Are we entering a New Dawn in the Aviation Market in Africa, or is it a False Dawn? That is the question Aidan Mooney, vice president consulting at ASM, the world route development consultants highlighted when he spoke to The HUB just days ahead of travelling out to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe for this year’s Routes Africa forum.
The landing strip, the foundations of which are already in place, and associated taxiways, in addition to the extending the existing apron area will enable the airport to handle aircraft up to Boeing 747 size and accept direct flights from destinations across a range of long-haul markets, including Europe, opening the doors for the introduction of potential tour operator packages from key markets such as the UK.
Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade is currently working to introduce new businesses processes to make it easier for foreign companies to invest in Kenya.
The founder and chairman of West African carrier ASKY Airlines, Gervais Djondo has dismissed recent speculation that South African Airways (SAA) was to open talks to acquire a stake in the Togolese carrier.
Air Namibia has been permitted to continue flight operations despite a ongoing threat by the Directorate of Civil Aviation (DCA) to revoke its Air Operators Certificate (AOC) over concerns over safety and operational procedures following recent inspections.
The Johannesburg-based carrier, already an operator of the type, will likely utilise three aircraft on its domestic routes from OR Tambo International Airport to Margate, Plettenberg Bay and Cape Town, while five others will be placed on contract perations outside the country.
The hosting of Routes Africa, the largest route development forum in the region, is a clear endorsement of the ambitions of the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe to attract new airlines into the country and improve connectivity in a continent in desperate need of better air links both internally and into other parts of the world.
Victoria Falls Airport is Zimbabwe’s gateway to the Falls, and handled more than 220,000 passengers in 2013. The Falls’ stunning views, adventure activities and nearby wildlife parks are prime drawcards for tourists, yet a major overhaul of Zimbabwe’s aviation and tourism sectors aims to broaden the region’s appeal further.
The new route will launch from July 28, 2014 and will be flown on a five times weekly basis using a two-class Airbus A330-200 configured with 30 Premier Business Class seats and 187 Economy Class seats.
IATA’s director general and chief executive officer, Tony Tyler, likens aviation taxes to “killing the goose that lays the golden egg,” warning that eight million jobs in Africa depend on aviation, an industry that also delivers an $80.5 billion contribution to the African economy.
Afriqiyah Airways and Libyan Airlines have suspended plans for a merger as the two flag carriers' home market struggles to contain a simmering civil war as worsening violence across the North African country steadily encroaches into the aviation sector in 2014.
The confirmation of the Boeing order is part of the Mozambique flag-carrier and the country's Ministry of Transport and Communication's long-term strategy to increase flight frequency and provide greater route flexibility to and from the southern African nation.
In its latest annual results the carrier posted a net profit of €7.3 million, while the wider Air Mauritius Group posted a €8.5 million profit. The positive results mark the return to profit of the national airline over a full financial year after two consecutive loss making years.
Etihad Airways has extended its codeshare agreement with Air Seychelles to include the island carrier's new services between Paris and Abu Dhabi, scheduled to commence on 2 July 2014.
UK investigators have said that a short-circuit in a lithium-metal battery was the likely cause of the fire that damaged an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 787-8 at Heathrow last year.
CFM International has announced it has successfully initiated ground testing of the first all-new LEAP-1B engine that will exclusively power the Boeing 737 MAX.
In 2004, airlines offered 7.7 million seats from Lisbon Airport but this rose to just under ten million seats last year, a 27.7 per cent rise. This year, based on existing published schedules, the airport will surpass the ten million figure for the first time with capacity set to rise 7.8 per cent.
By Steve Nichols / Brussels. SITA, the global IT business solutions provider for the air transport industry, has responded to recent criticism of its structure.
