Rwanda aviation news – Pearl Lounge Kigali uses Twitter to market their services
PEARL LOUNGE KIGALI USES TWITTER TO GAIN CLIENTS The First and Business Class Lounge at Kanombe International Airport in Kigali has sought a novel way to attract more business, not just by offering a reduced entrance fee of US Dollars 15 per person on off peak days but also by widening their reach on Twitter […]
Uganda aviation news – Qatar Airways announces resumption of Tripoli flights
QATAR AIRWAYS ANNOUNCES RETURN TO TRIPOLI Uganda had close ties with Gadaffi Libya in the past and scores of Ugandan students were studying in Libyan universities while there was a constant flow of business travelers to Libya, seeking to export produce to the North African desert country while in turn looking for investments back home […]
The ICC verdict – a potential game changer in Kenyan politics
KENYA AT CROSS ROADS The ruling by the International Criminal Court yesterday, to confirm charges brought by the Chief Prosecutors office against four of the initially six Kenyans, has rocked the establishment in Kenya, as word emerged that the four will not go down without a fight in court and take their principals with them […]
Ethiopian Airlines makes maiden flight to Seychelles with a special charter for 152 Chinese tourists
ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES MAKES MAIDEN APPEARANCE IN SEYCHELLES (Pictures courtesy of Seychelles Tourism Board) While still several weeks away from commencing scheduled operations between Addis Ababa and Mahe, has the Ethiopian national airline nevertheless made the maiden flight yesterday, 22nd January with a full plane load of Chinese travelers who had booked a holiday of a […]
3 Months and counting to the Bahrain F1 Grand Prix
THREE MONTHS AND COUNTING TO THE FORMULA 1 RACE IN BAHRAIN A recent trip to the Kingdom of Bahrain for their bi-annual international air show had me pass by the F1 circuit every time I was going to or coming from the show ground at the Sakhir Air Base, and memories came back how the […]
Zanzibar news update – Ferry disaster culprits finally in court, charged with murder
FERRY DISASTER CULPRITS CHARGED IN COURT 11 people, including the captain, some of his crew and staff in charge of load controlling and operations of the ill fated ferry MV Spice Islander which sank off Zanzibar en route to Pemba were charged with murder and over 200 counts of negligence leading to death on Friday […]
East Africa’s power companies, aka The Dark Lords, are keeping their stranglehold on the region
ESCAPE FROM THE LORDS OF DARKNESS APPARENTLY NOT IN THIS LIFETIME East Africas power companies and distributors, now widely termed the Dark Lords for their inability to keep the countries supplied with sufficient electricity, have gone both defensive and offensive at the same time in recent weeks. While denying the obvious, which is an abysmal […]
Kenya aviation news – Moi International Airport VIP lounge burns to ashes
KENYA AIRPORT AUTHORITY UNDER RENEWED FIRE Pun was intended, according to a regular aviation source from Kenya, when he reported that the VIP Lounge at the Moi International Airport in Mombasa had burned to ashes yesterday morning. Only recently extensively refurbished the lounge was accessible to government officials and other VIP travelers. Said the source: […]
Kenya seeks to capitalize on the London Olympics by launching ‘Kenya House’ project
BRAND KENYA TARGETS LONDON OLYMPICS Kenya is seeking substantial publicity and exposure during the upcoming London Olympics, banking on the performance of their medium and long distance runners, as Brand Kenya is aiming to raise over 5 million US Dollars for a campaign co-sponsored by the Kenya Tourist Board, the Kenya Investment Authority, the Kenya […]
Kenya news update – ICC ruling on Kenya post 2007 election violence due this afternoon
ICC RULING HAS REGION AT EDGE At 13.30 hrs local East African time today will all who matter in this region be tuning into the news broadcasts, as the ruling by the International Criminal Court is expected today, if charges against 6 suspects of being involved in the Kenya post election violence of 2008 are […]
Uganda aviation news update – Emirates announces Dallas and Seattle as next US destinations
DALLAS AND SEATTLE NEXT FOR EMIRATES UGANDAN TRAVELERS A regular source had during my absence left a text message on my phones, none of which were inexplicably roaming in Bahrain inspite of my home operators assurances to the contrary, that Emirates was increasing their destinations in North America by two in February and March respectively. […]
Bahrain International Air Show ends, organizers look at 2014 already
BIAS 2012 ENDS, ORGANIZERS ALREADY TALK OF BIAS 2014 TO BE BIGGER, BETTER As the second edition of the Bahrain International Air Show closed its doors, or rather the skies over the Sakhir Air Base, the organizers Bahrains Civil Aviation Affairs and main sponsors Gulf Air and BATELCO in conjunction with Farnborough International, are already […]
Seychelles uses FITUR in Madrid to drive ‘affordable and accessible’ message home
SEYCHELLES STEPS UP PROMOTION OF AFFORDABLE SEYCHELLES WITH NEW SLOGAN The Seychelles Tourism Board used its presence at FITUR in Madrid to drum out the added message to key markets in Europe that Seychelles is now accessible as never before, aimed to build on the extra frequencies since last year of airlines coming to the […]
Zanzibar tourism update – Sauti Za Busara, 2 weeks and counting
SAUTI ZA BUSARA 2 WEEKS AND COUNTING It is little over two weeks now that East Africas best known and globally acclaimed music and performing arts festival Sauti Za Busara goes underway, from 09th until 12th of February. The festival programme has been finalized weeks ago and was distributed here but this reminder is for […]
Uganda aviation news update – Emirates switches Entebbe to nonstop, drops Addis stop
EMIRATES REACTS TO ADDED COMPETITION, DROPS ADDIS STOP ON ENTEBBE ROUTE Starting from the 25th of March 2012 will Emirates drop their stop enroute to and from Entebbe in Addis Ababa, giving Ugandans the long awaited nonstop connection. Passengers to and from Uganda had often complained that the stop was wasting their time but it […]
Bombardier sells 5 CSeries plus 5 more options to PrivateAir of Switzerland, announces deal at Bahrain Air Show
BOMBARDIER SELLS 5 CSERIES AND 5 OPTIONS Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier announced on day two of the Bahrain Air Show 2012 that they sold 5 CSeries aircraft to Swiss company PrivatAir which also took a further 5 options on the state of the art jet. With a development time frame of 5 years Bombardier avoided […]
Airbus announces delivery of 5.000th A 320 at Bahrain Air Show
AIRBUS DELIVERS 5.000TH A 320 AIRCRAFT (Picture courtesy of Airbus) Airbus Industries has announced at the Bahrain Air Show just now that they have delivered the 5.000th aircraft of the hugely successful A 320 family today to Middle East Airlines, with the aircraft now enroute to Beirut for the official handover ceremony to the buyer. […]
BIAS 2012 – Reflections of Day One
BIAS 2012 DAY ONE (King Hamad seen leaving the Gulf Air pavilion following the official opening of the Bahrain Air Show 2012) Following the official opening of the Bahrain Air Show 2012 by His Majesty King Hamad, and his official visit to each and every exhibitors chalet, did the show go on the road or […]
BIAS 2012, day one is dawning
BIAS 2012 DAY ONE IS DAWNING The Bahrain International Airshows second edition goes underway today and has according to local media reports been sold out for the 50.000+ spectator capacity set aside every day. Running over three days the worlds leading aircraft manufacturers and suppliers or aviation equipment are showcasing their latest and newest, with […]
Heading to BIAS 2012 and to the Kingdom of Bahrain
HEADING FOR BIAS 2012 WHERE SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL GAINED A NEW DIMENSION The often said words, Small is Beautiful gained a new meaning for me as I headed to Bahrain on Gulf Air, ahead of the Bahrain International Air Show 2012 I was going to attend. Cruising at 39.000 feet above sea level on board […]
Ethiopian aviation news – ET denounces Lebanese air accident investigation report
ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES DENOUNCE LEBANESE CRASH REPORT Following the fatal crash of an Ethiopian Airlines B737-800 shortly after taking off from Beirut on 25th January 2010 was the accident investigation report finally published, but not without further controversy, which has apparently marked the entire period of the enquiry. Ethiopian sources from Addis Ababa had, on repeated […]
Blue Panorama gives ‘Valentine Gift’ to the Italian market, announcing nonstop flights to Seychelles as of 14th February
VALENTINES GIFT FOR ITALIAN SEYCHELLES FANS Italians will be able to take their Valentine to the Seychelles on a new nonstop service when it was confirmed overnight that Italys Blue Panorama Airline will commence operations from Milan via Rome to Mahe on the 14th of February this year, following an agreement between the two countries […]
Tanzania conservation news – Corridor of Destruction reloaded
TANGA MUSOMA RAILWAY SEEKS INVESTORS The new railway line between Tanga, one of the lesser Indian Ocean ports of Tanzania, and Musoma on Lake Victoria, where a new port is due to be build at a cost of approximately 80 million US Dollars at current prices, will have a branch line to Lake Natron to […]
Mauritius tourism news – MTPA signs deal with Emirates to expand global visibility
EMIRATES SIGNS DEAL WITH MAURITIUS Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority has signed an extensive deal with Emirates, the national airline of Dubai, to globally promote Mauritius holidays and bring passengers to the island on one of the presently 11 flights the airline operates from Dubai. The two partners will engage in a range of marketing and […]
Mauritius tourism news – MTPA to lead 15 member strong delegation to India’s SATTE
MTPA TO ATTEND SATTE IN NEW DEHLI The Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority has announced that they will participate in the forthcoming SATTE, Indias biggest tourism trade fair for professionals meeting professionals. International participation is significant in the event and with the close trade ties Mauritius has with India, MTPA found it paramount to be present […]
Rwanda aviation breaking news – RwandAir gets new Chairman and Board
RWANDAIR GETS NEW BOARD CHAIRMAN The Rwandan national airline, aspiring to fly high in the region and on the continent, has just seen a new board of directors appointed, which brings some added expertise to the carriers top decision making organ. Mr. Girma Wake, formerly serving 37 years with Ethiopian Airlines and 15 of those […]
Tanzania tourism news – 5 billion Shilling plan to boost tourism
5 BILLION PLAN FOR TOURISM DEVELOPMENT LAUNCHED IN DAR The government in Dar es Salaam has yesterday launched an ambitious 5 year tourism development plan, thought to cost them a cool 5 billion Shillings over the time span. The new outlook aims at developing beach tourism, in comparison to Kenya largely underdeveloped as yet inspite […]
Kenya tourism news – First charter from Korea arrives in Nairobi
KOREAN FLIES IN 120 TOURISTS In another first has Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Sunday received a plane load of Korean tourists, flown into the country by Korean Airlines. Korea, as are other Far and South Asian countries, have been identified by the Kenya Tourist Board as a potentially rich emerging market but has been […]
Seychelles news update – Private sector stakeholders convened for SHTA extraordinary meeting
SEYCHELLES PRIVATE SECTOR UNITES TO FACE CHALLENGES OF 2012 Stakeholders in the Seychelles tourism industry held an extraordinary meeting of the Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association last weekend, aimed to discuss the industrys challenges for the new year. A range of issues were according to information received from Victoria, the Seychelles capital city, discussed amongst […]
Seychelles aviation news – Air Seychelles publishes new summer schedules
NEW SUMMER TIMETABLE FOR AIR SEYCHELLES NOW AVAILABLE Air Seychelles has published their latest time table for international services, available via their website on www.airseychelles.com/media/products/downloads/81/Regional%20summer%20timetable%202012.pdf Following the withdrawal of all European and Asian services at the end of 2011 and in early 2012, the remaining destinations for Air Seychelles now are Mauritius and Johannesburg, where […]
