ARIK AIR ADDS SECOND DAILY ABUJA – ENUGU ROTATION
Independent Nigerian carrier Arik Air has increased capacity on the Abuja – Enugu domestic route with the introduction of a second daily rotation from July 1. The new evening flight complements the existing morning service and has been introduced to meet growing demand at both ends of the route. Arik Air returned to Akanu Ibiam Airport in Enugu in December last year following the completion of regeneration works by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). It is witnessing a strong demand from the city and in April this year introduced a new connection to Kano, the first domestic link between the two cities. “With this additional daily flight, our customers now have more choice on the Abuja-Enugu route – an increased service that they have been asking for,” said Bert Van der Stege, Vice President Planning & Marketing, Arik Air. “We have identified and delivered on this demand and are continuously reviewing our domestic route network to offer increased and seamless connections.”
TUNIS AIR RETURNS TO LONDON GATWICK THIS WINTER
North African carrier Tunis Air is to relaunch flights between Tunis and London Gatwick this winter. The airline currently offers five flights per week between Tunisia and the UK; a four times weekly link between Tunis and London Heathrow and a new weekly service between Monastir and Manchester. It plans to offer a weekly rotation on the Tunis – London Gatwick route from November 3. Tunis Air currently accounts for a 39.3 per cent share of the total market between the two countries but has seen its previously stronger position diluted by the increasing number of low-cost and leisure carriers which have been increasing their market penetration in North Africa over the last decade. Expanding operators in this market in the past year include Jet2.com (up to 8.1 per cent) and Thomson Airways (7.0 per cent). Tunis Air’s recent network expansion has seen it claw back a 3.2 per cent share of the market over the last 12 months at the expense of British Airways. The latter already offers a five times weekly link between Tunis and London Gatwick and carried an estimated 45,000 O&D passengers during the past year, with a relatively strong average fare of $262 each way.
KENYA AIRWAYS ADDS CAPACITY TO SEYCHELLES
Kenya Airways has this week added a third weekly flight to the Seychelles from its hub at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. The airline already offers two flights per week to the island archipelago, a popular tourism destination, but has now added a third weekly rotation. Kenya Airways is currently the only mainland African flag carrier to offer non-stop flights to the Seychelles, a market it carried an estimated 11,000 O&D passengers in the past year. However, it carried a further 5,000 passengers to or from the Seychelles that were beginning or ending their journeys away from the Kenyan capital. “Kenya Airways has worked with the Seychelles Tourism Board to keep the doors of Africa open for Seychelles and for the door to Seychelles opened for all those linking Africa and Seychelles. They have never been shy to get Africa to work with Africa so that Africa can continue to get stronger and stronger,” said Alain St Ange, Chief Executive Officer, Seychelles Tourism Board.
EGYPTAIR BOOSTS DOMESTIC NETWORK
EgyptAir will next week inaugurate flights between Cairo and the northeast city of Port Said, located on the Mediterranean Sea. The airline will offer a twice weekly service from July 17 using an Embraer 170 of its regional subsidiary EgyptAir Express. This will be the only current scheduled service to the destination, a city established in 1859 during the building of the Suez Canal. However, it was recently ranked the first among the country’s cities according to the Human Development Index in 2009 and 2010, and now has a strong economic base in fishing and industries like chemicals, processed food, and cigarettes. Port Said is also an important harbour for exports of Egyptian products like cotton and rice, but also a fueling station for ships that pass through the Suez Canal. It is also developing as a summer tourist destination due to its public and private beaches, cosmopolitan heritage, museums and duty free port. Its airport has recently been completely renovated in preparation for international charter flights and new direct links to Europe are expected to be added in the coming years.
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