Flying Magazine
• Jack Daleo
Two Airlink passenger jets flew in close formation about 45 feet above Cape Town’s DHL Stadium before an estimated 56,000 spectators, drawing cheers and comparisons with South Africa’s iconic 1995 747 flyover. The airline defended the maneuver as the product of careful, precise planning, while critics questioned the safety margin.
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Two Airlink passenger jets flew in close formation about 45 feet above Cape Town’s DHL Stadium before an estimated 56,000 spectators, drawing cheers and comparisons with South Africa’s iconic 1995 747 flyover. The airline defended the maneuver as the product of careful, precise planning, while critics questioned the safety margin.
Industrial action by aviation workers, including air-traffic controllers, has caused hours-long delays at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and disrupted Kenya Airways and partner flights across multiple routes. The renewed strike has stranded thousands of travelers and raised fresh concerns about regional connectivity through East Africa’s key aviation hub.
RwandAir CEO Yvonne Manzi Makolo is urging African governments and industry stakeholders to form a “coalition of the willing” to advance the continent’s open-skies agenda. She called for clear implementation timelines and measurable outcomes, moving beyond commitments toward practical liberalization of intra-African air travel.
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A go-slow strike by aviation workers, including airport staff and air traffic controllers, entered a second day at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. The industrial action delayed and canceled flights, disrupted operations at major Kenyan airports and left hundreds of passengers stranded overnight.
South African Airways has yet to recover roughly ZAR1 billion ($60 million) in ticket-sale revenue held in Zimbabwe, despite diplomatic efforts lasting several years. The outstanding funds were disclosed during an Aug. 25, 2026, parliamentary briefing, underscoring the airline’s continued exposure to cross-border payment and repatriation constraints.
A jet-fuel shortage in Namibia is forcing airlines to redirect flights and could persist through the weekend after contaminated cargo disrupted supplies. Trading house Vitol Group is urgently sourcing replacement fuel for customers, creating an operational constraint for carriers serving the country.
Equatorial Guinea is considering a $139 million deal for ATR 72-600 turboprops for flag carrier CEIBA Intercontinental. The potential transaction would represent a significant fleet investment for the airline and could shape its regional capacity and aircraft strategy, although the available reporting does not detail timing or aircraft quantity.
Kenya Airways is nearing an agreement to lease a Boeing 777 freighter as it pursues a 40% cargo-market-share target. The carrier is also prioritizing a capital raise and fleet restoration after grounded widebodies, higher fuel costs and maintenance constraints contributed to a Sh16 billion first-half loss.
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