LH aggressively promotes Africa

[Air Key West]

Not only LH aggressively promotes Africa. Emirates expects to turn Dakar into a robust market with 5 flights a week.
http://gulfnews.com/business/aviation/e ... t-1.660919

[RoMax]

LH is promoting it's Africa network more and more. The LH group launched a website (http://www.partirenafrique.com), on wich you can find all information about the AFI network operated by Austrian, Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa and Swiss. The website is in French, because it's mostly mentionned for passengers departing in France (they mention all destinations served in France by each airline wich has connections with the AFI network).

[tolipanebas]

Nice to see LH is already counting SN as one of its babies, despite them holding only 45% of the shares at present. Probably indicative of the speed at which they are going to integrate them as a MAJOR brand indeed, not a regional one like Air Dolomiti.

They should have left OS out though: they look ridiculous when it comes to Africa and distract from the stronger players within the group.

[sn26567]

They should have left OS out though: they look ridiculous when it comes to Africa and distract from the stronger players within the group.

Strangely enough, bmi is also left out, although it is stronger than Austrian in Africa.

[tolipanebas]

Indeed, BD is nothing to write home about in AFI either, but at least they serve Sub-Saharan destinations, whereas OS only serves 2 (!) Mahreb destinations. Many will argue this is not really Africa even....

[Darjeeling]

Great, but a website (btw not that useful) is a website.

Let's hope LH quickly invests in new hardware tools for SN. SN needs more investments yet.

[RoMax]

Let's hope LH quickly invests in new hardware tools for SN. SN needs more investments yet.

Bigger investments in SN will come when they own SN for 100%. You can't expect from LH that they invest very much in SN while they only own 45%.
But when you look at the way LH is talking about SN, it can't take so long before they take over the remaining 55%. In every press release where LH is talking about the LH group they mention LH, LX, OS, BD and SN. When they are talking about the AFI network of the LH group, they are talking about LH, LX and SN. While SN is not owned 100% by LH.

That shows how valuable SN's presence and big name in Africa is for LH. LH is bussy with integrating SN completely in the group, and I expect LH to take over SN completely in April 2011. I don't see a reason for LH why they wouldn't do it. SN will be much more valuable for LH when they own them for 100%.

[tolipanebas]

I expect LH to take over SN completely in April 2011. I don't see a reason for LH why they wouldn't do it. SN will be much more valuable for LH when they own them for 100%.

Much depends on how quickly the bilaterals can be modified to allow foreign ownership of the designated Belgian carrier though... It's the only reason why SN is currently only owed for 45% by them really; it's a technicality; mentally they have already taken SN over completely as regularly demonstrated...

[tolipanebas]

The corporate website of LH keeps adding high profile pages about the group's expanding network in Africa:

http://afrika.lufthansa.com/en/route-network.html

seems like Africa is really becoming an obsession for Lufthansa: definitely very good news for SN.

[airtrotter]

any chance LH will make CPT year-round? or SA operating it from FRA?
because LHR has CPT service year-round on SA as well as BA...

[sn26567]

The Air France counterattack

As expected, Air Fance will not sit idle and watch LH's expansion in Africa without doing anything.

Air France is preparing a counterattack called "plan Léopard" (a code used by the French army for operation Kolwezi in 1978), according to information published in financial newspaper Les Echos.

Air France would increase frequencies to several destinations such as Malabo, Libreville, Luanda and launch 2 new routes to Bata in Equatorial Guinea and to Port-Gentil in Gabon.

The airline will also deploy its "Premium Voyageurs" economy class on flights to Africa.

Air France has a dominant position on the African continent with 34 direct flights and wishes to keep it: its routes to Sub Saharan Africa are among the most profitable of its network.

[LJ]

and launch 2 new routes to Bata in Equatorial Guinea and to Port-Gentil in Gabon.

Bata is old news as if it wasn't for the Equatorial government the route have started by now. However it looks as if the dedicated A319 fleet will be busy in Africa (I reckon Port Gentil will also be on a dedicated A319 service).

In addition to the news mentioned above, a return by AF(or KL) to Monrovia is still rumoured to be the next attack on SN/LH.

[sn26567]

A new destination in Africa for the LH Group: bmi launches new service to Tripoli from Dec 2010

Starting 01DEC10, bmi is launching Daily London Heathrow – Tripoli service. Flight to the Libyan capital operates with Airbus A319 aircraft.

The airline is now accepting reservation starting today (23SEP10). Schedule below:

Code: Select all

BD469 LHR0855 – 1430TIP 319 D
BD470 TIP1515 – 1645LHR 319 D

Source: airlineroute.net

[sn26567]

Another Star Alliance company launches flights to Africa in winter 2010 season: Spanair. From 18DEC10, it is launching 1 weekly Barcelona – Bamako with Airbus A321 aircraft, operating on Saturdays (Bamako on Sundays). From 14FEB11, it is offering 3 weekly Barcelona – Tripoli service with Airbus A320 aircraft.

Schedules below:

Code: Select all

Barcelona – Bamako
JK260 BCN2010 – 0005+1BKO 321 6
JK261 BKO0100 – 0645  BCN 321 7

Barcelona – Tripoli
JK214 BCN1140 – 1500TIP 320 135
JK215 TIP1555 – 1720BCN 320 135

Source: airlineroute.net

[BrightCedars]

I hope these airlines won't have bad surprises because it seems (experience in the family) that it's very difficult to obtain a visa for Lybia, even for genuine business purpose.

[LJ]

I hope these airlines won't have bad surprises because it seems (experience in the family) that it's very difficult to obtain a visa for Lybia, even for genuine business purpose.

Though no personal experience I wonder how difficult getting a visa is if touroperators offer packaged holidays to Libya...

In other news, Delta Airlines will start 3 weekly Atlanta-Luanda via Dakar. Seems to me that Skyteam doesn't want Star to get too much of the Western African market.

[RoMax]

In other news, Delta Airlines will start 3 weekly Atlanta-Luanda via Dakar. Seems to me that Skyteam doesn't want Star to get too much of the Western African market.

If I was Delta, I would do the same. The market is big enough for non-stop flights US-AFI. And Star is getting more and more of the African market. They already have Egyptair, SAA and soon they will have Ethiopian. Ethiopian (with a very important and big African network) also has ASKY with a base in Lomé. And Korongo is comming up also. So Star will have coverage in North-Africa (Egyptair), South- Africa (SAA), Eastern-Africa (Ethiopian), West-Africa (ASKY) and Central-Africa (Korongo) and they have a specialist in Europe-Africa (SN).

BTW, what will be the effect on Air France/KLM of Delta starting more and more non-stop flights to AFI? Pax wich flew trough CDG or AMS previously can fly non-stop now. Has this a big effect on AF/KLM or is that very limitted?

[sn-remember]

Yes LH aggressively promotes Africa !
It's 10 yrs now SN stopped aggressively promoting Africa ..
They kind of lost the habit ..
Right .. they have experience ... they say ... so let's believe them ... once again *sigh*

Some remarks ..
To start with ..
1. I don't see the point for LH having waited sooooo long for a complete take over of SN
In this bitter competition context, waiting means lots of time lost and opportunities lost ... since it's a well sad fact that SN on their own are NOT developing in any ways (as LX or OS could do for instance)
Anyways lets positively look forward to 2011 since january is the date for complete take over as I understand ? (can pls someone confirm ?)
2. AS long as SN does not acquire new metal it's useless to discuss any development of any sort concerning them ...
3. Since the demise of Sabena, they hardly aquired any a/c ... wether for fleet replacement or expansion ..
10 yrs is a lot of time in the aviation business ...

OK trying to be positive ...
4. LH is developing AFI wether from FRA or any other of their hubs .. Maybe they will invest power in SN from next yr ??? Let's cross our fingers ..
5. AFI development from BRU needs feeding ...
SN already developped some promising cooperation with chinese operator (Hainan) and ..? quid with NAmerica ?
THis l/h feeding is further required as a precondition to any substantial expansion.
ANA, Asiana + Hainan (other Chinese operator ?) + UA/CO/US most welcome of course ...
6. They need to invest heavily in fleet expansion ...
AFI needs considerable expansion plus restarting NATL ... as they should always have kept this market alive

Conclusion
SN probably still has the potential to become a major player again ...
After 10 yrs in the fridge, the company must aggressively find the ways to regain a recognised position in AFI and NATL ...
It means considerable investments and lots of support ..
But I m sure they can do it (

Yes they can

..

[sdbelgium]

since january is the date for complete take over as I understand ? (can pls someone confirm ?

I thought April...

[RoMax]

1. I don't see the point for LH having waited sooooo long for a complete take over of SN
In this bitter competition context, waiting means lots of time lost and opportunities lost ... since it's a well sad fact that SN on their own are NOT developing in any ways (as LX or OS could do for instance)
Anyways lets positively look forward to 2011 since january is the date for complete take over as I understand ? (can pls someone confirm ?)

I don't think it's so easy to take over an airline for 100% in once. LH/SN need to have enough time to ensure the traffic rights and I'm sure there are also other things wich make it difficult to take over an airline very fast and in one piece. With taking over a part of the shares they have already some "power" in the SN, and between the partly take over and the full take over LH has enough time to ensure the traffic rights while no one else can "run away" with SN.
Normally, LH has the right to take over the remaining 55% of SN in April 2011.