Africa – Page 29
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NewsSAA draft rescue plan signals termination of half its fleet leases
South African Airways’ rescuers are terminating leases on nearly half the airline’s 40 leased aircraft, while those on another 15 have been undergoing renegotiation. The carrier had a fleet of 49 jets when it entered the business rescue process on 5 December last year, including nine A340-300s and -600s that ...
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NewsCongo Airways eyes expansion within Africa as competitors struggle
Congo Airways’ decision to swap orders for Embraer 175s to larger E190-E2s party reflects an effort by the company to expand on routes previously served by financially struggling competitor South African Airways (SAA).
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NewsDraft plan indicates restructured SAA would lose R20bn in first three years
Preliminary projections for a restructured South African Airways indicate the carrier would lose close to R20 billion ($1.1 billion) over the first three years, before it started turning a profit. The operation would have a fleet of 40 aircraft, according to a draft business plan obtained by the country’s political ...
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NewsSAA rescuers request time to consult on government proposals
South African Airways’ rescue practitioners are seeking an extension to the deadline for publishing a business plan for the troubled flag-carrier. Under South African legislation a business plan is normally required within 25 days of a company entering business rescue, but extensions can be granted if necessary. SAA, however, has ...
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NewsKenya Airways losses widen in 2019 on higher costs
Kenya Airways pre-tax losses deepened to KSh13 billion for the year ending December 2019 despite increasing passenger levels and revenues.
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NewsAdministrators see ‘reasonable’ prospect of SAA rescue
Business rescue practitioners at South African Airways describe as “reasonable” the prospects of rescuing the struggling carrier, though stress this is dependent on the necessary funding.
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NewsSAA rescuers pour cold water on plan to resume domestic flights
South African Airways’ plan to restart domestic flights in mid-June has been called into question by its rescuers, who have criticised the airline for releasing an “unvetted” public statement that created an “unfair expectation” among stakeholders.
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NewsSenegal receives first two KT-1 trainers
Senegal has taken delivery of its first two Korea Aerospace Industries KT-1 turboprop trainers, with an additional pair to arrive by year-end.
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NewsGovernment puts R10bn aside for SAA in medium term
South Africa’s government has provisionally set aside R3.8 billion ($212 million) for troubled flag-carrier South African Airways and another R164 million for SA Express in the current fiscal year. Department of public enterprises deputy director general Kgathatso Tlhakudi gave the figure during a 20 May presentation before the parliamentary portfolio ...
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NewsRescuers believe Comair has ‘reasonable’ chance of survival
South African carrier Comair’s business rescue practitioners believe there is a reasonable chance of the Johannesburg-based airline’s being saved. The airline’s board opted to enter business rescue on 4 May. Practitioners Shaun Collyer and Richard Ferguson met with creditors and employees on 19 May to outline the carrier’s position. They ...
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NewsSouth African CAA postpones replacing lost calibration jet
South Africa’s civil aviation regulator has been forced to defer ICAO audits, and postpone replacement of its lost flight-calibration aircraft, as a consequence of the coronavirus outbreak. The Civil Aviation Authority told a parliamentary transport portfolio committee on 18 May that it had drawn up three scenarios for the development ...
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NewsSAA rescuers given deadline to deliver business plan
South African Airways’ rescue practitioners have been instructed to produce a formal business plan for airline within 25 days, after a parliamentary standing committee expressed dissatisfaction with a draft publication. The standing committee on public accounts is also seeking a full schedule of fees from the practitioners, their advisers, and ...
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NewsSAA practitioners spent R10bn during five-month rescue effort
South African Airways’ business rescue practitioners spent R9.9 billion ($532 million) in the five months after they were called upon to try to save the loss-making airline. Testifying by video link to a parliamentary committee on 15 May, practitioner Siviwe Dongwana stated that the sum was used between 5 December ...
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NewsSAA defies shutdown as unions claim labour court victory
South African Airways is to continue conducting services for the time being, defying the 8 May date for cessation of operations given by the airline’s business rescue practitioners Unions are claiming a Labour Court victory after they brought a case to halt a retrenchment process for the carrier’s personnel. SAA ...
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NewsSAA on brink as government scrambles to defer ‘drop dead’ date
South Africa’s government is urgently trying to extend the period of operations for South African Airways after the carrier’s business rescue practitioners warned that 8 May would amount to a “drop dead” day when all flights would cease. The country’s public enterprises minister, Pravin Gordhan, outlined to a parliamentary committee ...
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NewsMango 737 ground-collision crew opted against safer taxi route
South African investigators have stated that Johannesburg airport ground control should have instructed pilots of a Mango Boeing 737-800 to deviate from a taxiway, rather than give them the option, before the aircraft struck a taxiing Comair jet. But the inquiry into the incident, on 19 April last year, makes ...
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NewsCameroon picks Marshall for C-130 maintenance
The UK’s Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group has secured a five-year contract to maintain the Cameroon air force’s Lockheed Martin C-130H tactical transports.
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NewsSouth Africa’s Comair files for business rescue
South African carrier Comair has become the latest operator in the country to enter business rescue, as it aims to restructure to deal with the coronavirus crisis. Comair made a pre-tax loss of R645 million ($35 million) for the six months to 31 December. “While we had started making good ...
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NewsOpposition heaps scorn on detail-light plan for SAA transformation
South Africa’s political opposition is insisting the government detail an agreement with South African Airways unions setting out plans to establish a successor to the crumbling flag-carrier. In a response accusing the department of public enterprises of undermining SAA’s business rescue practitioners, the Democratic Alliance says it will seek a ...
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NewsFastjet negotiates loan as liquidity squeeze continues
African budget operator Fastjet Group has negotiated a $600,000 loan and is holding discussions to obtain creditor discounts to reduce its liabilities. The loan – initially for a six-month term – has been obtained from shareholder Solenta Aviation Holdings to provide working capital and liquidity while Fastjet’s operations are suspended ...