Korongo Airlines: THE END

[pepere]

flykorongo.com is online !!

[Bralo20]

flykorongo.com is online !!

No online booking, only French...

And it seems that the BAe146-200 will get also business class.

Schedule:

De Lubumbashi à Kinshasa N’Djili (heure locale)
Vol départ Arrivée Equipement
ZC101 07:30 08:50 126 B737
ZC105* 16:55 18:15 256 B737
ZC107 10:30 12:00 7 BAE146

De Kinshasa N’Djili à Lubumbashi (heure locale)
Vol départ Arrivée Lu Ma Me Jeu Ve Sa Di Equipement
ZC102 10:20 13:40 1236 B737
ZC106* 19:45 23:05 256 B737
ZC108 13:00 16:30 7 BAE146

De Lubumbashi à Johannesburg (heure locale)
Vol départ Arrivée Lu Ma Me Jeu Ve Sa Di Equipement
ZC123 07:30 09.45 4 B737
ZC123 15:10 17:30 7 B737

De Johannesburg à Lubumbashi (heure locale)
Vol départ Arrivée Lu Ma Me Jeu Ve Sa Di Equipement
ZC124 11:30 13:50 5 B737
ZC124 18.50 21.10 7 B737

[Bralo20]

And the flights are indeed loaded:

[KVS Availability Tool 6.9.7/Diamond - Amadeus: Timetable/NL-BCDF]

Code: Select all

FBM  Lubumbashi Luano CD [FZQA]
FIH  Kinshasa N'Djili CD [FZAA]
TUE  29 May 2012 - 05 Jun 2012

Carrier    Flight  From  Depart    To    Arrive    A/C  St  Frequency | Dur'n | Dep T | Arr T | Effect | Ending | Exceptions
---------  ------  ----  --------  ----  --------  ---  --  ----------------------------------------------------------------
ZC/SN      101     FBM   07:30     FIH   08:50     733  0   123--6-     02:20       -       -   16 Apr   18 Jun
ZC/SN      107     FBM   10:30     FIH   12:00     146  0   ------7     02:30       -       -   22 Apr   17 Jun
ZC/SN      105     FBM   16:55     FIH   18:15     733  0   -2--56-     02:20       -       -   01 May   27 Oct

[KVS Availability Tool 6.9.7/Diamond - Amadeus: Timetable/NL-BCDF]

Code: Select all

FIH  Kinshasa N'Djili CD [FZAA]
FBM  Lubumbashi Luano CD [FZQA]
TUE  29 May 2012 - 05 Jun 2012

Carrier    Flight  From  Depart    To    Arrive    A/C  St  Frequency | Dur'n | Dep T | Arr T | Effect | Ending | Exceptions
---------  ------  ----  --------  ----  --------  ---  --  ----------------------------------------------------------------
ZC/SN      102     FIH   10:20     FBM   13:40     733  0   123--6-     02:20       -       -   16 Apr   18 Jun
ZC/SN      108     FIH   12:45     FBM   16:15     146  0   ------7     02:30       -       -   22 Apr   17 Jun
ZC/SN      106     FIH   19:45     FBM   23:05     733  0   -2--56-     02:20       -       -   01 May   27 Oct

[KVS Availability Tool 6.9.7/Diamond - Amadeus: Timetable/NL-BCDF]

Code: Select all

FBM  Lubumbashi Luano CD [FZQA]
JNB  Johannesburg OR Tambo Intl ZA [FAJS]
TUE  29 May 2012 - 05 Jun 2012

Carrier    Flight  From  Depart    To    Arrive    A/C  St  Frequency | Dur'n | Dep T | Arr T | Effect | Ending | Exceptions
---------  ------  ----  --------  ----  --------  ---  --  ----------------------------------------------------------------
ZC/SN      123     FBM   07:30     JNB   09:45     733  0   ---4---     02:15       -       A   19 Apr   25 Oct
ZC/SN      123     FBM   15:10     JNB   17:30     733  0   ------7     02:20       -       A   22 Apr   21 Oct

[KVS Availability Tool 6.9.7/Diamond - Amadeus: Timetable/NL-BCDF]

Code: Select all

JNB  Johannesburg OR Tambo Intl ZA [FAJS]
FBM  Lubumbashi Luano CD [FZQA]
TUE  29 May 2012 - 05 Jun 2012

Carrier    Flight  From  Depart    To    Arrive    A/C  St  Frequency | Dur'n | Dep T | Arr T | Effect | Ending | Exceptions
---------  ------  ----  --------  ----  --------  ---  --  ----------------------------------------------------------------
ZC/SN      124     JNB   11:30     FBM   13:50     733  0   ----5--     02:20       A       -   20 Apr   26 Oct
ZC/SN      124     JNB   18:50     FBM   21:10     733  0   ------7     02:20       A       -   22 Apr   21 Oct

[Homo Aeroportus]

Any reason for ZC123 leaving FBM on Thursday to overnight in JNB and return as ZC124 only on Friday?

H.A.

[sn26567]

The BAe146 seems to have a very light schedule: one weekly flight between FBM and FIH. What does it do the rest of the time? And its pilots?

Here is the schedule as published in Airline Route:

Lubumbashi – Kinshasa

Code: Select all

ZC101 FBM0730 – 0850FIH 733 x457
ZC107 FBM1030 – 1200FIH 146 7
ZC105 FBM1655 – 1815FIH 733 256
 
ZC102 FIH1020 – 1340FBM 733 x457
ZC108 FIH1245 – 1615FBM 146 7
ZC106 FIH1945 – 2305FBM 733 256

ZC105/106 operates eff 01MAY12, which will allows connection from brussels airlines’ Brussels – Kinshasa flight
ZC101/102 eff 20JUN12 operates Day x245
ZC107/108 operates until 17JUN12

Lubumbashi – Johannesburg

Code: Select all

ZC123 FBM0730 – 0945JNB 733 4
ZC123 FBM1510 – 1730JNB 733 7
 
ZC124 JNB1130 – 1350FBM 733 5
ZC124 JNB1850 – 2110FBM 733 7

The airline is planning to serve Mbuji Maji and Kolwezi in the short term.

[tolipanebas]

Any reason for ZC123 leaving FBM on Thursday to overnight in JNB and return as ZC124 only on Friday?

It's because contrary to the BAe146 fleet, all maintenance on the 737 (other than line maintenance) will be outsourced to a contractor in JNB and thus LTM needs sufficient ground time at the MX base.

Anyway, I am sure the crew won't mind a 24 hour stop over in Johannesburg from time to time in order to stock up on 'comfort goods'.

BTW, the Korongo website shows an omission in their timetable:
ZC101 also operates on Wednesdays, although no X is marked there; the return flight is correctly shown however....

[tolipanebas]

The BAe146 seems to have a very light schedule: one weekly flight between FBM and FIH. What does it do the rest of the time? And its pilots?

Well, you've basically answered your own question:

The airline is planning to serve Mbuji Maji and Kolwezi in the short term.

Korongo starts up with 'only' its 737 operating; the BAe146 is/are just made to fly once a week to keep it/them somehow active until the regional routes will kick off later.
Only 1 146 crew will be send over at first and they will mostly do operationally related office stuff when not flying....

[sn26567]

Three of the eight weekly Lubumbashi-Kinshasa services will operate as international flights where passengers clear immigration and customs in Lubumbashi and then connect directly from/to Brussels Airlines flights in Kinshasa.

[Passenger]

Information from a Southern African travel trade news site:

Korongo Airlines is expected to bring much-needed capacity on the South Africa-Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) route, which is currently dominated by South African Airways. Travel agents have welcomed the news of the launch of the airline’s services from Johannesburg to Lubumbashi, which will commence on April 19. The airline aims to offer an alternative travel solution, connecting Lubumbashi to major DRC cities and beyond via Johannesburg, said Korongo Airlines CEO, Christophe Allard.

The first phase of the airline’s launch will see two weekly flights from Johannesburg to Lubumbashi on Thursdays and Sundays. The airline will also operate eight weekly frequencies from Lubumbashi to Kinshasa and connect with Brussels Airlines three times weekly. The second phase, which will be implemented in mid-June, will see Korongo up its Johannesburg service to four flights a week. The airline will also add two new destinations to its network from Lubumbashi to Kolwezi four times a week and Mbuji Mayi twice a week.

The initial routes will be operated by B737-300s and BA 146-200s, under an ACMI agreement with Brussels Airlines (IOSA certified). The B737 will feature 12 business-class seats and 114 in economy. The BA 146-200 will feature 12 business seats and 69 economy. Business-class passengers can look forward to dedicated check-in counters, access to the Shongololo lounge at OR Tambo International Airport Johannesburg, priority boarding, up to 64kg bag allowance on ZC/SN connecting flights, and seats with a 102cm pitch and 45-degree recline.

Korongo Airlines has already joined the South African BSP and is available for sale through Galileo and Amadeus, while direct sales will be performed by its GSA, Holiday Aviation.

(Source : Nowmedia.co.za - Tourism Update Southern Africa)

[RoMax]

So in the second half of this year, Korongo should have these routes/freqs. :

- Kinshasa: 8 weekly of which 3 directly connecting with SN's flights
- Johannesburg: 4 weekly
- Kolwezi: 4 weekly
- Mbuji Maya: 2 weekly

The latest two operated by BAe only, JNB with 733 only and FIH with a BAe and 733 combination I suppose?

[airbuske]

So the first aircraft for Korongo left BRU.
OO-MJE left BRU as SN9905 to NSI.

[sn26567]

Meanwhile, in the DRC, Congolese start-up FlyCongo is planning to destroy five former Hewa Bora Boeing 727s to restore public confidence in industry....

[RoMax]

Hahah, FlyCongo is simply Hewa Bora but reborn under a new name. Several Congolese sources say FlyCongo is 100% the same as Hewa Bora, still as unsafe, as corrupt, as bad as before, just with a new name. Several people in Congo don't understand the government allows this...

Destroying a few aircraft is not going to help to rebuild the public confidence in the company...

[sn26567]

Strangely (!) the first route of FlyCongo is between Lubumbashi and Kinshasa. A coincidence for sure!

Meanwhile, Korongo decided to start on 18 rather than on 16 April.

[tolipanebas]

OO-MJE arrived at FBM yesterday evening, after a flight BRU - ALG - TMR - KAN - NSI - BZV - FBM.

[Magiktrix]

Can somebody confirm that OO-LTM is actually AOG ? The rumors are telling me the aircraft fall off is jacks in a maintenance hangar ? Repair time is said to be around 2 months.
Apparently 737 crews are not leaving.

Anybody on this ?

Are they going to send second Bae146 in a hurry ?

Regards

[Magiktrix]

As it took 2 days for my message to appear, probably because i'm new, i now have answers.

Aircraft was actually lowered off is jack with "something" underneath. The something can be a cart with tyres and nitrogen bottle, but not sure.

Skin behind the E/E has to be replaced. Will be finished soon.
Last ETD is Sunday.

[Bel33]

Unfortunately in French but what a pity to read such comment!
This paper is from Me David Sprecher, french lawyer specialist in civil aviation and is published on TourMaG.com


"République Démocratique du Congo - le cas de Korongo Airlines"

Cette compagnie aérienne, dont les vols n’ont pas encore débuté (elle devrait démarrer le 16 avril prochain selon la presse professionnelle) est une joint-venture entre un groupe d’investisseurs et la compagnie belge …. Brussels Airlines !

Il est surprenant qu’une compagnie n’ayant pas encore effectué le moindre vol et dont les aéronefs proviennent d’une compagnie européenne fiable soit reprise sur cette liste !

Il est donc impératif pour tout agent français de faire fort attention à ne pas vendre cette compagnie, même si un des actionnaires principaux est Brussels Airlines.

[RoMax]

A Flycongo and/or Air France lover it seems...

[Yuri166]

Since it is only a couple of sentences, is there any chance somebody can translate this to dutch or english for me?

Thanks.