SA Express operates flights to Harare from Durban.

Harare, Zimbabwe

SA Express Airlines will be expanding its route network into Zimbabwe with the launch of its flights to Harare from Durban, with an inaugural flight scheduled for October 3.

In a statement, SA Express Airlines said the new route would be the airline’s second major regional route launched in the last three months, taking the carrier’s destinations to 16.

In July, it launched three flights a week between King Shaka and Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Zambia.

“The launch of this new route and added frequencies further underscores the importance of the Durban base and the commitment to its growth,” the company said.

The latest three flights between Durban and Harare will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays using a wide-body CRJ 200 aircraft that can carry up to 50 passengers.

SA Express said the two-hour thirty-minute direct connection would be more affordable and convenient for the business market, but leisure travellers would equally benefit from more travel options into and out of KwaZulu-Natal.

“The new air route is part of a strategy to develop sub-regional air network from KwaZulu-Natal to the 14-nation Southern African Development Community, and thus boosting the tourism and regional business development between the two countries,” said SA Express.

South African Airways to increase flights to Zimbabwe!

South African Airways (SAA), a carrier owned by the government, said it wants to establish a hub in West Africa in partnership with a regional airline to help drive its planned expansion across the continent.

The airline plans to increase flights to Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Zambia and Ghana and may add trips to two or three more destinations in Africa in the year through March 2014, chief executive officer Siza Mzimela said in a presentation to lawmakers in Cape Town, on Wednesday.

“Ghana is the prime location for a potential joint venture,” Mzimela said. “We are currently in discussion with the government on this possibility.”

The development comes at a time when Zimbabwe has approached SAA to be the official carrier during the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) General Assembly
set for next year, as the troubled national airliner Air Zimbabwe remains grounded.

SAA now flies to 21 African destinations outside its home market, carrying an average of 4 600 passengers a day, according to the company.

According to the Tourism and Trends Statistic report for 2011 SAA, Kenyan and Ethiopian Airways had taken advantage of challenges besetting the local airline to increase their market share.

SAA last year increased its market share to 39% from 28% in 2010 while that of Kenya Airways rose to 9% from 8%.

The airline has since added an airbus to the Harare-Johannesburg route. The airline is currently servicing 18 flights per week to Zimbabwe.

A hub in West Africa would make it easier for travelers to fly to Johannesburg and connect with flights to South America, Asia and Australia.

Mango, SAA’s low-cost carrier, or SA Express, another state-owned carrier, are the preferred brand for the new venture, while SAA’s cargo, technical and catering units could provide support services, Mzimela said.

SAA has increased its carrying capacity in Africa by about a third over the past two years, making it the continent’s largest carrier after EgyptAir, Royal Air Maroc, Ethiopian Airlines and Air France-KLM.

Together SAA and Mango operate 53 passenger planes.

SAA has ordered 20 new A320 and A321 Airbus SAS planes, and expects to take delivery between next year and 2017. 

Emirates adds dedicated cargo flights to Lusaka!

Emirates Sky Cargo, the freight division of Emirates, one of the fastest growing international airlines, underlined its commitment to Zambia’s growing economic prosperity with the touchdown of its first dedicated SkyCargo freighter flight into Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka, effective from July 3^rd 2012.
Operating a Boeing 777-200LR aircraft, the dedicated SkyCargo freighter flight arrives from Dubai at 16:00 hrs every Tuesday during the month of July. The airline will then evaluate whether to continue with the service on a permanent basis. From Lusaka the flight will continue to Johannesburg before returning to Dubai.
The SkyCargo airplane has the capacity to carry 103 tonnes of freight, adding to the existing weekly cargo capacity of 160 tonnes on Emirates’ scheduled five-time-a-week passenger service.
Supporting the thriving trade between Africa and the rest of the world, SkyCargo’s weekly cargo capacity into and out of the continent is already more 6,000 tonnes since the launch of the airline’s passenger service flights to Lusaka and Harare on February 1^st 2012. SkyCargo now has a total annual capacity of more than 300,000 tonnes worldwide.
The new gateway means Emirates SkyCargo can connect businesses in 21 countries across Africa to its network of more than 100 destinations, while also providing increased opportunities for key trading partners such as China and Japan.
South Africa – with a weekly capacity of more than 1,500 tonnes spread across the belly-hold of 84 passenger flights serving Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, as well as two dedicated Johannesburg freighters – is Emirates SkyCargo’s key trading point on the continent.
Dedicated freighters also operate to Eldoret and Lilongwe, Cairo, Nairobi, Entebbe, Lusaka, Johannesburg, Accra, Lagos and Tripoli. While the other points on Emirates SkyCargo’s African network – Abidjan, Addis Ababa, Accra, Cairo, Casablanca, Dakar, Dar el Salaam, Entebbe, Khartoum, Lagos, Luanda, Nairobi, Tripoli, and Tunisia – are served using either the belly-hold of wide-body passenger aircraft, or a combination of the belly-hold and freighters.
“With such a comprehensive service now in place we are in a good position to help sustain Africa’s continued economic development by facilitating international trade with its business partners and opening it up to new markets on our ever-expanding network,” said Ram Menen, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President Cargo.
Emirates SkyCargo is transporting parts to support the mining and infrastructure sectors in Zambia – as well as of commodities such as garments, computer parts, and pharmaceuticals – from the likes of the Far East, Australasia, the Indian Subcontinent, Middle East, Europe and North America. Fresh flowers, fruit and vegetables will be among the main commodities shipped in the other direction, while trade is also expected to be generated by neighbouring countries.

Precision Air has launched its flights to Lusaka, Zambia!

Precision Air has launched its flights to Lusaka, Zambia, becoming the third airline to enter the market this year after Emirates Airline and Royal Dutch KLM.
The airline, which touched down at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport at 13:05 hours on Friday, was characterised by pomp and splendour as it received a water salute amid cheers from senior Government officials, ambassadors and Tanzanians living in Zambia.
Minister of Transport, Communication, Works and Supply Yamfwa Mukanga, who officiated at the launch of the airline in Lusaka, said the development will enhance trade between Zambia and Tanzania as the distance has been cut to two hours from 10 hours.
Despite Zambia and Tanzania being neighbours, businessmen and women travelling to Tanzania had to fly via Nairobi or Ethiopia due to lack of a direct flight.
“Many businessmen especially car traders go to Tanzania and it takes them 10 hours to fly to that country hence delaying business transactions. Every business person knows that time is money and I’m happy that Precision Air helped reduce the distance to Tanzania,” he said.
Mr Mukanga called on the airline to ensure that it remains on the Zambian market unlike some airlines, both local and foreign, which have closed down.
“I hope Precision is not on transit but here for good. We would like to see Precision grow like Kenya and Ethiopian Airways to give customers a variety of choices,” he said.
Mr Mukanga said Zambia has a history of local airlines folding but he is happy that the airline has braved the storms in the industry, adding that Government will support the growth of the airline.
Earlier, Tanzanian High Commissioner to Zambia Grace Mujuma said the airline will strengthen economic ties between the two countries.
At the same occasion, Precision Air chief executive officer Alfonse Kioko said Zambia becomes the 16th destination and is expected to launch flights to Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo next week.
Plans are also underway to launch flights to Lilongwe and Harare outes as well..

Qatar Airways now flying into maputo in southeren africa!

Mozambique (Maputo) — Qatar Airways has announced that from November it will fly into Maputo International Airport three times a week, making it the company's twentieth African destination. The service will be operated by the airlines long-haul Boeing 777 aircraft.
In a press release the company stated, "Mozambique is another example of Qatar Airways' commitment to open up access to destinations that are largely underserved by international airlines and have great market potential".
The airline has recently launched a daily scheduled service from its Doha hub to the Rwandan capital, Kigali.
Next month it will start daily flights to Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, and in August it will begin flying to Mombasa in Kenya. These are in addition to its current routes to Dar es Salaam and Nairobi.They are also considering to start flights to zimbabwe.
According to Qatar Airways Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker, "at Qatar Airways we have a robust planning team that is always busy evaluating and researching potential markets with the underlying mission to open up new destinations that are highly underserved internationally. Whether in Africa, Europe, Asia, Middle East or Americas, we have identified great opportunities where other carriers dare not venture into".
He added, "Mozambique is a great example of a market that we believe has great potential linking up with key feeder markets in Europe, Asia and other parts of the world."
Several other companies fly into Maputo, including the Portuguese airline TAP, Ethiopian Airlines, South African Airways and Kenya Airways.
However, not all airlines have found the route to be profitable. Over the last twelve months Comair and 1Time have dropped their flights on the Johannesburg - Maputo route due to a mixture of high airport taxes in Johannesburg and aviation authorities refusing to allocate favourable flights.

SAA will launch an additional flight between Johannesburg and new African destination

South African Airways (SAA) has announced significant schedule and route enhancements to its African network, including: added frequencies to several destinations, new or upgraded aircraft on certain routes, and product developments that will further enhance the flight experience for SAA's valued customers.

From 25 February 2012, SAA will launch an additional flight between Johannesburg and the following cities: Lusaka (Zambia) on Wednesdays and Sundays; Kinshasa (DRC) on Mondays through Saturdays; and Accra (Ghana) daily except Wednesdays.

"These additions are part of SAA's strategy to optimize its schedule throughout the African continent, resulting in expanded services and more convenient schedules and connections for our customers," said Theunis Potgieter, General Manager of Commercial for SAA.

SAA will take delivery of 22 new, state-of-the-art narrow body Airbus A320 aircraft as part of its fleet renewal process. "We are also in the process of optimizing flight departure times and adding our brand new Airbus A320 aircraft on key domestic routes, whilst also scheduling wide body aircraft on other heavily-traveled markets. These changes and enhancements will further solidify SAA's position as the leading and most awarded airline in Africa," added Potgieter.

Effective 24 February 2012, the first of the new A320s will service specific flights between Johannesburg and Durban, with the second aircraft also used on the route from 18 March. The more energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly A320 aircraft are more economical to operate.

These changes will result in improved schedules for regional flights. The departure and arrival times for flights between Johannesburg and Mauritius (from 1 March 2012), Nairobi (from 18 March 2012) and Accra (from 25 March 2012) will be adjusted, resulting in more convenient connection opportunities to and from SAA's international flights. Effective 18 March 2012, flight times for SA028 and SA029 between Johannesburg and Harare will be optimized. SA028 and SA029 will also be upgraded to wide body A330 aircraft on Fridays, accounting for the typically higher demand on that day.

Aircraft upgrades will also be implemented on certain flights between Johannesburg and Cape Town as of 18 March, with the Airbus A330 operating several of the daily frequencies.

In line with SAA's growth strategy, the airline recently introduced new flights to Kigali (Rwanda) from Johannesbug, Bujumbura (Burundi), and Beijing (China).

Singapore Airlines Begins Codesharing on Virgin Australia Domestic Flights

Singapore Airlines has commenced codesharing on Australian domestic flights operated by Virgin Australia, allowing a single booking to be made for flights feeding into or on from SQ's international services via Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.

However, codesharing on international flights remains on the to-do list, with Singapore Airlines yet to nominate when this will begin.

Virgin Australia and Singapore Airlines already share 'earn and burn' privileges for members of their respective  Velocity and KrisFlyer frequent flyer programs.

Virgin's point earning starts at a pleasingly full rate: SQ economy class gains you 1 Velocity point per mile, although allowances in premium cabins are less than you'd expect given the extra money you pay: only 1.25 Velocity points for business class, 1.5 for first class and 1.6 for the swish Singapore Airlines suites.

Also, while Virgin Australia's Velocity frequent flyers can earn points and status credits on SQ flights, KrisFlyer members can't earn Elite Miles – which count towards KrisFlyer Silver and Gold status – when travelling on Virgin Australia flights.

Another need-to-know in the Virgin/Singapore alliance are the rules regarding lounge access: only passengers travelling in Business Class or First Class on a Singapore Airlines-operated flight are allowed entry to SQ's swanky SilverKris Lounge at Singapore's Changi Airport.

If you're a Gold or Platinum member of Virgin Australia Velocity but  travelling in SQ economy your access is restricted to SQ’s KrisFlyer Gold Lounge (including the recently-renovated one in Changi T2 which doesn’t even have toilets, let alone showers).

At other airports worldwide, Velocity Gold and Platinum cardholders can get into any of SQ’s SilverKris Lounges around the world when flying with Singapore Airlines, regardless of ticket class – provided it’s a Singapore Airlines-owned and operated lounge.

Thai Airways to Start Direct Route Between Phuket and Stockholm

Thai Airways starts direct flights from Stockholm (Arlanda) to Phuket from the 1st of November 2012. The new route is good news to the many Swedes who each year travel to Phuket and those who use Phuket as a stop before the journey continues to the very popular Phi Phi Islands.

From the 1st of November 2012, aircraft from Thai Airways will begin departing every Thursday and Saturday. The time of departure is 20:45 from Arlanda Airport and the flight number of flightTG963. That basically means that there will be two aircraft from Thai Airways taking off from Arlanda every Thursday and Saturday.

Emirates Airline to increase flights

THE Emirates Airline will increase flights to Harare in Zimbabwe and Lusaka, to six times a week by October this year from the current five.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) based Airline launched its Lusaka and Harare route last week said the move will ease connectivity from the two countries to Dubai and other destinations world-wide.

Emirates Airline senior vice-president for commercial operations in Africa Jean-Luc Grillet said sound economic policies existing in Zambia had resulted in increased volumes of tourists, traders and investors travelling to and from Lusaka, hence the need for the airline to exploit such an opportunity.

Addressing journalists in Lusaka, Mr Grillet said the airline had a cargo capacity of 16,000 tonnes and this would enhance exports from Zambia to various destinations adding that the airline is committed to contributing to the country’s economic growth through the facilitation of efficient connectivity.

Air Zimbabwe's Recovery ruined as Emirates Airlines Opens Harare Route

Emirates Airlines made its maiden flight to Harare Wednesday amid pomp and fanfare with the airline set to connect Zimbabweans to more than 100 destinations around the world and boost the country’s recovering tourism industry.

Several cabinet ministers, civil aviation officials and representatives of the airline attended the ceremony which critics said may well spell doom to the financially crippled Air Zimbabwe, which recently suspended some of its regional and international flights in fear of having its planes impounded by creditors.

Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi told VOA's Gibbs Dube that Emirates Airlines will operate five Zimbabwe flights a week, linking Harare with Zambia, Dubai, Europe, Asia and other international destinations.

Mzembi said the airline is expected to promote tourism in Zimbabwe which is anticipated to generate US$5 billion for the country by 2015.

The minister said the Emirates arrival was a wake up call for the struggling Air Zimbabwe which used to compete with more than 45 airlines that operated in Harare in the 1990s.

Economic analyst Masimba Kuchera observed that Emirates Airlines will help promote economic growth in Zimbabwe.

Emirates SkyCargo will landed in Zimbabwe as Air Zimbabwe Woes

Air Zimbabwe which is bedeviled by insolence, and a dearth of planes has been struggling to meet the growing demand and the entrance into the market of, one of the fastest growing international airlines, has bolstered its operations on the booming Africa trade route.

Supporting the thriving trade between Africa and the rest of the world, its weekly cargo capacity into and out of the continent will be over 6,000 tonnes after the launch of flights to Lusaka and Harare on 1st February.

The addition of flights to Zambia and Zimbabwe comes less than three months after the launch of a dedicated weekly flights to Accra and Lome and means Emirates SkyCargo now has a total annual capacity of more than 300,000 tonnes.

“While many regions are experiencing challenging economic conditions, Africa – with a population in excess of one billion and rich in natural resources - is one of the few areas to record growth and the long-term outlook is very positive,” said Ram Menen, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President Cargo. “We expect demand to be strong for a variety of commodities going into and out of Lusaka and Harare and have no doubt the two destinations will be a strong addition to our African network.”

The Dubai-Lusaka-Harare service will be operated five times a week by an A330-200, providing a total weekly cargo capacity of up to 160 tonnes.

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“We have slowly built up our presence on the continent since we launched flights to Cairo in 1986 and in recent years, as Africa started to realise its huge potential, we began flights to Cape Town, Durban, Luanda and Dakar,” added Menen.

“With such a comprehensive service now in place we are in a good position to help sustain Africa’s continued economic development by facilitating international trade with its business partners and opening it up to new markets on our ever-expanding network.”

Zambia has been enjoying an economic boom, driven by record copper prices and continued foreign investment in its mining industry and infrastructure, while Zimbabwe's economy is growing at a brisk pace despite continuing political uncertainty.

Emirates SkyCargo expects to be transporting parts to support the mining and infrastructure sectors – as well as of commodities such as garments, computer parts, and pharmaceuticals - from the likes of the Far East, Australasia, the Indian Subcontinent, Middle East, Europe and North America. Fresh flowers, fruit and vegetables will be among the main commodities shipped in the other direction, while trade is also expected to be generated by neighbouring countries.

EK 713 will depart Dubai on every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 0925hrs, arriving in Lusaka at 1450hrs. The service will depart Lusaka at 1620hrs, arriving in Harare at 1720. The return flight leaves Harare at 1920, arriving Lusaka at 2020. It departs Lusaka at 2150 and lands in Dubai at 0710hrs the next day.

An A330-200 – with a weekly capacity of up to 160 tonnes – will operate every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday from Lusaka and Harare to Dubai, providing businesses in Zimbabwe and Zambia the opportunity to connect with trading partners on Emirates SkyCargo’s network of more than 100 destinations.

Emirates SkyCargo operates dedicated freighter services to a number of points throughout Africa, including: Accra, Dakar, Eldoret, Entebbe, Johannesburg, Lilongwe, Lome and Nairobi.

Emirates SkyCargo is the freight division of Emirates and will serve 22 destinations in Africa after Lusaka/Harare comes online. Reflecting Emirates’ overall policy of excellence in every area of operation, Emirates SkyCargo’s investment in highly-qualified staff, the very latest information technology, the most efficient aircraft and the finest ground handling facilities, has made it a significant force in the global air cargo industry.

Following the launch of the Lusaka/Harare service, Emirates SkyCargo will serve a global route network that spans 120 points in 72 countries, including 11 cargo-only destinations, while more than 50 of the locations Emirates SkyCargo serves are e-freight compliant.

Turkish Airlines introduces three new flights to Manchester and Istanbul

Turkish Airlines has announced it will be introducing three extra flights per week between Manchester and Istanbul. The airline said due to strong demand for its services, it was increasing its flights between the two cities starting from March 25, when it will increase to nine weekly flights and then 10 weekly services from May 28 for the rest of the summer schedule. The additional flights will operate on Monday, Friday and Sunday, using 737-800 aircraft. Andrew Harrison, Manchester Airports Group’s chief operating officer, said: “It’s great to see an airline making bigger commitments to the airport and the north west region, which proves the demand is there. “Increasing their services will give our passengers more choice to travel to not only Istanbul but to more than 100 onward destinations.”

Qatar Airways showcases Boeing 777 long-haul in Bahrain International Air Show

Qatar Airways has taken part in its first major event of the year, displaying one of its flagship Boeing 777 long-haul aircraft at the Bahrain International Air Show.

Thousands of trade and public visitors attended the three-day event which took place at Sakhir Air Base in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Qatar Airways also had a luxury chalet at the show.

Now in its 15th year of operations, the airline has a modern fleet of 104 aircraft flying to 110 key business and leisure destinations across six continents.

Almost a quarter of Qatar Airways’ fleet is made up of Boeing 777 Long Range (LR) and Extended Range (ER) passenger and cargo aircraft, forming the backbone of its long-haul fleet.

On display in Bahrain was a 259-seat Boeing 777-200 Long Range (LR) aircraft, capable of flying to any ultra long-haul business or leisure destination worldwide non-stop from the airline’s hub in Doha, capital of the State of Qatar.

Qatar Airways currently operates nine Boeing 777-200LRs, deployed on many long-range routes from Doha, such as Sao Paulo, Houston, Melbourne and Montreal.

Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar Al Baker said: “We were extremely delighted to showcase our flagship Boeing 777 aircraft in Bahrain giving people an opportunity to see the aircraft and its wonderful features first hand during the static display.”

The Boeing 777-200LR on display featured 42 seats in Business Class in a 2–2–2 configuration, which is one less seat per row than competitors and offering far more space than other airlines.

Equipped with seat-back TV screens measuring 17 inches in Business Class, the seats recline to 180 degrees offering fully flat horizontal beds and have a pitch of 78 inches.

Economy Class onboard the Boeing 777-200LR features 217 seats in a 3–3–3 configuration, again more space than competitors with one less seat per row. With a pitch of up to 34 inches, all Economy seats also have individual TV monitors measuring 10.6-inches.

Ethiopian Airlines makes ad hoc flight to Seychelles with 152 Chinese tourists on eve of Spring Festival

The Ethiopian Airlines, one of the leading Airliners in Africa, on Sunday made a special flight to Seychelles, its newest destination with a group of about 152 Chinese tourists on the eve of the Chinese Spring Festival.

The Ethiopian which made test flight on Sunday promoting its new destination, will be starting regular flights to the Island on the Indian Ocean very close to Africa in April 2012 expecting good economic dividend from the business to Seychelles.

Esayas Woldemariam, Senior Vice President of Global Sales, and Xie Xiaoyan, Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia, along with Chinese diplomats and Ethiopian Staff on Sunday welcomed the Chinese tourists who landed in Addis Ababa Bole International Airport for transit from Beijing. The tourists are to spend their holiday-times of Chinese Spring Festival enjoying sun scene, sand and sea in Seychelles which is a destination for holiday makers and honeymoon among others.

Esayas noted on the occasion of the welcoming ceremony at the Airport that the Ethiopian Airlines is very happy to welcome the Chinese to Seychelles, a tourist destination in Africa through Ethiopia, which is a gateway from China to the African continent.

"We are very happy to welcome this first group of Chinese to Seychelles, which is going to be one of our biggest destinations in the future," said the Vice President.

The Ethiopian Airlines has about 42 destinations in Africa, said Esayas.

He said the Ethiopian Airlines which has been flying to China since the 1970s being the first Airliner to fly to a destination of fastest growing economy, has now about 23 flights a week to China.

Esayas told Xinhua particularly that Seychelles, a tourist destination mostly visited by Europeans is now being visited by Chinese tourists, who are affording anything and travelling everywhere.

"Seychelles is the newest destination of the Ethiopian Airlines in the Indian Ocean and it is part of Africa and it is a holiday destination. Mostly, it is visited by European tourists and holiday makers, and honey moon destination. But, now the Chinese are affording anything and they are travelling everywhere; so, we now are trying to bring them to Africa in a very big way," said Esayas.

"When they come to Seychelles, Kenya or Tanzania or South Africa they also have a taste of Ethiopia and we arrange package tours for tourists also to stay in Ethiopia for a few days going to northern historic routes and southern cultural and natural routes for them also to explore Ethiopia," added Esayas.

According to the Vice President, the Ethiopian has been increasing number of flights to China, which is one of the largest trading partners of Africa.

Currently Beijing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Hangzhou are the four destinations of the Ethiopian in China, said Esayas.

The Vice President also said the Ethiopian Airlines provides transport services of both passengers and cargo to help and facilitate the trade, investment and cultural exchanges Africa has with its giant economic partner.

"Now China is being the largest trading partner to Africa; and so, the Ethiopian Airlines should provide the transportation vehicle; the transport logistic is very much vital for facilitating trade and investment, tourism and cultural exchanges between China and Africa," said Esayas.

The Ethiopian Airlines has been one of Africa's carriers flying for the last 65 years with its efficiency, safety and operational success.

It made its maiden international flight to Cairo, Egypt in 1946.

A multi million dollar debt for Air Zimbabwe

State owned Air Zimbabwe is now under judicial management and faces liquidation after its debts shot to $140 million.

The application to place the national carrier under judicial control was made by the airline's employees on Friday, 20 January at the High Court in Harare.

Shepherd Chimutanda, a chartered accountant was immediately appointed judicial manager.

The order also barred the Air Zimbabwe board from involvement in the running of the company.

Workers sought the intervention of the courts after they went for more than a year without salaries. They are owed over $ 35 million in salaries dating back back to 2009.

It has since emerged that January 16, Air Zimbabwe's acting chief executive officer Innocent Mavhunga wrote to President Robert Mugabe warning him of the gathering crisis.  He pleaded for government assistance to  keep the airline afloat.

"We wish to advise that the non-payment of salaries and other statutory obligations for the period in question has not been deliberate, but rather a manifestation of underlying viability challenges that our company has been experiencing where we have even suspended international and regional flights with domestic flights having become erratic," reads part of the letter signed by Mavhunga and dated January 16.

Last week, Air Zimbabwe took delivery of a second hand A320-200 Airbus plane from France, in a deal brokered in secrecy.

Caleb Mucheche, the workers' lawyer said his clients had not been paid their salaries since 2009.

"Since the court has appointed a judicial manager it means that this is a prelude to liquidation.

"The judicial manager will now move in and the current AirZim board will have to step aside," Mucheche told the local media.

Creditors, in December seized the company's planes in South Africa and the United Kingdom over unpaid debts.

Turkish Airlines begins a Freesale Codeshare Agreement with THAI

Turkish Airlines (TK) and Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI) concluded a Free Sale Codeshare Agreement that allows both airlines to market selected flights using their own code and flight numbers on a free sale basis within the scope of the codeshare agreement.

According to Dr Temel Kotil, Turkish Airlines CEO, “Turkish Airlines is pleased to join with Thai Airways International on this code share collaboration, which will expand potential air traffic between Turkey and Thailand.  Code-sharing with Turkish Airlines expands THAI’s network to destinations in Turkey and Europe that THAI does not operate.

The code share cooperation on flights operated by the two carriers also supports business and tourism conducted between Turkey and the Asian and Australian regions.  This agreement successfully feeds traffic from Turkish Airlines into THAI’s route network, especially to and from Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, and Australia.  In addition, Istanbul becomes another gateway into Europe for THAI on Turkish Airlines’ route network.”

Piyasvasti Amranand, Thai Airways International (THAI) president said, “This code share agreement between THAI and Turkish Airlines is a significant step forward to expand our respective market presence extensively into Europe and into Asia.  By code sharing with Turkish Airlines, THAI can reach many other European cities through Istanbul, which is another gateway for THAI into Europe as well as destinations in Turkey.  Both our airlines can look forward to mutual strengthening of potential markets through Turkish Airlines’ extensive route net into Europe and through THAI’s strong network in Asia and Australia.”

Air France and Air Mauritius extend their partnership

This commercial partnership comes within the framework of the agreements signed between the two airlines in 2008,  which already enables Air Mauritius to use its code on Air France flights from the hub at Paris-Charles de Gaulle in Metropolitan France and to several destinations in Europe,according to Air France.

This code-share agreement increases capacity to Reunion Island and Mauritius by creating new travel opportunities via  Mauritius and via Reunion Island.  Moreover, Air France enables its customers to earn miles between Reunion Island and Mauritius.

Air Mauritius operates up to 7 daily frequencies on departure from Mauritius to Reunion Island, Roland Garros and Pierrefonds Airport s.
Air Mauritius and Air France together operate up to 18 weekly flights to Mauritius at peak periods on departure from Paris-CDG Airport . Air Mauritius operates up to 9 weekly flights by Airbus A340-300 and Air France operates up to 9 weekly flights by Boeing 747-400.
Air France operates up to 12 weekly flights to Reunion Island by Boeing 777-300ER at peak periods on departure from Paris-Orly Airport .

Etihad dials-up in-flight connectivity

Etihad Airways the Abu-Dhabi carrier officially launched its first aircraft equipped with in-flight connectivity this week, allowing passengers to receive calls and message on their mobiles.

Hooked up to the carrier’s three Airbus A330-300 and one A320 and expected to be available on their second A320 from March this year, the carrier said the system will give passengers full mobile connectivity.

On top of the international roaming rates of the traveller's mobile network provides, the carrier will also charge US$10 for inflight mobile and tablet connection as well as US$20 for laptop Wi-Fi internet.

Etihad Airways chief commercial officer Peter Baumgartner said in an online statement that the launch of in-flight connectivity was the carrier’s first step in a long-term strategy of in-flight connection solutions.

“The modern traveller is increasingly reliant on mobile devices and the internet, not only to plan travel, but also to stay in touch throughout their journey,” he said.

The carrier’s A320 is often used to service short-haul service across the Middle East while the A330-300 is used for longer flights to London, Frankfurt, Paris, Geneva, Casablanca and Seoul.

Etihad Airways in training partnership with IATA

Etihad Airways announced a training partnership with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) during the Aeropolitical Affairs Forum in Abu Dhabi.

The partnership, a joint effort to develop the human capital of the Middle East aviation industry, is commencing with the implementation of the Airline Customer Service programme and will extend afterwards to other fields in aviation, cargo, travel and tourism.

It will also aim at upgrading the leadership competencies of various industry resources by introducing the IATA-Harvard Leadership & Management training programme in collaboration with Harvard Business School Publishing.

“The United Arab Emirates is expecting to handle 86.6 million international passengers by 2015, an 8.5% average annual growth. If that materialises, in 2015 it will handle nearly 30 million more passengers than in 2010. Skills and knowledge will be critical to support this extraordinary growth,“ said Tony Tyler, IATA’s director general and CEO.

IATA’s partnership with Etihad Airways in the training field falls within a shared vision of reaching out to the next generation of leaders in the aviation industry as well as the overall development of the human capital to fullfill the need for new talent and skills to meet the challenges and opportunities in a dynamic industry.

“We are delighted to be involved in this partnership as there is no more important resource for any organisation than its people,” said Etihad Airways CEO James Hogan. “This joint initiative should help provide access to opportunity as we build a talent pool across all facets of the aviation industry, and provide a career path for appropriately trained professionals.”

Qantas Airways Limited : Qantas commences A380 services to Hong Kong

Qantas has launched A380 services between Australia and Hong Kong - making it the fourth A380 destination in the Qantas network.

The inaugural A380 service between Sydney and Hong Kong departed Sydney yesterday at 1145 local and arrived in Hong Kong at 1750 local. The return service arrived in Sydney this morning at 0840 local.

Sydney-Hong Kong A380 services (QF127) operate on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and return on the same day as QF128.

Qantas customers travelling between Sydney and Hong Kong can now enjoy the A380's luxurious and spacious First Class suites, fully-flat Skybed sleeper seats in Business, extra-wide seats in Premium Economy and award-winning Economy seats.

Qantas received its eleventh and twelfth A380s late last year, providing the additional capacity to support Hong Kong services. The new aircraft have also enabled additional A380 services between Melbourne and London (via Singapore) - up from six flights per week to daily - and between Melbourne and Los Angeles, up from four flights per week to daily.

The Qantas A380 schedule now includes;
- Daily services between Sydney and London (via Singapore)
- Daily services between Melbourne and London (via Singapore)
- Daily services between Sydney and Los Angeles
- Daily services between Melbourne and Los Angeles
- Four flights per week between Sydney and Hong Kong