Air Algerie Boosts Links to Montreal
Air Algerie is to launch a third weekly rotation on its Algiers - Montreal route this winter, offering a Saturday departure alongside its established Tuesday and Friday services. The new frequency will be introduced in the first week of November and is the airline’s sole link into North America. In the past year an estimated 67,000 O&D passengers travelled between Algiers and Montreal, a market that has declined by around 17.6 per cent in the past 12 months. The airline’s yield has also significantly weakened as average one-way fares have slipped from $390 to $362 and its overall share of the market has declined from 76 to 65 per cent. Although Air Algerie is the only airline offering a non-stop service it faces competition from Air France, via Paris CDG and Royal Air Maroc via Casablanca. The French national carrier has seen its share of the traffic rise 40.8 per cent in the past year and notably it has a much stronger yield than its North African rivals with average one-way fares of $605. However, these are also down significantly on the performance 12 months earlier. Elsewhere, Air Algerie will modify its capacity in other markets this winter increasing and decreasing flights on many routes when compared with the 2010/2011 winter schedule. According to the North African carrier’s latest GDS inventory, the Algiers – Amman route will see a second weekly frequency; Casablanca will be served four times weekly, up from three rotations last year; Istanbul will receive a sixth weekly flight and Lyon will retain its summer schedule of daily flights, rather than the six last winter. However, the Mali capital Bamako will have just two flights per week, down from three last year, Rome will have five flights per week rather than four, while London Heathrow will see a significant capacity decline as a Boeing 737-800 is used on Air Algerie’s four times weekly link rather than the Airbus A330-200 used in last winter.
Asky Airlines Launches Winter Link to Abuja
African carrier Asky Airlines is to open a link from its base in the Togo capital, Lomé, to the Nigerian city of Abuja this winter. This will be the carrier’s second link into the country as already serves Lagos. The new twice weekly service will be launched on November 20 and will continue on from Abuja to Niamey, boosting links to the Niger capital from five to six a week (four direct flights and two via Abuja). Asky Airlines, which is minority controlled by Ethiopian Airlines and operates under the carrier’s AOC, will also suspend its flights to Bangui and Banjul, while frequencies to Abdijan will decrease from seven to six per week.
Fly540 Increases Flights into South Sudan
Kenyan low-cost operator Fly540 has increased the frequency of its flights between Nairobi and Juba, the capital and largest city of the Republic of South Sudan. From October 15 it has more than doubled its capacity on the route with the introduction of a further six flights, increasing its weekly offering to eleven rotations. The route is now being served by a 50-seat Bombardier CRJ200 with twice daily flights Monday to Thursday, and daily services between Friday and Sunday. Fly540 now serves 18 destinations within Kenya following the introduction of a Nairobi Wilson – Ukunda route in August, as well as providing international services to Bujumbura, Dar es Salaam, Entebbe, Juba, Kilimanjaro, Manyara, Mwanza, Serengeti and Zanzibar.
Ethiopian Opens the Regions to Khartoum
Ethiopian Airlines has launched direct flights to the Sudanese capital Khartoum from two provincial cities in the north of the country to enhance tourism and business links between the two countries. The new flights from Bahir Dar, the capital of the Amhara region and Mekele, in the Tikray region, were launched on October 13 and are being flown four times weekly using a Bombardier Dash 8-Q400. They represent a slight change in network philosophy by the carrier as it only has one other international flight that is not operated from its Addis Ababa, a link into to neighboring Djibouti from Dire Dawa. “Ethiopian Airlines has long been flying from Addis Ababa to Khartoum. The new direct flight services between Mekele, Khartoum and Bahir Dar will enhance the ever increasing economic, social and political ties of the two nations,” said Tewolde Gebremariam, Chief Executive Officer, Ethiopian Airlines. “Tourists, business people and all other travelers from the Sudan and other parts of the world will now have an easy and direct link to the fascinating tourist destinations of Northern Ethiopia.” The flights offer improved links to the many tourist locations in this part of Ethiopia and the airline hopes increasing number of Sudanese will be encouraged to make the journey thanks to the availability of direct air services. This region of Ethiopia is home to nine world heritage sites and visitors can view the source of Blue Nile and Tisisat Falls via Bahir Dar and the Nejashi Mosque, the first mosque in Africa built in the 7th century AD, via Mekele. Ethiopian Airlines already serves Bahir Dar from Addis Ababa with a twice daily flight as well as offering a domestic link to Lalibela. Mekele is linked three times daily with Addis Ababa and also to Humera and Indaselassie.
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