Ethiopian Airlines graduates 184 aviation professionals

PHOTO: Aiga Forum

Ethiopian Airlines Aviation Academy (EAA) has graduated 184 aviation professionals to raise capacity and improve services of African airlines.

In this round, 90 graduates are from Cabin Crew and Catering, 84 from Commercial and Ground Operations Training School and the rest are trained on Equipment and Facility Maintenance.

Emirates gets new regional manager for West Africa

Emirates Airlines

Emirates Airlines has appointed Afzal Parambil, as its new Regional Manager for West Africa.
Prior to taking up his new appointment, Parambil served in a number of commercial roles within Emirates, the most recent being the Country Manager for Ethiopia.

Congratulating Parambil on his new position, Emirates Senior Vice President Commercial Operations for Africa, Orhan Abbas, said Nigeria is a very important market for Emirates and delighted that Parambil will serve as the new Regional Manager for West Africa.

Abbas said: “It is part of our human resources strategy to continuously develop and enhance our employees’ capabilities across the Group through providing them with new challenges and opportunities.” 

 

Parambil will be responsible for the overall Emirates’ operation in Nigeria and West Africa as a whole, and will oversee sales and customer service, cargo and airport operations.

Accepting the appointment, he said: “I’m excited to have been given the opportunity to lead the Emirates team in Nigeria. This is a great honour and I look forward to taking the business forward with my team. My focus in the market will be to continue providing our customers with the best possible service and value for money, as we connect them to more than 150 destinations across the world,” Parambil said.

NAMA reviews aeronautical information procedure

Capt. Fola Akinkuotu

Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has set up a committee to commence the immediate review of the nation’s Aeronautical Information Procedure (AIP).

The Nigerian AIP is a state document that contains all aeronautical information that relates to the services, procedures, facilities and personnel at all Nigerian airports or within the Nigerian airspace.

Air Peace operations deepen Nigeria, Ghana economic ties

Bilateral economic relations between Nigeria and Ghana recently received a boost with the launch of Lagos-Accra flight operations by Air Peace Airlines.

The operations aim to fast-track the movement of passengers and cargo across the neighbouring West African countries, promoting trade relations.

‘Kaduna Airport 92 per cent ready for traffic’

Kaduna Airport

Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has affirmed the readiness of the Kaduna Airport to receive Abuja-bound flights when the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) is closed in March.

FAAN said this to allay fears of air travellers that are worried about the level of infrastructure upgrade and facilities required for smooth diversion during the six-week repair work of the NAIA runway.

AMCON takes over OAS Helicopters

OAS Helicopters

The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) has taken over Odengene Air-Shuttle Services, known more as OAS Helicopters in Lagos following a court order. It was the third aviation firm to be taken over by the bad bank in four months.

NIMET boss pledges commitment to staff welfare, facility upgrade

Incoming Director General (DG) of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Prof Sani Abubakar Mashi

• Partners BATNF on weather information
Incoming Director General (DG) of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Prof Sani Abubakar Mashi, has pledge to turn the agency around through focus on workers’ welfare and facility upgrade.
Mashi, during the tour of NIMET facility at the Lagos airport, said the agency would work better with motivated staff and better equipment at their disposal.

AMCON denies plan to nationalise Arik Air

PHOTO: Arik Air

Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) has denied plans to nationalise Arik Air after its takeover by the Federal Government.

The denial is contrary to claims making the rounds that the distressed airline and Aero Contractors are set to be merged, to become Nigeria’s new national carrier after the defunct Nigeria Airways.

Domestic airlines woo passengers to salvage operations

Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos

• Arik launches buy one, get one free ticket, Air Peace slashes fares at Valentine
If domestic airlines keep their words, then air travellers in the country are in for special offers ahead of February 14 Valentine’s Day.

Flight diversion, medical emergency cost Emirates up to N300m

Emirates

• Sets new standards for on-board healthcare
A single flight diversion, often due to inflight medical emergencies, costs Emirates Airline an excess of N2.5 to N300 million ($50,000 – $600,000), airline source has said.

The heavy cost depends on the nature of the diversion, which includes fuel, flight catering, landing and ground handling fees, air navigation cost, passenger rebooking costs and onward connection, as well as other associated costs to care for crew and passengers.

AMCON takes over Arik Air

Arik, which was set up in 2006, has a 60 percent share of domestic flights in Nigeria.

The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria on Thursday said it had taken over Arik Air to prevent it from going bust.

“AMCON has taken over the management of Arik because the whole place is in a mess,” said AMCON spokesman Jude Nwauzor.

Major airlines reject re-routes during Abuja airport closure

Nigeria’s aviation ministry has said the planned six weeks of resurfacing work were needed because the runway.

International airlines are refusing to fly to an alternative hub when the only airport serving Nigeria’s capital shuts down, forcing travellers to make lengthy detours at extra cost.

Made-in-China large passenger plane targets 2017 debut

People wave Chinese flags as an ARJ21-700, China’s first domestically produced regional jet, arrives at Shanghai Hongqiao Airport after making its first flight from Chengdu to Shanghai on June 28, 2016. PHOTO: AFP

China’s first homegrown big passenger plane will make its maiden voyage in the first half of this year, state media said Monday, as the country seeks to challenge foreign giants Airbus and Boeing.

Air Peace launches daily flight to Accra February 16

The maiden flight into Kotoka International Airport (KIA), Accra, Ghana takes off from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos at 7 a.m. local time and makes a return to Lagos at 8 a.m. (GMT). Subsequently, the Abuja-Accra-Abuja sector will come on stream.

Delta Airlines, MMA2, SAHCOL win awards

Delta Airlines

Delta Airlines has been named Business Airline of the Year 2017 at the United Kingdom’s Business Travel Awards, beating the likes of EasyJet, Etihad Airways, Norwegian and Qatar Airways. 

Local content gains as Omni Helicopters Nigeria debuts

Omni Helicopters Nigeria

The plight of unemployed pilots in the country is set for an upswing as Omni Helicopters Nigeria launches into the offshore market with local content development plan.

 

Omni Helicopters Nigeria, which emerged from a strategic joint venture between Omni Helicopters International (OHI) and Omni Blu Aviation Limited, brings to the aviation sector technical expertise, access to aircraft and improved safety, leveraging on the available manpower.