Major international air carriers suspended or scaled back flights to or from Tel Aviv, while Russia banned night flights to Israel, after a surprise attack by Hamas militants over the weekend and a threat of escalating conflict raised safety concerns.

About 50% of scheduled Tel Aviv flights did not operate on Sunday and a third were cancelled on Monday as of Monday evening in Israel, according to Flightradar24, a flight tracking website.

U.S. air carriers United Airlines (UAL.O) and American Airlines (AAL.O) suspended direct flights to Israel after the Federal Aviation Administration urged airlines to exercise caution. Delta Air Lines (DAL.N) said on Monday it would cancel flights to and from Israel until the end of the month.

Many European airlines have also cancelled flights. Israel’s national carrier El Al (ELAL.TA) was the exception – adding more flights to bring reservists back from around the world to assist in the country’s biggest mobilization in history.

Fighters from Islamist group Hamas killed at least 900 people and abducted dozens of hostages in Saturday’s attacks, the deadliest such incursion in decades, prompting Israel to retaliate by pounding the Palestinian enclave of Gaza.

Israel’s tourism sector, driven by beach- and party-goers in Tel Aviv and historical tours to sites like Jerusalem, is set to take a major hit as flight cancellations pile up. Tourism makes up 3.6% of total employment, according to OECD data.

U.S. cruise operators Royal Caribbean (RCL.N) and Carnival (CCL.N) said they had “adjusted” their itineraries in the Israel area.

“So far clients haven’t been cancelling, but they are being more precautious about travelling. We’ve been getting a lot of inquiries about safety,” said Matt Berna, Americas President of Intrepid Travel, a group tour and travel company.

Regulators including the FAA, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and Israel’s aviation authority urged airlines to use caution in the region’s airspace, but stopped short of suspending flights.

Russia, though, restricted flights from going to Israel before 0900 GMT due to what it called an “unstable political and military situation” and advised airlines to monitor risks during daylight.

Israel’s civil aviation authority asked airlines to “review current security and threat information” and changed some air traffic routes. It noted that delays were expected and advised airlines to carry extra fuel.

U.S. airlines normally run direct services from major cities including New York, Chicago, Washington and Miami.

Among the three U.S. carriers, United has the biggest exposure. In the quarter through December, Israel accounted for 1.9% of its planned global capacity, according to a Reuters analysis of Cirium data. American Airlines has the lowest exposure, with Israel accounting for 0.4% of its global capacity in the same period.

U.S. airline stocks fell Monday, with Delta closing down 4.6%, American down 4% and United off 4.9%.

AIRLINE RESPONSES

In Europe, Air France (AIRF.PA), Portugal’s TAP and Finland’s Finnair (FIA1S.HE) suspended direct flights. Norwegian Air (NAS.OL) cancelled its flights from Copenhagen and Stockholm to Tel Aviv this week and Ryanair (RYA.I) cancelled flights through to Wednesday.

Britain’s easyJet (EZJ.L) halted flights to Tel Aviv on Sunday and Monday, and said it would adjust the timings of flights over the next few days.

Hungarian budget carrier Wizz Air (WIZZ.L) cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv until further notice.

“Wizz Air is the most affected group with its operations accounting for some 9.4% of Israel’s total October capacity and … representing some 2.3% of the carrier’s total schedules,” Irish brokerage Goodbody said.

Lufthansa (LHAG.DE), also among the airlines most exposed to Israel according to Goodbody, cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv through Monday.

Virgin Atlantic said it would continue to run some flights but that customers could rebook or request a refund until Oct. 15.

Shares in British airlines fell on Monday as the conflict led oil prices higher, with fuel one of the biggest costs for carriers. British Airways-owner IAG (ICAG.L), Wizz Air and easyJet all closed down around 6%.

Hainan Airlines (600221.SS), the only Chinese airline to fly between China and Israel, and other airlines flying from Hong Kong and South Korea cancelled flights to Tel Aviv.

Hainan said it would continue flights linking Beijing and the southern tech hub of Shenzhen with Tel Aviv.

EgyptAir flights between Cairo and Tel Aviv have been suspended indefinitely.

Source: Reuters.

Seychelles is becoming more accessible to visitors from other parts of the world with an increase in airline connections and flight frequencies, said Tourism Seychelles, the marketing arm of the tourism department

Last Saturday, Condor Airlines resumed seasonal flights to Seychelles with a new innovative aircraft, the Airbus A330Neo-900. The charter airline links Seychelles directly to Frankfurt in Germany.

Condor will operate a weekly direct flight enhancing the connection between Germany and Seychelles and from November 21 to March 12, 2024, it will add an additional weekly flight to the route.

Edelweiss Airline, the renowned Swiss leisure carrier, also resumed operations with a weekly direct flight from Zurich to Seychelles.

Another European carrier, Turkish Airlines, will operate three weekly flights end of October connecting Seychelles to Istanbul.

Ethiopian Airlines, one of Africa’s leading carriers, is set to increase its flight frequency to Seychelles to twice daily flights in October giving more options for travellers from various parts of the world including the African continent.  

Emirates remains the leading carrier for travellers to Seychelles, currently maintaining seven flights weekly and resuming its double daily flights as of October.

Meanwhile, Aeroflot, Russia’s national airline, will expand travel frequency to Seychelles as of October 16. The airline will have three weekly flights connecting Moscow directly to Seychelles, making sure that the Eastern European country remains among the top source markets for the island.

The new flight connections are expected to increase visitors’ arrivals to Seychelles in the fourth quarter.

The director general for Destination Marketing, Bernadette Willemin, said, “It gives us great pleasure to witness the surge in flight connections between Seychelles and crucial markets. The Seychelles Islands have always been known for their unparalleled natural beauty and vibrant culture and with these new connections, we eagerly anticipate welcoming travellers from across the globe to experience our unique paradise.”

The figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics on September 7, show that a total of 28,177 visitors arrived in Seychelles in August 2023, representing a decrease of 4 percent compared to August 2022. However, year to date figures show that 229,205 visitors disembarked in Seychelles compared to 216,777 over the same period in 2022.  

Tourism is the top contributor to the economy of Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean.

Seychelles is currently served by five additional airlines – Air Seychelles, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Air Austral and Kenya Airways.

Source: Seychelles News Agency.

Nearly four weeks after re-opening its airspace to international flights, the Republic of Niger has banned all French aircraft, including the Air France fleet, from operating there. Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron says that France will withdraw troops and end military cooperation with the West African country.

Niger Airspace restrictions

Niger’s airspace was closed entirely for all flights on August 6 following a military coup, which saw the ousting of the democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum. The airspace was eventually opened on September 4, allowing several airlines to fly over the country and return to Niamey.

However, the country has issued a new restriction affecting French commercial and military flight operations. This was stated in a letter from the Presidency of the Republic of Niger, per a statement sent to the Agency for Air Navigation Safety in Africa (ASECNA) on September 23. Part of the statement read;

“Niger has decided to restrict access to its airspace. This remains open to all national commercial flights and international aircraft, with the exception of French aircraft and those chartered by France, including the Air France fleet.”

“In addition, all operational military flights and special flights remain prohibited unless exceptionally authorized by the authorities”

The Presidency added that this decision reflects the wishes of the people of Niger, through the government’s voice, to regain control of the country’s airspace. We contacted Air France for a comment, but it had not been available at the time of publication.

Operations in West Africa

West Africa has been a very important market for the French national carrier for years. Following the closure of the Nigerien airspace, Air France suspended flights to Niamey (Niger), Bamako (Mali), and Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) due to safety concerns.

Consequently, the civil aviation authorities of Mali and Burkina Faso canceled the airline’s authorization to operate its summer 2023 flights, citing its failure of prior notification, which resulted in passenger inconveniences. From Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG), AF operated daily flights to Bamako, four weekly to Niamey, and three weekly to Ouagadougou with its Boeing 777 and Airbus A330 aircraft.

The French airline has not returned to these destinations, and the new restriction issued by Niger will further affect its operations in West Africa. Meanwhile, it continues to fly to other destinations in the region, including Abidjan (ABJ), Accra (ACC), Dakar (DSS), and Lagos (LOS).

Flying to and over Niger

When the country’s airspace was shut nearly two months ago, airline operations in and around the continent were severely affected, especially those flying between Europe and Sub-saharan Africa. Many carriers were forced to cancel flights, replan schedules, and reroute via other countries.

Since September 4, some carriers have resumed flights to Niamey Diori Hamani International Airport (NIM), including Ethiopian Airlines, Royal Air Maroc, and Turkish Airlines.

Similarly, airlines rerouting via other countries have begun flying over Niger again. For example, British Airways’ A380 Johannesburg-London service, which was forced to fly over Gabon, the Gulf of Guinea, and Ghana, to mention a few, has resumed operations through Nigerien Airspace.

Source: Simpleflying

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that the post-COVID recovery momentum has continued in July for air travel passenger markets.

Total traffic in July 2023 (measured in revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) rose 26.2% compared to July 2022. Globally, traffic is now at 95.6% of pre-COVID levels.

July 2023 Air Travel

The statistics for July 2023 show that recovery of traffic continues with strong momentum. When measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs), total traffic saw a sound increase of 26.2% compared to the same month in the previous year, July 2022.

Globally, the traffic has now reached 95.6% of the pre-COVID levels, signaling a significant return to normalcy.

Domestic Travel on the Rise

July witnessed a remarkable rise in domestic traffic, soaring by 21.5% when compared to July 2022. Even more encouraging is the fact that it exceeded July 2019 results by 8.3%, indicating that domestic travel has not only recovered but has surpassed pre-pandemic levels.

Notably, July RPKs reached their highest-ever recorded figures, primarily driven by a surge in demand within the Chinese domestic market.

International Travel Resurgence

International traffic recorded an impressive growth of 29.6% compared to the same month in the previous year. This positive trend was observed across all markets, with international RPKs reaching 88.7% of the levels seen in July 2019.

The passenger load factor (PLF) for the industry reached an all-time high of 85.7% for international travel.

Strong Outlook and Confidence

Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, expressed optimism about the ongoing recovery. He noted, “Planes were full during July as people continue to travel in ever greater numbers.”

“Importantly, forward ticket sales indicate that traveler confidence remains high. And there is every reason to be optimistic about the continuing recovery.”

Regional Highlights

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Asia-Pacific Airlines: Leading the Recovery

Asia-Pacific airlines continued to lead the global recovery, with a staggering 105.8% increase in traffic in July 2023 compared to the same month in 2022.

Capacity also saw substantial growth, rising by 96.2%, while the load factor increased by 3.9 percentage points to reach 84.5%.

European Carriers: Steady Growth

European carriers witnessed a steady growth in July traffic, recording a 13.8% rise compared to July 2022. Capacity increased by 13.6%, and the load factor edged up by 0.1 percentage points to reach 87.0%.

Middle Eastern Airlines: Positive Trajectory

Middle Eastern airlines posted a significant traffic increase of 22.6% in July 2023 compared to the same month in the previous year. Capacity rose by 22.1%, and the load factor climbed by 0.3 percentage points to 82.6%.

North American Carriers: Consistent High Demand

North American carriers experienced a 17.7% rise in traffic in July 2023 compared to the same period in 2022.

Capacity increased by 17.2%, and the load factor improved by 0.3 percentage points to reach an impressive 90.3%, the highest among all regions for the second consecutive month.

Latin American Airlines: Strong Recovery

Latin American airlines showed robust recovery, with traffic rising by 25.3% compared to July 2022. July capacity climbed by 21.2%, and the load factor rose by 2.9 percentage points to reach 89.1%.

African Airlines: Mixed Performance

African airlines experienced a traffic increase of 25.6% in July 2023 compared to the same month a year ago, making it the second-highest percentage gain among all regions.

However, the load factor fell by 1.0 percentage point to 73.9%, the lowest among all regions. For a second consecutive month, Africa was the only region where capacity growth outpaced traffic demand.

Challenges in Infrastructure and Government Decisions

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While the aviation industry and air travel is witnessing a robust recovery, some critical challenges remain. Willie Walsh pointed out, “The Northern Hemisphere summer is living up to expectations for very strong traffic demand.”

“While the industry was largely prepared to accommodate a return to pre-pandemic levels of operations, unfortunately, the same cannot be said for our infrastructure providers.”

Performance issues with key air navigation services providers, including insufficient staffing and failures like NATS in the UK, have raised concerns that need prompt correction.

Additionally, some governments, such as Mexico and the Netherlands, have made decisions to impose capacity cuts at their major hubs, potentially leading to job losses and damage to local and national economies.

Source: Aviation source news.

Nigerians are praising the lifting of a visa ban by the United Arab Emirates following a meeting in Abu Dhabi this week between President Bola Tinubu and United Arab Emirates President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Nigerian authorities also secured an investment deal worth billions of dollars, according to the presidency.

Nigerian presidential spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale said Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates have established a framework for investments worth billions of dollars across multiple sectors, including defense and agriculture.

Speaking to Lagos-based Channels Television, Ngelale said the pact also resulted in the immediate lifting of a visa ban imposed by the UAE in October 2022.

“What we’ve done today is to not only normalize relations but then to add new dimensions to that relationship or partnership that are mutually beneficial to both nations,” he said. “And I think as we move forward, the details of those investments will become clear.”

The UAE imposed the visa ban on Nigeria in connection with a number of diplomatic disputes.

Dubai’s Emirates airline also suspended flight operations to Nigeria over Abuja’s inability to send the UAE an estimated $85 million in revenue that Dubai said had been blocked in the African nation. The monies could not be repatriated due to dollar shortages.

Additionally, the UAE’s Etihad Airways stopped flights to Nigeria.

But Ngelale said Emirates and Etihad airlines are expected to resume operations immediately without any payment by the Nigerian government.

The spokesperson also said Tinubu successfully negotiated a new foreign exchange liquidity program with the UAE.

Nigerian experts such as economist Emeka Orji welcomed the president’s move as a step that could reverse negative economic trends.

“It should be a no-brainer for them to reverse it,” Orji said. “The major chunk of their tourism, whether it is education or for holidays, Nigeria would show up on the list of its major tourism income-earning countries.”

In a recent statement, the UAE’s official Emirates News Agency noted that its leader and Tinubu explored opportunities for further bilateral collaboration in areas that served the sustainable economic growth of both countries.

The statement, however, did not go into detail about the lifting of the visa ban on Nigerians and the resumption of flights.

Orji says there will be a positive impact.

“International relations between the two countries will likely lead to an increase in economic activity,” he said. “There may be some interest in investing in some sectors in Nigeria. That would be an obvious gain for Nigeria.”

For now, experts said they hope the new pact is fully implemented for both countries to benefit.

Source: VOA

Kenyan travelers will no longer need visas to visit the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The DRC has recently lifted visa requirements for Kenyan citizens, reciprocating a similar move made by Kenya just five days earlier.

This development was officially announced by the Directorate General of Migration in the DRC. The change took effect on September 1, 2023, coinciding with Kenya’s decision to waive visa requirements for Congolese citizens traveling to Kenya.

The decision to remove visa requirements for Kenyans traveling to the DRC was made in accordance with the directives of the President. The DRC has moved Kenya from category 2 to category 1 in terms of visa requirements, aligning with the East African Community’s regulations on free movement of people among member states.

This move toward greater ease of travel follows a trend in Africa. President William Ruto had previously mentioned during the African Private Sector Dialogue Conference on Free Trade that this could be the last time African citizens would have to pay for visas to visit Kenya.

In recent months, Kenya has also announced visa-free travel for citizens of Indonesia, Comoros, and Senegal. Additionally, Kenya and Eritrea have agreed to permanently eliminate visa requirements for their respective citizens. Furthermore, Kenya has been actively pursuing visa-free arrangements with other countries, such as Djibouti, to promote trade and cooperation.

In another positive development, Kenyan passport holders can now enter South Africa without a visa, thanks to a new visa-free regime between the two nations. This arrangement was achieved through diplomatic efforts, with President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa playing a crucial role in the negotiations.

These changes mark significant steps towards facilitating travel and fostering greater cooperation between African nations, ultimately benefiting citizens and promoting regional integration.

Source: Africa News

Rwanda is seeking to pick from Dubai’s experiences to energise the local high end hospitality sector.

President Paul Kagame on Friday hosted at Village Urugwiro Mohammed Al Shaibani, Managing Director of the Investment Corporation of Dubai and Chair of Kerzner International.

The two held, “a discussion on strengthening partnerships that are contributing to Rwanda’s growing luxury hospitality and eco-tourism sectors,” according to the Rwandan Presidency.

Established in 2006, the Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD) is the principal investment arm of the Government of Dubai.

This investment corporation seeks to invest in attractive opportunities to achieve appropriate risk-adjusted returns over the long-term across a range of asset classes, sectors and geographies.

Currently the ICD boasts of 61Companies and has a footprint in 6 Continents, and 87 Countries.

ICD is involved with Banking & Finance Services,Transportation, Oil & Gas,Industrial, Hospitality & Leisure, Real Estate & Construction and also Retail & Other Holdings.

Meanwhile, the Investment Corporation of Dubai reported revenue of Dh267.4 billion for the year ended December 31, 2022, a 58 per cent increase compared to the year-ago period.

A significant surge in travel and tourism activities as well as a jump in oil and gas revenues helped the group post a net profit of Dh36.1 billion for the period. Net profit attributable to the equity holder was Dh29.8 billion.

Mohammed Ibrahim Al Shaibani, Managing Director, Investment Corporation of Dubai, said, “With the strong momentum in the Dubai economy, the ICD group was able to further deploy its operational capacity in an agile manner and benefited both from a scale effect and a strong discipline on costs, producing its best ever performance.”

The group’s balance-sheet ended the year in a very favourable position, with improved asset quality, liquidity and leverage and a record equity base.

“Overall, the group emerges resilient and stronger than ever from a volatile period marked by geopolitical conflicts and rising interest rates.”

The Investment Corporation has airlines such as Emirates and flyDubai under its portfolio, along with top lenders such as Emirates NBD, Commercial Bank of Dubai and Dubai Islamic Bank.

Source: Taarifa

Arabian Travel Market (ATM), the Middle East’s leading event for inbound and outbound travel and tourism professionals, has unveiled its next theme: ‘Empowering Innovation: Transforming Travel Through Entrepreneurship.’ The 31 st edition of the show will take place at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from Monday 6 to Thursday 9 May 2024.

Over the last 15 years, the travel and tourism industry has secured only 1 percent of total funding for startups across all industries, according to analysis from McKinsey. This is despite the fact that the sector accounted for more than 10 percent of global GDP in 2019. With exhibitors from the fields of aviation, accommodation, hospitality, attractions, technology and more, ATM 2024 will explore how innovators in the travel and tourism space are working to attract greater levels of funding to further increase the sector’s overall contribution to global GDP.

The 31 st edition of ATM will once again host policymakers, industry leaders and travel professionals from across the Middle East and beyond, encouraging them to forge new relationships, exchange knowledge and identify innovations with the potential to reshape the future of global travel and tourism. From startups to established brands, the upcoming show will highlight how innovators are enhancing customer experiences, driving efficiencies and accelerating progress towards a net-zero future for the industry.

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director, Arabian Travel Market, said: “The Middle East’s travel and tourism sector has demonstrated impressive resilience and growth in recent years, but we must continue to innovate and adapt in order to achieve the industry’s long-term goals. Thanks to ATM 2024’s theme, ‘Transforming Travel Through Entrepreneurship’, we have a golden opportunity to showcase expert insights, cutting-edge technologies and commercial opportunities with the potential to completely reshape the sector.”

Building on ATM 2023’s theme of ‘Working Towards Net Zero’, environmentally responsible travel will represent a key focus during the show’s upcoming edition. Informed by the UAE’s Year of Sustainability and the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), which will take place in Dubai later this year, ATM 2024 will explore how innovation can be leveraged to help achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by building a greener travel and tourism sector for future generations.

More than 40,000 travel trade professionals, including 30,000 visitors, attended the 30th edition of ATM in May 2023, setting a new show record. The exhibition attracted more than 2,100 exhibitors and representatives from over 155 countries, providing a global platform for the unveiling of ATM’s net-zero pledge.

ATM 2024 will empower the global travel and tourism community to harness entrepreneurism, helping to catalyse innovation, increase revenues and maximise sustainability over the long term. The UAE aims to attract $150 billion in foreign investment by 2030, making it the perfect environment for these activities. With an emphasis on technological innovation, the nation plans to strengthen its position as an international hub for start-ups – a focus that looks set to benefit entrepreneurs operating in the region’s travel and tourism sector. By exploring the ways in which an entrepreneurial mindset can lead to positive change within the industry, ATM 2024 will enable attendees to identify strategies for growth across a range of key industry verticals.

“As a global leader in innovation, the UAE offers the perfect environment in which to explore these trends and identify new avenues for growth,” Curtis added. “Following the record-breaking levels of attendance witnessed during ATM 2023, my colleagues and I cannot wait to welcome the global travel community to Dubai once again next year.”

Held in conjunction with Dubai World Trade Centre, ATM 2024’s strategic partners include Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), Destination Partner; Emirates, Official Airline Partner; IHG Hotels & Resorts, Official Hotel Partner; and Al Rais Travel, Official DMC Partner.

Source: Traveldaily News

Nationals of the Democratic Republic of Congo will from now visit Kenya without a visa, Nairobi announced on Friday.

The new policy, Kenya says is part of continuing legal shift to accommodate the DRC’s admission into the East African Community.

A noticed issued last week to all diplomatic missions abroad as well as Kenya’s regional administrative heads had alerted officials of the imminent change in policy. It said the visa waiver will be effective from September 01.

“The government of Kenya has removed Democratic Republic of Congo from Category 2 to category 1 of the visa regulations in compliance with the East Africa Community Regulations of free movement of persons within the member states,” said the circular dated August 25.

“In this regard, Kenya has waived visa requirements for all nationals of the Democratic Republic of Congo effective September 1, 2023.”

The DRC became the seventh member of the EAC last year in May.

And though it has yet to ascend to some of the protocols including that on free movement and the customs union, Kinshasa had generally used bilateral agreements with current member states on visa. Kenyans, under that arrangement, do not need visas to the DRC.

The Congolese authorities have been waiting a long time for this measure. A few months ago, Christophe Lutundula spoke of the importance of facilitating the movement of people and goods in the EAC bloc.

The Congolese Foreign Minister argued that most of the goods coming from the Indian Ocean pass through the port of Mombasa in Kenya. He also added that, in addition to the port of Mombasa, goods also pass through Dar Es Salam in Tanzania.

The Congolese authorities nevertheless said that they expected the Congo and its citizens, as members of the East African community, should now benefit from the same customs facilities due to members of the East African community.

According to the minister, who spoke weeks before this decision, the DRC has every reason to seek regional integration and to succeed in its integration into the East African bloc, since 5 of the 9 neighbouring countries (Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and South Sudan) are in the East and belong to the East African Community.

This is why, as soon as he came to power in January 2019, President Félix Tshisekedi focused his diplomatic strategy on his eastern neighbours, “the most integrated bloc in Africa”, as the Congolese president used to say.

Source: The East African

• Following the military coup in Gabon, flights to and from Libreville Airport have been diverted or canceled, causing disruptions for airlines and passengers.
•  The closure of Gabon’s airspace is the second instance of flight restrictions in Africa this month after Niger implemented similar measures.
•  While the closure affects connectivity between Africa and Europe, Gabon’s smaller size and coastal location make the impact less critical than in other countries.

Several flights to and from Libreville Léon-Mba International Airport (LBV) have been diverted and canceled following the closure of Gabon’s airspace on August 30. Gabon becomes the second African country to restrict flights this month after Niger.

The airspace closure follows a military coup on Wednesday, which saw the country’s democratically elected president, Ali Bongo, being placed under house arrest. General elections were held in Gabon on August 26. After the country’s electoral commission announced Bongo’s victory, military forces canceled the results and seized power, appointing the former head of the presidential guard as the new leader.

Libreville airport comes to a standstill

LBV is Gabon’s main international airport, serving several international carriers, including Air France, Air Senegal, ASKY Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, and Royal Air Maroc (RAM). On August 29, all international flights to the airport were canceled as airlines prepared for an airspace closure. RAM said in a statement,

Due to the closure of Gabon’s airspace, we are forced to cancel flights to and from Libreville.

FlightRadar24.com shows that other flights due to land at LBV had to be diverted to various airports in the region. On August 30, ASKY’s B737 flying from São Tomé was diverted to Lomé, while Ethiopian’s B787 from Addis Ababa was diverted to Yaounde. Similarly, Transair’s 737 from Brazzaville was forced to land at Abidjan. Gabon’s only local airline, Afrijet, has also suspended all flights from Libreville. It was the only carrier connecting key domestic destinations.

The situation in Gabon also further disrupts Air France’s operations in West and Central Africa, as the carrier operates daily Airbus A330 flights between Paris and Libreville. It has been forced to cancel this service while its flights to Bamako, Niamey, and Ouagadougou remain suspended.

Effects on connectivity

The growing list of airspace closures within the continent threatens intra-Africa connectivity and various European connections. Major parts of Libya, Sudan, and Niger remain closed for overflight, forcing airlines to follow orthodox flight paths. However, Sudan opened up the northern part of the country last week, which was a relief for some carriers.

Given Gabon’s relatively smaller size and location on the coast, the closure of its airspace is not as significant as that of Niger. However, this increases the total area airlines cannot operate in Africa. Airline Executive and experienced aviation professional Sean Mendis said to Simple Flying,

“Geographically, the impact of Gabon closing its airspace to overflight is a lot less critical than Niger, for example, given the size and location of Gabon. Furthermore, the Niger situation is exacerbated by the restrictions over Libyan and Sudanese airspace as well – creating a contiguous no-fly zone effectively from the Red Sea all the way to West Africa.”

Niger’s flight restrictions forced airlines flying between Europe and sub-Saharan Africa to reroute via other West African nations, adding over 600 miles (965 km) and up to two hours to the journey. In Gabon’s case, airlines can easily deviate offshore or fly through the east without incurring significant penalties.

British Airways is one carrier that has been flying over Gabon since the closure of Niger’s airspace. Its last two Airbus A380 flights from Johannesburg OR Tambo (JNB) to London Heathrow (LHR) were seen bypassing Gabon and flying over the Gulf of Guinea. FlightRadar24.com shows that there was no significant change to the flight time.

Source: Simple Flying