Travel news overview

• Flights
• 21/05/2020 06:38

Comair stands ‘reasonable’ chance of survival

There is a reasonable chance of rescuing Comair Group given its asset base and importance to South Africa’s connectivity, according to the business rescue practitioners who were appointed to the company earlier this month.

Shaun Collyer and Richard Ferguson said that the group was not factually insolvent and has assets of ZAR7.4 b… read more

• Flights
• 21/05/2020 06:36

COVID-19: Middle East and Africa market update

Middle East capacity

Following steep double-digit drops in recent weeks, the rate of capacity decline from and within the Middle East slowed last week (w/c May 11) to 2.7%. In total there were 1 million departure seats in the region’s market, a slight fall of 28,000 seats week-on-week. However, the figure meant that the Middle East’… read more

• Flights
• 21/05/2020 06:32

Air Djibouti reveals expansion plans

Based at Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport, the airline is a member of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) and it is now aiming for International Air Transport Association (IATA) operational safety audit (IOSA) certification.

The tiny Red Sea coastal country of Djibouti, with a population of fewer than a million, is strategical… read more

• Flights
• Beyond Africa
• 21/05/2020 06:19

Air France To Phase Out Its A380 Fleet with immediate effect

Air France (AF) has today announced it will be phasing out its Airbus A380 with immediate effect due to low demand caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Out of the nine units in the fleet, five are directly owned by AF or are on finance lease, with the other four being on operating lease. It is understood that the cost for the aircraf… read more

• Flights
• 21/05/2020 06:15

Emirates Seeking to Scrap Final Five A380s

In another blow to the Airbus A380 program, Emirates (EK) is seeking to cancel the final five of eight units yet to be delivered to the airline. According to Bloomberg, the airline will take three more of the units all due by March next year, but do not want the final five.

Airbus is supposedly negotiating a deferral of deliveries o… read more

• Flights
• 20/05/2020 05:25

Opinion: Time to pull the plug on SAA

South African Airways has been on life support for more than a decade - it is time to pull the plug! Our society cannot afford the luxury of a national airline in the midst of the many legitimate demands on our limited national resources. The Covid-19 pandemic is an opportunity to re-order our priorities and invest our limite… read more

• Cruise
• 19/05/2020 18:57

Seychelles' 2-year ban on cruise ships

A two-year ban on cruise ships by the government of Seychelles has been welcomed even by sectors of society in the island nation that depend on the arrival of tourists for their livelihood, though some businesses say the decision will lead to tough economic times.

The ministry for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine … read more

• Flights
• 19/05/2020 18:53

RwandAir Shifts Focus To Cargo Business

RwandAir has recently stepped up the hunt for cargo deals across the region and globe as the only way to survive the wrath of #Covid-19 which has forced grounding of airlines worldwide. Over reliance on passenger model has evidently hit hard the national carrier and is now thinking outside the box.

Last month, RwandAir started opera… read more

• Flights
• 19/05/2020 05:27

Emirates plannung job cuts and A380 reductions

The airline is planning to cut around 30,000 jobs to reduce costs which represents a decrease in its workforce by 30% from the current 105,000 recorded in March 2020, according to … read more

• Flights
• 18/05/2020 20:54

South African Airways Returns Four Airbus A330s To Lessors

Yesterday a post on LinkedIn indicated that four South African Airways A330s were leaving the fleet and returning to the lessor for storage. The four widebodies departed Johannesburg for São Paulo International Airport on May 16th around late-morning and midday (local time). The carrier is in the midst of a … read more