Lufthansa Upgrades Offering

Lufthansa has upgraded its in-flight services for First and Business Class passengers. The airline has made a move towards better quality, greater variety and fresher food, including pastries “fresh from the baker”, with meals also displaying clearly identifiable ingredients. 
There is a larger variety of teas, juices and beers to choose from, too. All flights within Europe offer Business Class passengers a full meal, irrespective of flying time, and anything longer than a 76-minute flight includes a sweet treat to round off the meal.
For passengers with special dietary needs, there is a selection of 18 meals on offer, complying with certain nutritional and religious requirements, including Halaal, Kosher, gluten-free, vegetarian and whole food options, among others. There is also a new range of toiletries in the washrooms.

Emirates to Resume Libya Flights

According to breakingnewstravel, Emirates will resume passenger flights to Tripoli from 1 September. The airline will offer three flights a week, served by a Boeing 777-200ER in a three-class configuration, and will make a quick stop in Malta every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Emirates Senior Vice-President Commercial Operations for Africa Luc Grillet said it’s the right time to re-launch flights to Libya to help "support business, international trade and passenger travel to and from Tripoli, as well as strengthen the country’s overall infrastructure.”
 He added that the resumed service will be of particular benefit to passengers with connections to the Indian sub-continent, the Far East and West Asia points. Under the new schedule, Emirates’ flight EK745 will leave Dubai at 09h30 and arrive in Malta at 13h25. The service will depart Malta at 14h45 and arrive in Tripoli at 15h55. 
The return flight will leave Tripoli International Airport at 17h25 and land in Dubai at 01h00. Tripoli will be one of the 23 destinations to which Emirates currently flies in Africa, after launching a daily service to Algiers earlier this year.

New Club Floor at D’oreale Grande

The 5-star D’oreale Grande hotel at Emperors Palace, a few minutes’ drive from O.R Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, has launched its Club Floor and Business Centre Lounge. 
The fifth floor has been converted into accommodation ideally suited to the business traveller. It offers plush VIP rooms and a host of personal and concierge services, including early check-in and late check-out, 24-hour refreshments in rooms, selected complimentary food and beverage offerings, shoe polishing services, complimentary pressing/laundry and casino play vouchers on arrival.
 Club Floor guests will be able to conduct business in the private Business Centre Lounge, whilst enjoying complimentary refreshments, work stations equipped with PCs and Apple products, a meeting room, free Wi-Fi, local and international newspapers and access to a Club Floor Services Manager willing to assist with secretarial services.

KQ to Begin Abu Dhabi Flights in July

According to gulfbusiness.com, Kenya Airways will begin three-times weekly flights between Abu Dhabi and Nairobi from 2 July.
 Flights are scheduled to depart the UAE capital at 19h25 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The service, on B737-800 aircraft, will be operated in conjunction with Etihad, following the signing of a reciprocal codeshare agreement in February. 
Kenya Airways is already placing its KQ code on Etihad’s daily service from Nairobi to Abu Dhabi, whilst Etihad is placing its EY code on Kenya Airways flights from Nairobi to 27 destinations across KQ’s African network.

Qatar to Service Burundi

According to eturbonews, the Burundi government has signed a new air service agreement with Qatar Airways, allowing the two airlines (Qatar Airways and Air Burundi) to fly up to seven times a week between Doha and Bujumbura.
 The agreement covers passenger and cargo services and allows for intermediate stops en route from and to Bujumbura. Burundi is currently the least-connected country in Eastern Africa, with regular air services from Europe only provided by Brussels Airlines, whilst within Africa there are services provided by Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines and RwandAir.
 Burundi is also serviced by Air Uganda within the wider Eastern African region and by South African Airways from within Southern Africa.

BA Boosts African Network

British Airways is increasing its presence in Africa with additional flights to Morocco. In October, the airline will fly to Marrakech 10 times a week and there will be three flights a week to Agadir. 
This complements its 16 other routes in 15 countries across the continent. Other recent schedule increases include three more flights to Johannesburg and double daily direct flights between Cape Town and London during South Africa’s summer peak season. 
In addition to its international network, British Airways’ South African franchise partner Comair operates over 700 domestic and regional departures a week in South and Southern Africa, including the recent addition of Maputo.

FastJet Shift SA Launch Date

According to news24, low-cost carrier fastjet has extended its anticipated launch date in South Africa to July, from the original proposed date of 31 May.
 According to Business Day Live, ticket sales for the British-based airline were set to get under way on 16 May, but a glitch in the website apparently scuppered the process.  
The low-cost carrier launched in Tanzania last year and has its sights set on offering a pan-African low-cost flight option. Fastjet has entered the market on Federal Air’s licence, which allows the latter to fly internationally and use large aircraft, including the 737 that fastjet has in mind.