Airlink Conclude BEE Deal

The Sishen Iron Ore Community Development Trust, through its investment arm Sishen Iron Ore Company Community Development Trust Investment Holdings, has acquired a 32.51% stake in Airlink, in a landmark Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment transaction in the aviation industry.
 Airlink is the biggest privately-owned regional airline, serving over 29 destinations within the Southern African Development Community.
The Chief Executive Officer of Airlink, Rodger Foster, believes the transaction has forged a relationship that will benefit all parties concerned, saying: “With the conclusion of this transaction, Airlink is firmly positioned at the forefront of transformation in the aviation industry. We are favourably positioned to lead the way in terms of this quantum shift in ownership. Airlink’s shareholding now exceeds the criteria committed to in the Air Transport Sector BBBEE charter and qualifies Airlink to secure additional Intra Africa Regional routes as designated by the International Air Services Licensing Council.”

AFBAA Formed

The business aircraft community in Africa has launched the African Business Aviation Association (AFBAA), to raise safety and operational standards and to create a single voice to lobby the continent's regulators. Chairman Tarek Ragheb said the goal is to make AFBAA an asset that is recognised, valued and supported by governments, their respective civil aviation authorities, and enterprises throughout Africa.
 The new association is applying to become a member of business aviation group umbrella organisation, the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC). Until now, Africa has not been served by any single group, but through two regional associations.
Jack Olcott, the former president of the US National Business Aviation Association, is acting as an adviser to AFBAA, which already has 13 of a 15-member board in place, with members hailing from across the continent and representing manufacturers, operators and suppliers.
 “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know there are challenges to business aviation in Africa,” said Ragheb.
 “There are over-flight issues, lack of infrastructure, high fees and a lack of consistency in regulations. The first step in having the association’s voice heard is creating a ‘white paper’ on the state of African business aviation and a “road map’ for its future”.

More Flights For Precision Air

Tanzania’s private-owned airline has launched three weekly flights connecting Dar es Salaam and the Zambian capital of Lusaka.
With the introduction of this new route, it now takes just two hours to fly from Dar es Salaam to Lusaka, cutting flying hours from nine when connecting through Johannesburg.
 The Dar es Salaam to Lusaka route is the sixth international route for Precision. Other routes are Johannesburg, Hahaya, Nairobi, Entebbe, and Mombasa. Domestically, Precision Air covers the bigger towns in Tanzania.

New SA Grading Council Named

South Africa’s Minister of Tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, has announced the appointment of the new Awards Committee of the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA). 
The committee is responsible for overseeing the implementation and management of the TGCSA’s grading system, South Africa’s only officially recognised system for the star grading of accommodation establishments.
The new committee is chaired by Graham Wood, managing director of gaming, hotel and entertainment group, Tsogo Sun.
Wood is joined on the new committee by Yusuf Patel, Amor Malan, Nina Freysen–Pretorius, Julie Joe Madala, Caroline Ungesbock, Alan Romburgh, Jegie Padmanathan, Tony Hazel, Nonhlanhla Tshabalala, Mark Goveia and Nyeleti Mushwana.

EAN Launches Wings In-Flight

 Lagos-based Evergreen Apple Nigeria, EAN, has launched the first and only dedicated executive in-flight catering service at Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos. EAN Catering Limited, a subsidiary of EAN, already manages Wings restaurant on the penthouse floor of its FBO at Lagos.
 The new product will be operated under the same brand and called Wings In-Flight. The service has been developed in response to the increased business jet activity at the airport and the growing demand from the private jet community for good quality in-flight catering.
 In just two months the business has already developed a growing international customer base, with 14 different private jets already ordering regularly, and others beginning to make requests. Clients include leading aviation names such as Vistajet, Avjet Corporation, Hangar 8 and Elit’Avia. Until the launch, the majority of private jet catering had to be sourced from local business hotels.

ITMSA Forum

The Institute of Travel and Meetings Southern Africa is staging another of its forums – this time in association with the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply. It will take place on the 19th of July at the Protea Hotel O.R Tambo.
At the event, ITMSA will address key issues affecting the procurement and supply chain relationship within the business travel environment, including: • Managing supplier relationship within the corporate travel industry • How to enable better outcomes from your current travel contracts with suppliers • Purchasing heads will have to be even more creative in finding way to cut costs The speakers will be Andre Coetzee: Managing Director – CIPS Africa (‘Managing supplier relationships within the corporate travel industry’) and Dr Phillip Dhawa: Head of Regional Development and Integration – CIPS (‘Purchasing heads will have to be even more creative in finding ways to cut costs’).
 Registration, breakfast and networking will take place between 07h30 and 08h00, with the presentations getting under way thereafter. The rates are as follows: • ITMSA Buyer Member: Free • ITMSA Supplier Member: R350 • ITMSA Connect Member: R450 • Non-Member: R550 There is a Gautrain station approximately five minutes away from the Protea Hotel O.R Tambo and a shuttle service will be provided from the Rhodesfield station. For more information contact: nicky.duplessis@itmsa.org.

New Routes for SAA

South African Airways is set to add two new destinations to its Africa route network. The two new destinations, Abidjan and Brazzaville, will bring the total number of destinations that SAA serves throughout Africa to 28.
 As of 17 August, SAA will introduce twice-weekly services to Abidjan in the Ivory Coast. These flights will be added as an extension to SAA’s Accra (Ghana) flights on Tuesdays and Fridays. In addition, SAA has also secured traffic rights between Accra and Abidjan, which enables the carrier to serve customers flying between these two cities in either direction.
 As of 13 September, SAA will introduce a twice-weekly service to Brazzaville in the Republic of Congo. The Brazzaville route will be served using an Airbus A319-200 aircraft, while the Abidjan service will be operated on the same Airbus A330 – 200 widebody aircraft that serves Accra.