Africa: Kenyan Govt. Seeks PPP For New Nairobi Airport Terminal And Runway To Increase Capacity

The Kenyan Government is seeking a Private Public Partnership (PPP), to build both a second runway and a new terminal building aimed at doubling the airport’s passenger handling capacity.

According to centreforaviation.com, slowly but surely Africa is starting to attract more external investment and management expertise into its airports, despite all the actual and perceived negatives about participating there.

Qatar Airways is involved with a new airport in Rwanda, and VINCI has multiple concessions across the Cape Verde archipelago. Chinese companies are thereabouts, always looking out for the main chance.

In Kenya the state airline tried to take operational control of Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, the continent’s 11th busiest, in 2022. As the airport is the airline’s main base, Kenya Airways must have been concerned that two separate attempts to build a second runway there had floundered, the second one supported by the African Development Bank.

Now the government is seeking partners in a PPP to build both a second runway and a new terminal building. But such a commitment might not be attractive to many potential investors when traffic numbers remain low by international standards, and while concerns about political opaqueness remain.

This is part one of a two-part report.

New terminal and second runway to be built at Nairobi’s main airport; government hopes for PPP agreement.

Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Roads, Transport, and Public Works Kipchumba Murkomen said that the government intended to construct a new ‘state of the art’ passenger terminal at Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

Mr Murkomen added that the government was seeking a public private partnership (PPP) model for the works, which would include a new runway. The project will aim to double the airport’s passenger handling capacity.

Mr Murkomen said that this would solve the challenge facing the airport in terms of its capacity to serve passengers, which has led to “inefficiencies and breakdown in systems.” He also noted that it would “provide jobs, boost tourism, trade and investment, and enhance regional integration”.

He then went on to say that with the airport being a key port of entry for Kenya, it would be critical that the government worked on a PPP model that would facilitate the expansion of JKIA and “move to the list of the best airports in the world”.

He urged the board to work with the government, stakeholders and investors to achieve the plan, and asked the board to review the KAA Act 1991 so that it could “concur with current developments in the aviation sector”.

He concluded that there was a need to enhance security at JKIA and other airports in the country, both physical and cyber.

Need to reposition the airport as the main East Africa gateway and to tap into increased investor interest in the continent.

There are two factors in play here. Firstly, a need to reposition Nairobi Airport so that it can challenge others in East Africa – notably the existing and new Addis Ababa airports in Ethiopia – as the regional gateway, and secondly, so that it can tap into a small but viable increase in interest in investing in African aviation from outside the continent – such as Qatar Airways’ investment in the new airport at Kigali, Rwanda.

Steady traffic growth before the pandemic; capacity slowly recovering Passenger traffic grew steadily – if not spectacularly – at Nairobi from 2014 to 2019, before succumbing, like everywhere else, to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019.

Capacity has not yet retrieved the position of 2019 but is narrowing the gap. As of the week commencing 17-Apr-2023, it stands at around 88% of what it was in the same week of 2019.

Kenya Airways and its LCC are dominant, hence also SkyTeam. The national carrier Kenya Airways is the dominant airline, with 49% of capacity and between 46% and 50% of movements between peak and off-peak.

The second largest airline by capacity is its fully owned LCC subsidiary Jambojet (15%).

Jambojet was established to help meet rising competition in Kenya Airways’ core markets from new independent LCCs.

Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport: system seats by airline, week commencing 24-Apr-2023

The LCC model is better established in East Africa than in other regions of the country but even so, in Kenya only 2.7% of international seats are ‘low cost’ and the domestic market accounts for just 6.5% (Jan-Apr-2023). The figures are marginally higher in East Africa as a whole.

At JKIA 16.55% of seats are presently offered by LCCs, which is an unexpectedly high amount, but even so it is not a burgeoning demand for budget travel that necessitates a new terminal building and runway.

A broad north-south network but remains weak to the Americas and Asia Pacific.

As expected, most of the capacity is on East African routes, followed by the Middle East and Western Europe. Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport: network map for the week commencing 24-Apr-2023

The single international country with the highest capacity is the UAE, followed by Tanzania, South Africa, the UK and Ethiopia. That suggests quite a broad network at Nairobi, and that is certainly the case, or at least it is on a north-south axis as the below map details.

There are many routes in East Africa and the Middle East and an adequate network in Europe for passengers via the main gateways, and for cargo.

Within recent memory there were few east-west routes across Africa, often necessitating a journey to a European or Middle East transit point to get between the two, but Nairobi does now have five destinations in that region.

The weak links are undeniably the Americas – with only one trans Atlantic service, to New York – and Asia Pacific, with two services to India (Delhi, Mumbai) and two Chinese ones (Changsha and Guangzhou, which began in Apr-2023).

Despite the airport’s elevation, at over 5,000ft (1524m), the single 4,200m runway should be adequate to handle most long-haul flights out of Nairobi, and that is another reason why ‘a second runway is needed’ can be discounted.


On the other hand, there are concerns about what happens when that runway is closed, as revealed later.

The only substantially longer routes that might be flown (that are not now) would be to the west coast of the US and Canada, to South Korea and Japan, and to Iceland (the two countries are coincidentally connected by the fishing industry, Iceland selling its advanced technology widely to African countries).

So the two main concerns behind this expansion seem to be capacity and planning for future growth.

Current utilisation of existing facilities is high on most days

Where capacity is concerned, usage is high. The chart below is for Thursday 27-Apr-2023 and shows all but one of the 24-hour blocks in use for departing and/or arriving flights (as measured by their seat capacity). Most other days are much the same.

All three major airlines alliances are present


JKIA also benefits from the presence of all three of the major airline alliances, and particularly SkyTeam (by way of Kenya Airways), which has 55% of the capacity – its main competitor in the region, Addis Ababa Bole Airport, has 97% of capacity on one alliance, Star.

There are two terminals. Terminal 1 is arranged in a semi-circular manner and is divided into four distinct parts rather than concourses.

Terminals 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1E are used for international arrivals and departures, and 1D is used for domestic departures and arrivals.

Terminal 2 is used by low-cost carriers, and right now is tiny by comparison, with less than 1,000 seats of capacity for the whole of the week commencing 24-Apr-2023.

SOURCE: ATQ News

The Lufthansa Group Looks To Boost East Africa Operations

Lufthansa, Eurowings Discover, and Brussels Airlines will increase their services to East Africa.

Air travel demand in Africa continues to increase, with passenger numbers edging closer to 2019 levels. The Lufthansa Group is responding to the demand by adding further capacity in East Africa.

For the first time in its history, Lufthansa will fly to Nairobi daily throughout the year. The group’s leisure airline, Eurowings Discover, will also increase its service to Kenya, while Belgium’s flag carrier will add more flights to its East Africa destinations.

Lufthansa’s schedule to Nairobi

Since the introduction of its operations in Kenya, the airline had not previously operated daily flights to the capital. Currently, Lufthansa operates flights between Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta Airport (NBO) five times a week on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.

Starting June 3, the carrier will operate daily flights between the two cities. The Airbus A330 flight will depart Frankfurt at 11:25 and arrive in Nairobi at 20:30, while the returning flight departs Nairobi each evening at 22:25, arriving in Frankfurt at 05:40 the next morning. There will be numerous options for onward connections during the day.

Initially, the airline planned to enhance its Nairobi service for the summer flight schedule. However, the carrier will operate daily flights all year round due to positive booking trends. Lufthansa Group General Manager East Africa, Kevin Markette, said;

“Kenya remains a focus market for Lufthansa in East Africa, and the decision to maximize our offering into the country is largely driven by the significant increase in demand and resurgence in travel, coupled with the immense support of the local community within the region.”

After the pandemic, Lufthansa was one of the first international airlines to resume regular commercial flights to Kenya. This signifies the important commercial and economic ties between Germany and Kenya and the carrier’s commitment to maintaining a direct connection for its customers in the regions.

Eurowings Discover’s increased schedule to Kenya

East Africa is a popular destination for business travelers and one of Africa’s main gateways for internationals flying through the rest of the continent. Furthermore, it is a popular destination for travelers seeking an idyllic holiday experience, with its diverse wildlife, nature reserves, and exquisite beaches.

Lufthansa has taken a step to enhance the Eurowings Discover flight schedule to Kenya for passengers seeking to explore East Africa. The leisure airline currently offers four weekly A330 flights to Mombasa (MBA) and two weekly connections to Kilimanjaro (KJO) and Zanzibar (ZNZ).

Eurowings will increase its Frankfurt-Mombasa schedule to five weekly A330 flights from June 20 until September 12. The additional capacity comes in time for the peak travel season and will allow the carrier to offer tourists much-needed flexibility when booking flights.

Brussels Airlines flights to Rwanda

It is important to highlight another European carrier’s operations in East Africa. Brussels Airlines will increase its flight schedule between Brussels and Kigali from four to five weekly. The increased capacity was intended to be a seasonal change but will continue throughout winter 2023.

The adjustment supports the airline’s daily flights between Brussels Airport (BRU) and Entebbe International Airport (EBB) and complements the existing twice-weekly flights from Belgium to Bujumbura. It is the only airline directly flying between Europe and the Burundian city.

Sustainability and high-quality travel offer

The Lufthansa Group remains committed to sustainability and its climate protection goals. The company aims to halve its Carbon Dioxide emissions by 2030 compared to 2019 and become carbon neutral by 2050.

In the next seven years, the group’s airlines will have at least 190 newly delivered and fuel-saving aircraft in service. The significant investment will reduce kerosene consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 30% on each flight. Kevin Markette concluded by saying;

“We believe that sustainable aviation will continue to enable us to benefit from a connected world, and by expanding the various airline schedules of the Lufthansa Group, we are maintaining a solid foundation and presence within East Africa. Our passion for connecting people, cultures, and economies, thus bringing the world within reach, together with providing our customers a consistent, high-quality travel offer across an extensive route network, remains a top priority for the Lufthansa Group.”

Source: Simple Flying

Russia and Tanzania to establish direct flights

In our latest travel series, we look at how Russia plans to further its visits to Tanzania, which include direct flights from Moscow to Dar es Salaam, introducing Tanzanian music to Russians, and more. Our travel correspondent, Anganile Mwakyanjala, sat down with Russia’s Ambassador to Tanzania, Andrey Avetisyan, who shared more details.

Most Tanzanians know Russia as an academic destination, where some of our countrymen have studied; is there a more historic connection between our two countries other than that?

Russia’s gracious relations with Tanzania have a very long history, dating back to maybe the 18th–17th centuries, when the first Russian traveler and explorer, Russian businessman Vasiliy Junker, in 1880 found himself in East Africa, but that was mostly North Africa, through which all people traveled to India. If you speak about central East Africa, where Tanzania is situated, we can register some Russian travelers being here in the second half of the 19th century; some of them were traveling here together with famous explorers and travelers like Stanley Livingstone. This part of Africa was by then noted as terra incognita. Russia, of course, supported the liberation movement in Africa, including then-Tanganyika. Mwalimu Julius Nyerere was a good friend of my country, and we have fond memories of Mr. Nyerere. Since then, we’ve enjoyed very close and friendly relations with Tanzania. I am very happy to be here.

Russia is famous for its culture, heritage, and history. Since you’ve been here, what have you learned about Tanzania in these areas?

One of my priorities here as a Russian ambassador is to promote people-to-people relations between Russians and Tanzanians, including cultural exchange. We would like to bring more Tanzanian artists, musicians, and dancers to Russia to familiarize ourselves with Tanzanian culture. At the same time, we regularly bring Russian culture and music festivals to Tanzania. These two cultures, although so different, have many similar features.

For the first time in Tanzania, the head of state, Mama Samia, became the face of tourism promotion through the Royal Tour documentary. Did that persuade you to visit some of our tourist attractions, and how has your experience been?

We very much appreciate the economic policy of President Samia Suluhu Hassan and her efforts to provide opportunities for foreign investments, which include trade with Russia. We encourage Russian businesses to come here to take advantage of this opportunity. One of the most promising areas of this cooperation is tourism. Tanzania has been the most popular tourist destination for Russian tourists for years, especially in Zanzibar. Unfortunately, during the pandemic, the number fell sharply, and now we are trying to increase it again. But to increase the number of tourists, we need several factors to be in place. The most important thing to do to bring back the number of tourists to a high level is to establish direct flights from Russia to Tanzania.

At the moment, Russian tourists who want to come here have to pass through Ethiopia, the UAE, Turkey, and Oman, but we are now discussing with the Tanzanian Government and Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority the possibility of reestablishing direct flights. I think we will start with a charter flight before establishing regular commercial flights. We are now negotiating a new bilateral agreement with the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority; it is almost finished, and I hope it will be signed soon. I hope it will not only provide the opportunity to establish direct flights for Russians to come to Tanzania but also for Tanzanians to go to Russia.

What parts of Tanzania that you visited impressed you the most?

When I go to different parts of Tanzania on business trips, I find time to see places of interest too. I have visited Zanzibar several times, which is a destination one can only dream about when speaking about beaches, relaxing, and also seeing interesting places like Stone Town, which is a gem of Africa. I visited Ngorongoro, a unique place. I have visited Arusha National Park and Lake Manyara in the north. I have not yet been anywhere to the south of Dar es Salaam, but I am planning to go, and I hope my time here in Dar es Salaam will be enough to see many places that are worth visiting in Tanzania.

Tell us more about Russia’s cultural exchange programs.

We have an active Russian Cultural Center in Dar es Salaam. It promotes Russian culture, attracts Tanzanian artists to do exhibitions, and also offers cultural exchange. They have regular events like screening Russian films and organizing photo exhibitions about different parts of Russia.

Let’s talk about the upcoming Russia-Africa Summit. What are the expectations?

The upcoming second Russia-Africa Summit will take place in Saint Petersburg at the end of July, and we hope to see a large Tanzanian delegation. The summit will be accompanied by different events, like economic and cultural forums and youth conferences. This multifaceted event will provide a lot of opportunities for Russians and Tanzanians, among other Africans, to get to know each other and establish contacts.

First of all, it is important to establish business links in both countries. So far, Russia-Tanzania trade and economic relations are not very good, and we want to promote them. But I hear from both Tanzanian and Russian businessmen that the problem for them is establishing contacts with each other, and this summit in Saint Petersburg will be a good opportunity to find driving forces for their businesses.

What are the popular university studies Tanzanians take in Russia?

The most popular direction is medicine. The demand for doctors is growing. Although we have a lot of Tanzanian graduates every year from Russian medical universities, I hear from Tanzanian counterparties that they would like to send more people to study to become doctors. We can increase the number of doctors that graduate from Russian universities, and the number of Russian government scholarships for Tanzanians is growing every year. For example, for this school year, the number is 90, but we hope that for the next school year it will be a minimum of 120, and we hope for almost two hundred.

What can you say about the famous Patrice Lumumba University?

Yes, the Patrice Lumumba Peoples’ Friendship University is one of the most famous and popular. Just two days ago, we had a delegation from Patrice Lumumba University participate in a Russian educational fair in Tanzania. Twice a year, several universities from all over Russia come to Dar es Salaam to present themselves to potential students.

How do you find Swahili cuisine?

Swahili cuisine is something I really like because it is very simple and natural, and that is actually what I love. Street food is tasty in Tanzania, and I highly recommend it to people who visit the country. I like Swahili food because they use a lot of vegetables and fruits of different kinds. Food from Zanzibar is different from that on the mainland. There are dozens of different types of bananas in Zanzibar; if you want to try them all, you need time. The fish and seafood in Tanzania are absolutely incredible, always fresh, and so nice.

Any final words?

I would like to invite all the leaders and citizens of Tanzania to visit Russia. To Russians who visit Tanzania and go back home, tell your friends and family about the experiences you had in Tanzania. Not only tell them, but show them the pictures you took in national parks and show them pictures of this beautiful country.

Source: The Citizen

Uganda sends out feelers on joining SAATM

A bystander for years, Uganda has made its most definitive expression yet, of intent to join the Single African Air Transport market (SAATM). A meeting convened this week to discuss the issue, agreed to establish a multisectoral committee to “consider the matter further.”

The decision came at the end of a multi-stakeholder meeting called by sector regulator Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) on April 26, to build internal consensus around the country’s participation in the continental initiative. The proposed committee will be made up of representatives from the core government agencies such as the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Works and Transport, the Uganda Tourism Board, and select players from the private sector.

Pitching for SAATM at the meeting, UCAA Deputy Director General, Olive Birungi Lumonya said the proposed liberalization of air services would lift the number of air passengers. Flying is efficient, quicker, and safer but is not utilized much as the other forms of travel. If this agreement is signed by Uganda, we will be joining the rest of Africa in reducing the cost of travel, and increasing air traffic and business, she said.

Although Uganda has been considered fairly to be fairly liberal under the current, mostly conservative regime of working under BASA’s, officials have been ambivalent about the country’s accession to SAATM, which should include fifteen countries.

The Wednesday meeting heard candid reasons for the delay, which were attributed to a range of factors including, the competition that the national carrier which was in the process of being revived, would be exposed to under SAATM, the likely impact on aspirations to turn Entebbe into a regional hub and the ability of existing Ugandan air operators to compete effectively with regional airlines which have a stronger financial base, better equipment, with some believed to have been supported with subsidies from their respective governments.

Uganda was also doubtful about the likely benefits accruing from the liberalization of air services amidst the entry restrictions that still exist within the African States. According to a November 2021 IATA Fact Sheet, Uganda was ranked eighth in Africa for visa openness but only 4 percent of the 24 BASA’s reviewed were fully compliant with the Yamoussoukro Decision. Citizens from 18 African countries do require a visa to enter Uganda while those from 34 others can get visas on arrival. But Ugandan citizens face entry restrictions in many African countries, which require them to have entry visas.  

“Initially, Uganda did not sign the Solemn Declaration to join SAATM pending the establishment of mechanisms to give assurance to the revival of Uganda Airlines, which at that time had not commenced operations taking into consideration a highly competitive market resulting from the grant of unrestricted fifth freedom traffic rights to African Airlines,” the meeting was told.

Keen to expand

But with flag carrier Uganda Airlines partially established and keen to expand within Africa as well as parallel initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area slowly gaining traction, Uganda feels it can now participate in SAATM with a reasonable degree of reciprocity of benefits.

According to IATA, Uganda would get an additional 4,920 jobs in aviation and spin-off industries by joining SAATM while another 16.070 jobs would be created through “catalytic impact.”

The economy would gain an additional $102.6 million in GDP, 151,000 extra tourism visits, $69.3 million increase in tourism spending, and 9.290 new tourism jobs.

Uganda’s junior minister for Works and Transport, Fred Byamukama said Uganda was ready to join SAATM because it would culminate into a more competitive and better-regulated aviation industry in Uganda and Africa at large. Government will continue to ensure the country’s air links make her one of the most connected countries in the world to make it compete successfully for economic growth opportunities,” he said.

Source: Air Insight Group

Emirates opens new robot-assisted ‘City Check-In and Travel Store’ in Dubai

In the heart of Dubai’s bustling financial district, Emirates is set to launch a new “City Check‑in and Travel Store,” enabling customers to conveniently book travel, check-in for flights, drop luggage, shop for travel essentials, and save time at the airport.

Located in the elite ICD Brookfield Place in Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the state of art facility opened on Thursday.

As part of Emirates’ continuous investment into enhancing customer experience, the “City Check-in and Travel Store” has a prime and premium location for busy professionals in Dubai’s finance hub and allows customers to drop their luggage as early as 24 hours and up to 4 hours before a flight, arriving at the airport at leisure.

Customers can visit the space and check in anytime from 8:00am to 10:00pm daily, beginning their travel experience with seamless service via self check in kiosks, at dedicated desks with Emirates agents, or with the help of the world’s first ever check‑in robot assistant — Sara.

Sara is an innovative portable robotic check-in system, who can match faces with scanned passports, check passengers in, and guide them to the luggage drop area.

With an eye-catching 2.5 metre LCD screen showing the latest destination content from Emirates, and more screens showing an interactive touchscreen map, the City Check-in and Travel Store is a stylish and spacious contemporary space which offers the opportunity to book tickets, browse travel merchandise, drop luggage, and check in – with paid valet parking and self-parking ensuring an elevated, hassle-free check in experience for Emirates passengers.

Visitors can also get expert advice and offers on trending destinations, while dedicated travel consultants can assist with purchasing tickets for future journeys, managing current bookings, purchasing upgrades, selecting preferred seats, and arranging extra baggage if required.

Emirates passengers with valid boarding passes who wish to discover the area or spend time relaxing before their flight, will have complimentary access to select lifestyle facilities in the world-renowned ICD Brookfield Place, and exclusive discounts and special offers across a range of restaurants, gyms, and luxury stores — including Josette, 1Rebel, Lulu and the Beanstalk, and Embody Fitness.

Around the DIFC, visitors can enjoy a diverse range of services, shopping, world-class cuisine, and art galleries, including the extensive promenade at DIFC’s Gate Avenue. When it’s time to fly, passengers can then connect directly to the airport via taxi, Emirates chauffeur service, or take a short 10-minute walk to Financial Centre Metro Station connecting seamlessly into the Airport Terminal 3 Metro Station.

Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ Chief Operating Officer remarked: “Emirates City Check In is our latest addition to the Emirates travel experience, showing our commitment to providing customers with an array of check-in options. Our new location is the first ultra-convenient check in and baggage drop facility conveniently located in the DIFC area. People can avoid busy periods at the airport and minimise queuing.”

“We are pleased to collaborate with ICD Brookfield on this project and look forward to providing our customers with more technology-focused solutions in the future,” Al Redha added.

Source: Gulf News

Passenger aircraft destroyed after attack at Khartoum Airport

Clashes between the Sudanese military and a local rebel group throughout the Sudanese capital city of Khartoum have led to the destruction of at least two commercial aircraft at the city‘s airport as well as the closure of Sudan’s airspace.

Videos filmed at the airport show one SkyUp Airlines Boeing 737-800 on fire, as well as a Saudia Airlines Airbus A330 (HZ-AQ30) which was about to depart back to Riyadh burning on the civilian apron of the airport. The SkyUp aircraft, registered as UR-SQH, was leased to local airline Sun Air but was empty at the time of the attack, unlike the Saudia A330 which was fully boarded when the attack occurred. Initial reports indicate that everyone was able to evacuate the aircraft. It is unclear at the moment if any other aircraft were damaged or destroyed.

As a result of the attack and subsequent takeover of the airport by the rebel group, the airport has been closed indefinitely and flights that had originally planned to fly through Sudanese airspace are rerouting via neighboring countries.

Source: International Flight Network

Aviation Industry Efforts Continue To Promote Intra-Africa Travel

The African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) is continuing its efforts to implement the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), which could hold the key to a golden age of aviation development in Africa.

In an interview with AviaDev, AFCAC Secretary General (SG) Adefunke Adeyemi gave us an insight into developments from the last six months and the commission’s progress in executing SAATM. The commission is also spearheading the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) liberalization.

Adeyemi has been making great efforts to ensure that AFCAC is more visible and that stakeholders understand its role in developing civil aviation in Africa.

The African Civil Aviation Commission

Headquartered in Dakar, Senegal, AFCAC is a specialist agency of the African Union (AU) to develop and regulate civil aviation in Africa. It is also the executing agency for SAATM and AfCFTA, which are critical incentives for developing aviation, routes, trade, and economic activities.

AfCFTA’s objective is to eliminate trade barriers across the continent, and if executed properly, it would make Africa the largest trading block in the world. The civil aviation commission’s role is to ensure it is implemented correctly and that more cities are connected by air, allowing people to fly across multiple destinations.

Additionally, it ensures safety, security, and environmental protection for sustainability in African aviation. The commission is a small secretariat with a vast portfolio of programs to execute, therefore, it has to engage with partners and other states. Adeyemi said in the interview;

“We are operating in various domains and engaging not just our member states but also the entire universe ecosystem of aviation to really bring that about. We have clear targets that we’re trying to achieve and reach. So in the first few months of assuming office, it was really important for us to say that, first of all, AFCAC is here for our member states, but also to engage with our partners because we cannot do it alone.”

Engaging with different partners, states, and regions around the world is a strategic decision to cement relationships quickly. It will also help AFCAC get the visibility it needs to achieve all its objectives in its member states and the rest of the aviation community.

Source: Simple Flying

Egypt introduces new entry visa facilities to boost tourism

Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Ahmed Issa unveiled a new package of facilities related to issuing tourist visas, according to a statement by the ministry on March 27th.

In a press conference, Issa revealed that these facilities included allowing Chinese tourists to obtain an emergency entry visa (visa upon arrival) from Egyptian airports, as well as allowing Indian tourists who hold resident visa from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to obtain an emergency entry visa.

This is in addition to facilities granted to holders of a valid entry visa that was previously used in the US, the UK, Schengen Area, Canada, New Zealand, Japan and Australia, he added.

The minister also pointed out that Turkish tourists are now allowed to obtain an emergency entry visa from Egyptian airports without being restricted to a specific age.

Furthermore, Algerian and Moroccan tourists arriving in tourist groups can also get visa upon arrival.

Iranian tourists arriving directly to South Sinai through a tourism agency are allowed to obtain their visas upon arrival.

The new tourist visas facilities also enable Iraqi tourists to obtain an emergency entry visa at Egyptian airports provided they hold a valid entry visa that was used before in the US, the UK, Schengen Area, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, and Australia.

Tourists aged between 16 and 60+ can obtain an electronic visa through the E-Visa platform.

Additionally, Issa said that a new multi-entry visa, valid for 5 years, at a value of $700, will be introduced soon.

In January and February, tourist arrivals to Egypt grew significantly by 30% year on year (YoY), he remarked.

During the press conference, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) Mostafa Waziri announced that Egypt will inaugurate the Graeco Roman Museum in Alexandria within the next few weeks, after a 17-year hiatus.

Source: Zawya

Plane lease end to save KQ Sh4bn

National carrier Kenya Airways (KQ) plans to terminate the lease for two of its Boeing 777-300 aircraft in a move set to see it save between $25 million (Sh3.3 billion) to $30 million (Sh3.9 billion).

KQ chief executive Allan Kilavuka told the Business Daily that the airline is terminating the agreement for the two planes as they do not fit into their current network plan.

The lease for the two aircrafts that carry about 400 passengers and were flying Europe and Middle East routes was initially set to end in 2026.

“The 777 at the moment does not fit into our network plans and we are working to terminate the lease of the two aircraft. So the process of termination has begun and negotiations are ongoing. One is pretty much complete,” said Mr Kilavuka.

Mr Kilavuka said the savings of up to Sh3.9 billion will be after deducting the termination penalties bearing in mind that the deal was to lapse in three years’ time.

KQ had leased the two planes from an undisclosed firm and then subleased them to Turkish Airlines after scaling down large crafts from its fleet.

The airline will first have to receive the planes from the Turkish Airline before returning them to the owner and save itself from costs such as leasing fees and expenses of servicing idle planes.

The termination of the current lease for the two Boeing 777-300 comes after KQ ended another agreement with Congo Airways, the national flag carrier of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, after six months.

The two airlines had entered a two-year deal in early 2021 where KQ was meant to lease two of its Embraer E190 aircraft to Congo for their cargo codeshare partnership.

The deal was meant to see KQ save over 100 million annually on maintenance costs and earn additional revenue from hiring them.

The Kenyan Government has been pushing for a restructuring of the airline on the back of a multi-billion-shilling bailout plan where the struggling carrier is required to reduce its network and operate a leaner fleet.

KQ has focused on restructuring its fleet, including selling aircraft and sub-leasing to other airlines in an attempt to return to profitability.

The airline had a fleet of 42 aircraft, either owned or on lease, according to data from its annual report in the year ended December 2021.

Source: Business Daily

Dubai Tourism returns for South Africa roadshow

DUBAI is offering South African travel agents and stakeholders an opportunity to network with stakeholders in the former’s hospitality market.

This is anticipated to improve the officials’ businesses and give them greater openings and opportunities to satisfy their clients.

Dubai’s Department for Economy and Tourism (DET) has returned for its South Africa Roadshow, to be held between Monday (today) and Friday in the cities of Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg.

This year’s roadshow will highlight Dubai’s experiences and diversity of the city’s offerings to key travel partners in South Africa.

Highlights of the road show span across travel, hospitality, entertainment and Dubai’s citywide events, with a focus on leisure, family travel, education and medical tourism.

Key elements of the event will include breakout network sessions, partner presentations, one-on-one meetings and raffle draws.

Some of the organisations in the airlines, hotel and destination management are accompanying DET to South Africa.

DET’s ultimate vision is to position Dubai as the world’s leading commercial centre, investment hub and tourism destination.

Dubai is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai.

– CAJ News