Proflight Zambia heads to Dar es Salaam

Proflight Zambia has announced the launch of flights from Lusaka to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, starting 23 October.

The new service, which will run three times a week, is the second international route for the Zambian airline - it began flying to Lilongwe in Malawi in June.

Flights will depart Lusaka’s Kenneth Kaunda International Airport at 08h00 on Mondays and Fridays, arriving at Dar-es-Salaam’s Julius Nyerere International Airport  at 12h20, making it a journey of three hours and 20 minutes, given the one-hour time difference.

The return flight leaves Dar es Salaam on the same days at 13h00, arriving in Lusaka at 15h20, from where travellers can connect to Mfuwe, Livingstone and Ndola.

There will also be a Wednesday flight, for which Proflight is awaiting confirmation from regulators on timing.

Proflight Zambia is also considering services to Harare, Tete and Johannesburg, subject to regulatory approval.

It addition to the new route to Tanzania, which will be operated by the airline’s 29-seat Jetstream 41 aircraft, Proflight  will increase the frequency of its Lilongwe flights from three to four flights a week from 16 November, operating on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Monday, Thursday and Friday flights will leave Lusaka at 16h15, returning from Lilongwe at 18h25. Timing for the Wednesday flight has yet to be confirmed, but the airline hopes to be able to provide smooth connections from Lusaka on to the Dar es Salaam service.

With the introduction of the Tanzania route, Proflight Zambia will operate 11 scheduled routes using nine aircraft, including a Boeing 737 aircraft which was recently added to the Proflight fleet as the airline's first jet aircraft.

South Supreme launches Juba-Khartoum flights

According to eTurboNews, South Sudan’s South Supreme Airlines recently launched its first commercial flight between Juba, South Sudan, and Khartoum, Sudan.

 

The South Sudan Civil Aviation Authority was established at the end of February. It licensed SSA and granted the airline its air operator certificate before giving it designated carrier status for flights to Khartoum.

 

South Supreme is currently using an Antonov A26 to service the route, but is reportedly looking to lease B737-300 aircraft for the flights to Khartoum and other destinations in East Africa.

 

In the same report, RwandAir is said to have settled on a date for the launch of its flights to Juba – 21 September. The flight from the Rwandan capital of Kigali will be made on the airline’s new CRJ900NextGen airplane, providing both Business and Economy class options for passengers.

 

According to the Senior Manager Sales Alice Katiti, fares will start at $350 for a return flight. This route will connect South Sudan with East Africa, Johannesburg, Dubai, Brazzaville, Libreville, Lagos and Accra, with Douala and Abidjan coming on line soon, too.

 

The report also revealed that Mango, one of South Africa’s low-cost carriers, will be adding a second weekly flight from Johannesburg to Zanzibar, from 21 September.

International destinations for Proflight Zambia

South Africa Proflight Zambia has unveiled plans to add three further international destinations to its schedule by mid-2014.

Following the successful launch of its first international service, from Lusaka to Lilongwe in June, Proflight Zambia is now planning to fly from Ndola to Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with connections between Ndola and Lusaka.

The airline is also considering services to Harare, Dar es Salaam, Tete and Johannesburg, subject to regulatory approval.

With the introduction of the Malawi route, Proflight Zambia currently operates 10 scheduled routes using nine aircraft, including a 105-seat Boeing 737, which was recently added to the Proflight fleet as the airline's first jet aircraft.

Proflight is keen to introduce flights to Johannesburg from Lusaka and is examining the option of flying into South Africa’s smaller Lanseria airport, for which costs are lower than that of the city’s main O.R. Tambo International airport.

Lanseria is on the Sandton/Pretoria side of Johannesburg, closer to Lusaka in terms of flying time, as well as central Johannesburg, Pretoria and Sandton. Lanseria is also served by Kulula and Mango Airlines, which fly to Cape Town and Durban from Lanseria.

The airline has appealed for input from travellers to help it identify how best the new services can be structured. Suggestions, recommendations or opinions that would help the airline with its market research and decisions on this route can be sent to enews@proflight-zambia.com.

Temporary suspension of KQ flights

“Regarding the fire at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) we would like to inform all our customers and stakeholders that all our incoming and outgoing passengers are safe,” says Dr Titus Naikuni, Group Managing Director and CEO of Kenya Airways.

“There will be certain disruptions on our operations and as soon as we get clarity on the extent of the damage we will advise everyone on what we intend to do.

“Flights coming into JKIA have been diverted to Mombasa. Transiting passengers have been taken to hotels. Other flights from Nairobi have been temporarily suspended.”

JKIA closed until further notice

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya, has been closed due to a fire in the International Arrivals terminal building, which broke out early this morning.

‘We confirm reports of a fire at JKIA affecting part of the International Arrivals building and Unit 1 departures. The KAA Fire and Rescue Team is on the ground, being assisted by G4S and the Nairobi Fire Brigade. Passengers have been evacuated to safety,” the Kenya Airport Authority said in a statement.

The fire spread quickly, engulfing a large section of the building in smoke and flames. All flights to the Kenyan airport are being diverted and no flights are departing for the time being.

Aircraft parked near the terminal have been towed a safe distance away and other equipment – high loaders, movable stairs, and vehicles – have also been moved away from the apron area just outside Terminals 1, 2 and 3.

Incoming flights are being diverted to Mombasa, Eldoret, Entebbe, Kilimanjaro International, and Dar es Salaam.

There has been no speculation as to the cause of the fire, but an investigation will no doubt follow in due course.

If you’re due to fly into JKIA, please contact your regional airline office for more updates.

 

 

Emirates upgrades Cape Town-Dubai aircraft

Emirates will reintroduce the B777-300ER to its Cape Town route from 1 September. The upgrade of the aircraft type adds about 90 more seats to the non-stop route daily.

Emirates also serves the route with the Airbus 340-300 and offers twice daily international flights to and from Cape Town throughout the year.

Flight EK 773 will depart Cape Town at 13h30 and arrive in Dubai the next morning at 01h15. The return flight, EK 772, will depart Dubai at 03h50, landing in Cape Town at 11h40. 

The B777-300ER will feature 354 seats in a three-class configuration – eight seats in First Class, 42 in Business, both with lie-flat seats, and 304 in Economy. Emirates signature First Class private suites also feature on the aircraft, along with its ‘ice’ in-flight entertainment system in all classes.

The airline offers decent baggage allowances – 30 kilograms in Economy, 40 in Business and 50 in First Class. Emirates Skywards Platinum, Gold or Silver members are entitled to additional allowances.

BA cancels London-Tunis flights

British Airways is suspending its five times a week service from London Gatwick to Tunis from the winter season, which starts on 27 October.

“The flights don't make a profitable contribution to our business,” said a BA spokesman. “We are always reviewing our route network to ensure it is in line with the needs of our customers.”

Customers booked to fly with British Airways after 25 October will be offered a full refund.