The global airline industry was predicted to soar to a profit of nearly $9-billion in 2010 -- compared with a loss of some $10-billion in 2009.

African carriers were the only region to show an increase in air travel growth rates from October (12,6%) to November (16,4%).

Virgin America announced plans to buy 40 new Airbus A320 aircraft at the Farnborough International Airshow on Thursday.

Airlines are likely to lose $9-billion this year, the International Air Transport Association said on Monday, nearly double its estimate.

Airlines suffered an 11,1% fall in passenger numbers in March, and swine flu stands to compound financial problems and suppress traffic even more.

Cross-border air freight traffic grew a meagre 1,3% year-on-year in May, according to airline industry figures released on Wednesday.

South African Airways (SAA) said on Friday it was on track to meet the June 1 deadline for e-ticketing compliance. SAA said its issuing rate for e-tickets exceeded 96,5% which is the current industry average according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

At least 40 potential buyers have expressed an interest in Nationwide, the airline's provisional liquidators, Alta-Tshwane Trust, said on Thursday. In a statement, the trust said the potential buyers had all insisted on full financial and operational information on the company.

It is still six times less safe to fly in Africa than the rest of the world, the annual safety report by the International Air Transport Association on Thursday showed. The report illustrated that the 2007 global accident rate of 0,75 hull-losses for every million flights by Western-built jet aircraft was slightly higher than the 0,65 rate recorded in 2006.

Travel agent Flight Centre said it was "blindsided" by the sudden closure of Nationwide Airlines and had gone into a crisis meeting to decide how to deal with the matter, with no information forthcoming from the airline, a spokesperson said. "We were absolutely blindsided, we were completely unaware," said Amanda Hardy.