Ethiopian Airlines is launching three-times-weekly service from Addis Ababa to Dammam, the capital of Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, starting on February 12.
According to a press release Ethiopian sent to ENA on Friday, Dammam will be its 8th destination in the Middle East and its 64th worldwide.
Ethiopian CEO, Tewolde Gebremariam said the new flight to Dammam provides opportunities for business people as well as tourists to explore its investment and leisure potentials.
Dammam is a large metropolitan and industrial area that lies on a peninsula stretching out into the Persian Gulf. It is a major seaport, exporting and importing a wide variety of goods and commodities. It is a center for the oil and gas industry and is the commercial center for eastern Saudi Arabia.
Dammam is also well known for its tourist attractions such as the Coastal Sports Center, Half Moon Beech, King Fahd Park and Alkhleej Makarim Village where tourists can engage in mountain climbing, hiking, skiing or surfing.
Mr Tewolde Gebremariam, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines says, ‘The new flight services to Dammam provide opportunities for business people as well as tourists to explore Dammam’s investment and leisure potentials.’ Dammam will be Ethiopian’s 8th destination in the Middle East and its 64th worldwide. The new flight schedule will be as follows:
With this new flight, Dammam will be connected to dozens of cities in Africa via Ethiopian’s hub at Addis Ababa. Convenient connections will be available to and from cities such as Johannesburg, Nairobi, Lagos, Accra, Dar es Salaam, Entebbe and Dakar.
Saudi Arabia is the oldest destination in the region for Ethiopian Airlines next to Yemen, and is the only country where the airline flies to three points in one country in that region. Ethiopian currently provides services to Jeddah and Riyadh.
As this route commences, Ethiopian announces a promotional fare from Addis Ababa to Dammam starting from USD 360 for a round trip ticket, which is valid for travel until 30 November 2012.
Kenyan’s national carrier, Kenya airways said on Thursday it registered a 15.4 per cent increase in passenger numbers for its third quarter with 956,742 passengers using the airline compared to the same period last year.
The airline said in a statement released in Nairobi that its capacity in the domestic front and to Europe registered the largest increases growing by 16.9 per cent and 14.7 per cent respectively.
“The European region registered the highest growth of 14.7 percent largely due to introduction of flights to Rome and double daily weekend flights to London,” Kenya Airways said.
“The total passenger tally at 956,742, indicate a growth of 15.4 per cent over prior year.
“The achieved system wide average cabin factor of 72.0 percent was better than 69.8 per cent realised last year,” Kenya Airways said.
The airline, one of the most successful airlines in Africa after South African Airways and Ethiopian Airlines carried 502,435 passengers within Africa but excluding Kenya posting a growth of 14.1 per cent compared to last year’s 3.9 per cent growth.
“Passengers uplifted within Kenya at 205,654 showed a 26.0 percent growth.
“The resulting cabin factor of 74.6 per cent was above 70.3 percent realised last year.
“Cargo tonnage at 16,131 increased by 6.2 per cent compared to last year’s level indicating improved sales,” it said.
Passenger traffic in the Middle East, Far East and India regions reached 131,126 showing an increase of 6.8 percent and also realized cabin factor of 75.4 percent which was marginally below prior year.
Kenya airways registered a stronger Q3 ending December 2011 putting in capacity totalling 3,560m seat kilometres as a result of increases in frequencies to several routes following the purchase of new jets as well as new destinations.
Northern Africa region capacity rose slightly by 1.9 per cent due to the introduction of double dailies to Juba in Southern Sudan on the Embraer aircraft to meet the rising demand for business travellers.
“Capacity availed into the East African region shrunk by 14.2 per cent compared to last year largely as a result of operating combined flights to Kigali and Bujumbura as opposed to direct flights evidenced last year,” it said.
Central Africa region’s capacity declined by 15.5 per cent mainly due to reduced demand as a result of cancelling combined flights to Malabo via Douala and Kisangani via Entebbe.
The airline said the introduction of Nampula in December 2010 and increased frequencies to Maputo via Harare and to Lubumbashi via Ndola boosted Southern Africa capacity by 16.9 per cent while West Africa capacity grew by 4.0 per cent mainly from increased operations on Bamako Dakar and Yaounde.
Workers at Air Zimbabwe have successfully won a high court application to have the airline placed under judicial management, which will now see its affairs handled by a judicial manager, Innocent Mavhunga, and not the airline’s board.
South African Airways (SAA) and Emirates are set to cash in on the woes that have gripped Zimbabwe’s state-owned airline, Air Zimbabwe, which yesterday was placed under judicial management because of a $140m debt.
Workers at the embattled airline successfully won a high court application to have the airline placed under judicial management, which will now see its affairs handled by a judicial manager, Innocent Mavhunga, and not the Air Zimbabwe board.
At the heart of the court intervention is a salary dispute between Air Zimbabwe and its workers, who claim to be owed more than $35m in outstanding salaries since June 2009.
Caleb Mucheche, a lawyer for the workers’ union, said: “Since the court has appointed a judicial manager it means this is a prelude to liquidation. The judicial manager will now move in and the current Air Zimbabwe board will have to step aside.
“The judicial manager will assess if Air Zimbabwe is still a viable entity, but as the way things stand, all is not well, and he is likely to recommend liquidation. That is the process. Whenever a judicial manager comes in, the next step is liquidation,” Mr Mucheche said.
Air Zimbabwe has had to suspend several international and regional flights to Johannesburg and London as its debt crisis ballooned and saw its flagship Boeing aircraft seized by creditors for nonpayment of services.
The threat of liquidation is certain to work in favour of SAA, which holds the lion’s share in the airline market in Zimbabwe, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe.
In 2010, SAA “accounted for the lion’s share of the airline market with 29,3%, relegating Air Zimbabwe to second position at 22,1%. British Airways-Comair came close on third position with 18,4%, while South African Airlink holds fourth position at 10,1%,” reads a civil aviation authority report.
The United Arab Emirates-owned Emirates Airlines will start flights to Harare from February 1, in what is expected to start a return of international airlines to Zimbabwe after a 10-year hiatus.
More than 15 international airlines have pulled out of Zimbabwe, among them Lufthansa, Qantas, Austrian Airlines, Swissair, Air India, Air France and TAP Air Portugal.
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.
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.
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.
Kenya Airways says passengers stranded in Malawi to travelling to South Africa can still use the airline but via Nairobi to OR Tambo Airport in Joburg.
The development comes at a time when the business sector and the general travelling public has complained of over-booked and unavailable air travel options to South Africa since the suspension of Air Malawi flights in November last year.
In reaction, the Economic Empowerment Action Group (EEAG) said much as the route provides an option for entrepreneurs, it could be viable if air ticket costs can be negotiated to manageable levels.
Responding to a questionnaire on Wednesday, Kenya Airways Country Manager for Malawi Ruth Maweu said the company has some solutions for those flying to South Africa.
“For stranded passengers, they can fly via Nairobi as we offer 10 weekly flights out of Lilongwe with perfect connections into Johannesburg.
“This includes three night flights that only have two hours connection time in Nairobi which is fantastic,” said Maweu.
She, however, said Kenya Airways cannot fly direct to South Africa as it has not been given as an immediate point by the Bilateral Air Service Agreement between the governments of Kenya and Malawi.
“Therefore, it’s not possible for Kenya Airways to fly directly to South Africa from Malawi, rather has to go through its hub Nairobi.
“However, we welcome any move by the government in allowing us to do so, Kenya Airways will gladly step in and serve the traveling public by offering a direct product,” Maweu said.
But in an interview on Wednesday EEAG president Louis Chiwalo said the option by Kenya Airways can be relevant if entrepreneurs consider time and costs involved.
“Because of the pressure on the route, this would be acceptable only if it makes business sense that time and air ticket including baggage costs is negotiable.
“But still we feel Air Malawi’s planes must be brought back into operation because their absence has shown that air business is there on this one route and the airline’s shareholder must also seriously consider buying new aircraft to utilise this business potential which is also a forex earning avenue,” Chiwalo said.
Air Malawi said it is expected to resume its flights to Johannesburg as its newly leased Boeing aircraft would be in the country this week.
AIR ZIMBABWE has decided to lease aircraft because neither the Government nor the national airline have resources to buy new planes, an official has said.
Transport, Communications and Infrastructure Development Permanent Secretary Mr Partson Mbiriri, yesterday said contrary to media reports that Airzim had purchased an Airbus A350, the national airline was assessing which planes to lease.
“Not every plane that lands at the Airport belongs to Airzim, it is true that the national airline needs new aircraft but neither Government nor Airzim has the resources to purchase them,” he said. “What is happening is that Airzim is exploring and assessing the leasing route because it’s cheaper to lease than buy one when we don’t have the resources.”
Mr Mbiriri said since Airzim was assessing which planes to lease, it was inevitable that some planes would be seen at the Airport. He said some companies would send their aircraft to Airzim to market them.
“Some of the vendors even go as far as painting the planes in Airzim colours as a marketing gimmick. This has been happening over the years that I have been at the Ministry of Transport. Government is obviously determined to see the national airline continue flying the Zimbabwean flag,” Mr Mbiriri said.
He said the Airbus 350 that had been reported as having been bought by Airzim was just being assessed for leasing by the national airline.
Meanwhile, State Enterprises and Parastatals Minister Gorden Moyo on Tuesday said Government would “ring fence” the US$140 million debt, which the airline would repay when it becomes profitable.
Last year, Cabinet resolved to incur the over US$140 million debt which would pave way for the restructuring of Airzim.
This also comes amid indications that the Cabinet Committee on the national airline has only met once despite several Cabinet directives.
MDC-T’s national council last year met and called on the Government to stop funding the national airline saying it would rather be shutdown.
Minister Moyo said Cabinet resolutions were policies that had to be implemented than party positions.
“The Cabinet position is what matters because it becomes a policy and that resolution (debt takeover) is awaiting implementation,” Minister Moyo said.
He said the decision to takeover the debt was motivated by the need to make the airline’s balance sheet attractive to investors.
Minister Moyo said Cabinet resolved that Airzim should be restructured through a joint venture approach.
“Implementation of the restructuring is now in the hands of the Minister of Transport, Communications and Infrastructure Development (Nicholas Goche).
“The decision was that we are going to use the model of the Ethiopian Airways and the Kenyan Airways. It is up to the Minister of Transport to implement that decision,” he said.
Minister Moyo said Cabinet had instructed Finance Minister Tendai Biti to raise the funds for “right sizing” the workforce at the airline.
He said the delay to clear the debt was due to financial constraints at the Treasury.
Minister Moyo said Cabinet would also restructure the National Handling Services whose proceeds would be channelled towards recapitalisation of the national airline.
Minister Goche and Minister Moyo have the responsibility to finalise the restructuring exercise.
Minister Moyo said the restructuring documentation for NHS was ready to be presented in Cabinet for approval. Cabinet, Minister Moyo said, also agreed that there was need to properly constitute the Airzim board and management.
“As we speak those people can’t make decisions on their own thus they keep referring most of the issues to the Ministry of Transport, consequently leaving us with a kind of micro management of Airzim against the norms and values of corporate governance,” he said.
Zanu-PF and MDC say there is need for the national airline to be recapitalised so that it can be profitable while the MDC-T argues the solution lies with the shutting down of the airline.
Zanu-PF spokesperson, Cde Rugare Gumbo, said there was need for the Government to implement the Cabinet resolutions.
“Like any other parastatals, we can’t allow Airzim to liquidate, we have a responsibility to make sure that Airzim is capitalised and that is possible if Government takes the debt,” Cde Gumbo said.
“The airline has to recapitalise so that it can fly the Zimbabwe flag because we believe an airline is a marketing strategy for the country. We want it to be run on a commercial basis so that it generates profits.”
MDC deputy spokesperson, Mr Kurauone Chihwayi, said there was need for the Government to engage an investor who can help resuscitate the national airline.
“We cannot dump Airzim, the only dumping we can do is in the hands of an investor,” Mr Chihwayi said.
“We expect the major shareholder to capitalise the national airline and if Government can’t do that then an investor should come in with the money because it cannot continue in the state that it is in where workers can go for seven without getting paid.”
He said Government was supposed to be flexible and allow the investor to own more than 49 percent stake in the airline.
However, MDC-T spokesperson, Mr Douglas Mwonzora, said the only way to solve the problems at Airzim was to implement the MDC-T resolutions on the airline.
“If Cabinet has failed to implement its resolutions it shows there is something wrong. We believe the problems at Airzim are persistent and our view is shut down Airzim, pay workers their packages, get a partner and then run it commercially,” he said.
Mr Mwonzora said there was, however, need for the Government to find other ways of settling the Airzim debts.
Ethiopian Airlines has sold its five Fokker 50 regional turboprops to Fortran Aviation Limited, and is negotiating with Bombardier to replace them with five new Q400 turboprops.
Ethiopian Airlines Chief Executive Oficer Tewolde Gebremariam said the aircraft were sold so that the airline could buy new aircraft. He added that the aircraft were transferred at the end of last year.
Earlier this month Singapore-based aircraft and engine parts company Fortran said the five Fokker 50s were being sold on to the Indonesian start up airline Pacific Royale. The five aircraft were manufactured between 1995 and 1997 and were sold by Ethiopian after a decade of use to ensure compliance with European safety regulators, which release strict guidelines to African operators not to operate old aircraft.
After selling the Fokker 50s, Ethiopian is planning to acquire five more Bombardier Q400 regional turboprops. Gebremariam said a deal to acquire more Q400s is still in the early stages of negotiation, and inside sources say Ethiopian has been negotiating with Bombardier for several months.
“The two parties are now discussing the details of the purchase contract. Hopefully, it would be concluded in the coming couple of months,” a senior executive at Ethiopian told Ethiopia’s The Reporter last month.
The Canadian manufacturer said it was not allowed to discuss possible sales but would make a formal announcement following a firm order.
Ethiopian Airlines ordered eight Q400s in November 2008 for US$192 million. The first aircraft arrived in March 2010 and began replacing the carrier’s Fokker 50s.
Ethiopian has around 40 aircraft on order as it implements its vigorous fleet renewal project. Ethiopian has an order for ten Dreamliners and will be the first African airline to receive the aircraft, when the first 787 arrives in the second quarter of 2012. Ethiopian plans to use the 787 to expand its existing destinations as well as its presence in more markets worldwide, including new destinations in the Far East.
The airline currently operates eleven 767-300s, with eight of the type slated for retirement by 2016. It also operates five 777-200LRs, eight 757-200ERs, five 737-700s, five 737-800s and eight Bombardier Q400s. It intends expanding its jet fleet to 112 by 2025.
In December 2011 Ethiopian joined the Star Alliance and plans to strengthen its route network in Singapore, South Korea and China. It is also planning to open new routes to the United States and Canada.
The struggling national airline, AIR Zimbabwe has been ordered to pay its former manager Mercy Sanzira US$21 000 as a retrenchment package.
The airline entered into a voluntary retrenchment agreement with Sanzira, but failed to pay her and she took the matter to an arbitrator who ruled in her favour.
“The respondent (Airzim) is hereby ordered to pay to the claimant the full amount of US$20 764,03 at the prescribed rate of five percent per annum in three installments. The first payment should be made within seven days of this order.
“In addition, the respondent is ordered to pay on top of the retrenchment package US$843, which constitutes arrears in the differentials in salary and benefits during the time in question.
“The outstanding arrears are to be paid as a once-off payment within seven days of this order,” ruled arbitrator P Mubvumbi.
Sanzira, through her lawyers, Matsikidze and Mucheche, has filed a chamber application at the High Court seeking to register the arbitration award.
On February 28 2010, Sanzira volunteered to go on retrenchment and the employer agreed to pay her US$20 000.
The retrenchment board approved the development but the airline failed to pay the package as agreed, prompting Sanzira to take the matter for arbitration.
The airline argued that it was facing serious cash-flow problems and that it was not able to pay the package.
Airzim sought to make the payment in nine months installments.
Sanzira strongly opposed the application on the basis that Airzim had earlier made some undertakings it failed to fulfill and that the money should be paid in full.
At the end of last year, the arbitrator granted the award trying to balance the interests of the two parties.
The award allowed Airzim to pay the money in three instalments.az