Nigeria will not be a weak link in global aviation security Sirika

The Minister of State for Aviation, Mr. Hadi Sirika

The Minister of State Aviation Hadi Sirika has assured the international community that Nigeria would not be a weak link in global aviation security.

Local airlines groan under low pricing regime

Delta Airlines

• Revenue dips by 50 per cent

• Delta Airline takes over U.S. route from Arik

• FirstNation scales down operations

The current low pricing strategy and the attendant low cost of local air travel in the country may be attracting new passengers to airlines, but fast lowering the chances of struggling aircraft in the face of dire financial straits.

Government okays new boss for Murtala Muhammed Airport

The Federal Government has approved the appointment of Mrs. Victoria Shin-Aba as the new Airport Manager of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.

Shin-Aba is to replace Nehemiah Auta who had been redeployed to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Headquarters as Deputy General Manager (Operations).

‘Arik regains customers’ confidence with 4,000 passenger traffic daily’

Capt. Roy Ilegbodu

Chief Executive Officer of Air Air, Capt. Roy Ilegbodu, speaks on revival operations and survival prospects of the airline six months after its takeover by Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON). WOLE OYEBADE was there.

Local airlines groan under low pricing regime

Delta Airlines

• Revenue dips by 50 per cent

• Delta Airline takes over U.S. route from Arik

• FirstNation scales down operations

The current low pricing strategy and the attendant low cost of local air travel in the country may be attracting new passengers to airlines, but fast lowering the chances of struggling aircraft in the face of dire financial straits.

Ethiopian retrofits B767-300 fleet with flat bed, Wi-Fi features

Ethiopian Airlines. PHOTO: TWITTER/FAAN

Ethiopian Airlines Group, the largest airline in Africa, has fully refurbished its Boeing 767-300 ER fleet and now availed for service on its India, Middle East and Africa destinations.

NAMA advocates synergy of flight information regions

Capt. Fola Akinkuotu

Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has advocated an enhanced synergy among Flight Information Regions (FIRs) within the African and Indian Ocean Region (AFI Region) as this would further improve the safety profile of the region.

Air Peace opens Lagos-Akure route for economic integration

Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu (right); Air Peace Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Allen Onyema and Ondo State First Lady, Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu during the Air Peace’s inaugural flight into Akure Airport recently

Charges N10,000 ticket fares
Air Peace airlines has opened the Lagos-Akure-Lagos route to further enhance economic integration of the south west states and Nigeria through air transport.

Arik Air migrates to Hitit passenger service solution suite

Arik Air

 

Arik Air has completed the migration of its passenger service arm to Hitit Crane Solution Suite, becoming the eighth African airline to partner with the service management company.

We have stabilised Arik Air operations, says New management

PHOTO: Arik Air

The Managing Director of Arik Air, Capt. Roy Ilegbodu, on Friday said the operations of the airline had been stabilised following the intervention of the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON).

Local airlines groan under low pricing regime

Delta Airlines

• Revenue dips by 50 per cent
• Delta Airline takes over U.S. route from Arik
• FirstNation scales down operations

The current low pricing strategy and the attendant low cost of local air travel in the country may be attracting new passengers to airlines, but fast lowering the chances of struggling aircraft in the face of dire financial straits.

Air traffic improves amid zero profit margin for operators

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Event Investigations Manager, Leonard Li Carter (left); Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation’s (CANSO) Safety Programme Manager, Kimberly Pyle; Director of Air Traffic Services, Nigeria Air Force, Bello Garba; Nigerian Airspace Management Agency’s (NAMA)Managing Director, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu; Air Traffic Organisation’s Forensics Manager, Roger Motzko; Military Commandant, Airport Command, MMIA, Lagos, Oluwasegun Okeniyi and FAA Senior Representative in Africa, Grady Stone at the opening of a one-week Air Traffic System Investigator Workshop in Lagos recently

• IATA harps on infrastructure, air connectivity Local airlines in Nigeria and others on the African continent have consistently recorded steady rise in passenger traffic, with the latest surge put at 9.9 per cent for June 2017.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), in its monthly global passenger traffic data attributed the traffic peak to sharp rise in business confidence in Nigeria as South Africa’s economy fell into recession in the first quarter.

Improvement in traffic notwithstanding, the airlines have continued to run on zero profit margin for at least seven years on the bounce. Hence, IATA’s delegation during a recent visit to Lagos, has canvassed for improved investment in infrastructure and air connectivity to help the airlines make the most of their potential to maximal benefit.

Also in June, capacity of the airlines rose by 7.1 per cent, and load factor jumped 1.7 percentage points to 64.3 per cent, although this still was the lowest among regions.

For the first six months of 2017, the industry experienced a 12-year high in traffic growth (7.9 per cent) and a record first half load factor of 80.7 per cent.IATA’s Director General and Chief Executive Officer, Alexandre de Juniac, noted that a brighter economic picture and lower airfares are keeping demand for travel strong, adding that as costs rise, “this stimulus of lower fares is likely to fade.” de Junaic said: “This is all good news. The demand for travel is strong and that, in turn, will make a positive contribution to the global economy. This growth will also further expose infrastructure deficiencies.

“In every part of the world, airport and air navigation infrastructure are struggling to cope with demand. There are plenty of examples linking connectivity and economic prosperity. But few governments have been able to deliver on the imperatives of sufficient capacity, quality aligned with user needs and affordability. This year’s strong growth is a reminder that there is no time to lose.”

IATA’s Regional Vice President for the Middle East and Africa, and leader of the delegation to Nigeria, Muhammad Ali Albakri, reiterated the benefit of job creation and additional economic growth in Nigeria, if the West African nation used the transformative power of aviation as a strategic pillar to further strengthen and enhance its economic recovery and national development.

Ali Albakri, in a series of high-level meetings in Lagos with stakeholders across the Nigerian aviation value chain, said: “Air transport in Nigeria supports more than 650,800 jobs including tourism-related employment, while contributing $8.2 billion (N2.5 trillion) to the country‘s GDP.

“Over the next 10 years, passenger volumes are forecast to grow more than seven per cent annually, exceeding the global average by a healthy margin. For Nigeria this means an additional 7.9 million passengers will take to the sky every year, creating significant opportunity to accelerate economic growth, boost prosperity and support development,” said Albakri.

He said further that despite significant investment in Nigeria’s aviation sector, the country’s air transport infrastructure still ranks low among African states. “IATA recognizes and supports the positive developments by the government on infrastructure and aviation processes, urging continued adherence to international best practices and an optimal regulatory environment.

Now that the country is emerging from recession, aviation can unlock the enormous economic potential that exists within Nigeria. “We encourage the government to continue to promote aviation for its role as a catalyst and socioeconomic enabler for the country, and to promote stronger connectivity within Nigeria and its neighbouring African countries. In addition, now is the time to continue to invest in modern and efficient infrastructure to accommodate the future traffic growth
that will occur,” he said.

Regional Head, Member and External Relations, Africa and Middle East, Adefunke Adeyemi, hinted that the last time an African airline made profit was in 2010.Adeyemi said despite the asphyxiating environment, the airlines have remained resilient and improving on safety to the point of recording zero incidence in 2016.

Going forward, she harped on the need for more hard work with focus on the imperatives of international best practices especially in the areas partnership and interlining arrangements among the airlines.

Imo Air partners foundation on CSR

Imo Air, operated by Dana Air, has announced a partnership with the House of FREEDA on the unveiling of ELFREEDA Foundation, scheduled to hold on August 11, at the Imo Trade and Investment Centre, Owerri Imo state.

South Africa’s national airline needs 13 billion rand to avert crisis

PHOTO: SA Airlines

South Africa’s state-owned airliner says it will face a liquidity crisis if it does not receive a 13 billion rand (976 million dollars) cash injection from the Treasury to meet its debt obligations and cover operating costs, it said on Friday.

South African Airways (SAA) said in a financial plan presented to parliament that its modelling showed it was not generating enough cash.

However, it said that it would turn a profit by 2019 on an EBITDA basis.

The airline also said debt maturities had been negotiated and extended to the end of September this year.


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El-Rufai hopeful of robust economy as Ethiopian Airline begins flights

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has described the Ethiopian Airlines’ international flights, which started yesterday in the state as significant to boosting the economy.

He said regular international flights and the planned inland container terminal in the state would overcome its disadvantage of not being close to a seaport.

Ethiopian Airlines begin flight operations on Kaduna route

The governor of Kaduna State Nasir El-Rufai joins other passengers on the Ethiopian Airline inaugural flight from the Kaduna International Airport to Addis Ababa. PHOTO: TWITER/GOVERNOR KADUNA

Ethiopian Airlines on Tuesday commenced flight operations to Kaduna with Boeing 737-800 aircraft, which landed at the Kaduna International Airport from Addis Ababa at noon carrying 17 passengers on board.

Airlines, NTDC mull special travel packages to drive tourism

Chairman of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Captain Nogie Meggison

Leisure travellers and tourists in the country may be in for special packages in a strategic partnership currently being worked out between airlines and the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC).

The package, which includes a destination of choice, tour, two nights hotel stay and return ticket, will cost about N50, 000 per person.

NAAPE to ground operations over sack of 600 Aero Contractors’ workers

Aero Contractors, currently under Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), in March sacked about 600 out of its 1,030 workers as part of its ongoing restructuring exercise to keep the airline afloat.

• Bird strike stalls Med-View’s Hajj operations in Ilorin

Pilots and engineers have threatened an imminent shutdown of local flight operations in protest of alleged anti-labour issues at Aero Contractors of Nigeria Limited.

Air Peace to begin Akure flights on August 11

A Nigerian carrier, Air Peace will on Aug. 11 begin scheduled commercial flight operations to the Akure Airport in Ondo.

The airline made the announcement in a statement issued by its Corporate Communications Manager, Mr Chris Iwarah in Lagos on Monday.