PLEASE NOTE THAT AS FROM 19 FEBRUARY AIRLINES WILL BE COMBINED WITH MIDWEEK UPDATES
FlySafair Ttriumphs in 2024: overcomes industry headwinds to clinch top punctuality award.
Airlink receives the 2025 Dirco Ubuntu Economic Diplomacy award.
Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Honoured with Prestigious “Leadership in Connecting Africa through Transport Award”.
India and South Asia airplane fleet to quadruple by 2043 in world's fastest-growing commercial aviation market.
Record ministerial participation at aviation sustainability and capacity building symposium.
Nolinor Aviation to acquire multiple cargo aircraft from Natilus.
Turkish Airlines adopts CAE's next-generation Unified Task Board and Crew Management solutions.
Frankfurt is the World's First airport to regularly use walk-through Scanners from Rohde & Schwarz for passengers.
Worldwide incidents and accidents.
Bonus video - Tedderfield Airpark Summer Time Fly In 23 Nov 2024
AIRLINES, AIRPORTS & AIRLINERS NEWS
PLEASE NOTE THAT AS FROM 19 FEBRUARY AIRLINES WILL BE COMBINED WITH MIDWEEK UPDATES
FLYSAFAIR TRIUMPHS IN 2024: OVERCOMES INDUSTRY HEADWINDS TO CLINCH TOP PUNCTUALITY AWARD
In a year marked by significant challenges in South African aviation, FlySafair has risen above the turbulence to be named the most on-time airline in the Middle East and Africa region in the 2024 Cirium On-Time Performance Review.
With an impressive 93.82% of its flights arriving on schedule, the low-cost carrier has demonstrated resilience and operational excellence in the face of adversity, yet again putting South Africa on the map in international aviation.
Navigating a Challenging Landscape
The accolade comes during a period of upheaval in South Africa's aviation sector, where persistent disruptions tested even the most established players. At the heart of these challenges were infrastructural challenges. The suspension of over 400 flight procedures following the failure of Air Traffic and Navigation Services to have then renewed, devastated national airline performance. Later in the year, that catastrophic fuel infrastructure crisis at OR Tambo International Airport, led to widespread delays across the industry.
FlySafair also faced regulatory scrutiny, with ambiguous regulations prompting inquiries into its ownership structure and compliance with aviation laws. At the same time, the airline weathered a coordinated campaign by competitors, who filed complaints with the Competition Commission and Air Services Licensing Council in efforts to curtail its growth, making spurious that the airline was selling seats too cheaply to drown them out, and that these efforts were somehow funded by a profit-ambivalent foreign investor.
Adding to the complexity were rising operational costs. Despite a slight reprieve in global oil prices, South African airlines grappled with high jet fuel prices, exacerbated by the country's reliance on imports following the closure of local refineries.
A Year of Triumphs Amid Challenges
Despite these obstacles, FlySafair consistently excelled, earning the top on-time ranking for 11 out of 12 months in 2024. Its success can be attributed to strategic investments in advanced scheduling systems, data-driven decision-making, and fleet management practices designed to minimise disruptions and optimise reliability.
The airline also played a key role in democratising access to new markets by bringing their low cost service model onto routes that had traditionally only be contested by much higher priced network carriers. Flights between Johannesburg and Harare are now half of what they used to cost, and while an Airlink ticket from Cape Town to Kruger Mpumalanga Airport was previously about R7000 one way, you can now fly FlySafair from around R1800.
“2024 was a year of extraordinary challenges but also incredible triumphs for FlySafair,” said Kirby Gordon, Chief Marketing Officer. “Our team's unwavering commitment to operational excellence and customer satisfaction ensured we didn't just survive but thrived in one of the most demanding periods in South African aviation history.”
A Commitment to Excellence
While celebrating this milestone, FlySafair remains focused on continuous improvement and collaboration. The airline is actively working with regulatory bodies to address compliance concerns and establish clear pathways forward, all while maintaining seamless operations for its passengers.
Looking ahead, FlySafair aims to:
Further enhance operational reliability.
Expand connectivity to better serve South African travellers.
Strengthen its position as the leader in affordability and punctuality.
AIRLINK RECEIVES THE 2025 DIRCO UBUNTU ECONOMIC DIPLOMACY AWARD
This past weekend Airlink received the Department of International Relations & Cooperation's 2025 Ubuntu Economic Diplomacy Award for a South African business operating primarily in Africa.
This prestigious annual honour was awarded to Airlink in recognition of its contribution to South Africa's reputation as an ideal destination to conduct business and to South Africa's socio-economic goals, including job creation, trade facilitation and attracting investment. The award was presented to Airlink in Cape Town on Saturday at a ceremony hosted by the Minister of International Relations and Co-operation, Ronald Lamola.
“Ubuntu's core principles are interdependence and interconnectivity. Connecting people with people and people with places is Airlink's mission. Forging economically sustainable connectivity is our passion and our customers are the reason for our existence. It is widely acknowledged that air access is a catalyst for socio-economic upliftment. This accolade confirms the positive impact of our services on the people, communities, markets, and economies we serve and connect,” said Airlink CEO and Managing Director, Rodger Foster.
Over the past four years, Airlink has increased its flights by 31%, doubled its seat capacity, and increased “bums in seats” by more than 200%. It has also expanded its route network, which today reaches 47 destinations in 16 African countries and St Helena Island. At the same time, Airlink has established 40 active commercial partnerships with many of the world's most trusted airlines, creating new inter-continental connections for trade, travel, tourism, and economic growth.
“Africa hosts 18% of the global population yet accounts for less than 2%of air travel. This gap, corroborated by the inequality between Africa's GDPs per capita and that of the global average, can surely be closed. To this end, we are committed to play our part in facilitating economic growth and help create jobs. Our ability to live by the principles of Ubuntu in providing safe, reliable, economically stimulating air services is reliant on all the actors in the value chain. After all, Ubuntu is “I am because we are”, we're interdependent and connected,” added Mr Foster.
ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES GROUP CEO HONOURED WITH PRESTIGIOUS “LEADERSHIP IN CONNECTING AFRICA THROUGH TRANSPORT AWARD”
Ethiopian Airlines is proud to announce that its Group CEO, Mr. Mesfin Tasew, has been honoured with the prestigious “Leadership in Connecting Africa through Transport Award” at the Africa Prosperity Champions Awards. The accolade was presented during the Presidential Gala Dinner held on February 1, 2025, at the Kempinski Gold Coast Hotel in Accra, Ghana, as part of the Africa Prosperity Dialogues 2025.
Mr. Mesfin Tasew expressed his gratitude for the recognition, stating, “I am deeply honored to receive this award on behalf of the current and previous visionary leaders of Ethiopian Airlines. It is also a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire Ethiopian Airlines team. Our mission has always been to connect Africa and facilitate economic growth through seamless air transport. This award motivates us to continue our efforts in enhancing connectivity and supporting the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).”
The “Leadership in Connecting Africa through Transport Award” recognizes individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to improving transport infrastructure and connectivity across Africa. Ethiopian Airlines has expanded its network to over 65 destinations within the continent, modernized its fleet, and invested in state-of-the-art cargo facilities.
Ethiopian Airlines remains committed to its mission of connecting Africa and the world, fostering economic integration, and supporting the development of the continent's aviation industry. The airline continues to play a pivotal role in facilitating trade, tourism, and business opportunities across Africa. Through pioneering efforts to expand transportation networks, the airline has become a cornerstone in facilitating trade, tourism, and cultural exchange in the continent and beyond. Ethiopian Airlines' visionary work has solidified its position as a vital driver of the continent's economic integration and development.
The theme for this year's Africa Prosperity Dialogues, “Delivering Africa's Single Market Through Infrastructure: Invest, Connect, and Integrate,” resonates deeply with Ethiopian Airlines' mission to create seamless connections that enable the vision of a single African market. The airline's achievements serve as a testament to how transport infrastructure can act as a cornerstone for integration and growth across the continent.
Ethiopian Airlines Group (Ethiopian) is one of the fastest-growing airlines brand globally and the continent's largest airline brand. In its seventy-eight years of successful operations, Ethiopian has become one of the continent's leading carriers, unrivalled in efficiency and operational success. Ethiopian commands the lion's share of the African passenger and cargo network operating the youngest and most modern fleet to more than 150 domestic and international passenger and cargo destinations across five continents. Ethiopian's fleet category consists of ultra-modern and environmentally friendly aircraft such as Boeing 737s, 777s, 787s, Airbus A350-900, Airbus A350-100 and De Havilland Q400.
Ethiopian is also pursuing multi-hub strategy through hubs in Lomé, Togo with ASKY, in Lilongwe, Malawi with Malawi Airlines and in Lusaka, Zambia with Zambia Airways. Having achieved its strategic plan (Vision 2025) ahead of time, Ethiopian is currently implementing a 15-year strategic plan Vision 2035 that will see it become one of the top 20 most competitive and leading aviation groups in the world. Ethiopian has been champion in various coveted awards including Skytrax's 'Best Airline in Africa Award' for seven consecutive years among others. The airline has been a Star Alliance member since 2011 and has been registering more than threefold growth in the past 10 years.
INDIA AND SOUTH ASIA AIRPLANE FLEET TO QUADRUPLE BY 2043 IN WORLD'S FASTEST-GROWING COMMERCIAL AVIATION MARKET
Boeing [NYSE: BA] forecasts India and South Asia's commercial airplane fleet will grow nearly four-fold over the next 20 years, building on sustained fleet growth throughout the last decade.
Continued growth will be fuelled by greater demand and a rise in the region's air traffic, which will grow more than 7% annually through 2043 driven by sustained economic growth, improved connectivity and policies that support air travel liberalization, according to Boeing's current Commercial Market Outlook (CMO).
Domestic air traffic is expected to remain the largest and fastest-growing segment in India's travel market, according to the CMO. This projected traffic growth will be enabled by further low-cost carrier expansion and network diversification as airlines offer more routes and destinations throughout the region.
Fuel-efficient single-aisle airplanes, such as the 737 MAX, will account for nearly nine out of 10 commercial jet deliveries in the forecast period, providing airlines with greater network flexibility and better economics on fast-growing short- and medium-haul routes. The region's widebody fleet will quadruple as carriers leverage airplanes like the 787 Dreamliner and 777X to further develop long-haul networks, particularly from India to North America, where capacity has doubled in the past decade.
"The India and South Asia region continues to be the world's fastest-growing commercial aviation market due to strong economic and trade growth, rising household incomes and investments in infrastructure and development," said Ashwin Naidu, Boeing managing director of Commercial Marketing for India and South Asia. "As our CMO shows, people will have greater access to air travel, and the region's airlines will require a modern fuel-efficient fleet to meet increased demand over the next two decades.”
The CMO also forecasts India and South Asia's cargo freighter fleet, including new and converted models, will grow five-fold as the region expands its role in global supply chains, advanced manufacturing and e-commerce.
Demand for pilots, cabin crew and technicians will quadruple to 129,000 along with commercial airplane fleet expansion - representing the fastest growth rate of any region globally.
Commercial airplane deliveries to India and South Asia (2024-2043): Regional Jet <10, Single Aisle 2,445. Widebody 370, Freighter 20. Total 2,835
RECORD MINISTERIAL PARTICIPATION AT AVIATION SUSTAINABILITY AND CAPACITY BUILDING SYMPOSIUM
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) launched its fourth Global Implementation Support Symposium (GISS) today with unprecedented ministerial participation, setting the stage for major international aviation sustainability and capacity development agreements.
Hosted by the Government of the United Arab Emirates, the high-level gathering in Abu Dhabi from 10-12 February highlights the international community's strong political support for ICAO's efforts to advance the sustainable development of aviation worldwide.
"Across our 193 Member States, the implementation of ICAO standards and strategies shapes and advances broader economic development, social progress, and environmental protection," said ICAO Council President Salvatore Sciacchitano at the GISS Ministerial Roundtable. "The path to sustainable aviation currently varies significantly among States, and your presence here demonstrates both commitment and progress toward our shared goals."
"The Ministers are addressing sustainability and environmental stewardship, examining how to achieve responsible growth in tandem with our established global Long-Term Aspirational Goal for net-zero carbon emissions," said ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar. "Their strategies include developing and implementing standards to reduce civil aviation's climate impact and promoting investment mechanisms like the Finvest Hub - a groundbreaking platform connecting investors with sustainable aviation projects, particularly in developing countries - which will support States in funding substantial infrastructure projects for enhanced environmental stewardship."
Several major agreements are expected to be signed on the sidelines of the three-day event, including significant developments in aviation financing and sustainable fuel production. The symposium also coincides with the UAE's launch of the Global Sustainable Aviation Markets (GSAM), a collaborative platform designed to accelerate aviation decarbonization through expanded Sustainable Aviation Fuel production and innovative financing mechanisms.
The event showcases ICAO's leadership in delivering practical solutions for sustainable aviation development, with particular attention to supporting resource-constrained States through technical assistance and targeted implementation support.
NOLINOR AVIATION TO ACQUIRE MULTIPLE CARGO AIRCRAFT FROM NATILUS
Nolinor Aviation, a leader in remote and northern aviation services, has announced a groundbreaking agreement with Natilus, a San Diego-based aerospace manufacturer developing next-generation blended-wing-body aircraft.
The agreement reserves production positions for multiple Kona aircraft, an innovative regional cargo freighter currently under development and uniquely designed to operate on gravel and unpaved runways. The Kona aircraft, developed in compliance with Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) and Canadian Aviation Regulations (CAR), is set to transform air freight with its cutting-edge design and capabilities.
Featuring a state-of-the-art turboprop configuration, the Kona offers a 3.8 metric ton payload capacity and can operate on unpaved runways as short as 800 meters. Its efficient design reduces fuel consumption by 30% compared to conventional aircraft and delivers a range of 900 nautical miles, making it an ideal solution for remote and isolated regions.
“This partnership marks a pivotal step in our commitment to innovation and operational excellence,” said Marco Prud'Homme, President of Nolinor Aviation. “During our visit to Natilus' head office in San Diego last fall, we were impressed by their groundbreaking approach to aircraft design and their dedication to addressing the unique challenges of the cargo industry. The Kona's gravel runway capability is a perfect match for our operations, and we are eager to leverage its potential to better serve our customers across Canada and beyond.”
“We are honoured to partner with Nolinor Aviation, a company known for its leadership in serving remote and rugged areas. The Kona cargo aircraft is designed to redefine air freight with its efficiency, adaptability, and innovative features. This agreement showcases how forward-thinking operators like Nolinor are shaping the future of aviation.”
Kona's blended-wing-body airframe and advanced features promise to deliver a significant leap forward in cargo operations. This collaboration between Nolinor Aviation and Natilus underscores their shared commitment to bringing innovative and sustainable solutions to address regional freight transport challenges.
CAE announced that Turkish Airlines has signed a long-term agreement to implement CAE's next-generation Crew Management product and the Unified Task Board - a new situational awareness and disruption management solution for airline operations control centres (OCCs). In addition to Crew Management and Unified Task Board, Turkish Airlines is a longstanding user of CAE's Flight Plan Management product.
Designed from the ground up and in close alignment with airline partners, the Unified Task Board provides situational awareness of the operation across the OCC. It optimizes disruption and recovery management by integrating data from multiple systems into a single view to support decision-making. The platform auto-calculates disruption scenarios for common and complex day-of-operations issues in real time and allows users to sort, filter, and evaluate solution trade-offs to identify the most beneficial resolution pathway.
"With the integration of CAE's Flight Plan Management, Crew Management and Unified Task Board solutions, Turkish Airlines is equipping its team to enhance operations and maximize overall performance," said Pascal Grenier, CAE's Division President of Flight Solutions." The Crew Management platform aims to boost crew productivity, optimize efficiency and resolve disruptions when time is of the essence. Additionally, the Unified Task Board will enable Turkish Airlines to efficiently manage operational disruptions by offering a comprehensive, real-time view of alerts, contextual details, and system-generated recovery scenarios in a single interface, enabling the Crew Management teams to take more informed decisions faster.”
"We are committed to maintaining our competitive edge and delivering the high-quality travel experience our guests rely on with Turkish Airlines. To achieve this, we continuously seek innovative solutions to enhance our operations. Building on the success of CAE's Flight Management software, we are excited to move forward with the integration of the company's Crew Management software and Unified Task Board. We are confident these solutions will increase efficiencies, reduce disruptions for our guests, allow faster disruption recovery, and create an even better working environment for our crew," said Ahmet Acar, Senior Vice President of crew Planning at Turkish Airlines.
CAE's suite of Flight Operations Solutions includes Crew Management, Flight Management, Airport Management, In-Flight Services Management, Operations Control, Training Management and Unified Task Board. Using data from the suite of products, Unified Task Board enhances situational awareness and breaks down silos to enable users to work collaboratively and make proactive informed decisions. CAE's Flight Operations Solutions allow airlines to make faster decisions and push real-time changes. Each software package offers improved efficiencies through automated workflows and intuitive, user-friendly interfaces, seamlessly integrating with other service-oriented architecture.
FRANKFURT IS THE WORLD'S FIRST AIRPORT TO REGULARLY USE WALK-THROUGH SCANNERS FROM ROHDE & SCHWARZ FOR PASSENGERS
Frankfurt is the world's first airport to regularly employ walk-through scanners for passenger security checks. Following a roughly one-year test phase at Concourse A in Terminal 1, the German Federal Police have authorized the full-scale use of the Rohde & Schwarz QPS Walk2000 air travel security system.
The QPS Walk2000 provides significantly greater comfort and convenience at security checks: instead of having to freeze in an awkward posture for scanning, travellers can simply walk through the scanner at a normal speed.
About 18,000 departing passengers commute through this checkpoint daily. Going forward, the outlook is to extend the use of this technology to additional security check lanes in Terminal 1 and also deploy it in the new Terminal 3.
“We're the world's first airport to set a new standard of passenger security with this 360° walk-through scanner,” says Alexander Laukenmann, head of Fraport AG's aviation division. “During the test phase we worked closely with the German Federal Police to optimize its operation and pave the way for its certification. This is part of our ongoing efforts to improve the passenger experience by using the latest technologies to make checkpoints faster and easier to navigate while upholding our high standard of security. A special thank you goes to the whole project team.”
Andreas Haegele, Vice President Microwave Imaging at Rohde & Schwarz, stated: “The very successful joint testing and evaluation of the walk-through scanner by the Federal Police and Fraport at Frankfurt Airport are an example of excellent collaboration by all of the involved parties. We're very proud to be contributing to an advanced, innovative and globally new approach for screening passengers at airports.”
The millimeter-wave technology used in the QPS Walk2000 scanners also penetrates clothing while an avatar pinpoints potentially dangerous objects in real time. If an alarm is triggered, security personnel can focus on the specific indicated area instead of having to completely rescan the passenger.
Since taking responsibility for the aviation security checks at Frankfurt Airport, Fraport has invested around 22 million euros to equip the security checkpoints with advanced CT techology and innovative lane designs.
Fraport's responsibility for managing the security checks: Since January 1, 2023, Fraport has been responsible for of organizing, managing, and operating the roughly 160 security lanes at Frankfurt Airport. The German Federal Police continues to be responsible, among other things, for defining general requirements relevant to aviation security, providing the required legal and technical supervision, ensuring overall aviation security, providing armed protection for checkpoints, approving new inspection equipment, and certifying and recertifying airport security screeners.
USA, Seattle/Tacoma International Airport, WA (SEA/KSEA): A Japan Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (JA868J), and Delta Air Lines flight DL1921, a Boeing 737-832 (N3737C), were involved in a ground contact incident at Seattle/Tacoma International Airport, WA (SEA). JL68 had landed at 17:50 UTC and was heading toward the S Concourse when the outer wing section of the right wing impacted the tail fin of DL1921.
USA, Scottsdale Airport (SDL/KSDL), Scottsdale, AZ: A Learjet 35A suffered a runway excursion landing on runway 21 and struck a parked Gulfstream 200 (N199DF). The pilot died in the crash, two occupants were seriously injured, another sustained moderate injury.
Tedderfield Airpark Summer Time Fly In 23 Nov 2024
