BENIN /COTONOU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: WORKERS TO WALK OUT NEXT WEEK

Airport workers made this known in a public statement released following an extraordinary meeting held on Thursday, 11 May at ASECNA’s representation Hall.

Unionized under the umbrella of Syndicat national des travailleurs de la météorologie et de l’aviation civile (Synatrama) and  Syndicat uni des travailleurs de l’aviation civile et de la météorologie (Sutracim) ,  they call a 48 hour-extendable strike from  Wednesday , 17 May.

Workers voted for industrial action in protest over the Cotonou airport’s concession started by of HERVÉ HÊHOMEY, ministry of Transports.

The ministry has granted a tacit agreement of Cotonou Airport management to a private foreign company prior to a fruitful and including consultation.

In an interview dated back to January , François KPèdotossi , Secretary General of SUTRACIM/ASECNA questioned the capacity of new Airport manager to keep and protect their jobs.

According to him, workers are mainly angry because government seems to move one-sidedly while the ministry took a commitment to include union representatives at any level of negotiations on airport concession issue.

The decision to concede Cotonou and domestic airports to a private management was adopted during the ministry cabinet held January, 11, 2017.

KENYA ABOLISHES VISA FOR BENINESE CITIZENS

Benin and Kenya are now connected more than before. “The president Uhuru Kenyatta has decided to lift up visa restrictions for Beninese citizens” reported Aurélien AGBENONCI, Benin ministry of foreign affairs and cooperation in a statement.

This engagement comes after a three-day state visit of Benin’s president Patrice Talon in Kenya. Started on Tuesday, Patrice Talon and his Kenyan counterpart , Uhuru Kenyatta hold bilateral talks in various sectors of cooperation including aviation.

This decision copes with African Union’s (AU) 2063 Agenda ambitioning to implement a minimum 30-day visa for African citizens visiting any African country by 2018 and a continental passport by 2017.

Tunisia: TUNISAIR co-hosts AFRAA’s 6th Aviation Stakeholders Convention

The 6th Aviation Stakeholders Convention opened this Monday, 7 at Médina Méditerranea Complex in Yasmine Hammamet, North Tunisia. The convention is being convened by African Airlines Association (AFRAA) in partnership with Tunisair.

Over 300 delegates have started a two-day peer review on how to foster dialogue, build sustainable networks in supply chain management and create a competitive environment for aviation business in the continent.

Entitled “Collaboration for sustainable aviation growth in Africa”, the conference attracts airlines, Civil Aviation Authorities, airports, Air Navigation Service Providers and other aviation stakeholders.

The conference also features many exhibitors from various sectors, including aircraft manufacturers, commercial aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MROs), Ground Handling, Training Centres, Consultants and Flight Support.

It’s the first time that  Tunisia has hosted such event. The request was made by TUNISAIR in April 2016 during the 169th Executive Committee Meeting in Addis Ababa , Ethiopia.

African Airlines Association (AFRAA) was established in April, 1968 in Accra, Ghana. It represents some 39 African Airlines carrying 85% of the Africa’s air traffic.

| SAUDIA ARABIA , ABOUT TO CONCLUDE AIR SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH BENIN AND DJIBOUTI

The King Salman authorized the minister of transport and board chairman of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) to sign two draft agreements between Saudi Arabia and the governments of Benin and Djibouti in the area of air transport services. The announcement was made last April 24th in a statement released after the monthly ministerial cabinet meeting.

WHICH IS THE AFRICA’S BIGGEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT BY LONGEST RUNWAY?

Airports all across Africa are modernizing their infrastructures. Whether constructed out of asphalt or concrete, runways are getting longer. With fast growing traffic announced, they are set to be at capacity.

NewsAero.info has compiled runway specifications from all international and commercial airports which are operational around the continent.

Data is for April 2017 and sources either from national civil aviation authority database or airport operator information.

The results have crowned Harare International Airport in Zimbabwe as the biggest Africa International airport by longest runway. With a length of 4725 meters, it’s even among the longest in the world.

Here are the top 20 biggest airports in Africa.

1.  Harare International Airport  (  Harare ,  Zimbabwe) : 4725 m
2. N'djili  International Airport ( Kinshasa , Congo ) :  4700 m
3. Hosea Kutako International Airport ( Windhoek , Namibia)  : 4,532 m
4.  O. R. Tambo International Airport (  Johannesburg , South Africa)  4,418 m
5.   Jomo Kenyatta International Airport ( Nairobi ,  Kenya ) : 4117m
6.  Cairo International Airport (Cairo, Egypt) : 4000 m
7. Seretse Khama International Airport ( Gaborone , Botswana) : 4000 m
8. Taba International Airport (Taba, Egypt) : 4000 m
9.  Victoria Falls International  Airport (Victoria, Zimbabwe) :   4000m
10.   Hurghada International Airport (Hurghana, Egypt) : 4000 m
11. Murtala-Muhammed  international Airport (Lagos, Nigeria) : 3900 m
12. Bole  International Airport (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) : 3800 m
13. Mohammed V International Airport (Casablanca, Maroc) : 3720 m
14. Quatro de Fevereiro  International Airport (Luanda, Angola) : 3716 m
15.  King Shaka International Airport ( Durban , South Africa) : 3700m
16. Maputo  international  Airport (Maputo, Mozambique) : 3660 m
17. Entebbe International Airport (Entebbe, Uganda) : 3658 m
18. Kilimanjaro international Airport (Kilimanjaro , Tanzania) : 3607m
19. Nouakchott-Oumtounsy International Airport (Nouakchott, Mauritania) : 3600 m
20. Bujumbura International Airport ( Bujumbura , Burundi) : 3600 m

RANK PER REGION : TOP 5

              Central Africa 

1. N'djili  International Airport ( Kinshasa , RDC) :  4700 m
2. Yaoundé international Airport ( Yaoundé , Cameroun ): 3400 m
3. Maya Maya International Airport ( Brazzaville , Congo ) : 3300 m
4. Lubumbashi International Airport (Lubumbashi, RDC) : 3207 m
5. Léon MBA International Airport (Libreville,  Gabon) : 3000m 

             East Africa

1. Jomo Kenyatta International Airport ( Nairobi ,  Kenya ) : 4117m
2. Bole International Airport (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) : 3800 m
3. Entebbe International Airport (Entebbe, Uganda) : 3658 m
4. Kilimanjaro international Airport (Kilimanjaro , Tanzania) : 3607m
5. Bujumbura International Airport ( Bujumbura , Burundi) : 3600 m 

           North Africa

1

1. Cairo International Airport (Cairo, Egypt) : 4000 m
2. Taba International Airport (Taba, Egypt) : 4000 m
3. Hurghada International Airport (Hurghana, Egypt) : 4000 m
4. Mohammed V International Airport (Casablanca, Maroc) : 3720 m
5. Tamanrasset International Airport (Tamanrasset, Algeria) : 3600 m

          South Africa

1. Harare International Airport  (  Harare ,  Zimbabwe) : 4725 m
2. Hosea Kutako International Airport ( Windhoek , Namibia)  : 4,532 m
3. O. R. Tambo International Airport (  Johannesburg , South Africa)  4,418 m
4. Seretse Khama International Airport ( Gaborone , Botswana) : 4000 m
5. Victoria Falls International  Airport (Victoria, Zimbabwe) :   4000m

          West Africa

1. Murtala-Muhammed  international Airport (Lagos, Nigeria) : 3900 m
2. Nouakchott-Oumtounsy International Airport (Nouakchott, Mauritania) : 3600 m
3. Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (Abuja , Nigeria ) :  3600 m
4. Banjul International Airport  ( Banjul , Gambia) : 3600 m
5. Leopold Sedar Senghor  International Airport (Dakar, Senegal)  3490 m 

With a length of 4206 meters, Bugesera International Airport, in construction in the south east of Rwanda will soon join the Top 5 in Africa.

Blaise Diagne international airport in Senegal is planned to be operational by the end of 2017. 3500 meters being its runway length, it will be among the longest runway in the West Africa.

ALGERIA and GABON : bilateral air agreement signed

Algerian national carriers can now fly to Gabon following the signing of an Air Services Agreement (ASA) between Algeria and Gabon on April 20.

The ASA was signed between Algerian Director of civil aviation and meteorology at Ministry of public works and, M SMAIN YOUCEF AZIZI and, Gabonese Director of National Civil Aviation Agency M. DOMINIQUE OYINAMONO in Libreville.

 The agreement grants air traffic rights between the national carriers of both countries in conformity with regulation. The decision to operate on the new route to Libreville will depend on Algerian airlines based on their feasibility studies and commercial viability.

Despite there is no national carrier in Gabon , this agreement may further enhance international air connectivity, bringing both trade and tourism benefits.

CAMEROON/Yaoundé, to host a workshop on Airdrome certification

A regional seminar from Monday 24^th to 28^th April on airdrome certification is being hosted in Yaoundé by Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority.

In partnership with Federal aviation administration experts, over 50 representatives from across the Africa aviation community are debating on ongoing certification process. The participants share experiences and discuss the challenges faced by their respective organizations.

During the opening session, CCAA Director General PAULE ASSOUMOU KOKI stressed that technical personnel who are competent to handle the challenges must be trained to achieve the certification process. “In the process of airdrome certification, it is well known that availability of expensive works and equipment, cannot solve the issue alone. It is important to train human resources” she said.

Airdrome certification is among the safety targets set by Ministerial Conference of aviation in Africa held in Abuja, Nigeria in July 2012 in other to enhance safety standards in Africa. Togo with Lome International Airport is the only airport certified (2014)  among Western  and Central  African countries.