Coronavirus outbreak: South Africa to close borders to all citizens from high-risk countries!

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared the Coronavirus outbreak a national disaster and announced a raft of unprecedented interventions to curb the spread of COVID-19 in South Africa. These include the closing of 35 ports of entry and imposing a travel ban on foreign nationals from countries hardest hit by the Coronavirus pandemic. The travel ban will be imposed from 18 March 2020 on foreign citizens who come from Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Germany, United States, Germany, United Kingdom and China. Additionally, any foreign national who has visited any of the high risk countries in the past 20 days will be denied a visa. South African citizens returning from these countries will be subjected to testing and self-isolation or quarantine on return. Travellers from medium risk countries such as Portugal, Hong Kong and Singapore will be required to undergo high intensity screening. All travellers who have entered South Africa from high risk countries since mid-February will be required to hand themselves over for testing. We'll keep you updated!

Italy: Air Italy to launch seasonal services to Mombasa and Zanzibar!

The second largest airline in Italy, privately owned Air Italy, is set to introduce seasonal services to Moi International Airport (MBA) in Mombasa in Kenya and Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ) on Zanzibar in Tanzania. Starting from the end of October 2019, the airline will operate direct return flights from Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) in Milan to Mombasa and Zanzibar on board an Airbus A330, equipped with 24 comfortable, fully reclining seats in Business and 228 in Economy. The first flight to Mombasa will take place on 27 October 2019, followed by the flight to Zanzibar on 29 October 2019. 

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Kenya Airways & Alitalia have signed a codeshare agreement!

The flag carrier of Italy, Alitalia, and Kenya's national airline, Kenya Airways, have signed a broad codeshare agreement. Under the agreement, Alitalia will apply its "AZ" flight code on many services operated by Kenya Airways beyond Nairobi to Mombasa and Kisumu in Kenya, as well as to a further 19 African destinations, such as: Abidjan (Ivory Coast); Accra (Ghana); Addis Ababa (Ethiopia); Antananarivo (Madagascar); Brazzaville (Congo); Dar Es Salaam, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar (Tanzania); Douala (Cameroon); Johannesburg (South Africa); Kigali (Rwanda); Khartoum (Sudan); Kinshasa and Lubumbashi (Democratic Republic of Congo); Lagos (Nigeria); Maputo and Nampula (Mozambique); Moroni-Hahaya (Comoros); Seychelles. Alitalia is also widening its network in Africa, where the Italian airline now operates direct services to Johannesburg, Casablanca, Algier, Tunis and Cairo, by placing its "AZ" flight code on Kenya Airways' new service between Rome and Nairobi.
In return, Kenya Airways will expand its offer to Italy and Europe by placing its "KQ" flight code on Alitalia's services from Rome to 16 Italian domestic destinations (Brindisi, Bologna, Bari, Catania, Florence, Genoa, Lamezia Terme, Milan Malpensa, Naples, Palermo, Pisa, Reggio Calabria, Turin, Trieste, Venice and Verona) and to 9 international destinations (Athens, Barcelona, Casablanca, Geneva, Larnaca, Madrid, Malaga, Malta and Valencia).
The new codeshare flights are available for from 14 March 2019, for travels from 12 June 2019 when Kenya Airways will inaugurate its four-weekly service between Nairobi and Rome.

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Kenya Airways to launch flights to Rome and Geneva!

update (23 July 2019): Kenya Airways will adjust the schedule of its new Nairobi - Geneva - Rome- Nairobi service. Effective 27 October 2019, the airline will will operate 4 weekly flights instead of 2 weekly and 2 weekly in opposite direction.

Kenya's flag carrier, Kenya Airways, is set to lauch flights from Jomo Kenyata International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi to Rome–Fiumicino International Airport "Leonardo da Vinci" (FCO) in Rome and Geneva Airport (GVA) in Geneva on 12 June 2019. The airline will operate four weekly flights on board a Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 between the three destinations. Kenya Airways previously operated flights to Rome until June 2012. With the resumption of this route and the addition of Geneva, this will bring the airline's European destinations to five and 55 worldwide.

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Alitalia to increase flights between Rome <> Johannesburg!

The flag carrier of Italy, Alitalia, is set to increase the number of flights between Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (FCO) in Rome and OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg during the Northern summer season 2019. Effective 01 April 2019, the airline will operate five weekly flights instead of the current four weekly flights. The new flight will be operated on Mondays (FCO > JNB) and on Tuesdays (JNB > FCO). Alitalia resumed flights between Rome and Johannesburg after a 17-year hiatus in April 2018.

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Alitalia cancels planned resumption of flights between Rome <> Nairobi!

The flag carrier of Italy, Alitalia, has canceled the planned resumption of scheduled flights between Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (FCO) in Rome and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi. The new service, which was planned to be introduced from 28 March 2018, is no longer available for reservations.

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Alitalia to resume flights to Johannesburg (and Nairobi)!

The flag carrier of Italy, Alitalia, is set to resume operations between Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (FCO) in Rome and OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg after a 17-year hiatus on 08 April 2018. The airline plans operate 4 weekly flights per week to South Africa.

• Rome 22:10 > 08:20+1 Johannesburg
• Johannesburg 21:00 > 07:25+1 Rome

Alitalia also plans to resume flights between Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (FCO) in Rome and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi on 28 March 2018. Subject to government approval, the airline will operate four weekly flights to Kenya. Alitalia last served Nairobi in 2000.

• Rome 14:00 > 22:10 Nairobi
• Nairobi 00:35 > 07:10 Rome

Alitalia cancels planned resumption of flights between Rome <> Nairobi! >>

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Ethiopian Airlines to launch flights to Madrid (Spain)

Great news for all Spaniards planning to travel in Africa. Ethiopia's flag carrier, Ethiopian Airlines, launches three weekly services between Addis Ababa and Madrid, Spain, via Rome in Italy on 02 September 2014. Spain's capital will bring the number of the airline's international destinations across five continents to 83. Passengers to and from Madrid will enjoy convenient connections to Ethiopian Airlines' destinations in Africa such as Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salaam (all Tanzania), Nairobi (Kenya), Entebbe (Uganda), Lusaka (Zambia), Luanda (Angola) and Johannesburg (South Africa).
Ethiopian Airlines is a global Pan-African carrier currently serving 82 international destinations across 5 continents with over 200 daily flights.

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Alitalia postpones possible return to South Africa

Italy's flag carrier, Alitalia, announced earlier this year that it might return to South Africa (OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg) from September 2013. In the meantime, the airline got a new CEO, who revised the guidelines for the news industrial plan 2013-2016 of the carrier. According to the plan, the Alitalia is no longer planning to come back to Johannesburg from September, but from some time between Winter 2014 and Winter 2016.

The new intercontinental destinations which may be introduced between Winter 2014 and Winter 2016 are Nairobi, Seoul, Santiago de Chile, San Francisco and Johannesburg from Rome. Shanghai, Abu Dhabi and Osaka from Milan Malpensa; Tokyo from Venice. (Alitalia press release 03 July 2013)

Alitalia is Italy's biggest airline, and the world's 19th. The SkyTeam member's main hub is Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport in Rome.

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Alitalia might return to South Africa from September 2013

Good news for Italian travellers planning to visit Southern Africa. As part of the reorganisation of its long haul route network, Italy's flag carrier, Alitalia, is currently considering to resume flights between Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport in Rome and South Africa (OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg?) from September 2013. According to Alitalia, South Africa has become a "highly requested intercontinental destination" and the carrier is therefore "evaluating the possibility of increasing its intercontinental network" to South Africa. The airline last served South Africa, and Johannesburg in particluar, in the early 2000s.
Alitalia is Italy's biggest airline, and the world's 19th. The SkyTeam member's main hub is Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport in Rome.

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Ethiopian Airlines revises Addis Ababa <> Milan (via Rome) service

Ethiopian Airlines, one of the fastest-growing carriers in the industry and flag carrier of Ethiopia, has revised its service between its main hub at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa and Milano Malpensa Airport in Milan (Italy) via Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport in Rome (Italy) on 10 Sept 2012. The airline is operating daily flights between Addis Ababa - Rome - Milan. Ethiopian Airlines previously operated this routing until 31 May 2012.

• Addis Ababa (ADD) 00:30 - 0550 Rome (FCO) 06:50 - 08:05 Milan (MXP)
• Milan (MXP) 21:45 - 23:05 Rome (FCO) 00:05+1 - 07:00+1 Addis Ababa (ADD)

Ethiopian Airlines is currently operating international flights to more than 60 destinations in Africa, Europa, the Americas and Asia. The airline is a Star Alliance member since December 2011.

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Kenya Airways cancels Nairobi <> Rome with immediate effect

Kenya's flag carrier Kenya Airways has canceled its three-weekly service between Nairobi and Rome in Italy at least for the summer season (ending 27 Oct 2012) with immediate effect.
The airline temporarily stopped operating flights between Nairobi <> Rome already in March 2012 citing low passenger demand, but resumed the service a few days later using a Boeing 737-700 instead of the (capacity-wise) larger Boeing 767-300.
If you are booked on a flight between the two destinations operated by Kenya Airways, contact the airline regarding your ticket and rerouting details.

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Milan to join Ethiopian Network in Europe

Good news for all Italians. Ethiopian Airlines, flag carrier of the East African country of Ethiopia, is adding Milan to their European destinations. The new flights to Milan will start as of July 2011 with five weekly services on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Milan is Ethiopian’s second destination in Italy and seventh in Europe. Italy has been part of Ethiopian network since 1964 when the airline began services from Addis Ababa to Rome. Currently, Ethiopian operates 42 weekly flights to Europe with daily flights to Rome, and Stockholm, six weekly flights to Paris, Brussels and London as well as five weekly services to Frankfurt.