May 2010 covers_Covers.qxd - World Airnews

A round-up of airline news briefs by
Morné Booij-Liewes
NEW SERVICE
Melbourne – V Australia has become the
second Australian carrier to start scheduled
services to South Africa with the first
flight arriving recently.
The carrier operates twice weekly
schedules between Melbourne and
Johannesburg using Boeing 777-30ERs.
The photograph above shows V
Australia’s brand new Boeing 777-300ER
touching down at Johannesburg’s O.R.
Tambo International Airport recently on
its inaugural twice-weekly service linking
Melbourne with Africa’s financial capital.
“SLOW LOUNGES”
Johannesburg – Comair has unveiled its
new “SLOW Lounges”. These are located
at Johannesburg and Cape Town international
airports, with Durban to launch
later in the year.
Access to these lounges is exclusive to
qualifying British Airways Executive Club
holders, British Airways Club (business
class) passengers, RMB Private Bank
clients, FNB platinum card holders and
FNB Private Bank travellers.
These lounges have been designed to
provide a perfect sanctuary from the fast
pace of travel and modern life. Features
include a chef, a barista, a bar serving the
finest South African wines, a library, a
Nintendo games room, private meeting
spaces and business facilities.
In addition, Cape Town’s SLOW Lounge
also contains an on-site Spa offering
massages and wellness treatments
RWANDAIR RELAUNCH
Kigali – Rwandair, the national carrier of
Rwanda, has formally relaunched its
direct flights between Johannesburg and
Kigali. This comes just two months after
the carrier took delivery of two new
Bombardier CRJ200 50-seat regional jets
as part of a comprehensive fleet renewal
programme that will also see the addition
of a Boeing 737-800 and B767-300 to its
fleet by year-end.
The carrier operated four weekly
schedules with the CRJ200 equipment to
Johannesburg to start with, but this will
increase with the delivery of the Boeing
737-800 later this month. Leading maintenance,
repair and overhaul company,
Lufthansa Technik, has been contracted to
do aircraft maintenance.
ARIK AIR A330S
Lagos – Arik Air will introduce its newly
delivered Airbus A330-200 on the Lagos-
Johannesburg service, starting May 2.
The aircraft replaces the single isle Boeing
737-800s currently operating the
route.
DALIA LEGACY
Casablanca – Dalia Air, an executive jet
operator, has taken delivery of a brand
new Legacy 600 corporate jet.
THIRD EMBRAER
Luanda – SEAA (Serviços Executivos
Aéreos de Angola) has taken delivery of an
Embraer 145EP, completing the order it
placed asome time ago with the Brazilian
aircraft manufacturer.
MANGO TO BLOEM
Johannesburg – Low cost carrier, Mango,
has added its first new destination since
starting operations with the recent
introduction of the Free State capital,
Bloemfontein, to its route network.
The services will eventually increase to
five weekly frequencies but will initially
only be operated three days per week
with two frequencies each day between
Johannesburg and Bloemfontein.
AIR MALI BOEING
Ougadougou – Air Mali has added a
Boeing 737-800 to its fleet which was
noted in service in Madrid and Paris-Orly
recently.
IRS FOKKER
Lagos – IRS Airlines has added an additional
Fokker 100 to its fleet as part of its
continuing replacement of its legacy fleet
of F28-4000s.
THIRD BOEING
Lusaka – Zambezi Airlines has acquired a
third Boeing 737-500 as part of an expansion
plan.
The carrier also recently entered into a
code sharing agreement with Kenya
Airways.
CORPORATE SHUTTLE
Tripoli – Petro Air has added an Embraer
170LR to its fleet. The aircraft is operated
on corporate shuttle services in support
of Libya’s oil industry.
ARIK AIR DASH 8
Lagos – Arik Air has added two more
Bombardier Dash 8-300s to its fleet, replacing
its fleet of Fokker 50s that have all
been returned to lessor, Denim Air.
FIRST B777-300ER
Cairo – EgyptAir has taken delivery of its
first of five new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft
on order.
WORLD AIRNEWS, MAY 2010. 69