News From Africa

Richard Maslen March 31, 2011

ARIK AIR TO SUPPORT SIERRA LEONE START-UP

Nigerian carrier Arik Air has entered into a joint venture with the Government of Sierra Leone to establish a new national carrier in the West African country. The start-up, Leone Airways, could inaugurate operations before the end of this year, initially flying from the country’s capital Freetown to London. Arik Air already serves the Sierra Leone market with a four times weekly Lagos – Freetown – Banjul flight. This will represent Arik Air’s second joint venture outside of its home market. In April 2009 it formed Arik Niger in partnership with the Government of Niger, but the airline closed down in February 2010 after Dutch lessor Denim Air, which had operated two Fokker 50s on an ACMI deal, suspended operations.

KENYA AIRWAYS TO INCREASE FLIGHTS TO NIGERIA

Kenya Airways has confirmed that it is working on a revised schedule for its Nairobi – Lagos route after the Nigerian Government granted the carrier permission to operate up to 14 flights per week between the two commercial capitals. The ruling also permitted the Kenyan flag carrier to offer up to four flights a week from Nairobi to Abuja, the country’s seat of power, and services could commence later this year. “We are very grateful to the Nigerian government and Prime Minister Raila Odinga who helped make this possible,” said Titus Naikuni, Chief Executive Officer, Kenya Airways. “Traffic is built on suitability, if passengers know they can catch connecting flights in Nairobi, they will use Kenya Airways as their preferred airline.” Approximately 40,000 O&D passengers travelled between Nairobi and Lagos in the year ending January 2010, with around 2,000 more flying on to Abuja. Kenya Airways currently offers a daily link on the Nairobi – Lagos route using a Boeing 767-300ER.

TUNIS AIR TO ADD ENFIDHA – MANCHESTER CONNECTION

Tunis Air is to launch a new weekly flight between Enfidha and Manchester from May 21, its eleventh destination from the recently renamed Hammamet International Airport. The facility has been developed as a convenient gateway for the ever-increasing tourism traffic to the North African country due to its proximity to the primary touristic region of the country, and is becoming a secondary hub for the flag carrier. From the start of the Northern Summer schedules it will offer links to Berlin Schönefeld, Düsseldorf, Dublin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich and Zürich; adding flights to Turin from May 29 and Belgrade from June 14.

CAMEROON’S NEW FLAG CARRIER TAKES TO THE AIR

The new national carrier of Cameroon launched operations at the end of March, with two foreign nationals at the helm. The start-up, Cameroon Airways Corporation, or Camair Co, has been formed to replace former state entity Cameroon Airlines, which suspended operations in 2008. Dutchman Alex Van Elk, formerly of Arik Air, is its Director General, while Austrian Gustav Baldauf has become Chief Operations Officer. The start-up launched operations on March 27 using a mix of 128-seat Boeing 737-700s and a 210-seat 767-300ER models. Its network comprises a mix of domestic and international services, initially covering Garoua, Maroua and Yaounde in Cameroon; Paris in France and N'Djamena in Chad, but there are plans to add further regional links. In its home market it will offer up to 12 weekly flights between Douala and Yaounde - the country’s main internal link – up to five rotations per week from Douala to the North Province capital of Garoua and up to three to Maroua in the Far North Province. Within Africa it plans to operate up to three-times daily services to Abidjan, Bangui, Brazzaville, Cotonou, Dakar, Lagos and Libreville, although its most significant link will be to Paris CDG, where it will offer six flights per week from Douala, with flights operating via Yaounde in both directions. France is the largest international O&D market from Cameroon with more than 210,000 passengers travelling between the two countries in the year ending January 2011. The airline was supported in its launch by Lufthansa Consulting, who were commissioned by the Government of Cameroon to advise the country on the setting up of the carrier in 2009. During the project, a team of experienced specialists from the German aviation consultancy conducted a thorough and extensive market analysis and drew up a detailed business plan for the start-up. “Lufthansa Consulting devised a plan to introduce the necessary measures and also provided implementation support in selected areas. Under the terms of the consulting agreement, the experts were also entrusted with the task of recruiting candidates for the key management functions in the new company. Furthermore, the consultants developed a comprehensive product and strategy concept and as a result of this, performed commercial training measures for the carrier’s cabin crew members,” it said.

AIR SEYCHELLES TO RETIRE BOEING 767-200ER IN MAY

Air Seychelles is set to retire its final leased Boeing 767-200ER from operation and will upgrade its flights from the Indian Ocean archipelago to Chennai, Mauritius and Singapore to the larger 767-300ER variant. According to the latest information on the GDS, this transfer will take place at the end of May, with the 767-300ER coming on line to these destinations from June 1.

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