Recovery tracker

Routes Online’s Recovery Tracker provides a weekly round-up of the latest news from the aviation industry as airlines and airports seek to recover from the Covid-19 crisis.

Lufthansa has announced plans to launch six new long-haul destinations from Frankfurt (FRA) in summer 2021. The routes are in cooperation with Eurowings and will be operated by Brussels Airlines.

A 3X-weekly route to Punta Cana (PUJ) in the Dominican Republic begins on March 29, followed by a 2X-weekly service from FRA to Zanzibar (ZNZ) via Mombasa (MBA) on Mar. 31.

Later in the year flights between FRA and Anchorage (ANC), Alaska, will start, operating 3X-weekly from June 3, while service to Mauritius (MRU) and the Maldives (MLE) is being extended into the summer season.

British Airways is increasing the number of destinations it serves. From Oct. 1, long-haul services resumed to Johannesburg (JNB), Cape Town (CPT) and Bahrain (BAH). Flights to winter sun destination Grenada (GND) are scheduled to return on Oct. 14, while service to the Seychelles (SEZ) will return on Oct. 16.

Lahore (LHE), a new addition to British Airways’ route network, begins on Oct. 12, while new Heathrow (LHR) services to MLE and Barbados (BGI) launch on Oct. 16 and 17, respectively.

In BA’s short-haul network, routes to Brussels (BRU), Dublin (DUB), Dusseldorf (DUS) and Valencia (VLC) are among the destinations to have resumed this week. Cologne (CGN), Vienna (VIE) and Zagreb (ZAG) are slated to resume later this month.

Egypt and Senegal have discussed the potential of beginning air service between each country’s capital city.

The potential for a Cairo (CAI) and Dakar (DKR) route was discussed as part of a wider meeting between Egypt’s minister of civil aviation Mohamed Manar and Eli C Bay, Senegal’s ambassador to Egypt, to look at ways to enhance joint cooperation between the two countries.

Qatar Airways is planning to rebuild its network to 124 destinations by the end of the year. This will include 21 in Africa, 10 in the Americas, 42 in Asia-Pacific, 38 in Europe and 13 in Middle East.

Airfreight rates stable as carriers add capacity

Airfreight rates on some of the world’s main trade lanes stabilised at an elevated level in September as carriers continued to slowly add cargo capacity (AirCargo News, 5 October). While prices are far above 2019 levels, rates do appear to have stabilised – at least for the time being – compared with the second quarter when they soared by more than 100% year on year. September was also marked by a slow increase in capacity. Figures from WorldACD show that between the end of August and mid-September carriers increased capacity by around 5%. Looking ahead, it remains uncertain how the peak season will progress given the condition of the global economy. However, forwarders, at least, appear to be bracing for capacity shortages and over recent weeks several have announced plans for charter operations during the winter period in order secure capacity and avoid the potential for sky-high rates and supply chain disruption.

Potential drone operations in Kenya

Drone Delivery Canada (DDC) and Africa-based freighter operator Astral Aviation’s drone division are teaming up to potentially launch drone operations in Kenya (AirCargo News, 29 September). DDC president and chief executive Michael Zahra said: “There are numerous potential applications from traditional last-mile cargo to mining, oil and gas, healthcare, humanitarian aid and infrastructure inspection services.”

South Africa: impact on stonefruit exports

At the start of the stonefruit season, South African exporters fly out fruit to cover supply gaps in between shipments. Around 13% of South African stonefruit is transported by air, but this year the cost of air freight and the availability of flights cause uncertainty (Fresh Plaza, 2 October). Ninety-nine percent of South Africa’s cherries are usually exported by air. There has been a doubling of air freight costs, raising concerns about the early shelf space usually occupied by air-freighted fruit. Blueberries and flowers have been taking up much of the reduced air space – 53% of South Africa’s blueberries were flown out during the 2019/2020 season. Cargo flights have been continuing out of OR Tambo International Airport over the past few months, but there have been no direct international flights from Cape Town International Airport (expected to increasingly normalise).

Flight Operations RESUMING

Following an agreement between the United Arabs Emirates (UAE) and the Nigerian Government, the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, has announced plan to lift the ban placed on Emirates Airlines from operating into and out of the country (This Day, 1 October). According to Sirika, the commencement of the airline’s operations would, however, depend on the commencement of visa issuance to Nigerians by the UAE. Emirates Airlines was initially given approval to operate into the country, but the approval was withdrawn following the inability of Nigerians to obtain/use valid tourist visas to enter the UAE. Meanwhile, South Africa has also lifted ban on air travel from travellers from African countries. The President said three airports would be opened and operational for international air travel. These airports are OR Tambo International (in Johannesburg, Gauteng), Cape Town International (in Cape Town, Western Cape) and King Shaka International in (Durban, KwaZulu-Natal).

Air France-KLM

Air France KLM Martinair Cargo continues to increase the number of flights and destinations of cargo passenger belly aircraft especially from Africa to Europe. AF-KLM published last week an increasing worldwide the number of destinations from 92 to 94 and the weekly number of flights from 570 to 619.

Network – Wide-body belly

Full freighter

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines this week completed the majority of its schedule changes, gradually reflected in the system since earlier this month (Routes Online, 18 September). The Latest update up to 17 September includes frequency reduction on additional routes, as well as aircraft changes.
Further changes remain highly possible, due to various travel restrictions.

Amsterdam – Accra 25OCT20 – 06DEC20 777-200ER replaces -300ER, 1 daily (Previous plan: 1 weekly -300ER and 6 weekly -200ER)
Amsterdam – Bonaire – Aruba – Amsterdam 1 daily A330-300 as KL771/773/779, replacing opposite direction routing KL765/767/769
Amsterdam – Cape Town Reduce from 7 weekly to following. 25OCT20 – 06DEC20 4 weekly 777-200ER. eff 07DEC20 6 weekly 777-200ER/-300ER
Amsterdam – Curacao Reduce from 11 to 7 weekly. Planned KL735/736 with 777-300ER instead of 787-10 remains unchanged
Amsterdam – Havana Service cancelled in NW20
Amsterdam – Johannesburg 1 daily 777-300ER
Amsterdam – Kigali – Entebbe – Amsterdam Reduce from 7 to 4 weekly, A330-300 operating
Amsterdam – Kilimanjaro – Dar es Salaam – Amsterdam 1 daily 787-10
Amsterdam – Lagos Reduce from 7 to 5 weekly, A330-200/-300 operating, replacing A330-200/777-200ER
Amsterdam – Nairobi Reduce from 7 to 5 weekly, 787-10 operating
Amsterdam – Paramaribo Reduce from 5 to 4 weekly, 787-10 replaces 747-400
Amsterdam – St. Maarten 2 weekly A330-200 (operational day changes, aircraft overnight in SXM)

Lufthansa – Brussels Airlines

Brussels Airlines plans to operate 42 medium-haul and 16 long-haul routes during the upcoming winter season between Oct. 25 and March 27 (Routes Online, 1 October). During the peak period – running from the beginning of December into the beginning of January – the airline will increase its flying to Africa, offering 40% more flights compared to September and October 2020. The continent is one of Brussels Airlines’ core markets with 12 destinations served. Before the coronavirus outbreak, Brussels Airlines offered 16 destinations throughout its African network. As of Oct. 25, the airline will expand its winter flying  – excluding the peak December-January period – by 12% and resume service from its Brussels Zaventem (BRU) hub to Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire (ABJ) on a daily base. Extra frequencies will be added to Banjul, Gambia (BJL); Bujumbura, Burundi (BJM); Dakar, Senegal (DSS); Entebbe, Uganda (EBB); Freetown, Sierra Leone (FNA); Kigali, Rwanda (KGL); Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (FIH); Monrovia, Liberia (ROB); and Douala (DLA) and Yaoundé, Cameroon (NSI). In February 2021, flights to Luanda, Angola (LAD) are planned.
Lufthansa has become the international airline to resume its commercial service from Frankfurt to South Africa (Logistics Update Africa, 1 October). Andre Schulz, general manager Southern Africa & East Africa, Lufthansa Group, announced in his LinkedIn post, “We are delighted to be at the forefront of the resumption of commercial travel into South Africa and proud to reconnect South Africa to Germany with the first international long haul flight to land in South Africa on the day the travel ban is lifted. South Africa remains an attractive destination for both German business travellers and holidaymakers and as Germany moves into Winter, we look forward to bringing visitors back to South Africa and helping to boost the very important tourism sector again.”

From 19 September Eurowings, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group, has re-established scheduled flights between Frankfurt and Windhoek, Namibia.

For the Northern summer 2021 season, Lufthansa plans to expand flight offerings to resort destinations as Mombasa and Zanzibar join the airline’s network. Service to the Maldives will also extend to year-round (Routes Online, 2 October).

Quatar Airways

Quatar Airways‘ full freighters have been coming directly from Lagos to Brussels and Entebbe and Nairobi to Liege since the beginning of the crisis and are still programmed throughout October. However, it is reducing a considerable number of frequencies. See details below.

Qatar Airways will resume its service to three key destinations in South Africa: Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg (Logistics Update Africa, 2 October). Services to South Africa will be operated by a mix of A350 and B787 aircraft. With the addition of 19 weekly flights to South Africa, Qatar Airways will operate 63 weekly flights to 17 destinations across the continent including Accra, Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam, Djibouti, Entebbe, Kigali, Kilimanjaro, Lagos, Maputo, Mogadishu, Nairobi, Tunis, Windhoek, and Zanzibar.
Qatar Airways last week gradually filed planned service adjustment for Northern winter 2020/21 season, from 25OCT20 to 27MAR21 (Routes Online, 6 October). Latest adjustment as of 05OCT20 includes the following. Various travel restrictions continue to impact the airline’s operation, including passenger traffic rights and limited capacity on certain directions. Additional changes to be filed in the next few weeks, in particular for schedules on/after 17DEC20.

Doha – Addis Ababa 3 weekly A320/350-900XWB (A320 only from 01DEC20)
Doha – Barcelona Reduce from 21 to 10 weekly, A350-900XWB operating (A350/787-8 from 01DEC20 to 15DEC20, 11 weekly from 17DEC20)
Doha – Brussels Reduce from 8 to 4 weekly (7 weekly from 17DEC20), A350-900XWB operating
Doha – Dar es Salaam – Zanzibar 4 weekly 787-8
Doha – Dhaka 25OCT20 – 16DEC20 Reduce from 21 to 14 weekly, various aircraft
Doha – Djibouti Reduce from 4 to 3 weekly, A320 operating
Doha – Djibouti – Mogadishu 3 weekly, A320 operating
Doha – Durban – Maputo – Doha 787-8 operates triangle routing 3 weekly, replacing Doha – Johannesburg – Durban and Doha – Maputo routing
Doha – Entebbe – Kigali Reduce from 7 to 3 weekly, 787-8 operating
Doha – Frankfurt 14 weekly A350-900XWB/-1000XWB/777-300ER
Doha – Johannesburg 14 weekly A350-900XWB (Overall reduction from 21 weekly)
Doha – Kilimanjaro – Dar es Salaam Reduce from 7 to 3 weekly, 787-8 operating (This replaces Doha – Kilimanjaro – Dar es Salaam – Doha triangle routing)
Doha – Lagos 7 weekly terminator service cancelled
Doha – Lagos – Accra Reduce from 7 to 4 weekly, 787-8 operating
Doha – Luanda 4 weekly 787-8
Doha – Nairobi Reduce from 21 to 14 weekly, 787-8/A320 operating
Doha – Paris CDG 25OCT20 – 16DEC20 Reduce from 21 to 14 weekly, A350-900/-1000XWB operating until 30NOV20, 777-300ER from 01DEC20
Doha – Tokyo Narita 7 weekly. A350-900XWB/-1000XWB replaces 777-300ER
Doha – Tunis 25OCT20 – 16DEC20 Reduce from 7 to 3 weekly, 787-8 replaces A330
Doha – Windhoek Reduce from 4 to 2 weekly, 787-8 operating

Following routes/sectors cancelled in Northern winter 2020/21 season:

Doha – Marrakech – Rabat – Doha
Doha – Mombasa
Johannesburg – Durban (Durban operates via Maputo)
Johannesburg – Gaborone

British Airways

British Airways during the month of October 2020 plans to operate following Intercontinental routes, as of 25SEP20 (Routes Online, 25 September). Planned operation for the period of 01OCT20 – 24OCT20 as follows. Last minute changes remain highly possible.

London Gatwick – Antigua 2 weekly 777-200ER (5 weekly from 12OCT20)
London Gatwick – Bermuda 4 weekly 777-200ER (5 weekly from 14OCT20)
London Gatwick – Bridgetown 3-6 weekly 777-200ER
London Gatwick – Kingston 3 weekly 777-200ER
London Gatwick – Mauritius eff 15OCT20 3 weekly 777-200ER
London Gatwick – Montego Bay eff 13OCT20 2 weekly 777-200ER
London Gatwick – St. Lucia 2 weekly 777-200ER (3 weekly from 15OCT20)
London Gatwick – St. Lucia – Grenada eff 14OCT20 2 weekly 777-200ER
London Heathrow – Abuja 1 daily 777-200ER
London Heathrow – Accra 1 daily 777-200ER
London Heathrow – Cairo 1 daily 787-8
London Heathrow – Cape Town 1 daily 777-200ER
London Heathrow – Johannesburg 1 daily 777-200ER
London Heathrow – Lagos 1 daily 777-300ER
London Heathrow – Nairobi 5 weekly 777-300ER

Emirates

Emirates continues to increase the number of flights and destinations. Currently there are around 18 countries served in Africa. New destinations include Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Seychelles, Maurice, Tunisia and the already served Ghana, Egypt, Senegal, Guinea, Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, South Africa, Malawi with a connection in Dubai that relies with major airports in Europe including Brussels, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Paris, London, Madrid, Zurich, Milan, Vienna and Maastricht. Emirates labour has been crucial also in order to keep the flow of goods in the African country with more than 10000 flights this last 3 months to 116 destinations worldwide.

Emirates will restart services to Entebbe, Uganda (October 1) and Muscat, Oman (October 2), bringing the total number of cities served by the airline to 94 (Logistics Update Africa, 30 September). Recently, Emirates has planned to resume flights to Johannesburg, Harare, and Cape Town (October 1); Durban (October 4); and Mauritius (October 3). The airline will operate to Entebbe with three weekly flights on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. The addition of Entebbe expands Emirates’ African network to 20 destinations, enabling customers to connect to destinations across Europe, the Far East, the Americas, the Middle East and West Asia with one convenient stop in Dubai. Flights from Dubai to Muscat will operate twice a week on Sundays and Fridays. Emirates has not yet confirmed the flight schedules for the Dubai (DXB) to South Africa routes, but said HRE would have 2X-weekly flights linked to its Lusaka (LUN) service. Flights to MRU will be 1X-weekly on Saturdays.

Emirates this week filed additional changes to its Northern summer 2021 season, effective from 28MAR21 (Routes Online, 2 October). Previously reported changes for Northern summer 2021 season as follows:

Dubai – Barcelona Nonstop terminator service reduces from 2 to 1 daily, A380 operating
Dubai – Brussels Reduce from 2 to 1 daily, 777-300ER operating
Dubai – Dhaka Reduce from 4 to 3 daily, 777-300ER operating
Dubai – Dublin Reduce from 2 to 1 daily, 777-300ER operating
Dubai – Dusseldorf Reduce from 2 to 1 daily, A380 operating
Dubai – Frankfurt Reduce from 3 to 2 daily, A380 operating
Dubai – Glasgow Reduce from 2 to 1 daily, A380 operating
Dubai – Hamburg Reduce from 2 to 1 daily, A380 operating
Dubai – Johannesburg Reduce from 4 to 2 daily, A380 operating
Dubai – London Gatwick Reduce from 3 to 1 daily, A380 operating
Dubai – London Stansted Reduce from 2 to 1 daily, 777-300ER operating

Overall London service reduces from 11 to 8 daily in S21.

Dubai – Madrid Reduce from 2 to 1 daily, A380 operating
Dubai – Milan Malpensa Nonstop terminator service reduces from 2 to 1 daily, A380 operating
Dubai – Vienna Reduce from 2 to 1 daily, A380 operating

Etihad

Etihad in this week’s schedule update extended revised listing into November 2020, as the airline continues to restore additional routes (Routes Online, 2 October). As of 01OCT20, planned operation for the period of 01OCT20 – 30NOV20 as follows. Additional changes remain possible, due to various travel restrictions.

Abu Dhabi – Amsterdam 1 daily 787-10
Abu Dhabi – Barcelona 4 weekly 787-9
Abu Dhabi – Brussels 3 weekly 787-9
Abu Dhabi – Cairo 2 daily 787-9/A321
Abu Dhabi – Casablanca 787-9 operates on 03OCT20, 28NOV20, 29NOV20
Abu Dhabi – Dublin 4 weekly 787-9
Abu Dhabi – Dusseldorf eff 25OCT20 1 daily 787-9
Abu Dhabi – Frankfurt 1 daily 777-300ER
Abu Dhabi – Geneva 3 weekly 787-9
Abu Dhabi – London Heathrow 2 daily 787-9/-10
Abu Dhabi – Madrid 4 weekly 787-9 (3 weekly from 10OCT20)
Abu Dhabi – Milan Malpensa 1 daily 787-10
Abu Dhabi – Paris CDG 1 daily 777-300ER (787-10 from 25OCT20)
Abu Dhabi – Rome 2 weekly 787-9 (until 07OCT20)

Kenya Airways

The Nairobi based airline is announcing a reduction on its regional frequencies. Please see details below.
Kenya Airways on Monday resumed flights to Tanzania after Dar es Salaam lifted suspension of all Kenyan airline operators (Xinhua, 21 September). Allan Kilavuka, CEO of Kenya Airways, said the move follows a circular issued by the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority announcing the resumption and restoration of all flights by Kenyan operators with immediate effect. Kilavuka noted that the first Kenya Airways flight to Dar es Salaam departed on Monday and the second will leave on Wednesday and thereafter the Kenyan carrier will operate two daily flights to the largest city in Tanzania. The first flight to Zanzibar will depart on Sept. 26 and will thereafter operate three times a week while flights to Kilimanjaro International Airport will resume in October to target connectivity with the Nairobi-New York route.

Planned operations as of 28AUG20 are listed by Routes Online. Additional changes, including possible further reduction, remain likely in the next few weeks.

DHL

DHL‘s temporary suspension of services is no longer effective for Guinea Bissau, but extended delivery times remain, it can be up to 10 additional business days for some countries of the sub-Saharan region.
Also, there is an adjusted surcharge from 24 August:

* Hong Kong and Macau
** Rest of Asia (Asia excluding China and Hong Kong) = Bangladesh, Brunei, Bhutan, Cook Islands, Fiji, Indonesia, India, Japan, Cambodia, Kiribati, South Korea, Laos, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Maldives, Malaysia, Mongolia, New Caledonia, Nepal, Nauru, Niue, North Korea, Tahiti, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Pakistan, Solomon Islands, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Taiwan, Vietnam, Vanuatu, Samoa. Australia, and New Zealand as origin only.
***All shipments from Australia/New Zealand/Papua New Guinea to Australia/New Zealand/Papua New Guinea will be charged €0.20/kg regardless of billing location.

Ethiopian Cargo

Ethiopian remains one of the key players for the African market, with a current fleet of 36 cargo aircraft (12 cargo + 24 modified passenger cargo). Their hub in Addis Ababa provides a wide range of temperature-controlled warehouses, allowing connections to Europe, Asia and America. Also, there are available flights from Lagos, Lomé and Addis Ababa to Brussels and Liege. Ethiopian cargo went from servicing 10 destinations at the beginning of the year to serve more than 70 destinations currently.
Ethiopian Airlines NW20 European network changes as of 09SEP20 are listed by Routes Online. Additional changes remain likely.

Addis Ababa – Athens – Moscow Domodedovo 3 weekly 787-8
Addis Ababa – Brussels – Manchester 3 weekly 787-9 (Planned Addis Ababa – Manchester nonstop service cancelled)
Addis Ababa – Frankfurt 1 daily A350
Addis Ababa – Geneva – Marseille 3 weekly 787-8/-9 (Planned Addis Ababa – Marseille nonstop service cancelled)
Addis Ababa – London Heathrow 1 daily 787-9 (Previous plan: 10 weekly A350-900XWB)
Addis Ababa – Paris CDG 1 daily A350
Addis Ababa – Rome – Milan Malpensa (Nonstop Addis Ababa – Milan sector cancelled)
24OCT20 – 08DEC20 5 weekly 777-200LR (Reduce from 7 to 5 weekly)
eff 10DEC20 1 daily 787-9
Addis Ababa – Stockholm Arlanda – Oslo 4 weekly 787-8 (5 weekly from 14DEC20)
Addis Ababa – Vienna – Brussels 4 weekly 787-8 (Overall Vienna service reduced from 6 to 4 weekly)

Ethiopian Airlines in a recent schedule update filed planned service resumption on Addis Ababa – Abidjan – New York JFK route, served 3 times weekly. The Star Alliance carrier currently plans to resume this route on 16DEC20, with Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft.

FedEx and TNT

Restrictions to most African countries have been extended indefinitely, their service in Africa remains very limited. Detailed information is available here.

Air Seychelles

Air Seychelles will resume limited passenger services across its regional network from Seychelles to Mauritius, Johannesburg and Tel Aviv this winter (Logistics Update Africa, 2 October). Travellers can book their seats for travel from November 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021. Weekly flights to Johannesburg and Mauritius will start from 1 November, increasing to three and two flights a week, respectively, starting 1 December.

Air Burkina

Air Burkina updated its operation for the remainder of Northern summer 2020 season (Routes Online, 25 September). For the period of 14SEP20 – 31OCT20, planned operation includes the following.

Ouagadougou – Abidjan 2 weekly E175
Ouagadougou – Bamako – Dakar 3 weekly E195
Ouagadougou – Bobo Dioulasso 2 weekly E175
Ouagadougou – Bobo Dioulasso – Abidjan 1 weekly E175
Ouagadougou – Lome – Cotonou – Ouagadougou 2 weekly E175
Ouagadougou – Niamey 3 weekly

Rwandair

Rwandair will resume flights to Europe, reinstating services to London and Brussels to its network (Routes Online, 23 September). However, the carrier is switching its UK operations from London Gatwick (LGW) to London Heathrow (LHR) for the first time. From 3 October the airline will operate flights from Kigali (KGL) to Brussels (BRU) and on to LHR. Service will initially be 2X-weekly on board Airbus A330 aircraft, before rising to 3X-weekly from Oct. 26.

Royal Air Maroc

Royal Air Maroc (RAM) inventory changes for Northern winter 2020/21 season, as the airline closes reservation on various routes, are listed by Routes Online.

Airlink

South Africa’s Airlink plans to start phasing back its regional flight network from next month (Routes Online, . On 5 October the carrier will resume daily flights between JNB and HRE, while on 12 October a further eight routes will restart. Seven of the eight returning routes are from JNB – to Beira (BEW), Bulawayo (BUQ), LUN, Ndola (NLA), Pemba (POL), Tete (TET) and Walvis Bay (WVB) – while the eighth will connect CPT and Windhoek (WDH). In addition, Airlink will open a new route between JNB and Maputo (MPM) in Mozambique on Oct. 12. Flights will be 2X-weekly.

Air Mauritius

During October 2020 Air Mauritius continues to schedule limited service on the Mauritius – Paris CDG route, on board Airbus A350-900XWB aircraft (Routes Online, 17 September). Although the airline’s schedule listing shows 2 weekly round trip flights, only Friday’s departure from Mauritius is available for reservation in various sales channels, while inbound flight to Mauritius remains unavailable for reservation.

MK014 MRU2015 – 0545+1CDG 359 5
MK014 MRU2305 – 0835+1CDG 359 1
MK015 CDG1620 – 0535+1MRU 359 26