Air Madagascar (MD, Antananarivo Ivato International (TNR)) has stopped its cooperation with Air France (AF, Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG)) which had so far operated one of Air Madagascar's two A340-300s F-GLZL (c/n 210) on a wet-lease basis on flights from Marseilles Provence (MRS) and Paris CDG to Antananarivo. It has temporarily wet-leased B777-200 CS-TFM (MSN 28513) from euroAtlantic Airways (YU, Lisbon Portela de Sacavem (LIS)) until its new wet-lease partner Air Atlanta Icelandic (CC, Reykjavik Keflavik (KEF)) is able to take over the A340-300 operations from Air France. Madagascar is currently blacklisted by the European Union because of a lack of safety oversight of the country's airlines. As a result, Air Madagascar is not allowed to operates its four weekly flights to France by itself. Air Mad's second A340-300 5R-EAA (c/n 319) is operated by the airline itself on its twice weekly service from Antananarivo via Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International (BKK) to Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN).

Air Austral (UU, St. Denis de la Réunion Roland Garros (RUN)) and its regional competitors Air Madagascar (MD, Antananarivo Ivato International (TNR)) and Air Mauritius (MK, Mauritius Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International (MRU)) have started talks exploring an alliance to jointly serve routes between the islands in the Indian Ocean and to jointly launch new routes to China and India. Air Austral is planning to launch services to Chennai Meenambakkam (MAA) in October, Air Mauritius already serves Hong Kong Chep Lap Kok International (HKG) and Shanghai Pudong International (PVG) while Air Madagascar currently already serves Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN).

Air Madagascar (MD, Antananarivo Ivato International (TNR)) has taken delivery of its second A340-300 5R-EAA (c/n 319) on June 30 completing the rollover of its long-haul fleet from B767-300ERs to A340-300s. Unlike its first A340-300 operated by Air France (AF, Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG)) with Air France pilots to circumvent the European Union safety ban on Air Madasgascar, the second aircraft will be operated on its own air operator certificate and mainly be deployed on Air Madagascar's route via Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International (BKK) to Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN).

Air Austral (UU, St. Denis de la Réunion Roland Garros (RUN)) has not yet taken delivery of its latest B777-200(LR) F-OLRB (MSN 40993) as it has not been able to finance the last payment to Boeing. As a result of its financial troubles, new general director Marie-Joseph Malé who has joined last month has announced fairly drastic measures in an attempt to cut losses at the carrier. As of the end of October, it will give up its routes to all French airports other than Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and no longer serve Bordeaux Mérignac (BOD), Lyon St. Exupéry (LYS), Marseilles Provence (MRS), Nantes Atlantique (NTE) and Toulouse Blagnac (TLS). Instead it will serve Paris CDG twice daily either cooperating with Air France (AF, Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG)) and/or French railway operator SNCF to provide connections. Air Austral will already give up its St. Denis de la Réunion Roland Garros (RUN)-Sydney Kingsford Smith (SYD)-Nouméa La Tontouta International (NOU) route on August 16 and plans to use one of its two B737-800s on the St. Denis de la Réunion Roland Garros (RUN)-Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International (BKK) route from October operating via Chennai Meenambakkam (MAA). The only other remaining long-haul route, a twice daily Paris CDG service, will only require three B777s and it plans to keep a fourth B777 based at CDG for charter and ACMI services. Air Austral currently operates a B777-200(LR) (in addition to F-OLRB), a B777-200 and three B777-300(ER)s. Its other B777-200ER F-OMAY (MSN 29402) has already been parked since the end of April. Air Austral is considering entering into new partnership agreements with Air Madagascar (MD, Antananarivo Ivato International (TNR)), Air Mauritius (MK, Mauritius Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International (MRU)) and Air Seychelles (HM, Mahé Seychelles International (SEZ)) to improve regional connections instead.

Air Madagascar (MD, Antananarivo Ivato International (TNR)) has put its first ex-Air France (AF, Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG)) A340-300 F-GLZL (c/n 210) into service on April 12 replacing a B767-300ER wet-leased from euroAtlantic Airways (YU, Lisbon Portela de Sacavem (LIS)) on routes between France and Madagascar. It will replace its own B767-300ER later this spring when it will take delivery of a second ex-Air France A340-300.