Tanzania | December 21, 2018– Air Tanzania has become the first African carrier to take delivery of the Airbus A220 aircraft, the newest addition to the Airbus family of commercial aircraft. Air Tanzania (The Wings of the Kilimanjaro) also becomes the latest member of Airbus aircraft operators.

Representatives from the airline – as well as officials from the United Republic of Tanzania government, alongside executives from the A220 programme – celebrated the aircraft’s handover at the A220 Mirabel assembly line.

“The A220’s unrivalled passenger comfort, combined with its remarkable performance and economics, will be an excellent asset to further develop Air Tanzania’s network,” said Tito Kasambala, Acting CEO, Tanzanian Government Flight Agency (TGFA).

The A220 will allow Air Tanzania to further develop its domestic and regional market as well as open new routes to India and the Middle East from its home base at Dar es Salaam.

“With the addition of the A220 in our fleet, we are confident that we will expand our footprint in the growing African markets and beyond, as we unlock additional routes and regain our position as a key player in the African air transport market,” added Ladislaus Matindi, Managing Director & CEO, Air Tanzania Company Limited.

Air Tanzania becomes the fifth airline globally with an A220 family aircraft.

“After Europe, Asia and America, we are proud to see the A220 fly now also on the African continent and in Air Tanzania’s livery. With over 240 Airbus aircraft flying in Africa and a large network of flight service offices in the region, we are ready to contribute to the airline’s success,” said Philippe Balducchi, CEO of the A220 partnership.

The A220 is the only aircraft purpose-built for the 100-150 seat market; it delivers unbeatable fuel efficiency and true widebody comfort in a single-aisle aircraft. The A220 brings together state-of-the-art aerodynamics, advanced materials and Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation PW1500G geared turbofan engines to offer at least 20 percent lower fuel burn per seat compared to previous generation aircraft. With a range of up to 3,200 nm (5020 km), the A220 offers the performance of larger single aisle aircraft.

With an order book of over 400 aircraft to date, the A220 has all the credentials to win the lion’s share of the 100- to 150-seat aircraft market, estimated to represent at least 7,000 aircraft over the next 20 years.

Air Senegal becomes the newest airline to use SITA’s Horizon

Kigali | November 13, 2017–Air Senegal SA has become the latest airline in Africa to introduce SITA’s passenger services system (PSS) to manage every aspect of their operation – from reservations and pricing to ticketing and departure control.
The airline is one of a growing number of carriers on the continent that have turned to SITA to provide technology solutions to better manage their passenger operations. Already 15 airlines and ground handlers in Africa use SITA’s Horizon^® Passenger Management and Distribution solution while 100 airlines and ground handlers around the globe have used it to board more than 123 million passengers and check in 158 million travelers each year.

Horizon offers the most comprehensive, integrated range of passenger management services available today. Its infrastructure is built on a flexible platform of core systems required by every airline, allowing each carrier to customize the system to meet their specific business requirements and to accommodate future growth.

Air Senegal, the west African country’s new national airline, has turned to SITA to provide a full suite of services – including reservations, ticketing, airfare distribution and departure control – that will support the launch of the airline’s first flights later this year.

Philippe Bohn, CEO of Air Senegal, said: “We have an ambition to establish Air Senegal as a key carrier in West Africa and make our presence felt across the continent. In order to achieve this ambition, it is important that we have a passenger management system that takes care of every aspect of operating the airline and delivers a smooth experience for our passengers every step of the way. SITA is a key partner in providing this technology and we are in the process of implementing this solution ahead of our launch flights later this year.”

Hani El-Assaad, SITA President, Middle East, India & Africa, said: “The air transport industry in Africa is emerging as a major growth market in terms of passenger growth. Our presence and experience on the continent, together with the real business value offered by Horizon, has placed us in an ideal position to support both the continent’s emerging and established airlines, using a passenger management platform that can accommodate airlines of any size, fleet or operating model.”

• First order of the A320neo in Africa

France | April 28, 2016– Air Côte D’Ivoire, the national airline of Ivory Coast based in Abidjan, has signed a firm order for two A320neo and two A320 aircraft. The agreement makes Air Côte D’Ivoire the first African airline to order the A320neo. The airline’s first purchase agreement directly with Airbus also makes Air Côte D’Ivoire a new customer.

Air Côte D’Ivoire selected the A320 Family for its wider cabin, low operating costs and excellent fuel efficiency. The airline has selected CFM engines for their A320 fleet. Air Côte D’Ivoire currently operates five Airbus aircraft on lease; 4 A319s and 1 A320.

The aircraft will feature a 2-class cabin layout. The new aircraft will fit seamlessly into the airline’s current fleet, thanks to Airbus’ fleet commonality, and best-in-class passenger comfort of any single aisle aircraft.

“With these new aircraft Air Côte d’Ivoire will position itself as a flagship airline in the region by offering its passengers the best on-board services. Air Côte d’Ivoire will also improve its punctuality and reliability thanks to these latest-generation Airbus aircraft,” said General Abdoulaye Coulibaly, Chairman of the Board.

“We are very pleased to welcome Air Côte D’Ivoire as our first customer for the A320neo in Africa. Our A320neo and A320 will offer Air Côte D’Ivoire the lowest operational costs and the highest seat comfort and widest cabins for its passengers. This order will play a key role in the development of Air Côte D’Ivoire with new routes to West and Central Africa,” said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers.

This new order will strengthen the airline’s network that reaches today 23 international routes throughout West and Central Africa and 5 domestic destinations in Ivory Coast.

Cape Town, South Africa | May 7, 2015– As one of aviation’s leading providers of satellite voice and broadband data solutions for flight deck and cabin communications Satcom Direct’sintroductory workshops will start in the Autumn, with the first one scheduled for 23rd October in Cape Town. Training will feature introductory sessions discussing the latest trends and mandates in business aviation for Africa, safety services in communications,cost-effective systems for internet connectivity in the cabin, and updates from a selection of Satcom Direct’s connectivity partners. As an added benefit, delegates attending the workshops can request an aircraft satcom system check and Satcom Direct will send an expert to review the systems on board their aircraft.

The Satcom Direct Training Programme will also be delivering the Foundation Course for Satcom Aviation in Johannesburg on 20-21 October of this year. This course covers basic fundamentals of satellite communications in aviation, including satcom constellation overviews and troubleshooting techniques.

Florida, US headquartered Satcom Direct, which is a founding member of AfBAA, recognises the importance of connectivity in a continent as vast as Africa and is offering the training to further develop business aviation in the region. AfBAA has this year committed to improving human resource potential in Africa and is encouraging all members to provide easy access to training initiatives, such as Satcom Direct’s.

Satcom Direct invests heavily in supporting its customers worldwide via comprehensive training programmes. Commenting on the workshop, Chris Moore, Chief Commercial Officer of Satcom Direct International adds: “We are extremely pleased to be playing our part to support the development of business aviation in Africa. We hope the workshops will support better understanding of the value of on-board connectivity. Training is a very important part of our offering and something we know that our customers really value. We look forward to welcoming many aviation professionals in the region to this highly valuable workshop.”