Airliner World — September 2017

12 AIRLINER WORLD SEPTEMBER 2017

News Review • Africa/Middle East

Emirates and flydubai Deepen Ties

EMIRATES AND low-cost carrier flydubai

have built on their existing commercial

ties with a new extensive partnership

agreement.

The two airlines, which are both owned by

the Investment Corporation of Dubai but

independently managed, will coordinate

their network and schedules in a bid to

accelerate growth and provide “a seam-

less travel experience” through Dubai. An

“expansive code share agreement” has

also been put in place, which will start to

come into effect during the final quarter.

Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates

Group and Chairman of flydubai, Sheikh

Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, said: “This

is an exciting and significant development

for Emirates, flydubai, and Dubai aviation.

Both airlines have grown independently

and successfully over the years, and this

new partnership will unlock the immense

value that the complementary models of

both companies can bring to consumers,

each airline, and to Dubai.”

A statement from Emirates said: “The

partnership is working to optimise the

networks and schedules of both

airlines, to open up new city-pair connec-

tions offering consumers greater choice.

Additionally, this will help both airlines

feed more traffic into each other’s

complementary networks. By 2022, the

combined network of Emirates and

flydubai is expected to reach 240

destinations, served by a combined fleet

of 380 aircraft.” (Photo Emirates)

Tanzanian Turbo

Tanzanian Government Fokker 50 5H-TGF (c/n 20231) was a welcome visitor to Malta in

June. The 25-year-old turboprop was delivered new to its current owners in April 1992.

ANDRE ABELA VIA CHRIS CAUCHI

Aero Contractors and

AJW Team up

UK FIRM AJW Group has revealed it is assisting Nigerian carrier Aero Contractors

with the acquisition of two Bombardier Dash 8-Q400s. AJW Capital, the group’s

division responsible for the purchase, sale and lease of large aviation-related

capital assets, has been tasked with the job as part of a wider agreement

between Aero Contractors and the AJW Group.

In addition, the British company will assist the airline with restructuring and

upgrading its MRO support services, including enhancing its capabilities to

enable C checks of Boeing 737 Classic jets. As a result, Aero Contractors will

extend its MRO services to third party operators throughout the region.

Captain Ado Sanusi, CEO of Aero Contractors, said: “We are very excited to work

with AJW Group on this project and feel that it will have a marked effect on our

operations. Having been in the business for 58 years, I am confident we have

found the right partner to work with.”

fastjet Acquiring Branding Rights

THE PARENT company of fastjet and
fastjet Zimbabwe has agreed to acquire
the rights to the fastjet brand from easy-
Group Holdings for $2.5m. fastjet plc
says the agreement, once finalised, will
result in savings to the company over
the next five years.
Nico Bezuidenhout, CEO of fastjet, said:
“Brand development is an integral part

of building a successful consumer-

facing business and represents a sub-

stantial investment for any airline – it

logically follows that your brand, an

asset to be leveraged for the benefit of

shareholders, should be under your full

control and ownership. We are happy to

have reached agreement with Sir Stelios

[Haji-Ioannou] and appreciate the ongo-

ing confidence he has expressed in the

fastjet business and leadership team.”

Sir Stelios, easyGroup founder and CEO,

who established the fastjet brand in

2012, added: “fastjet is a great brand in

all its African markets, making it a highly

valuable asset for the company. I have

accepted the view of the current board

that the company should own its own

brand rather than license it from me. I

feel we have agreed on a fair price for its

transfer – $2.5m – which is less than the

company would have had to pay over the

next five years. I still hold shares worth

about £1.3m in the company and as such

I will be a supportive shareholder, hoping

to realise significant upside potential as

fastjet grows and prospers.”

LAM Parks Q

Mozambique national carrier LAM has placed Bombardier Dash 8-Q400 C9-AUM (c/n 4020) in

storage at Maastricht in the Netherlands. The former SAS Scandinavian Airlines airframe

was delivered to the African carrier in November 2008. AIRTEAMIMAGES.COM/JAN SEVERIJNS