AFRICAN Star, South Africa’s first independent black-controlled airline, was on Monday granted a licence by the Department of Transport to begin scheduled daily passenger and cargo flights to Europe, the airline’s CEO, Joseph Kirama, announced. He said the airline expected to inaugurate three daily services to London’s Gatwick Airport and four to Munich in November. The department approved in principle the airline’s application for an operator’s licence three months ago, subject to certain conditions, which the airline had since met. The airline said on Monday African Star executives headed by Kirama have in the interim been putting in place a complex airline infrastructure, including the purchase of three Boeing 747-300 aircraft from Singapore Airlines and , a 747 flight simulator for training purposes. The airline has also hired over 220 flight deck, cabin crew and ground staff and established operating headquarters in the new wing of the Johannesburg International Airport, with corporate offices in Sandton.