwe, Windhoek

The airline will also re-route four out of seven flights per week to New York via Accra, Ghana, while the remaining three will be routed via Dakar.

British Airways announced that it will cease direct services from London Heathrow to Harare, Zimbabwe at the end of next month citing economic reasons. The airline will continue to serve the city via South Africa through its franchisee Comair.

Afriqiyah Airways will begin 3x per week service between Tripoli, Libya and Dusseldorf, Germany on October 29 using A320 aircraft. Flights will be operated on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

8U962 TIP - DUS: 820 - 1105
8U962 DUS - TIP: 1200 - 1645

Community Airlines, a Tanzania-based low-fare airline, is expected to start up later this month with two B732s and two turboprops. No route information has been announced.

EgyptAir has taken delivery of its third B738. The airline has another 9 of the type on order.

Here are the highlights of Ethiopian Airlines‘ upcoming winter schedules, which take effect at the end of October:
- Bangkok will be served 9x per week, continuing on to Hong Konk 3x per week and Guangzhou 6x per week
- Guangzhou will be served 6x per week via Bangkok, up from the current 4x per week
- Delhi will be served 5x per week, up from the current 4x per week
- Beijing will be served 5x per week via Delhi, up from the current 4x per week
- Juba will be served 3x per week, up from the current 2x per week
- Cairo will be served 4x per week via Khartoum, down from the current 5x per week (night flights eliminated, one daytime flight added)
- Khartoum will be served 7x per week (4 daytime, 3 night time)
- Dubai will be served 13x per week, down from the current 2x daily (no daytime flight on Saturday)
- Jeddah will be served 4x per week, up from the current 3x per week
- Bahrain/Abu Dhabi will be served 3x per week, down from the current 4x per week
- Lagos will be served 10x per week, down from the current 11x per week (reduction in one weekly night time flight)
- Accra will be served 7x per week, down from the current 8x per week (reduction in one weekly night time flight)
- Abidjan will be served 6x per week, with three daytime and three night time flights (the night time flight is a continuation of the Addis-Lagos-Accra service)
- Luanda will be served 4x per week, up from the current 3x per week
- Bamako will be served nonstop, with continuing service to Dakar
- Washington DC will be served 5x per week, down from the current 6x per week (no flights on Mondays and Wednesdays)