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  • RwandAir to Start Flights to Abuja, Cape Town

    RwandAir has announced that it will soon commence flights to Abuja in Nigeria and Cape Town in South Africa. Rwanda’s national carrier will operate four weekly flights from Kigali to Cape Town with a stopover in Harare. The Abuja flight will be tagged to the existing Accra route, where the flight will stop in Abuja before heading to Accra and it will also be operated four times a week.

    “This is yet another big milestone for RwandAir as we continue to expand our network. Our aim is to provide to our customers seamless and better connections on the continent and beyond. Abuja and Cape Town come in as a boost to the different economies in terms of tourism and trade on one hand, and enhance bilateral partnership between our countries on the other hand,” said Chance Ndagano, Ag. CEO of RwandAir.

    Commonly referred to as the Mother City, Cape Town is a port city on South Africa’s southwest coast, on a peninsula beneath the Table Mountain, one of the top tourist attractions of the city along with Cape Point, Cape of Good Hope and Robben Island. Built in 1980s, Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria and is the only city in Africa that was built solely for the purpose of being the capital city. Abuja’s top tourist attractions include Aso Rock, Gurara waterfalls, Millennium Park, National Ecumenical Center and the Abuja National Mosque to name but a few.

    The two new destinations will take RwandAir’s destinations to 26.

  • Ethiopian, ASKY sign agreement for strategic partnership with Guinea Airlines

    Ethiopian Airlines, the largest Aviation Group in Africa and SKYTRAX certified Four Star Global Airline, has signed an Agreement with Guinea Airlines for strategic partnership in management, maintenance and training. The agreement was signed on January 30, 2018 at Ethiopian headquarters.

    Ethiopian Group CEO Tewolde GebreMariam, Cheick Dem, from Guinea Airlines and Guinea’s Minister for Transport, Oyé Guilavogui, signed the agreement in the presence of the Minister and Strategic Adviser to the President, Ansoumane Condé, the Ambassador of Guinea in Addis Ababa,  Sidibé Fatoumata Kaba, the Director General Guinea Civil Aviation, Mr Mamady Kaba, and Ethiopian Executive Management members.

    Speaking at the signing ceremony, Tewolde said, “As part of our Vision 2025 and with a view to enable African airlines to regain market share for travel, from and within the continent, we are establishing strategic partnerships with many African countries. This partnership is in line with the recently launched African Single Air Transport Market at the African Union Heads of State Summit in Addis Ababa.

    “We are partnering with Guinea Airlines and other African countries because we have the capacity and the expertise to support our African brothers and sisters in the aviation sector. I appreciate the speed with which we reached an agreement with Guinea Airlines, thanks to the support of H.E. President Alpha Condé.

    “This is a trilateral partnership with Guinea, ASKY Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines with a view to fill the air connectivity vacuum in domestic Guinea market and between the Mano River countries. The time has come for Africans to join hands as one and reclaim our rightful place in the global aviation industry.”

    On behalf of Guinea Airlines CEO, Cheick Dem for his part appreciated Ethiopian Airlines for the effort to realize the establishment of Guinea Airlines. He also vowed to honor the terms of the agreement and to ensure that the partnership will indeed be a model.

    Oyé Guilavogui, the Guinean Minister for Transport, who co-signed the agreement, on his part, expressed his joy, saying: “I thank the entire delegation that accompanied me for the realization of this partnership. I am very happy with the Ethiopian side who deployed a lot of efforts for the signing of this agreement. We hope that by the end of June, our aircraft will start flying to Conakry, neighboring countries as well as regional capitals.”

    The minister also noted that there are some prerequisites to be fulfilled on the Guinean side so to establish the airline no later than the end of June.

  • WiFi taking off on board British Airways

    British Airways has started powering some of its long-haul aircraft with high-speed Wi-Fi, with its first three connected aircraft now in service. The airline will connect 118 of its long haul aircraft over the next two years.

    Customers will be advised of the availability of Wi-Fi when they board a connected aircraft allowing them to browse and stream from the comfort of their seat.

    Using the latest generation technology, British Airways will provide high-speed bandwidth to customers, with internet being available approximately 10 minutes after take-off when the aircraft has passed 10,000ft. The portal will work with the latest operating systems from Apple, Android and Windows, allowing customers to connect on a variety of devices.

    To celebrate the launch, British Airways is partnering with Visa to connect customers on board the first Wi-Fi enabled flights. For a limited time, customers will be able to connect to high speed Wi-Fi and enjoy an hour of free browsing and streaming, courtesy of Visa.

    Customers can choose from two paid-for Wi-Fi packages including the ‘Browse’ package, which supports internet surfing, social media and WhatsApp, or the ‘Stream’ package, which supports streaming of music and entertainment, from the very best online content services, including Netflix*. The packages are available to purchase for one hour, four hours or the full flight.

    Carolina Martinoli, British Airways’ director of brand and customer experience, said “British Airways has launched its multi-million pound investment plan to benefit its customers with more choice and quality for all.

    Staying connected is important to our customers who want to be able to work, browse and stream in the air. They can now look forward to enjoying the latest generation Wi-Fi across our long haul fleet over the next two years.”

    British Airways has launched its multi-million pound investment plan to benefit its customers with a focus on excellence in the premium cabins and more choice and quality for all.

    Six hundred million pounds will be spent on Club World with an emphasis on improved catering and sleep, and a new seat in the future. At Heathrow a First Wing check-in area with direct security and lounge access has launched, and lounges around the airline’s network are to be revamped and improved. The Club Europe cabin has also been introduced on UK domestic services and all customers can look forward to the latest generation Wi-Fi across British Airways’ long-haul and short-haul fleets.

  • Aviation Africa 2018 to Tackle Cyber Security

    IBM chief executive Ginni Rometty calls cyber attacks as “the greatest threat to every company in the world”. For the aviation industry it is a threat that needs to be taken seriously.

    Egypt’s minister of aviation, H.E. Sharif Fathi has warned operators in the North African country to step up their game in cyber security and called for the subject to top the agenda at the Aviation Africa Summit when it takes place in Cairo on April 17-18 this year.

    One of the top cyber security experts in the world, Brian Lord, OBE, who headed the British Government’s cyber intelligence unit at GCHQ where he was deputy director, will be flying to Cairo to give the keynote on the subject to the airline chiefs, civil aviation authorities, government ministers, manufacturers and industry suppliers from all across Africa and the Middle East who are attending the summit.

    Supported by IATA, ICAO, AfBAA and the African Union the event will be analysing the major issues affecting the industry in the region. “It’s surprising how little thought many of us give to cyber security in our day-to-day actions. Instead, we tend to brush it off as a problem for multinationals or something for the IT department to worry about. Yet this is a clear – and dangerous – misconception, as cyber security is not only a part of every IT discussion – but every business discussion,” said Chris Moore, chief operating officer of global technology firm Satcom Direct (SD) who will be presenting a case study about how government officials, heads of state and VIPs are not exempt from the threat.

    “Unfortunately, being in a business or private aircraft doesn’t exempt you from a cyber threat. One of the most common myths in the industry is that once the aircraft’s Wi-Fi signal is out of the range of those on the ramp, it is safe from an attack. Nothing could be farther from the truth,” Moore said.”Regardless of whether you are on the ground or in the air, if you can see the internet, then the internet – and the hackers – are most definitely able to see you. In other words, altitude doesn’t make you safe.”

    Moore and Lord will be sharing some of the realities around aviation and the cyber threat.

    Research by SD has shown:

    • 73% of company security experts expect to experience a major security breach within a year.
    • Despite the money and resources spent on cyber security, 87% of company security experts believe their security controls are failing to protect their business.
    • 65% of security professionals identified phishing and social engineering as the biggest security threats to their organization. All it takes is one person clicking a fake email to give a hacker direct access to all the data on their device and a direct path to your network. Yet, even though everybody claims to be aware of this risk, 78% of us click on the links anyway.
    • 97% of applications tested by Trustwave had one or more security vulnerabilities.
    • 70% of business respondents think that employees are the biggest risk to the business.

    “The aviation industry has taken a very casual approach to cyber threats. Minister Fathi is absolutely correct in highlighting the issue,” said Aviation Africa Summit chairman Alan Peaford, MBE. “This issue needs to be addressed not by the IT departments of the aviation companies, but by chief executives and chief operating officers. There needs to be a non-technical understanding of the seriousness of the threat, and the rapidly approaching deadlines for action.”It may be your own system is ok, but what about your suppliers? The attack on US giant Target was proven to have come via an SME refrigeration supplier. At Aviation Africa we will have the supply chain as well as OEMs and operators. This is the golden opportunity to get together and start taking action.”

    The Aviation Africa event takes place at the Intercontinental City Stars on April 17-18 2018 and includes a business-to-business exhibition and opportunities to network with airlines, government and manufacturers/service providers.

  • Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda Vs Congo

    There are only three countries where these magnificent and highly endangered great apes that still survive in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.  About 880 mountain gorillas inhabit the Virunga massif ecosystem shared by Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Virunga National Park and the Uganda’s Mgahinga Gorilla National Park plus separate specie that lives in Uganda’s Bwindi Forest.

    Rwanda has bravely risen from a tragic past and stands proudly as a representation of Africa’s irrepressible beauty. Rwanda is Africa’s home to some of the last remaining mountain gorillas and a place where you will be warmly welcomed by smiling local. It was 7th of May 2017; the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) doubled the gorilla permit cost from $750 to $1500 per person per day for one hour watching gorillas in the Volcanoes national park.

    According to the RDB, the price increment comes in support with Rwanda’s high end tourism strategy which aims to strengthen conservation efforts and contribute to community development and improvement of livelihood of locales living in communities living around national parks. Rwanda is now the most expensive $1500 in terms of gorilla trekking permit followed by Uganda $600 and then D.R.C Congo with the least price $400.

    The Democratic Republic of Congo is another home to Mountain Gorillas in Africa. The country has both Lowland and Mountain Gorillas. Therefore, the gorilla trekking safaris are becoming more popular in Africa. The country is now safe and open to all International visitors. A gorilla safari experience in the D.R.C is best combined with climbing Mount Nyiragongo Mountain. Mount Nyiragongo can be visited on one day, while gorilla trekking can be enjoyed on the other, so we advise that you book your stay at Bukima Tented Camp, as you won’t need to travel long distances to visit the mountain gorillas.

    In the D.R.C it is possible to go gorilla trekking for a less cost than in Rwanda and Uganda, because the cost these other two countries much more expensive than for Congo. Virunga National Park is among the best destinations for gorilla trekking and it’s cheaper due to the fact that the gorilla permits only cost US$400 per person.

    In all of the three Countries, Uganda Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda a mountain gorilla tracking permits is a must for any person before you are allowed to go and track gorillas in any of the three countries must possess a gorilla trekking permit. Any tourist/visitor without trekking permit will not even access the parks, so you are advised to obtain one in the advance before going for the activity to avoid disappointments.

    To get to the D.R.C, you will drive from Kigali to the border crossing at Goma 3 hours’ drive before using a different vehicle for the drive to Virunga. In Congo tracking permit costs $400 and during promotional month of March 15th to 15 May tracking permit cost only $200 in Virunga National Park. The mountain gorilla is extremely endangered and visiting them is a great way to ensure their survival as each permit raises money for their conservation. While Gorilla tracking permits for Rwanda in Volcanoes National Park cost $1500 per person, Rwanda has no discounts on gorilla trekking permits.

    As permits granting permission to visit the gorillas are extremely limited we require flexibility in both the tour itinerary and where we actually visit them. The home of the mountain gorillas is completely a natural habitat with man-made borders and so their range encompasses Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Whenever possible we choose to make use of the National Park in Congo, but this depends on the availability of permits. Should we not obtain permits to visit the mountain gorillas in Congo then we will inform all passengers beforehand that the tour will travel to Rwanda or Uganda.

    A gorilla trekking in Africa allows you to spend time with gorillas in the wild. The gorillas visited on a trek have been watched by researchers for some time as they go about their day to day in the gorilla park in the wilds of the cloud forest of the Virunga Mountains and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. As this is the case they have become habituated to people being around them. Each and every trek is then a totally unique spontaneous wildlife experience allowing you to see the gorillas at close quarters as they while the day away.

    The mountain gorilla is critically endangered animals and their numbers vary it widely, they are assumed that there are only around 880 left in the world. Visiting the gorillas is a great way to support their future on earth as the money spent on permits is used for their protection. An extremely important part of the future conservation of the remaining gorillas rests in the community development work as local communities change their attitudes towards wildlife and start to protect rather than poach, the future of the mountain gorilla is assured.

  • British Airways on the Hunt for Nashville’s next Biggest Hit

    Calling all songwriters, British Airways is on the hunt for Nashville’s next biggest hit. The airline is looking for the new Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton or Sheryl Crow, and wants to give undiscovered talent the chance to write a hit record ahead of the launch of their new direct service to Music City.

    From May 2018, British Airways will launch a five-a-week service from Heathrow, Terminal 5 and will be the only carrier flying direct between Europe and the capital of Tennessee.

    In partnership with the airline, multi- PLATINUM singer-songwriter, Kip Moore; GRAMMY Award winning songwriter and owner of Cornman Music, Brett James; and Vice President of A&R for Starlight Publishing, Alex Torrez, Nashville – the home of the largest songwriting community in the world – is putting a call out to all amateur songwriters of any genre or level of talent and giving them the chance to have their songs heard. The budding songwriters will be asked to write a three-minute song which focuses on London, Nashville and travel, and entries will be judged on originality, melody, composition and lyrics. The winner will then be selected by Moore, James and Torrez.

    On March 8 the winner will attend the CMA Songwriters Series and meet Kip Moore and Brett James at Europe’s biggest country music festival, C2C: Country 2 Country, which takes place at London’s O2 arena. The successful songwriter and a friend will then jet off to Nashville as the exclusive prize package includes return flights and six nights’ accommodation at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel. While in town, they will also be given tickets to the Grand Ole Opry, as well visit the Songwriters Round at the world-famous Bluebird Cafe, before rounding off the VIP trip with tickets to the illustrious CMA Fest.

    Kip Moore said “As someone who is fortunate enough to travel to London for shows frequently, having this new bridge between London and Nashville is amazing and I’m so happy to be involved with this initiative. The songwriting community is personally something I am very passionate about raising awareness for, and being a part of finding new talent is exciting. I’m looking forward to hearing the entries and I’m sure we’re going to find some incredibly talented songwriters.”

    Entrants will need to be aged over 21 years old, able to travel from London to Nashville on June 5, and are asked to submit their entry online by midnight GMT on February 19, 2018. The winner will be contacted by February 28, 2018. The song must include one verse and a chorus and must be originals only.

    British Airways’ new route takes the number of US destinations the airline flies to from London in summer 2018 up to 26, and the number of daily flights offered by British Airways and American Airlines as part of their transatlantic joint business up to 67 per day.

    The route will be operated by a Boeing 787-8, with return fares in World Traveller starting from £749, £1196 in World Traveller Plus and £1849 in Club World available to book now on ba.com.

    To find out more about ‘Write a Song, Win a Seat’ and to read the full terms and conditions go to: www.visitmusiccity.com/basongwriter

    Electronic entries should be uploaded to: www.visitmusiccity.com/basongwriter

    About Kip Moore

    Multi-PLATINUM singer/songwriter Kip Moore is following up his recent No. One smash hit “More Girls Like You,” with the release of his “smoldering” (Rolling Stone) new single ”Last Shot.” The track is the second single taken from his third studio album “SLOWHEART,” praised by critics across the country as he “blends the passion and connection for which he’s known with a new self-awareness that will speak to both commercial and underground audiences” (USA Today.) SLOWHEART follows the acclaim that surrounded Moore’s sophomore album WILD ONES heralded as “an impressively singular release from Music Row” by The Guardian and his PLATINUM debut album UP ALL NIGHT that spawned three No. One hit singles including GOLD certified “Beer Money,” PLATINUM certified “Hey Pretty Girl,” and the DOUBLE PLATINUM breakout hit “Somethin’ ‘Bout A Truck. For more information and a full list of tour dates, visit kipmoore.net.

  • British Airways now offers flights for 50% fewer Avios

    British Airways is offering customers the chance to travel the world for half the number of Avios usually required.

    Available for booking from today until December 17, the airline will offer World Traveller (long-haul economy) flights from Heathrow or Gatwick to more than 90 long-haul destinations for 50 per cent fewer Avios.

    This means that customers can book a return flight to Toronto or New York using just 13,000 Avios instead of 26,000, to Johannesburg for 16,250 Avios instead of 32,500 or to Hong Kong for 19,500 Avios instead of 39,000.

    Carolina Martinoli, British Airways’ director of brand and customer experience, said: “Our latest offer makes travelling the world even more accessible for our Executive Club members. Whether they’re looking for a city break or to relax on the beach, they can reach popular destinations like New York, Punta Cana or Hong Kong for half the number of Avios they’d usually spend. And with more than 90 destinations on offer in the sale, there really is an option for everyone.”

    British Airways Executive Club members can find availability and book reward flights through ba.com/redemption-sale. Customers will need to pay a cash amount to cover taxes, fees and carrier charges, and travel between January 4 and June 30, 2018.

    An example of just some of the destinations available are below:

    Example destination Avios price for return flight now Avios price for return flight was
    Toronto 13,000 26,000
    New York 13,000 26,000
    Boston 13,000 26,000
    Dubai 13,000 26,000
    Tampa 16,250 32,500
    Johannesburg 16,250 32,500
    Punta Cana (Dominican Republic) 16,250 32,500
    Fort Lauderdale 16,250 32,500
    Los Angeles 16,250 32,500
    Hong Kong 19,500 39,000
    Shanghai 19,500 39,000

     

  • Antonov AN-26B aircraft crashes in Goma

    Air traffic in Goma was brought to a halt yesterday when an Antonov 26B, suffering the loss of engine power after take off, returned to the airport but overshot the runway and ended up in a section covered with volcanic rock.

    As a result did the aircraft sustain major damage to landing gear, engine, hull and wing.

    Reportedly was none of the crew injured during the landing incident.

    Registered as 9S-AFL and operated by Congo’s Services Air was the aircraft enroute from Goma to Kisangani when the crew opted to return to Goma after reporting the loss of engine power.

    According to information received did the plane however touch down too far down the runway, causing it to run into the volcanic rock which covers part of the runway and airport from a past eruption.

    The aircraft, MSN 14003, has been 32 years in service with the first flight undertaken in 1985.

    Services Air is on the EU black list of airlines banned for flights into or across European airspace and suffered previous incidents in December 2015, May 2009 and January 2005, two of them also with Antonov’s 26 and one with an Airbus A310F. The A310F accident in Mbuji Mayi caused multiple casualties on the ground while in the case of the two Antonov 26 accidents near Isiro and Entebbe respectively casualties included the crew.

  • Travel Uganda Like a Local with Green World Safaris

    Nothing worries a traveller like stepping your first foot in a country for the first time. You have so many questions in mind like what if I reach the airport and no one is there to receive me? And so many others, with Green World Safaris, you expect to meet a friendly professional staff  dressed in our company uniform and will always make sure  we deliver  “door to door” services during your entire trip. You cannot fail to feel at home with our hospitable drivers.

    Green World Safaris as an Agency never feels proud and will always make sure the guest at hand feels like you are the only important client we have ever had. We value your time spent confirming your trip with us and your money. We will never take you for granted and that is why you will always miss to come back. With our professional guides, we help our travellers navigate everything from food to travel choices.

    Being an Eco conscious company with a value to the environment, Green World Safari Company considers giving back to the local communities and that is why we encourage volunteers to come to Uganda and get a personal experience with the people in need. We know that the local people play an important role in protecting these wild animals. It makes a great impact when you” travel with a purpose” Do your volunteer work as well as participate in Tourism. You will get a great exposure of the local communities as you help them make a positive change in their lives.

    Among our service goals include; promoting responsible Tourism in Uganda and other East African Destinations. Follow Green World Safaris on their exciting safaris around Uganda, visiting places such as Bwindi, Kibale, Murchison Falls, Lake Bunyonyi, Semulik, Kidepo, Elgon, Ssese Island and Queen Elizabeth. We will be exploring all types of responsible community based and eco activities such as Mountain trekking, Gorilla tracking, Chimpanzee tracking, City Excursions, Sustainable youth adventure, Nature trails, Fishing and bird watching.

  • Kenya Bans Plastic Bags, Violators to Be Fined $38,000

    Kenya joins over 40 countries that have made plastic bags illegal, in a positive effort to reduce the impact on our environment. However, there may be implications for our guests traveling to this region, as the use, manufacture and importation of all plastic bags is now illegal in Kenya.

    The ban applies to:

    • Carrier bags with handles & with or without gussets.
    • Flat bags without handles & without gussets.

    Please take note that if you are traveling to Nairobi, plastic bags that match the above description, including duty free bags, will be confiscated at the airport. There is however a bigger risk that if anyone is caught using these plastic bags the fine is Ksh. 4,000,000 approximately US$38,000 or prison sentences of up to four years.

    It is our opinion that with immediate effect we advise our guests and our own teams to refrain from using all forms of ‘disposable’ plastic carrying bags in both main luggage and hand luggage, to avoid inconveniences and possibly prosecution.

    Kenya has joined other East African countries that include Rwanda and Ethiopia in banning plastic bags. Many conservationists and tour operators have applauded Kenya’s move towards reducing waste in its official ban of plastic bags.