AFRICA IS ON THE MOVE

EGOLI: CITY OF GOLD (PART 4)

2009-01-12T14:09:00.000-08:00

It was a lovely break in Accra and we now continue where we left off in Sandton. Johannesburg's up and coming neighbour isn't camera shy so here's a 4th set of photos of Sandton.

ACCRA: BIRTHPLACE OF AFRICAN INDEPENDENCE (PART 3)

2009-01-07T10:17:00.000-08:00

Our final set of photos from Accra coincides with the innauguration of the new president of Ghana. Well done Ghana! You have proved democratic transitions are successful in Africa as well.

ACCRA: BIRTHPLACE OF AFRICAN INDEPENDENCE (PART 2)

2009-01-05T12:37:00.000-08:00

More Accra for you now.

Check the fares below. Use airport code ACC in destination box.

ACCRA: BIRTHPLACE OF AFRICAN INDEPENDENCE

2009-01-03T19:57:00.000-08:00

This week, we shall travel several times to the Ghanaian capital. Having touched down briefly to explore the Kotoka International Airport some posts ago, we now return for shots of Accra. The spotlight shifted to the country following a successful election of the next president of the republic of Ghana. Welcome to Accra's presidential complex...

and now more of Accra.....

Check the fares below. Use airport code ACC in destination box.

EGOLI: CITY OF GOLD (PART 4)

2009-01-01T18:41:00.000-08:00

It was a lovely break in Accra and we now continue where we left off in Sandton. Johannesburg's up and coming neighbour isn't camera shy so here's a 4th set of photos of Sandton.

EGOLI: CITY OF GOLD (PART 3)

2008-12-31T19:20:00.001-08:00

Back to Sandton for another set of photos now.....
Check the fares below. Use airport code JNB in destination box.

AFRICA IN TRANSIT

2008-12-29T12:52:00.000-08:00

Cairo airport served over 12.5 millioin passengers in 2007 making it second only to Johannesburg on the busiest airports list in Africa. Air service from CAI:
* Aegean Airlines (Athens)
* Aeroflot (Moscow-Sheremetyevo)
* Aerosvit Airlines (Kiev-Boryspil)
* Afriqiyah Airways (Tripoli)
* Air Algérie (Algiers)
* Air France (Paris-Charles de Gaulle)
* Air Memphis (various charter routes - domestic and international)
* Air Sinai (Tel Aviv)
* Alexandria Airlines (Alexandria, Aqaba, Luxor and other charter destinations)
* Alitalia (Milan-Malpensa, Rome-Fiumicino)
* Austrian Airlines (Vienna)
* AMC Airlines (Istanbul-Sabiha Gökçen, Luxor, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Sharm El Sheikh and various charter routes - domestic and international)
* bmi (London-Heathrow)
* British Airways (London-Heathrow)
* Buraq Air (Tripoli)
* Cairo Aviation (various charter routes - domestic and international)
* Cyprus Airways (Larnaca)
* Czech Airlines (Prague)
* Delta Air Lines (New York-JFK)
* EgyptAir (Abu Dhabi, Abu Simbel, Accra, Addis Ababa, Al Ain [seasonal], Aleppo, Alexandria, Algiers, Amman, Amsterdam, Asmara, Assiut, Aswan, Athens, Bahrain, Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi, Banglore, Barcelona, Beijing, Beirut, Benghazi, Berlin-Schönefeld, Brussels, Budapest, Casablanca, Damascus, Dammam, Doha, Dubai, Dar Es Salaam [starts June 2009], Düsseldorf, Entebbe, Frankfurt, Geneva, Guangzhou, Hurghada, Istanbul-Atatürk, Jeddah, Johannesburg, Kano, Khartoum, Kuala Lumpur, Kuwait, Lagos, Larnaca, Lisbon, London-Heathrow, Luxor, Kuwait, Madrid, Madina, Milan-Malpensa, Montréal [seasonal], Moscow-Domodedovo, Mumbai, Munich, Muscat, Nairobi, New York-JFK, Osaka-Kansai, Paphos, Paris Charles-de-Gaulle, Riyadh, Rome-Fiumicino, Sanaa, Sharjah, Sharm El Sheikh, Tokyo-Narita, Tripoli, Tunis, Vienna)
* EgyptAir Express (Alexandria, Aswan, Hurghada, Catania [starts April 2009], Luxor, Malta, Mersa Metruh, Marsa Alam, Sharm El Sheikh)
* El Al (Tel Aviv)
* Emirates (Dubai)
* Ethiopian Airlines (Addis Ababa, Khartoum)
* Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi)
* Eurocypria Airlines (Paphos)
* Flyglobespan (Edinburgh)
* Gulf Air (Bahrain)
* Iberia Airlines (Madrid)
* Iberworld (Madrid)
* Iraqi Airways (Baghdad)
* Jetairfly (Brussels)
* Kenya Airways (Khartoum, Nairobi)
* KLM (Amsterdam)
* Koral Blue Airlines (Hurghada, Sharm el Sheikh)
* Korean Air (Seoul-Incheon)
* Kuwait Airways (Kuwait)
* Libyan Airlines (Benghazi, Sebha, Tripoli)
* Lotus Air (Gdansk, Hurghada, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Sharm el Sheikh, Warsaw)
* Lufthansa (Frankfurt)
* Luxor Air (various charter routes - domestic and international)
* Middle East Airlines (Beirut)
* Nile Air (launches operations in 2009)
* Olympic Airlines (Athens)
* Oman Air (Muscat)
* Petroleum Air Services (various domestic airports and oilfield airstrips)
* Qatar Airways (Doha)
* Royal Air Maroc (Casablanca, Riyadh)
* Royal Jordanian (Amman, Aqaba)
* Saudi Arabian Airlines (Dammam, Jeddah, Madina, Riyadh)
* Singapore Airlines (Singapore [nonstop ends in March 2009], Dubai [restarting in March 2009])
* Sudan Airways (Khartoum, Port Sudan)]
* Swiss International Air Lines (Zürich)
* Syrian Arab Airlines (Aleppo, Damascus, Latakia)
* TAROM (Bucharest-Otopeni)
* Turkish Airlines (Istanbul-Atatürk)
* TUIfly (Cologne, Berlin-Schönefeld, Munich)
* Tunis Air (Tunis)
* Yemenia (Aden, London-Heathrow, Sana'a)

We will revisit this airport when the new terminal development is complete. Now let's have a look around!

EGOLI: CITY OF GOLD (PART 2)

2008-12-28T17:58:00.000-08:00

We now continue with more of Sandton in Jozi.

Check the fares below. Use airport code JNB in destination box.

EGOLI: CITY OF GOLD (Part 1)

2008-12-26T17:05:00.000-08:00

Ofcourse, you all expected it. We'd sooner or later dip into South Africa to explore the streets of Africa's economic powerhouse. And so it arrives. May I take you on a stroll around Sandton, a suburb of Johannesbug which is one of the most happening places in ZA! This is the first of five sets. I've got so much of Sandton to show.

Check the fares below. Use airport code JNB in destination box.

SUNNY DELIGHT IN PORT LOUIS

2008-12-26T01:02:00.000-08:00

Port Louis is the capital of the Mauritius islands located in the south indian ocean. I could write more, but a picture, they say...
Check the fares below. Use airport code MRU in destination box.

AFRICA IN TRANSIT

2008-12-24T09:52:00.000-08:00

Ladies and gentlemen we have just landed at Accra Kotoka International Airport. The local time is 17:30 and the weather is sunny and pleasantly warm. We ask that you remain seated until the aircraft comes to a final and complete stop. This is our second stop on Africa in transit and on behalf of afroviator and the gate53 crew, thank you for being our guest and we hope you enjoyed the flight.
I understand this hybrid(partly renovated) airport is to serve the city until the traffic numbers outgrow the capacity. There isn't enough land around the airport for a new terminal and or runways.
Current service to ACC:

Aero Contractors (Nigeria) (Abidjan, Lagos, Monrovia)
Afriqiyah Airways (Tripoli, Abidjan, Lome, Lagos)
Air Burkina (Ouagadougou)
Air Ivoire (Abidjan, Lome, Cotonou)
Alitalia (Lagos, Rome-Fiumicino)
Antrak Air (Kumasi, Tamale, Ouagadougou)
Arik Air (Lagos)
Bellview Airlines (Lagos, Abidjan, Monrovia)
British Airways (London-Heathrow)
CTK - CiTylinK (Kumasi, Tamale, Sunyani, Takoradi)
Delta Air Lines (New York-JFK)
EgyptAir (Cairo)
Emirates (Abidjan, Dubai)
Ethiopian Airlines (Abidjan, Addis Ababa, Lagos, Lome)
Ghana International Airlines (London-Gatwick, Dusseldorf)
Kenya Airways (Nairobi, Freetown, Monrovia)
KLM (Amsterdam)
Lufthansa (Frankfurt, Lagos)
Middle East Airlines (Beirut, Abidjan, Kano, Lagos)
Royal Air Maroc (Abidjan, Lome, Casablanca)
South African Airways (Johannesburg))
Virgin Nigeria (Lagos, Dakar, Monrovia)

Guess where we are headed next? (hint you can get there on a direct flight from Accra)

SOMALIA: OPEN FOR BUSINESS

2008-12-24T06:22:00.001-08:00

Our series on small and large businesses in Africa continues onwards to Hargeisa and takes a look at a successful Somalian airline. I must say I am impressed with their ability to keep operating in a difficult political situation.

HERE

Sister Gabs. Pleased to make your acquaintance!

2008-12-22T11:23:00.000-08:00

Gaborone a.k.a. sister Gabs is the capital of Botswana. Let me introduce you to this beautiful diamond in Southern Africa.
Check the fares below. Use airport code GBE in destination box. South African Airways is the dominant carrier here.

DAR ES SALAAM (house of peace)

2008-12-21T21:45:00.000-08:00

Dar es salaam is the economic capital of tanzania and a major business centre in east Africa. Come along for a look at this peaceful city on the indian ocean....

Check the fares below. Use airport code DAR in destination box.

NIGERIA: OPEN FOR BUSINESS

2008-12-21T21:40:00.000-08:00

Now a look at business in Nigeria

HERE

ORAN: Old and yet still refreshingly new!

2008-12-19T17:03:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the port city of Oran in Algeria. European and Arabian influences mix to create this lovely destination in the sun.
Check the fares below. Use airport code ORN in destination box or use ALG to get to Algiers and book onwards from there if travelling to Oran from outside of Europe.

SENEGAL: OPEN FOR BUSINESS

2008-12-19T16:56:00.000-08:00

Join me on an animated excursion to Dakar!

WATCH IT HERE

Bienvenido a Bata!

2008-12-18T17:07:00.000-08:00

This city is a city on the mainland of Equatorial Guinea not very far from Gabon's Libreville which we visited in the last post. As you may know, Equatorial Guinea's capital Malabo is on the Island which is much closer to Doula Cameroon than Bata. Enjoy the photos.

Check the fares below. Use airport code SSG in destination box. You will have to book onwards from Malabo to Bata for less than $100 oneway.

GHANA: OPEN FOR BUSINESS

2008-12-17T08:58:00.000-08:00

We now trot on to Ghana and take a look at business. Enjoy

ALSO HERE

Libreville: Capitale du Gabon

2008-12-17T08:31:00.000-08:00

Et puis nous allons decouvrir Libreville, capitale du Gabon au bord de la mer.

Check the fares below. Use airport code LBV in destination box.

African Goals Abroad

2008-12-16T10:50:00.000-08:00

The goals from 13-14 December.

The Rivers Cross Here (Part 3)

2008-12-16T10:21:00.000-08:00

Our third and final installment on Cross River State takes a look at Tinapa. Home to the free trade area, Tinapa located right outside of Calabar city plays host to $250 million Nollywood at it's movie studios. Did you know that Nollywood is the 3rd largerst film industry in the world churning out more than 200 films a year? We shall return to Calabar to celebrate the monorail project upon completion. We love you Cross River!

Check the fares below. Use airport code LOS in destination box. Book onwards or travel by car to Calabar city(long drive). LOS to CBQ (Calabar airport) can be booked for under $300 via Arik or you can compare options with Kayak.

BOTSWANA: OPEN FOR BUSINESS

2008-12-15T22:30:00.000-08:00

Taking a run across the continent now back to southern Africa, we take a look at the diamond business in Botswana as we continue our Africa Open for Business series.

HERE

AFRICA IN TRANSIT

2008-12-15T16:09:00.001-08:00

We now bring to you a new series called "AFRICA IN TRANSIT" which profiles airports from across the continent. Our first airport profile is on the Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Here are some facts on Bole Airport:

2.83 million passengers in 2007 keeps the airport in the top 20 list at number 14.

Airlines at Terminal 1:

bmi
Djibouti Airlines
EgyptAir
Emirates
KLM
Lufthansa
Saudi Arabian Airlines
Sudan Airways
TAAG Angola Airlines
Turkish Airlines
Yemenia

Airlines at Terminal 2:

Ethiopian Airlines
Kenya Airways
Daallo Airlines
South African Airways

Check the fares below. Use airport code ADD in destination box.

The Rivers Cross Here (Part 2)

2008-12-15T13:18:00.000-08:00

Serenity lives here, tucked away high up in the mountains breathing the freshness that can all be summed up in one word: OBUDU!

Check the fares below. Use airport code LOS in destination box. Book onwards or travel by car to Calabar city(long drive). LOS to CBQ (Calabar airport) can be booked for under $300 via Arik or you can compare options with Kayak.

UPDATE: Tassili Airlines fleet doubles!

2008-12-15T11:24:00.000-08:00

Tassili Airlines provides domestic air transportation in Algeria and has just announced a doubling of it's fleet to 40 aircraft. Glad to see positive growth in Africa's aviation sector.
Visit their website HERE

D.R. Congo is OPEN FOR BUSINESS

2008-12-14T22:51:00.000-08:00

We continue with our third installment of Africa Open for Business with a visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo (Congo-Kinshasa, formerly Zaire, the bigger one)

VIEW HERE

Airline Update: Turkish Connects Dakar with Istanbul and Sao Paulo

2008-12-14T10:43:00.000-08:00

Turkish Airlines will begin service to Dakar, Sénégal on March 29, with continuing service to Sao Paulo, Brazil. Flights will operate 2x per week on Wednesdays and Sundays using A330 aircraft.

TK015 IST - DKR: 935 - 1410
TK015 DKR - SAO: 1540 - 1940
TK016 SAO - DKR: 2230 - 0805
TK016 DKR - IST: 935 - 1905
DAKAR AIRPORT
TURKISH AIRLINES

The Rivers Cross Here

2008-12-14T08:03:00.000-08:00

Our first look at Nigeria is a peek at Cross River State. This coastal state on the border between Nigeria and Cameroon plays host to the state capital of Calabar, the Calabar Carnival and the annual Cross River Festival on the 26th of December each year. Venturing outside of Calabar, the idyllic Obudu Cattle Ranch and conference centre high in the mountains, as well as Tinapa, the free trade area, business resort and movie studios are set to amaze you. This is the first of a three part feature of the Cross River State. Enjoy.

CALABAR:

Now for a look at the Calabar Carnival:

Check the fares below. Use airport code LOS in destination box. Book onwards or travel by car to Calabar city(long drive). LOS to CBQ (Calabar airport) can be booked for under $300 via Arik or you can compare options with Kayak.

UGANDA: OPEN FOR BUSINESS

2008-12-11T15:24:00.000-08:00

A look at the coffee business in Uganda

Here

Salaam: Cultured In Tunis

2008-12-11T14:42:00.000-08:00

The city of Tunis has been at the crossroads of Africa and Europe for centuries. Influenced by different cultures, Tunis has evolved it's own intimate style. A look at the future further in the post shows what a promising location this is. Ma as salaamah.

Check the fares below. Use airport code TUN in destination box.

Nein, Ich Spreche Kein Deutsche. SWAKOPMUND

2008-12-10T22:05:00.001-08:00

Ahoy there. It seems I have been bitten by the quaintness bug. I am totally in love with little Germany in the desert. There are several things I find striking about this city:

Very German
Quite well kept
Relatively unknown.

This city and Namibia are certainly on the list of Africa's best kept secrets. They deserve more attention. Without further ado

Check the fares below. Use airport Code WDH in destination box. Best way to get to Swakopmund from Windhoek Namibia is by road. (4 hours)

ZAMBIA: OPEN FOR BUSINESS

2008-12-10T18:09:00.000-08:00

We now take a look at a video which chronicles the opportunities and challenges of doing business in Zambia. Come with me to Southern Africa

HERE

Africa Open For Business

2008-12-10T15:48:00.000-08:00

African Goals Abroad

2008-12-10T07:35:00.000-08:00

Today we innaugurate a new feature: African Goals in Europe. Now we can all easily keep track of our young stars stunning audiences across europe with their passionate efforts in the worlds most beautiful game!Above: Abdoulaye Faye celebrating his equalizer against Newcastle in the 90th minute.

Goals December 6th & 7th

Arik Air Update

2008-12-09T23:35:00.000-08:00

With less than a week until flights to London Heathrow from Lagos commence, Arik Air has revealed images of their cabin. Simply stunning.

Luanda's Delightful Relics

2008-12-09T14:44:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite cities in Africa. Even though it is modernising each day, Luanda has managed to keep some of the colonial era buildings in good shape and today, these time travelers are a sight to behold for any visitor to Luanda.
Check the fares below. Use airport Code LAD in destination box.

Spotlight: WINGS OF NIGERIA

2008-12-08T08:07:00.001-08:00

This wonderful Nigerian airline entered the Nigerian airspace with the promise of operating with new aircraft. Throughout its four year history, it has steadily built a route network connecting 15 cities in Nigeria as well as the daily highly patronised Lagos-Accra route. Considering the turbulent times in the world of aviation, it is highly encouraging to see a bold move on the part of this new carrier with the forthcoming launch of flights between Lagos and London before the yearend joining British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Nigeria and Bellview on one of the most lucrative routes out of Africa . Even more impressive is the procurement of the first of three brand new a340-500 aircraft to grow the intercontinental network.

And just to give you an idea of what their order book looks like today: 15 737-700/800’s, 3 737-900’s, 5 777-300’s and 7 787-900’s. I so am proud of this carrier’s strategic push for growth. It’s a success in the making!

Visit Arik Online

Checking In

2008-12-08T05:42:00.000-08:00

Welcome! We embark on this wonderful journey through Africa sharing a glimpse of the side the world hardly sees of this diverse continent. We hope to provide an encouraging view of developments across Africa within a wide range of business sectors and also get around to showcasing sights, sounds and news. Your ticket is valid and no visa is required. Please proceed to boarding gate 53.