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Aviation This Week – August Edition 4

By Mark Ofosu
Maritime, Port & Aviation Aviation This Week – August Edition 4
AUG 28, 2021 LISTEN

Highlights for this week’s edition of ‘Aviation This Week’ are topical industry stories between August 23 – 28, 2021 relevant to Ghana’s aviation space. The summaries are as follows:

South African Airways Returns with Direct Services between Accra and Johannesburg

South African Airways will be making a return to Ghana on September 28, 2021, with 3 times weekly flights after more than a year of suspending operations to undergo business rescue.

Flights will be operated on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Accra bound flights will depart Johannesburg at 5:00 PM (local time) and arrive in Accra at 9:05 PM with a return flight at 10: 35 PM from Accra to arrive in Johannesburg at 6:25 AM (+1day).

Travellers to Nigeria to Experience Enhanced Airports Facilitation

Following recent complaints by passengers over slow facilitation at airports in Lagos and Abuja in Nigeria, the local aviation authority has initiated a move to install additional screening and check-in machines.

The installation will boost the infrastructure of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja.

EgyptAir Moves Saudi Arabia Flights to Seasonal Terminal

EgyptAir has announced that it will from September 1, 2021, move all flights departing Cairo to Saudi Arabia to its Seasonal Terminal at the Cairo International Airport.

The Terminal was constructed to cater for EgyptAir’s seasonal and Jeddah/ Madinah flights.

The airline operates flights from its hub in Cairo to Jeddah, Madinah, Riyadh, Dammam and Qassim in Saudi Arabia.

Delta Air Lines and United Airlines Join Evacuation in Afghanistan

As part of efforts to evacuate US nationals, special visa applicants and at-risk groups from Afghanistan following the country’s takeover by the Taliban, United and Delta is supporting the US Government in the repatriation of these affected groups to the US.

The exercise which is running under the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) program allows the US Department of Defense to fall on a pool of commercial aircraft in the event of national emergencies.

Ethiopian Airlines Explains its Success in the Face of the COVID-19 Pandemic

CEO OF Ethiopian Airlines, Tewolde Gebremariam says the airline has been able to withstand the shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic due to its dynamism and versatility.

The airline which did not seek any government bailout or lay off any staff said its strategy in surviving was due to how quickly it switched its main focus from passenger to cargo operations when passenger demands fell and cargo increased.

Air France Customers to Freely Change or Seek Ticket Refunds

Air France is offering customers an opportunity to change their travel dates or seek refunds for free from now until March 31, 2021.

Customers seeking to change their travel dates must do so a day before the departure of their first flight and pay for the new price difference where applicable. Also, customers seeking a refund must do so before the date of travel. This offer excludes group rates.

Kenya Airways Presents 2021 First Half Performance

Kenya Airways’ first-half results for 2021, shows a 17% decline in passenger revenue, although better than the same period last year, and a 60% increase in cargo revenue.

COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns in the airline’s key markets accounted for the decline in passenger revenue. At the same time, the opportunities presented by the restriction on human movement caused an increase in cargo demand which rocketed its cargo revenue.

Emirates Offers Free Baggage Allowance for Lebanon Flights

With Lebanon experiencing a severe shortage of essential goods and medicines, Emirates is allowing customers travelling from Ghana to Beirut an additional baggage allowance of up to 23kg. The offer applies to both inbound and outbound flights from Beirut will run from September 1- 30, 2021.

Qatar Airways to Announce Exclusive 2022 World Cup Packages

Qatar Airways says it will soon be releasing exciting packages for its Privilege Club members ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2022. The package which will include accommodation, match and travel tickets, among others will be available to registered members two weeks ahead of its sale for future members.

Early bird customers can register for the Privilege Club Loyalty Program ahead of the launch of the packages.

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