Autumn Quinoa Salad with Maple Vinaigrette



It's Tuesday night, Girls' Night and I'm hosting at the cottage. I need something easy to make and also vegan and gluten-free. If it was summer, it'd be no problem to meet my guests' dietary restrictions...I could throw together a simple salad, but being as it's late fall I need to make something hearty, heavy and substantial...or do I? Why not make an autumn salad? Maybe something with pears and candied pecans? Sprinkled with a few plump golden raisins? We can save our calories for dessert. ;)

Autumn Quinoa Salad with Maple Vinaigrette
(adapted from a recipe by the Gluten-free Goddess)

Ingredients for Salad

1 cup organic quinoa

2 handfuls baby spinach leaves- washed, drained

1 large ripe Bosc pear- washed, stemmed, cored & cut into pieces

1/2 cup chilled chickpeas, rinsed & drained

2 T chopped fresh parsley

sea salt & pepper, to taste

1 handful golden raisins

1 handful candied pecans


Ingredients for Maple Vinaigrette

4 T extra virgin olive oil

3 T white balsamic vinegar

2 T pure maple syrup


Instructions

- Place the quinoa in a saucepan. Add 2 cups fresh water or vegetable broth. Cover and cook on a low simmer until all the water is evaporated and the quinoa is tender- roughly 15-20 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

- Move quinoa into a salad bowl.

- Whisk together the vinaigrette, pour it over the quinoa salad and toss gently to coat. Cover and chill.

- Add the baby spinach, pear, chickpeas, chopped parsley, raisins and candied pecans to the quinoa and fluff/mix.

-Serve.

Mark Your Calendars, X-mas is Coming Early! : SactoMoFo 3

Saturday, December 3, 11 am - 6 pm rain or shine at the W Street Farmers' Market location (8th & W Streets, under the freeway).

No tickets, no fees, just lots of delicious food!

*** This is also a winter food drive for the Sacramento Food Bank and the U.S. Marines Reserve's Toys for Tots, so please bring canned or packaged dry goods and new unwrapped toys to donate.
Santa will also be available for photos with both little and big kids for a small donation to a local children's Christmas charity. ***

http://www.sactomofo.com/



Lemak Nenas With Sepat Fish

This is a peranakan dish usually cooked during celebrations like Chinese New Year or family gatherings. It is liked by many people because of it's sweet,sour and salty taste.

Ingredients:










1 small ripe pineapple
2 Sepat fish (salted)
5 red chillies
5 small onions
3 buah keras (candle nut)
1 small piece belacan (shrimp paste)
1 tbsp kunyit powder (tumeric)
2 serai (lemon grass)
1 kunyit leaf
1 cup santan (coconut cream)
1/2 cup water
1 tsp salt

Method:
1. Cut pinapple into square pieces.

2. Clean and cut Sepat fish into halves.

3. Pound chillies, onions, buah keras, belacan and kunyit together.
4. Pound the serai slightly.
5. Heat up 3 tbsp oil and fry the pounded ingredients with serai and daun kunyit until fragrant
6. Add in the cut pinapples,Sepat fish water and santan. Add some salt to taste.
7. Simmer for about 20 minutes.

Steamed Chicken With Salted Fish

This is a very simple dish to cook when you do not have a lot of time. It is appetizing and yet delicious.

Ingredients:

1 piece chicken thigh
2 pieces salted fish

Method:
1. Wash and chop a piece of chicken thigh into small pieces.

2. Wash and cut salted fish into small pieces.

3. Arrange the chicken pieces and salted fish in a deep plate.
4. Steam the chicken for about 20 minutes.
5. Serve hot with rice.

Devils on Horseback (aka "Stuffed Dates")



If you're anything like me, you were probably still reveling in your post-Thanksgiving food coma on Friday. People were coming up to me, rubbing my temporary buddha belly and cheerfully asking, "Boy or girl?" My response, "Turkey, with a heapin' side of stuffing." Yep, I ate A LOT. I like stuffing. Nix that, I love stuffing. Anyhow, I'm chalking this year's Turkey Day in the "win" category since I didn't shiv anyone for driving me crazy (although I got mighty close). I also am counting this appetizer in the win category since everyone seemed to love it. What?!?! You've never had devils on horseback before??? Get to the store right now, get the ingredients and make this recipe ASAP, you can thank me later. They are delish and so simple to put together, a monkey could make them. Seriously...a monkey could make them!

Devils on Horseback

Ingredients

12 Medjool dates

12 roasted almonds

goat cheese

6 slices of bacon, cut in half


Instructions

1. Preheat oven 400 degrees

2.  Cut lengthwise slit in date and remove pit.

3. Fill with goat cheese and 1 roasted almond. Pinch closed.

4. Wrap each stuffed date with a half piece of bacon.

5. Place a wire rack on a cookie sheet. Set each bacon wrapped stuffed date on the wire rack.

6. Place dates in oven, bake 20-30 minutes at 400 degrees, turning dates over halfway through. Remove when bacon looks crisp and cooked.

7. Serve warm. (Share with the monkey, if he helped you cook.)

Masale Bhat

A staple of any Maharashtrian wedding menu, this special rice preparation is a spicy, vegetarian and Maharashtrian version of the North Indian  Pulav. The spice that really makes this dish “masaledaar” (spicy) is the Maharashtrian Goda/Kala Masala. Adding a vareity of veggies like peas, gherkins (thondli/tinda), cabbage, cauliflower, onion and eggplant (single or combination) to this quick and easy one pot concoction not only enhances the flavor but also adds to the overall color and texture of the dish.



Ingredients :
  • 1 cup Basmati rice
  • 2-3 Tbsp oil
  • ½  tsp mustard seeds (rai/mohri)
  • ½  tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
  • ½  tsp red chilli powder
  • 1-2 pinches asofoetida (hing)
  • ½ cup fresh peas
  • 2-3 tsp Cashew Nuts pieces
  • 2 ½  cups water
  • salt, to taste
  • 1½ tsp Maharashtrian Goda/Kala Masala (if can’t find it, you can use the regular Garam Masala)
  • Grated Fresh coconut (optional for garnishing )
  • Finely chopped Fresh coriander(  for garnishing )
  • Ghee (clarified butter optional)

Method :

Rinse the basmati rice in water and set aside.
Heat oil in a large pot and add mustard and cumin seeds.When they cackle add turmeric powder and pinch of aesofoetida.Then add the peas and sauté for a min. Add the rice and cashew nuts and sauté for another min or so.Season with salt, goda/kala masala and red chilli powder. Add water, mix well and cook covered for 15-20 mins on medium-low heat, stirring once in a while, till the rice soaks up all the water and is well cooked.Garnish with chopped coriander and grated coconut. Serve hot with a teaspoon of melted ghee

Sooji Pakoda / Rawya chi Bhaji

Pakoda / Pakora is a fried snack (fritter) found across South Asia.




Ingredients :

  • 2 Cups Sooji Rava (Semolina)
  • 3 Cups Yogurt/curd ( or As per requirement)(Curd should be thick,with out water)
  • 3-4 finely chopped Green Chilly
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped Coriander leaves
  • 1 finely chopped Ginger
  • Salt as per taste
  • Oil for deep frying

Method :
Mix all the above ingredient's(except oil)properly in mixing bowl and prepare pakoda dough(add yogurt if required, but do not add water). ( Dough as shown in picture below). Let the dough rest for 15 min.



Heat the oil and take small small portion of the dough and dip in to the oil, and deep fry them till it turns in to golden brown.And the crispy Sooji Pakda are ready to serve.


Puri / Poori

Puri is an unleavened Indian bread, commonly consumed in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and other countries of South Asia.Puri is most commonly served at breakfast. It is also served at special or ceremonial functions as part of ceremonial rituals along with other vegetarian food offered in prayer as prasadam.




Ingredients :
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup water (lukewarm)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • Oil to deep fry

Method :

Mix whole-wheat flour and salt . Add water as needed and  make tight dough.Dough for puri should be firm but smooth.Set the dough aside and cover with a damp cloth. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes or longer.
Then divide dough into small ball,roll it and deep fry in oil and serve hot

Stewed Three Layered Pork (Lor Bak)





Ingredients:



500 g three layered pork
1 piece cinnamon stick
2 pieces star anise
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp dark sauce
1 tbsp light sauce
1 tbsp sugar
2 cups water
1 tsp cornflour

Method:

1. Slice the pork into thin slices. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok. Stir fry the garlic, cinnamon stick and star anise until fragrant for about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the three layered pork.

2. Add in the dark and light soy sauce. Add in sugar and  mix well.

3. Add in water and cook for 3 minutes over high heat.

4. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 2 hours.

5. Thicken the gravy with cornflour. Once thicken, take out the pork and serve on a plate.

Pork Ribs With Black Vinegar


Ingredients:


500 g pork ribs
100 g  ginger
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp black vinegar
1 tbsp dark sauce
1 tbsp light sauce
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 cups water

Method:
1. Slice ginger and garlic thinly. Chop the pork ribs into thin slices. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok. Stir fry the garlic and ginger until fragrant for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the pork ribs. 

2. Add in the dark and light soy sauce, black vinegar, salt and sugar. Mix well.

3. Add in water and cook for 3 minutes over high heat.

4. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about two hours or until the pork ribs are tender.

5.Serve with rice.

Event: Paula Deen, Feb 3rd


I think I may have to pass on this one, but for those who are fans it looks like the Queen of Butter, Paula Deen will be visiting the City of Trees, Feb. 3 at the Sacramento Community Center Theater. Tickets go on sale Dec 2nd and are priced $44.75 to $100.

Read more at: Sac Bee Appetizers - Paula Deen

Tsuda's in Auburn

103 Sacramento Street, Auburn, CA 95603.
(530) 823-2233. 
www.tsudas.com


Recently, Mr. S. and I snuck away to Auburn to do some small town exploring and while we were there a tiny wooden sign caught our eye..."Award Winning Coffee," it touted. Being big fans of Temple Coffee in Midtown, we just had to check out this ballsy little coffee shop and it's so called award winning coffee. Well, Tsuda's did turn out to have award winning coffee---we loved it...it also turned out that they serve Temple coffee. Ha! How's that for a kick in the pants?


I wish we lived closer to Tsuda's. The charming little coffee shop exudes a laid back vibe and the counter help is super friendly (the kids running the front kind of remind me of the guys from Clerks). They also make the tastiest (and biggest) coconut macaroons I've ever come across, which we enjoyed as we lounged in the comfy chairs and people watched out the picture window. It was nice and quiet in there...plenty of room to relax and nary a laptop or hipster in sight! Definitely, a little oasis in all the hustle and bustle.



Bread Pudding / Bread pudding made in Cooker



Ingredients : 
  • 14-15 slices of Bread ( take only White part ) 
  • 2 Cups Milk
  • 1/2 Cup Sugar
  • 1-2 Drops of Vanilla Essence
 For the Caramel
  • 1/2 Cup Sugar
  • 2 TbspWater

Method :
Tear the bread roughly into small pieces and soak it in the milk mixed with sugar and vanilla essence properly. Make sure the bread is smashed nicely in milk. Keep aside.
Then in a pan add in water and sugar for the caramel mix. Keep stirring on low-med flame. Once the sugar is thick leave as it on flame till you get brown color mixture. Just stir the pan once in a wile if you need.Once you get the brown color melted sugar, pour evenly in a pressure cooker pan and the on top of that put the bread mixture around and sprad with spoon evenly.
Cover the pan with aluminium foil and make holes randomly to keep the steam going through it. Pour sufficient water in pressure cooker and then put in the pressure cooker pan and steam cook for about 20-25 mins on low flame.

Let the pudding cool down completely and then in a plate topple over the mixture and chill it in fridge. Serve chilled.

Kharavas

Kharvas' is the marathi name of a sweet steamed pudding made out of milk given by a cow or buffalo within a day after she has calved.




Ingredients :
  • 1 Liter bovine colostrum milk ( Cheek )
  • 1 or 1/2 liter Milk if required ( Please refer Method )
  • 1-2 cup (more or less as pertaste / sweetness) grated jaggery or Powdered sugar
  • 1 Tsp Cardamom Powder
  • A few strands of saffron (optional )

Method :

P.N : If  Cheek is 1 day old then add 1 Liter Milk to Cheek, if Cheek is 2 days old then add 1/2 Liter Milk to it, and if Cheek is 3 or more days old then no need to add Milk.Dissolve the jaggery in the milk.  Add the cardamom powder and saffron to the milk.Pour the milk in a container that will fit in a pressure cooker or other large pan, with enough water in the outer pan for steaming. Cover with a lid and steam for 15-20 minutes .Or even you can Cook in pressure cooker with 3 whistles. Let cool completely , Then cut into pieces and chill it in the fridge for a few hours before serving.

How Sweet It Is: Satsuma Season


When it comes to November most folks look forward to turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie but me...I look forward to one of my favorite fruits making it's yearly reentrance--the satsuma or as it's known in Japanese, the mikan. I love how it's relatively seedless, peels readily and is oh so sweet! I can usually eat two or three in a sitting. This Saturday, Mr. S. and I decided to check out the Mountain Mandarin Festival up in Auburn where they showcase the Owari Satsuma along with other varieties of mandarins. We weren't sure what to expect but it actually turned out to be quite fun (and a lot more crowded than we thought it would be). There were many mandarin growers, vendors and cooking demos to check out along with some live music. In the food court there were numerous mandarin goodies ("Mandarin milkshake anyone?") to nosh on along with a plethora of non-mandarin choices ranging from lobster rolls, gyros, catfish, beignets, clam chowder, to even Hawaiian lunch plates. We decided to grab some grilled chicken and rice from Sonoma Teriyaki because the aroma was positively mouthwatering and it turned out to be absolutely delicious! The best part of the festival for me though was stumbling across a tent for Lucero Olive Oil, a company from Corning, whose products I've been curious about for awhile. Lucky me was able to taste several of their oils and vinegars...all of which were lovely. I ended up buying a large bottle of their Mandarin Balsamic Vinegar (made especially for the festival) and a small bottle of their Chocolate Olive Oil (which they sell on their website). Can't wait to play around with them in my kitchen!

Batata Bhaji / Potato Pakoda



Ingredients :
  • 2 Medium size potatoes
  • 1 Cup Gram Flour 
  • 1 Pinch of Baking Soda
  • 1/4 Tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 1 Tsp Red Chilli Powder
  • Water as requires
  • Salt as per taste
  • 1/2 tsp Ajwain ( bishop's weed )
  • A pinch of Asafoetida
  • Oil for Deep frying

Method :
Peel Potatoes.Make round slices of potatoes and soak it into salt water for 10 to 15 mins.Meanwhile take one bowl, mix all ingredients i.e  gram flour,red chilly powder,turmeric powder & salt, ajwain. Add water little by little to this mixture to make a running consistency batter . Then add baking soda into the batter and mix well . Now h eat oil in a pan.Drain all potato slices.Deep each slice into the batter till it is completely coated. Turn flame to medium heat & deep fry them till color turns to golden.Serve it with Garlic Chutney / Tomato Sauce /Green Chutney  etc...

Coconut Burfi / Narala chi vadi




Ingredients :
  • 2 Cup Grated Fresh Coconut ( take only white part)
  • 1 Cup Sugar
  • 1 Boiled & Grated Potato
  • 2 Tsp Ghee ( Clarified Butter)
  • 2-3 Tsp Powdered Sugar
  • 1/2 Tsp cardamom powder

Method :

In a Big Pan add Grated Coconut, Sugar and Potato.Keep stirring on High Flame for 4-5 Minutes and then lower the flame. The mixture will start thickening and it will froth from all sides. Keep stirring it till it dries.Add cardamom powder and mix well.Now off the Gas and let the mixture cool for 2-3 mintues.Now add powdered sugar to the mixure and again mix well and then transfer the mixture into a ghee smeared plate.Spread evenly with a spoon.Cool and cut into square or diamond shapes using a knife.

Uniformfreak: Website with Historic and Current Flight Attendant Uniforms

Uniforum Freak probably has almost every flight attendant uniform for world's major airlines from as far as the 60s and 70s. The website is maintained by a former KLM flight attendant who eventually fell in love with airline uniforms! Some of the classics include the following on their Facebook page:
The website can be accessed here: http://www.uniformfreak.com  Many uniforms for African airlines can be viewed here, including past uniforms.

Air Algerie new Uniform

Sabena Airlines Uniform
Sri Lankan Airlines
Alitalia


Work can be republished with attribution. Email Us africadomainnames@gmail.com


Email Us at FlightAfricablog@gmail.com

MeetAtTheAirport.com: New Online Dating and Social Networking Site That Connects Air Travelers At The Airport

Just in time for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday travelers, a new international dating and social network website was launched by Miami entrepreneur, Steve Pasternack, which helps travelers make connections at the airport. It’s not about connecting flights, but more like connecting people on a social level or experience. The unique social networking site, MeetAtTheAirport.com specializes in bringing together airline travelers while waiting for their flight in an airport. It is for the traveler whose flight is delayed, has connecting flights, or those who want to meet up early over drinks or coffee. The site offers profiles and photos of fellow travelers and helps match people with similar interests who will be at the same airport at the same time. The site is free to all users.



Safety is always a concern for anyone that uses any online dating or matchmaking site. But, because of the strict security precautions that are taken by all airports today, this venue has now become one of the safest places to meet someone new.

“Meeting someone new at the airport is always exciting. About eight months ago I was sitting in an airport doing nothing for several hours because of a delayed flight. I noticed how many of the people, like myself, were heading to the airport lounge with the intention of getting a drink or to possibly strike up a conversation with someone of the opposite sex. That’s when I realized how great it would be to pick up a cell phone and log into a website that specifically showed you who was in the airport with you and who was interested in meeting someone new. Some people are looking for romance, others to network for their business. The possibilities are endless.” says founder Steven Pasternack.

This online site is a new and exciting way of connecting people with one another. It is original and unique as it is a pioneer in the next trend for online social networking.
Membership is Free.


Email Us at FlightAfricablog@gmail.com

A new wave of ‘rash decisions’ in Nigeria’s aviation industry

AT last, the row between the Ministry of Aviation and the United Kingdom over the controversy generated as a result of allegations that the later systematically chased a Nigerian airline out of the Abuja-London route is coming to an end.

The Nigerian flag carrier, Arik Air, had petitioned the Ministry of Aviation, alleging that British Airways ‘elbowed’ it out of the Abuja-London route; leading to the Ministry threatening to cut BA’s frequencies into Lagos to three from seven, followed by a schedule that could have made it impossible for the airline to continue with its operations to Nigeria.

The ministry called for dialogue with a view to normalizing what it said was an imbalance in the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA).

British Airways, which had received so many bashes over the dispute between the two governments, had told its own side of the story that BASA is a deal between two countries and it does not any way a party to the agreement. The attack on the airline is said to be the only option left to government to arm-twist the carrier in a bid to get the attention of the British government.

Just on Tuesday, the Ministry after a meeting with the British authorities in Abuja over the face-off said it has ‘succeeded’ in getting something out of its action. This is where the action of the Ministry needs to be scrutinized and that validate the view of most people that the sector should brace up for more of such ‘actions’ that seems to have yielded little or no result.

Spokesman for the Minister of Aviation, Mr. Joe Obi in a statement he sent to reporters in Abuja said, “The Nigerian government and the British authorities held high level negotiation this (Tuesday) morning. These discussions are still on going. The outcome thus far is as follows;

  • With respect to the high fares charged by British Airways and the associated regional imbalance, the airline made an offer of a 20 per cent reduction in the lowest Business Class fare between Nigeria
  •  The Nigerian side considered this as insufficient. The Nigerian government is still very concerned about the regional price disparity. We strongly believe that this regional imbalance should be dismantled. In other words, BA should offer the same or similar fares from Nigeria to the UK, as is the case in any other equidistant destination within West Africa.
Obi disclosed that the British authorities requested to be given an opportunity to carry out an independent study of the regional pricing disparity in the UK/Nigerian aviation market.

He equally stated that with respect to slot at Heathrow airport, seven slots per week from Abuja had been secured for Arik at ‘’prevailing commercial rates”, noting that these efforts will require a review of current slot allocations and additional funding.

“Towards this, FAAN is considering applying commercial slot rates for slots into Murtala Muhammed International Airport in the spirit of BASA.

Two issues stand out here and which tend to vindicate those who believed that the Ministry took decisions that is not in tandem with aviation in the modern day.

By agreeing that Arik will get slots at Heathrow at “prevailing commercial rates”, clearly shows that slots are totally different from BASA and all the intimidation from the foot soldiers from the ministry only goes to show that aviation in Nigeria is totally in reverse gear (apologies to Ijeoma Nwaogwugwu who had been vilified for her views by people who believed that their views were more superior to those who strongly felt that the minister was ill advised on how to pursue her ‘nationalistic posturing”.

One also hopes that they will be humble enough to admit that there is clear difference between BASA and slots, and that BASA does not automatically translate into having slots free of charge.

How come Arik is still going ahead to buy slots to land its Abuja flights in Heathrow at “prevailing commercial rates”.
In a civilised country, the ministry would have been asked to tender a reserved apology for misinforming the nation. What then is the essence of the parley with the British authorities if Arik would still to go London with purchased slots to Heathrow?
The only positive in the whole matter is that the government said it would also introduce slots at the Lagos airport so that airlines like BA, Lufthansa, and Virgin Atlantic Airways can pay.
One expects the ministry or the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to be more creative in their revenue generation drive, rather than the serious situation we have found ourselves.
Regrettably, it means that it had to take the current fiasco for FAAN to know that ‘slot’ could also be done here.
Slots came about because of the high usage of Heathrow. Currently Heathrow has about 98 percent capacity utilisation. What is the capacity utilisation of MMIA?

At times, one begins to question the kind of advice and advisers at the ministry’s disposal to warrant this obvious lack of strong policy to drive a sensitive sector like aviation.

The second aspect of the matter is forcing the carrier to cut down on its airfares on Business Class by 20 per cent. Now if it is wise to cut down on Business Class seats, what happens to economy class passengers? Is airlines business no longer commercialised? Why should an airline be ‘harassed’ to cut its fare in a libralised sector? Why is the ministry not asking Arik for instance to lower it own fare so all UK passengers could migrate to fly with them as a way of helping Arik.

There’s a clause that fares between both countries have “double disapproval”.

This means that before fares decisions are taken, both UK and Nigeria have to agree. It is also important to highlight a part of the BASA, which clearly states that BASA undertakes that both parties shall “within legal and practical constraints” make slots available for the airlines to operate their full entitlements. Note “legal and practical constraints”, which is obtained at Heathrow.

Heathrow has congestion constraints. Has the ministry bothered to ask why airfare from Accra to London is far cheaper than what is obtainable on Lagos-London route, the same six-hour distance? The answer is simple.

Business operations in Nigeria carry more risks than in other African countries, with cost of aviation fuel, high landing and parking charges by FAAN, said to be one of the highest in West Africa.
Has government provided the enabling environment for businesses to survive?

This agenda of the ministry could have been achieved with far more success with a strategic economic diplomacy blue print. No wonder the UK authorities called the bluff of the Ministry over so many of the arm-twisting tactics to succumb to intimidation.

When Air France’s aircraft ran unto herds of cows at Port-Harcourt Airport, six years ago, the Nigerian government looked the other way while the carrier bore the cost and huge inconvenience of having to lodge departing passengers in hotels, coupled with the provision of other allowances to them.

Aviation fuel sells for between N180 and N200 per litre; about the highest in the world, not to mention huge tax paid for parking and landing. All these are factored into the cost of airfare that is fixed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the clearinghouse for global airlines.

Post Courtesy Nigerian Guardian
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Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority fines British Airways and Virgin Atlantic Airways USD235 for price fixing

Nigeria's tough aviation Minister Stella Oduah as finally cracked the whip. The authorities in Nigeria fined British Airways and Virgin Atlantic $235 million as the dispute over landing slots and ticket prices seemed to escalate last week. The dispute between the two countries began in October after Nigeria threatened to reduce British Airways' service between London and Lagos, after the UK Government failed to allocate slots to Arik Air at London Heathrow Airport.

Flights between Britain and Nigeria almost came to a halt last week but a last minute intervention by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown ensured a 7 day grace period was allowed while negotiations were going on. on Tuesday ensured British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Nigeria's flagship airline Arik Air continue to fly from London to Lagos and Abuja. 


There has been a dispute over ticket prices with Nigeria complaining of regional imbalance in air fare on BA whereby passengers traveling from Lagos/Abuja to UK pay higher fares compared to passengers traveling from Accra to the UK.
Following a series of high level negotiations the British Airways offered to reduce lowest Business Class fare between Nigeria and UK by 20%, an offer that was rejected by Nigeria. The Nigerian government considered this insufficient and was still complaining about the regional disparity in air fare. According to the Minister " We still strongly believe that this regional imbalance should be dismantled. In other words, BA should offer the same or similar fares from Nigeria to the UK as is the case in any other Equidistant destination within West Africa."


The big winner in the week had been Arik Air. Seven landing slots per week at Heathrow Airport was secured for the Nigerian airline during the negotiations.



A deal this week means all flights will continue until the end of the year when the Nigerian government wants something done about the high ticket costs on British airlines.

Nigeria's aviation ministry says British airlines charge far more to fly to Nigeria than to neighbouring Ghana, while it believes Arik Air should not have to pay high costs to land at Heathrow when Lagos airport doesn't charge those fees.

Britain has said that it can't control what private companies who control the airlines and airports charge but it is in constructive dialogue with the Nigerian government.


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Air Mauritius’ second quarter falls deep into the red as carrier hit hard by the European crisis

Air Mauritius’ largest markets were hit hard by the European debt crisis, resulting in a loss in its usually profitable second quarter. The airline reported a net loss in 2QFY2012 of EUR6.3 million, compared to a nearly EUR5 million profit in the same period last year. The European debt crisis that hit Mauritius’ largest markets contributed to the loss and has set the carrier up for future challenges. While Mauritius reported a small increase in tourism arrivals for Oct-2011, thanks to a new air link with China that increased Chinese tourism arrivals by 161%, tourism overall is expected to fall, placing further pressure on the carrier.
Net result slips into red in usually profitable quarter

Air Mauritius’ net loss for 2QFY2012 follows a net profit of EUR4.8 million in 2QFY2011 and a EUR2.7 million profit in 2QFY2010. The deteriorating results were driven by the European debt crisis that is occurring in the carrier’s largest markets of France, the UK and Italy. Ticket sales slumped as consumer confidence in these markets took a hit, leading to an increasing number of travellers postponing or cancelling their travel and leisure plans. The carrier’s high dependence on these markets, coupled with the ongoing issue of rising fuel costs and the volatility of currency exchange rates, led to its significant loss in the period.

Air Mauritius reported a 45% increase in fuel costs for the quarter and a 14.8% increase in overall costs. For 1HFY2012, the carrier spent EUR24.8 million on fuel, which is constantly blamed as one of the carrier’s largest hurdles to overcome.

Due to the conditions in the second quarter, Air Mauritius reported a loss of EUR17.7 million in 1HFY2012. This loss is considerably higher than the EUR6.8 million net loss posted in the same period last year. The carrier’s path to recovery, which was seen in 1HFY2011 through a smaller loss, has been hindered by its recent weak performance.

Traffic up but passenger load factor down

In anticipation of the economic slowdown, Air Mauritius attempted to shift its focus away from its European markets and increase frequencies to emerging markets such as China, India, South Africa and Australia. The carrier added more than 35,000 seats to these markets in 1QFY2012 compared to 2QFY2011, which saw its total passenger traffic rise 4.4% to 336,391 in the period. The launch of its weekly Kuala Lumpur-Shanghai Pudong service helped boost passenger numbers, and at the same time is responsible for the 161% surge in Chinese arrivals to Mauritius in Oct-2011. Air Mauritius hopes to launch the service as a non-stop route in Feb-2012 and increase to twice weekly in Oct-2012, if demand persists.

While the carrier’s shift to emerging markets is showing some benefit, it is not enough to make up for the shortcomings in the European market.

See related article: Air Mauritius improves first quarter loss and eyes full-year profit despite high fuel costs

Air Mauritius passenger numbers and load factor: 2QFY2009 to FY2012
In Sep-2011, Mauritius reported an overall drop in visitor arrivals of 0.8%. Tourists from Europe and Africa fell 1.6% and 6.7%, respectively, which is an indication of the months to come. Arrivals from Asia increased 5.3% due to the carrier’s new focus on Asian routes.
Shares plummet after financial results released

Shares plummet after financial results released


Air Mauritius’ share price remained steady over the past three months with the exception of 11-Nov-2011 when its financial results were released. Before that, Air Mauritius’ shares remained the highest among Comair, Kenya Airways and 1time.

Air Mauritius is embarking on a review of its business model in order to cope with the economic downturn and projected dip in financial and traffic results. This involves continuing its expansion into emerging markets to soften the impact of the inevitable drop in European demand. 
India is Mauritius’ fastest growing trade market...

In addition to increasing its service to Shanghai, Air Mauritius is also planning to launch an extra weekly frequency on its Mumbai route in Mar-2012, which it currently serves three times weekly with A330-200 equipment. Trade relations between Mauritius and India have been improving steadily over the past years, with the country ranking as Mauritius’ second largest import partner and second largest trade partner overall. Trade between the two countries surged 13.5% from 2009 to 2010, to EUR5.6 billion for the year. Mauritius imported EUR5.5 billion worth of goods from India in 2010, an increase of 18.9% from 2009’s levels. Aside from the European Union, India is Mauritius’ fastest growing trade market.

Malaysia has the potential to become a strong market for Mauritius considering the historical, cultural and tourism ties. Both countries were governed by both Dutch and British rulers and gained their independence in the second half of the twentieth century. In terms of populations, both countries have large communities of Chinese and Indian ethnic groups. Islam, Hinduism and Christianity are significant religions in both countries.

Comparison of religious groups in Mauritius and Malaysia: 2000
Mauritius and Malaysia have a tax treaty agreement and a visa agreement – where Mauritian citizens are not required to obtain a visa to enter Malaysia and vice versa. Air Mauritius has been attempting to establish Kuala Lumpur International Airport as a hub for future expansion for some months now. The carrier operates all its Asian services through Kuala Lumpur (excluding Hong Kong and Indian destinations), however, further progress in hub establishment has been slow. In the last quarter, only one new destination to Asia (Shanghai Pudong) was launched and the carrier has not announced plans to launch any additional or new services to the region that it hopes will save it from the European crisis. Expansion into Asia looks less likely now following the carrier’s decision to reduce service to Hong Kong in Nov/Dec-2011 from three times weekly to twice weekly.

Focus on high quality tourism


Another cog in the carrier’s new business plan is likely to include a renewed focus on quality tourism. Air Mauritius’ service to Shanghai Pudong, with A330-200 equipment, is configured with 24 lie-flat business class seats and 251 economy seats. It will bring in a few high-yielding tourists, however, more first and business class services are needed to counter the effects of low arrival numbers from Europe.
 
Air Mauritius holds more than 50% of capacity in Mauritius...
Air Mauritius expects corporate travel to Mauritius to increase by 90% by the end of 2013 due to its impending efforts, which have not yet been officially announced. The carrier transported 1500 corporate travellers between Apr-2010 and Mar-2011, and expects this to increase by 38% to 2100 by Mar-2012, then to 4000 by Apr-2013. The carrier plans to increase its participation in the Vanilla Islands Tourism Group, and should consider increasing marketing efforts. Since Air Mauritius holds more than 50% of capacity in Mauritius, its success will directly impact the number of tourism arrivals.

Tourism, of any nature, is the backbone of the Mauritian economy. The country’s labour force by occupation falls heavily into construction and industry occupations (30%) and the trade, restaurants and hotels sector (22%). The country has a middle-of-the-road youth unemployment rate of 21.4%. To bring that down even further, job creation through the tourism industry is crucial. Overall, the country’s unemployment rate is 7.8%.
Airports handle high volumes of business class seats, although more needed

Mauritius Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (Mauritius International Airport) receives a high capacity of business class travellers, yet an extremely small number of first class travellers. The airport’s first class capacity of 0.4% falls well short of the worldwide total of 1.7%.

Mauritius International Airport schedule by class of seat (one-way weekly departing): 14-Nov-2011 to 20-Nov-2011
Other airports in the Vanilla Islands Tourism Group have high business and first class capacity, and collaboratively, the group aims to improve high-yield tourism.

Vanilla Islands Tourism Group airports' first/business/economy class seat capacity: Nov-2011
Air Mauritius believes the global downturn has “set in for the long term” and the reviewing of its business plan is the first step in trying to cope with this. While the review is a step in the right direction, its expansion into Asia has been occurring too slowly and the carrier should have started shifting its dependence from Europe well before 2008, instead of waiting until things worsened.

Air Mauritius’ neighbour, Air Seychelles, has also launched a restructuring effort as it experiences a similar phenomenon from its European market.

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Press Statement - Outcome of Negotiations between the Nigerian & British Authorities on BASA.


The Nigerian government and the British Authorities held high-level negotiations yesterday and this morning. These discussions are still on-going. The outcome thus far are as follows:

With respect to the high fares charged by British Airways and the associated regional imbalance, the airline made an offer of a 20% reduction in the lowest Business class fare between Nigeria and the UK.

The Nigerian side considered this as insufficient, the Nigerian government is still very concerned about the regional price disparity. We still strongly believe that this regional imbalance should be dismantled. In otherwords, BA should offer the same or similar fares from Nigeria to the UK as is the case in any other Equidistant destination within West Africa.

The British Authorities requested to be given an opportunity to carry out an independent study of the regional pricing disparity in the UK/Nigerian aviation market. We expect the conclusion of this study by the end of the year to facilitate a conclusion on the subject.

With respect to slot at Heathrow airport, seven slots per week from Abuja have been secured for Arik Air at prevailing commercial rates.

As you are aware, FAAN is renovating and upgrading their airports. These efforts will require a review of current slot allocations and additional funding.

Towards this end, FAAN is considering applying commercial slot rates for slots into Murtala Mohammed International Airport in the spirit of Bilateral Air Service Agreement.

The Nigerian flying public is advised to make choices about which airlines they fly as regards the pricing of their tickets.

Finally, the Federal Ministry of Aviation assures Nigerians that their interests with regard safety, security, comfort, service and affordability will remain our priority.

Joe Obi,

SA (Media) to the Hon. Minister of Aviation.

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The Rise of African Aviation

A recent piece argues that despite lacklustre safety records and incomplete liberalisation, air travel in Africa is showing signs of taking off. This does appear to be the case - we are beginning to see African airlines now competing in the long haul market (where returns are high). African airlines are acquiring new widebody airliners at a greater rate than the global airline average. Last year, 32 per cent of African airline demand was for widebodies, as against 23 per cent for the global industry. This has led to new routes. In 2006, there were only 32 weekly flights involving just eight city pairs between the whole of Africa and the USA. By last year, these figures had jumped to 67 weekly flights between 14 city pairs. And a lot of these flights were by African airlines. An area for expansion is Europe - Africa pair where European legacy carriers continue to dominate through restriction of appropriate land slots and lobbying African governments at the expense of African carriers. Unfortunately, the article does not touch on these issues - but still worth a read.
On July 8 2011 a Hewa Bora Airways aircraft, operated by a private Congolese company, crashed in bad weather after missing the runway at Kisangani airport, killing 127 people. Although blacklisted by the EU and the US, Hewa Bora had long been considered the best of the DRC’s airlines, but this means little in a country which holds the world record for aircraft crashes.

Events such as this add to the already tarnished image of African airlines and it is commonly agreed by industry professionals and observers that safety must be the first priority for the development of African aviation. Beyond the negative public image, surprising results and optimism characterise the African air travel sector, which is growing at well above the world average with an estimated annual growth of 6 to 7% for the next 15 years. The sector is also undergoing major changes in its regulation, just as an increasing number of players have moved in to attempt to benefit from the opportunities of this growing market. Air travel is the number one transport mode for international travel in Africa but it is still the case that 70% of the traffic between Africa and the rest of the world is carried on non-African airlines.

The main drivers in the growth of air traffic are the rise of an African middle class who travel for personal reasons, and an increase in business trips, particularly relating to the oil sector. The International Air Travel Association (IATA) reports that “increasing trade and investment links with Asia helped boost the Africa to Far East market, with growth of 17% in premium travel during the year and 21% growth in economy travel”, while the weakening links with Europe are reflecting this change in trade structure. However, growth is not guaranteed. For example, travel to North Africa has fallen in the last few months due to the continued political unrest. Royal Air Maroc, Tunisair and Afriqiyah Airways are struggling as a result.

As passenger numbers rise, airfreight also continues to grow in importance, with figures from July 2011 showing 8.4% growth from 2010. This is a considerable rise and even compares favourably with the excellent results of the Middle East. The air freight market is showing signs of renewed expansion in relation to the increasing trade with Asia, largely fostered by oil and ore exports and imports of telecommunication equipment, machinery, pharmaceuticals and manufactured goods. According to Boeing’s Market Outlook “West Africa, buoyed by foreign interest in petroleum development, shows the strongest growth on the continent”, although some concerns have emerged that the 2011 freight growth forecast may have been overestimated.

The African air travel sector started its transformation in 1999 with the signatures of 44 countries paving the way for a pan-African treaty for the liberalisation, deregulation and opening up of regional air transport markets. More than ten years later the ideals of what is now known as the Yamoussoukro Decision are still only partially achieved, and few countries have truly proven their commitment, among them Uganda and Togo.

These first steps toward an “open sky” policy in Africa were followed by positive changes: large companies took over small airlines and concentrated in main hubs before developing subsidiary companies or partnerships to create more complete networks. Partnerships, working in more isolated regions, were responsible for increasing the passenger flow to larger airports in order to benefit the main airlines. A good example is the Lomé-based Asky Airlines, launched in January 2010 and taking advantage of the liberalisation of the Togolese sector. A subsidiary company of Ethiopian Airlines, Asky now covers 19 destinations and its directors have already announced very satisfying results.

In Uganda the open policy has resulted in the continued growth of air services in both passengers and cargo: the freight sector experienced a 42.7% increase in 2011 despite the fact that the Ugandan national carrier was closed down by the government.

This strategy of opening markets has led to growth but has also had some considerable drawbacks. Small African carriers have multiplied, leading to a decrease in travel prices for passengers, which in turn has weakened airlines which have to bear unchanged high operating cost. Liberalisation has also led companies to neglect non-profitable travel lines which deprives isolated zones of air transport.

With a shortage of sub-Saharan hubs, African flights often have to stop in European airports despite a strong demand for non-stop routes between Africa and other continents. Direct intra-Africa flights between some major cities are still impossible or overpriced.

The issue of access to the air market is particularly relevant in Africa where almost one-third of countries on the continent are landlocked and road transportation is still slow and unreliable due to geographic specificities, political instabilities and a lack of infrastructures. In Nigeria, for example, air travel is by far the easiest way to go between Lagos and Abuja, in the absence of high quality, safe and fast roads or a functioning rail network. Air traffic is a potentially valuable lever for both local and international economic activities. Trade in Africa is highly sensitive to transportation cost and some reports have estimated that a 10% reduction in transport costs could increase trade by 25%.

A fast transport system is crucial for production strategies concerning perishable goods, such as the Kenyan cut flower industry. Exportation of cut flowers, mainly to Europe, represents one of the country’s largest industries and is its second biggest foreign exchange generator. Other time-sensitive and high-value exports such as exotic fruits, seafood or meat also rely heavily on fast and reliable transport at a global scale.

Despite the importance of efficiency, it is widely admitted that the current priority for a reliable air transport sector in Africa must be safety. It has been proven that “poor safety oversight results in more expensive insurance premiums and the inability to develop code sharing and other business arrangements. It also scares away potentially high-yield international customers and potential private sector investors”. African airlines have to improve on several key points such as the age of their fleets, ground level infrastructure and training and maintenance. Where infrastructure is concerned, regional differences appear between North Africa - where 60% of the airports were found to be in excellent condition by a World Bank report in 2009, and sub-Saharan Africa, where only 17% received the same score. Training is a crucial element in this, and many African airports often fail not only in the quality of their training but in their ability to retain qualified workers attracted by lucrative Middle Eastern job offers.

In countries where the road, railway and port infrastructure does not offer efficient transportation, air transport represents a great potential lever for development. Despite liberalisation policies being only partially implemented, the African air sector is showing encouraging results.
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Heavy rain causes havoc at Mwanza International Airport, Tanzania(PICTURES)

A four hour heavy downpour in Mwanza city in Tanzania has disrupted air travel in the city, the city's Mwanza International Airport was submerged in water as the photos below show:


A Precision Air Aircraft caught in the floods






Photos courtesy issamichuzi.blogspot.com
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