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Ethiopian to Strengthen
its Presence in the Middle East
Ethiopian Airlines,
the fastest growing African carrier, has announced its plan
to launch flight services to Kuwait and Riyadh starting June
2, 2008. The flights will operate Addis
Ababa-Riyadh-Kuwait-Addis Ababa twice weekly on Mondays and
Thursdays with the return flights on Tuesdays and Fridays.
More-. .
Pioneers Inspired
Today's Flights via Asia
Pacific.
Vancouver, Seattle, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, are Gateways
for Africa tours and travel. Grant
MacConachie,
founder of CPA dreamed of an air bridge to the Orient.
Aviator,
Howard Hughes was another famous visionary
Flight News from East Africa by
Prof. Wolfgang Thome
 AIR
TANZANIA FLEET UPDATE
The two recently acquired
Bombardier Dash 8-300Q have now commenced service, after
having been repainted in the livery of Tanzania's national
airline. The two aircraft will be deployed from Dar es
Salaam on the routes to Kilimanjaro / Mwanza, Zanzibar,
Kigoma, Mtwara and Dodoma as well as other domestic
destinations. It is also understood that the Tanzania
Government has now issued the guarantee to the lessor /
owners of the new A320, which Air Tanzania is to receive
shortly, fulfilling the last outstanding contractual element
before delivery of the aircraft. Technical personnel and
crew are already undergoing training and typerating on the
aircraft, ready for delivery and deployment. Additional
aircraft purchases are also at an advanced stage,
underscoring the political will of the Tanzanian government
to keep ATCL independent from snap up vultures hovering in
the region and operationally capable to strongly compete in
the East African aviation market and beyond. Well done
indeed!
 CHANGES
AT KENYA AIRWAYS
IIt was learned just a fraction too late
for last week's column, that Kenya Airways Commercial
Director Hugh Fraser will be leaving the airline, as will
his colleague Neil Canty, holding the portfolio of Finance
Director. In particular Hugh was enormously instrumental in
the team supporting and surrounding CEO Titus Naikuni, to
build Kenya Airways into the success story it was prior to
the opposition inspired post election violence, which hit
Kenya on a broad basis and ripped the carpet-s peak business
- from underneath the feet of many leading companies
including KQ. Recent reports filed in this column already
spoke of the problems the airline was encountering in
particular on the European routes and routes in and out of
Mombasa. Staff have been asked to take paid leave (for the
time being), although no formal lay offs are presently
underway. A strict cost saving and cost reduction programme
is presently being finalised and implemented to keep Kenya's
national airline financially balanced, until the recovery of
the tourism sector goes underway and passenger numbers
return to normality. However, it is sadly noted that this
recovery will apparently be without Hugh, whom this
correspondent wishes the very best in the future.
It is also noted that other senior staff
had left the airline over the past few months (Technical
Director and Director Flight Operations / Chief Pilot),
probably making way for a major top management shake up and
organizational revision, including creating the position of
Chief Operating Officer (COO). The airline's CEO Titus
Naikuni's position is reportedly however not under review as
he continues to enjoy the ongoing confidence of key
shareholders like Air France / KLM and the Kenya Government.
The airline has been struggling before the Kenya post
election violence started affecting the passenger and cargo
performance, with a huge network and fleet expansion and
related problems, but was reported to be on the way to
getting things on the straight and narrow once again before
the current crisis began to depress the financial results
and drove the share price to sharply lower
levels.
Hot on the heels of these changes come
further news that the airline suspended the Paris route for
the time being, owing to a sharp drop in passenger numbers.
Passengers already booked will now connect to Paris via
Amsterdam, where the onward flight is operated in code share
with KLM or via London, where the onward codeshared flight
is operated by Air France. The route may be restored at a
later date, once demand levels have risen sufficiently again
to justify the service.
France's anti travel advisory has been
particularly aggressive, warning off would be travellers
with grave language, but this may change in view of a
political agreement coming nearer and the situation in Kenya
in general stabilising in recent days, after the opposition
goons apparently got the message from their puppetmasters to
stop the unwarranted attacks on fellow Kenyans. Germany,
Italy and the UK already lifted their anti travel advice
which will be a welcome boost to restore tourism arrival
from these countries to their per-election
levels.
Access to
Africa flights via three great oceans. Consider
fam
tours
to Africa via North America's Pacific Gateways with exotic
stopovers in Asia and many carrier options.
Air Cargo
Update
WFS PROMOTES PABLO
GARCIA TO SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT WORLDWIDE SALES
FLY 540 NOW SET FOR
ENTEBBE
Following shortly after launching their
first regional destination &endash; Southern Sudan's capital
of Juba &endash; Fly 540 has now started operating their
next regional route to Entebbe, launched earlier this week
with yet little fanfare. The advertised fares stand at 79 US
Dollars one way, plus continuously high regulatory charges,
which the regional governments now have to address as a
matter of urgency. Bringing airfares down on a broad basis
has to be matched with lower airport taxes and navigation /
landing fees for regional flights to promote airtravel
beyond its present transportation market share. These
regulatory charges presently cost US Dollars 116 for a
return flight, with the air fare costing USD 158, an
unrealistic equation. The Fly 540 fares are not much
different from the Royal Daisy / African Express fares of
USD 70 one way plus regulatory charges, mentioned some time
ago in this column as breaking news, but are substantially
lower compared with other airlines on the route. In addition
Fly 540 operates 2 daily flights while African Express
operates only twice a week and may therefore not stand the
pace of the new competition.
This will be a welcome development for
travellers and is aimed towards the AKFED owned Air Uganda,
which was licensed by the Uganda Government in November 2006
with the understanding that fares between Kenya and Uganda
would come down on a broad basis. Not only did the upstart
fail and subvert this expectation but also introduced two
aviation stone age, first generation DC 9's as their start
up aircraft, one of which will this weekend be substituted
with what they say ' a newer' aircraft, this being a nearly
20 year old MD 87. Environmental concerns obviously do not
feature at all in this outfit and regulatory demands
therefore must be hastened to compel such companies to
comply with global standards of emission controls. This is
of particular significance in view of AKFED's corporate song
of 'best practise', which alter ego may now have to be
looked at afresh by the green lobby and real
conservationists to establish its true global carbon
footprint and industrial emissions caused in the developing
world.
Fly 540 is starting on the route with ATR
42 equipment with 48 economy seats, and having several brand
new ATR's on order from the French manufacturer will
undoubtedly put Fly 540 into an excellent position as far as
operational cost are concerned. The route will see the new
ATR 72 introduced soon, which will then operate with 12
business class and 50 economy class seats, reflecting
anticipated market demand for services on the heavily
travelled route.
There will, for the time being, be two
daily flights between Nairobi and Entebbe, offering the
important and convenient first connection out of Nairobi to
Entebbe at 06.40 hrs, as well as a late afternoon flight,
which will allow travellers from Kenya to spend a full
working day in Uganda and be home in Nairobi the same day
again. Fly 540's biggest single investor is Lonrho Africa,
which also intends to launch air operations in several other
African countries during 2008 and 2009 as a credible
regional alternative, going by recent press statements
issued by the company. In fact, travel agents during this
week's Skal function in Kampala expressed delight with Fly
540's start in Uganda and were hopeful the airline could
soon add further flights, which in their combined view were
offering the best value for money in the market.
RWANDAIR PRIVATIZATION STILL
PENDING
While a request for comments from the
airline was not responded to it could nevertheless be
established, that the exercise has not been concluded in
January, as was widely expected. Informed sources confirmed
under cover of anonymity, that Rwandair's review of the
proposals took in particular issue with the types of
aircraft floated by the two remaining bidders. Meridiana, an
airline based in Italy, had proposed to introduce some of
their own aged MD 87 series, but Rwandair had disposed of a
similar model some time ago due to the cost of operation of
this particular aircraft type in favour of a Boeing 737-500.
There is also negative perception in the region about such
'investors' bringing old equipment and peddling it as 'state
of the art' as does the travel market not appreciate the use
of old aircraft, when regional giant Kenya Airways has a
truly modern fleet in operation.
Brussels Airlines too ran into
predictable questions when they initially offered to use the
BAe 146, which the airline is progressively retiring from
the European fleet. Again, this particular aircraft type is
not considered suitable to the climatic operating conditions
and elevations across Eastern Africa, nor would it allow non
stop flights from Kigali to Johannesburg.
A decision is now expected in coming
weeks, after updated proposals are being reviewed at
present, though no precise timeframe is available from the
airline. Meanwhile, application deadlines for several
advertised positions for personnel were extended this week
to allow for more applications to be submitted to the
airline's offices in Kigali, Entebbe, Kilimanjaro,
Bujumbura, Johannesburg and Nairobi.
AFRICAN AIRLINES DOUBLE ORDERS FOR NEW
AIRCRAFT
by Prof. Wolfgang Thome
AFRAA, the association of African airlines, has just
released information that member airlines on the African
continent have during 2007 ordered over 150 new aircraft, up
from only 84 new aircraft ordered in 2006. The trend to
modern equipment will continue in 2008 according to
forecasts, with the key continental players setting the
standards other airlines are likely to follow. In stark
contrast the latest Ugandan upstart is using first
generation DC 9-32 - aptly termed 'sky howlers' by a Ugandan
aviation veteran - which spew fumes and leave very audible
noise prints across the East African landscapes. Fuel
savings generated by the latest engine types and stricter
environmental controls (and categorical demands by
governments in international destinations) have pushed the
leading African airlines towards modern state of the art
jets and their rising passenger numbers also confirm that
the market is keen to see their airlines fly the latest type
aircraft - not to mention safety considerations.
The leading airlines in Africa have also,
with the notable exception of Ethiopian Airlines, now chosen
alliance partners, which has a further impact on
marketability of their services. South African and Egypt Air
are now flying with 'Star Alliance' while Kenya Airways in
2007 joined the Air France / KLM led 'SkyTeam', which will
leave smaller airlines without IOSA certification and
operating with internationally shunned old aircraft,
trailing in their wake.
Read Prof. Thome's
regular news update on the entire East Africa sector.
Details.
More
Airways News .
Air
Highways Website
. Air
Safaris. We're in Google's Top 3
Did You
Know?
In 1995 our team
launched Air Highways Magazine and followe d
up with Air Highway Days, a conference to showcase member
airports and communities to the travel industry. Several
years later we staged and even bigger show in Vancouver, the
Air and Marine Tourism Conference. Good fortune continued to
smile on us that same year when, in partnership with the
Africa Travel Association, we introduced Africa Travel
Magazine. It's 4,000 page web site now leads the pack in
many search categories. Continued . See: http://www.airhighways.com
Who flies where and
when? The World's Major Airlines
\Review
by Jerry W. Bird, Editor.
From
my early experience with bush pilots in the far Yukon to
service in the Royal Canadian Airforce and my more recent
work with Transport Canada and our airport network, flying
has always been in my blood. Little wonder I can hardly wait
for our next long haul to Africa.
With
our biggest aviation edition in ten years well underway,
serendipity played its familiar role in my life when I
received THE WORLD'S MAJOR AIRLINES by David Wragg. It
arrived by mail last week courtesy of the MBI Publishing,
St. Paul, MN and was presented by John Wurm, Publicist for
Military and Aviation. I plan to write this book review in
installments, since my first reading was to get an overall
position on how valuable this timely and well researched
book will be in my evaluation of Africa's airlines and
others serving the continent. Here are some comments from
MBI that help set the stage. "Today there are so many
airlines operating throughout the world that even the most
knowledgeable enthusiast can soon become confused about
which airline flies from where to where. This new, fully
illustrated edition has been revised and updated to include
the major advances in the aviation industry since 1998."
More->
"Aerial Highway"
Critical for poor countries
From
Airline Industry. Without a rational "Aerial Highways"
system lifting tourists in and flying goods and services out
to global markets, the world's poorer countries will be
"sentenced to abject poverty," said the head of a
development agency. Speaking this week to European aviation
chiefs assembled in Oslo, Lelei LeLaulu, president of
Counterpart International, observed terrestrial highways,
roads and bridges are recognised as essential components of
infrastructure responsible for turning new frontiers into
thriving communities as goods and commodities were
transported to markets. More->
Flight to the Land
of Diamonds
It
is common knowledge that when you mention diamonds and
Angola in the same sentence, people are all ears and their
eyes grow wider. This beautiful, bountiful country ranks
high on the world scene for this precious gem in addition to
its rich oil reserves. Host Country Day, Wednesday November
2 began with a flight via Fokker 50 to the Province of Lunda
Sul Saurimo, organized by the National
Diamond Company,
Endiama E.P.. (Continued)
VANCOUVER WILL HOST
THE 16TH WORLD ROUTES FORUM IN
2010
Larry
Berg, president and CEO, Vancouver Airport Authority, says,
"Routes 2010 will give our marketing team a key vehicle for
promoting new routes for both passengers and cargo. Not only
will delegates be able to enjoy the facilities and cultural
legacies of the Olympic Games, but they will also be able to
experience firsthand the new International Terminal
facilities and the Canada Line rapid transit link to
downtown."
More.
Introducing Wings Over Africa
Aviation Limited,
Nairobi,(Kenya).
More->
Pioneer Aviators
Inspired Today's Long Haul Flights .
Travel
from Vancouver to Africa via Asia Pacific recalls the vision
of Edmonton's Grant
MacConachie,
former bush pilot and founder of Canadian Pacific Airlines.
Grant dreamed of an air bridge to the Orient and across the
pole. The Aviator,
Howard Hughes was another famous visionary. See our item
about his famous Spruce
Goose.
More
 Emirates
adds Toronto Flight.
Visit Middle East on your way to Africa.
Oneworld
Humanitarian Mission to South Africa
African
American Pioneers in Aviation
Safest
Year on Record
for Air Transport
Africa's
Future in the Air
Etihad
Guest soars to 100,000 membership
mark
Quick
Now! Name the Top 10
Africa
Vacations!
FORUM ON AIR & SPACE
LAW, MEMPHIS, Oct. 3-6, 2007
Is the
Passenger Bill of Rights necessary? Or does the current
regulatory framework provide adequate protection for the
consumer? What does the Department of Transportation's Final
Order mean for airports and airlines? What is the future of
examining airline industry practices for predatory pricing
given current case law?
More->
Above:
Air Mauritius Route Map
. Links -
A
Sky Full of Challenges - Nigeria:
'Aviation Liberalization
- Air
Highways Magazine
- Airline
Industry Update
- Open
Skies: ATA Congress -
Globe
Air Africa West Contract
- Air
Travel Glossary
, Emirates
Airlines Toronto flights
NBAA
2007 Opens With Record-Breaking Numbers
.
Wing
Aviation Expands Charter Fleet
Fly to
Africa from Atlantic or
Pacific
"Quick
Now! When you think of Africa, do you visualize a luxury
tented camp near Mt. Kilimanjaro? Do you see an
Orient-Express class railway coach sailing through a grassy
sea? Is a world class UN Convention Center and 90 foreign
embassies your idea of Addis Ababa? Believe it! The state of
the art facilities in hotels, resorts, lodges, and meeting
places for tourists and business visitors in many African
countries shatters the myths and blows away most
preconceived notions." .Jerry W. Bird, Editor.
BRUSSELS AIRLINES IN CONGO JOINT
VENTURE
Information has been
received from aviation sources in Kinshasa and confirmed by
the Brussels Airlines PR department, that the Belgian
national airline, arguably the European carrier with the
most extensive network to Africa, has now apparently reached
a deal with Kinshasa based private carrier 'Hewa Bora
Airways' to form a 49/51 percent joint venture. The
Congolese partner airline is already cleared to fly their
B767 to European destinations, unlike all other Congolese
airlines which are blacklisted by the EU over their lack of
safety, maintenance and operational standards. They new
venture will in the future also cover domestic and probably
other continental routes (Eastern and Southern Africa),
likely with the Boeing 737 and BAe 146 aircraft, which
Brussels Airlines has been releasing from service some time
ago and been seeking to place with their planned African
ventures. It has been emphasized that JAR / EASA standards
will be applied to the company across the board to ensure
the safest possible operation for the new airline. This
should come as a great relief to traveling Congolese and
foreigners visiting the country.
Brussels Airlines
investment is routed through their Mauritius based PAALCO
arm, which is apparently tasked to promote African
partnerships and participation for them.
CAPA releases 'landmark' Mid East
aviation report
The Middle East is on track the world aviation
system, Sydney-based Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation says
in a report released yesterday. The Centre for Asia Pacific
Aviation (CAPA) has released what it is calling a "landmark
study" into the rapidly evolving and high potential Middle
East aviation market. It describes a region which is set to
rewrite the world aviation system. Continued
Beijing International Airport to
test Olympic readiness
China has announced it anticipates seeing 60.6
million passengers pass through its Beijing Capital
International Airport by the time it hosts the Olympic Games
in 2008. We actually have just a few months to prepare for
the influx of Olympic visitors in July-August," said Li
Xiaomei, spokeswoman for the airport management. "Large
international airports usually take six to eight months to
go through testing and trial period." Continued.
EAGLE AIR LAUNCHES BEECH 1900
Uganda's largest
privately owned passenger airline, Eagle Air, just launched
their newly acquired Beech 1900 aircraft, which comes in
addition to their 4 LET 410 airliners and other assorted
light aircraft. Eagle serves the Ugandan domestic market
with a comprehensive network across the country, but also
flies to the South Sudan towns of Yei and Juba and
destinations in Eastern Congo. They also carry out charter
flights across the East, Central and Southern African
region. Present at the launch were the Minister for Works
and Transport, Hon. John Nasasira, Civil Aviation board
members and management and members of the aviation
fraternity. The new aircraft offers a pressurised cabin, has
a higher cruising speed and attains higher cruising altitude
compared with the LET 410's, making flights more comfortable
for passengers. All the best to Eagle for a bright future
and happy landings for the new craft.
AIR TANZANIA AIMS AT FULL
RECOVERY
The new board of directors
and management, now in place for a few months, have
vigorously embarked on a recovery programme for the
Tanzanian national airline. It is understood, that while
partnerships are not being ruled out, but at equitable terms
unlike the failed alliances in the past, the airline is set
to acquire new aircraft and will reclaim its status as 'the'
Tanzanian airline. Both domestic as well as regional routes
are likely to be restored soon, having left the field for
too long to Kenya Airways' Tanzanian partner airline
Precision Air. Entebbe is presently being served three times
a week from Dar es Salaam via Kilimanjaro / Arusha but plans
are afoot to restore daily flights. It was also learned that
the planned daily flights on jet aircraft by Precision Air
to Entebbe have been shelved for some more time in favour of
continued ATR operations, which would avail a prime
opportunity to Air Tanzania to re-establish itself as the
main carrier between the two countries
 DAALLO
SHOWS INTEREST IN ENTEBBE
The UAE and Djibouti
based privately owned airline has expressed their desire to
commence operations into and beyond Entebbe of both cargo
and passenger services. In a recent meeting with H.E.
President Yoweri Museveni the group discussed their interest
in aviation and other potential investment areas in
Uganda.
ISTITHMAR EYES AFRICAN AIRLINE
INVESTMENT
The Dubai / UAE
based investment firm has recently announced its intent to
acquire a majority stake in a yet to be named African
airline. The continent's aviation business has been thriving
in recent years and safety initiatives like IATA's
operational safety audits have further assisted in making
aviation not only safer but also more interesting to global
investors. Pretenders have always been sniffing around
African airline to pick up bargains, but with governments
now generally more wary and alert to non performers, the
arrival of such serious investors, as Istithmar obviously
are, can only spell positive for the aviation industry on
the continent. Taking aviation in the Gulf area as an
example (Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways, Oman Air to name a
few), which is now offering the youngest fleets in the skies
and the biggest backlog in state of the art aircraft orders,
anyone now coming into Africa with ageing equipment and
outdated management practises will be promptly exposed for
what they are, less than serious 'partners' in developing
Africa and best to be shown the door.
HISTORY
OF AVIATION. Smithsonian
QATAR
AIR ADDS NEW YORK & DC
Africa
Airports Conference..
Top 10 Africa Vacations.
Egypt
Study Group
. African
Wines
. ATA
32nd World Congress Edition. Marketing
Africa to the Diaspora
. Globe
2008
. Luxury
Spa in Lagos
. What's
a Keeper?
SOUTH AFRICAN ADDS MORE NAIROBI
FLIGHTS
by Prof. Wolfgang
Thome
From beginning of July onwards SAA will add three morning
flights from Johannesburg to Nairobi besides their daily
afternoon departures, to cater for sharply risen demand on
the route. The extra flights will operate on Wednesday,
Friday and Saturday. South African Airways is presently
undergoing restructuring which will see the company divided
into several legally separate profit centres. Major staff
redundancies are also expected, as the airline seeks a
return to profitability. This will include the grounding of
their six Boeing 747's, leaving a fleet of 32 Airbus
models
and 21 Boeing 737-800 in servi
Visit our "Magazine
of Open Skies" Travel Website
(established 1995) www.AirHighways@Dowoco.com
Denis
Dionne's Air News & Media Watch
More
aviation and travel news from around the world from Denis
Dionne of ATA Canada Chapter in Montréal,
Quebec...
QATAR
Airways Touches
Down in Dar es Salaam
TIACA
Selects Amsterdam Airport Schipol to host Air Cargo Forum
2000
Rusland Int'l Delivers Power
Equipment to Tanzania
air
cargo photo story
EMIRATES ADDS THIRD
NEW YORK FLIGHT
Information
just released to travel agents in Uganda by Emirates brings
more good news. The award winning airline is set to add a
third daily flight from Dubai to New York, allowing yet more
connections to the 'Big Apple' from Uganda, where a traveler
to or from the country can now choose to stay over in Dubai
for a few hours of shopping or sightseeing, before taking
the next convenient onward flight to the United States. This
is especially important also for the tourists coming to
visit East Africa from the US, as once again more seats are
becoming available to reach the globe's most treasured
safari destination.
SN BRUSSELS TAKE ON BAR
CHAIR: Mr. Pierre
Declerck of SN Brussels Airlines has now for the remainder
of the term taken over as acting BAR Chairperson, after the
substantive office holder Mr. Emmanuel Okware, formerly of
Kenya Airways, stepped down following his departure from KQ.
Emmanuel, the first ever Ugandan to hold country manager
status in Uganda for the airline, found his contract on
expiry not being renewed under what is generally speculated
over being suspect circumstances. Officials from the airline
decline to comment on the matter but details are gradually
emerging that such position to be held by Kenyans in the
face of public assurances that the airline is a 'true East
African carrier'.The Ugandan aviation fraternity and many
clients of KQ who highly valued Emmanuel's professional work
ethics and performance continue to be incensed over KQ's
move.
Business Travel to
Soar by 2015
Changes
in the global economy will have the biggest impact on
business travellers in the next decade according to new
research out today from Barclaycard Business
Download
Hear AFRAA
Interview on TravelTalk Radio
Christian
Folly-Kossy, AFRAA,., African Airlines
Association Download
Air Madagascar from
USA via Paris
Ease of connections with great fareshttp://www.airmadagascarna.com/newsletter/august06/
sure has been completed. The
runway expansion will allow the use of larger jet aircraft,
as Malindi is presently served by turboprops.
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