ANGOLA: Iberia Runs Away From Angola

Information sent to corporate clients by Angola's TRAVELSTORE - American Express Global Business Travel, indicates that Iberia, member of the IAG Group and of the OneWorld alliance, will pull out of destination Luanda effective 01st of June, i.e. in less than a month from now.

It could not be confirmed if the current massive Yellow Fever outbreak in the country has much do to with this sudden decision or if the general downturn of the Angolan economy, which largely depends on oil exports, is responsible for this development.

Other airlines have also confirmed that business has taken a turn to the worse. Brussels Airlines, one of the more recent market entrants in Angola, continues to serve the destination from Brussels.

In a related development was it also confirmed that Brussels Airlines has suffered a 19 percent passenger loss following the bombing at Zaventem and the subsequent closure of the airport.

While flight operations were shifted to Liege, Antwerp, Frankfurt and Zurich did these changes have an impact on demand for air travel with Brussels Airlines, though the patterns has since been reversed and numbers are coming near to last year's figures once more.

In East Africa does Brussels Airlines serve Kigali and Entebbe five times a week and Bujumbura once a week.