AviaDev has announced that Aaron Munetsi, Chief Executive Officer of the Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA), will receive the AviaDev 2026 Ato Girma Wake Lifetime Achievement Award for an outstanding contribution to route development and African aviation, recognising nearly four decades of experience in African aviation demonstrating leadership and dedication to advancing aviation connectivity across Africa.

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Welcome to the September edition of the AviaDev Insight Africa Connectivity update for 2025, hosted by Jon Howell, CEO and Founder of AviaDev Africa.

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Welcome to the September edition of the AviaDev Insight Africa Connectivity update for 2025, hosted by Jon Howell, CEO and Founder of AviaDev Africa. This month's guests are:  Sean Mendis, Aviation Consultant.  Behramjee Ghadially, Aviation Consultant.  Topics covered this month: Ethiopian Airlines reporting a $1.05 Billion profit on $7.6 Billion revenue ADD-ABV going 10 weekly from 28OCT25 12th weekly TNR, reducing NOS from Jan-Mar, SEZ reduction Jan-Mar. 4th daily EBB  Group CEO Mesfin Tasew to retire in 2026 Rwandair report a $93m half-year loss KGL MBA ZNZ 3x weekly route launching in December 2025 An additional A330 coming from QR Tanzania's new taxes + mandatory insurance and the potential impact on demand Air Tanzania to launch Lagos from 13SEP25 3x weekly using a 737Max Uganda Airlines report a $76m loss for 2024-5 Kenya Airways report a loss of $94m for the first half of 2025 Qatar to launch a 3rd daily NBO, Lagos back to 14x weekly, JNB up to 18x, CPT 12x, upguage others like CMN FlyNAS to launch Riyadh- Nairobi from 2 October, 3 x week SAA to launch Gaborone flights in November, A330 wetlease from Hi-Fly Proflight Zambia will launch flights 3 x week from Lusaka via Livingstone to Windhoek starting March 3 2026.  Airlink may suspend ticket sales in Mozambique and will increase JNB-BLZ flights to 6x weekly from October.  KLM - reduces KGL and EBB from 7 to 3 weekly in NW25, CPT increasing 7 to 11 weekly (previously announced) Air Cote D'Ivoire is taking delivery of an A330 on 4th September and has loaded ADJ-CDG for sale

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In this episode, I am joined by Andrew Lester, ACMI and Leasing Manager for India, the Middle East, and Africa at Chapman Freeborn Airchartering.  Together, we delve into the intricacies of ACMI (Aircraft Crew Maintenance and Insurance) leasing, comparing it to renting a tuxedo for event season, and discuss its strategic advantages for African airlines facing unique market challenges. The conversation covers the benefits, common misconceptions, and regulatory hurdles of ACMI leasing, while highlighting African success stories such as Lift and Uganda Airlines. Andrew emphasizes the importance of strategic planning and partnership to maximize profitability and meet seasonal demand, advocating for a broader acceptance and smarter implementation of ACMI as part of a fleet strategy in Africa.

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Welcome to the July edition of the AviaDev Insight Africa Connectivity update for 2025, hosted by Jon Howell, CEO and Founder of AviaDev Africa. This month's guests are:  Sean Mendis, Aviation Consultant. CONNECT WITH SEAN Behramjee Ghadially, Aviation Consultant. C Topics covered this month: The latest in the FlySafair pilot strike saga Virgin increasing capacity on LHR-LOS from 26 October, deploying the 397 seater A350-1000. A good move or short term strategy? Qatar Airways reducing Nigeria frequencies in W25. Why? South African Airways' new route CPT-MRU and the fallout from the restated accounts FastJet Mozambique- the latest developments FastJet to launch a new domestic route from Vic Falls to Bulawayo from 8th August 4 x week DEEP DIVE: CDG-Africa route performance of ET vs KQ TAAG Angola to launch Nairobi 3 x week from 1st Sept. What is the outlook? Flightlink open a new service to Nairobi from Zanzibar - listen to the recent podcast with Munawer, the CEO here Air india suspend Nairobi. Will it come back? ASKY's new service to Nouakchott, Mauritania. Where can they go next? Listen to the recent podcast with Date, the Commercial Director here

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In this episode, Date and I delve into the airline's growth and future ambitions. ASKY Airlines, now operating profitably for 15 years, boasts a fleet of 14 aircraft, connecting nearly 30 destinations across Africa. Date discusses recent network expansions, the airline's strategic focus on increasing flight frequencies, and the challenges and opportunities in African connectivity. The conversation also covers the transition to a uniform fleet, the high cost of operations in West and Central Africa, prospects of long-haul expansion, and potential infrastructure developments. The episode underscores ASKY's methodical approach to sustainable growth and market adaptation.

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