FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO CONCESSION THE MAINTENENCE/ BUILDING OF SOME AIRPORTS

The Federal government in its quest towards maintaining high standard and efficiency in the management of its airports intends to concession the maintenance and building of some airports across the country.

 

Minister of State Aviation, Senator Hadi sirika made this known during a courtesy visit by Technical Delegation from the Turkish Embassy in Abuja, in his office.

Ethiopian Airlines marks 70 years of operations

Ethiopian Airlines

With a vision of bringing Africa together and closer to the world, Ethiopian Airlines said it is celebrating its 70 years of dedicated and highly successful air transport services to, from and within the continent

Speaking on the anniversary, the airline’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Tewolde Gebremariam said: “Seventy years is a long time, but Ethiopian is still young, strong, forward-looking and ready to contribute its own share of an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena in line with the African Union agenda 2063.

Amaechi to focus on safety, security to boost air travel in Nigeria

THE Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi has restated that his administration would focus on the safety and security of the country’s airspace, and that this has become necessary, as the nation cannot afford any mishap.

Speaking recently in Lagos, he said that, “safety and security is non negotiable”. He stated that achieving safety and security in the aviation industry is the key driver to growing the sub sector rapidly.”

KLM Extend its Italy Routes With Pesto, the “Green Gold” of Genoa

Pesto, the “Green Gold” of Genoa

KLM will expand its network this summer with 7 new destinations, including Genoa. The city where the smell of fresh basil greets you on arrival. In the world capital of pesto, no pasta dish is served without this crushed sauce and a consortium stringently monitors the quality of this “green gold”. We will be flying there from Schiphol Airport as of 22 April. 

Christopher Columbus could smell from the aroma of fresh basil that his ship was nearing the Port of Genoa. After months of surviving on ship’s biscuit, fresh vegetables were a meal fit for the gods for medieval seafarers.

 Even after half a millennium, pesto remains inextricably linked to Italy’s largest port. Since serving as Europe’s cultural capital in 2014, Genoa has put paid to its dark and grisly image. Nowadays, the city boasts a raw beauty that is difficult to quantify: you have to experience – and more particularly taste – it for yourself. Welcome to Genoa, welcome to the world of pesto genovese.

Genuine pesto genovese does not come from a factory, but is crushed by hand

source: KLM blog

Malaysia's first Islamic-compliant airline suspended: Official

Malaysia's Department of Civil Aviation has suspended the country's first Islamic-compliant airline. 

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's first Islamic-compliant airline has been suspended for three months after it failed to adhere to aviation regulations, a senior official said Monday (Apr 11), as the government announced a safety audit of the carrier.

"Rayani Air has been suspended for three months," Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, director-general of the Department of Civil Aviation, told AFP. "They contravened civil aviation regulations," he said, declining to elaborate.

Muslim flight crew don the hijab while non-Muslim crew are forbidden from wearing revealing clothing on board the airline, which launched last December.

Tips and Tricks for Hotel Room Key Card Wall Slots

In hotels outside the U.S., it is common to find energy-saving technology for turning off the lights and power in a guest room. Insert your room key in the wall slot upon entering the room and the lights can be turned on. Remove the room key upon departing and the lights automatically go off (some hotels offer a delay of 30 or 60 seconds so you can easily see the door handle to exit the room, which I appreciate).

This energy-saving technology is smart for saving electricity though does have certain challenges. Since the topic of these room key wall slots has come up often with travelers I talk with, I thought I’d put a few tips and tricks together: I have never had a hotel front desk clerk tell me that I needed to insert my room key into this wall slot in order to get my lights on. 

Airplane Passengers Sing 'I Believe I Can Fly' : Video Goes Viral

An airplane’s “I Believe I Can Fly” video went viral after a group of passengers, stuck for hours on a grounded Allegiant Air flight, made the best of a bad situation by breaking out into song and karaoke-ing some R. Kelly.

The Harlem Shake may be banned by the FAA, but the airplane’s “ I Believe I Can Fly” number didn’t seem to attract the eye of any meddling bureaucrats — or at least we’d hope their first concern would be a plane full of people stuck sweating in 112 plus degree heat without food or water and not an unapproved rendition of the 90s slow jam.

A video of the airplane’s “I Believe I Can Fly” number was uploaded to YouTube, by user and apparent passenger Dustin Kaelberer.

FG issues 21-day ultimatum to Turkish Airlines For Passenger Baggage delay:

ABUJA — The Federal Government has issued a 21-day ultimatum to Turkish Airlines  to comply with the order of  Consumer Protection Council, CPC, over abuse of rights of passengers on flight TK 623 of December 20, 2015 or face sanctions.

Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, slammed the ultimatum against the backdrop of shoddy treatment of Nigerian passengers aboard the airline’s flight, especially with regards to misplaced baggage.

Passengers on the said flight TK 623 to Abuja were allegedly subjected to untold hardships, as they were forced to repeatedly check the airport in Abuja on the fate of their baggage, thereby incurring extra and budgeted expenditure, including hotel accommodation, without any form of support by the airline.

Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos

Murtala Muhammed Airport Lagos is the nation's busiest airport – with two terminals – International and Cargo terminals open 24 hours daily while the domestic terminal opens 16 hours daily.

As Seen on FAAN NIGERIA 

Delays, High Charges Impede Flight Operations in Nigeria

Nigerian passengers have cried out over endless complaints about flight delays, while airlines lament high charges, which they allege deplete their operational funds.

In the last two weeks, THISDAY learnt the situation became worrisome as flights were delayed for two hours or more and some were cancelled at short notice, leaving passengers stranded and frustrated.

Aviation industry names Turkish Airlines the airline of the year

Turkish Airlines and Russia's flagship carrier Aeroflot were among the big winners of an industry event that gathered aviation leaders in Salzburg, Austria.

In the 2016 edition of the Air Transport News Awards Ceremony, Turkish Airlines nabbed the title of Airline of the Year, while the Readers' Choice Award went to Russia's flagship carrier Aeroflot.

Bilateral Air Service Agreement will impoverish Nigerian airlines, economy- Experts

Experts in the aviation industry have said that the recent Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) signed between the federal government and Qatar will rather than strengthen the domestic airlines, impoverish the nation’s airlines and economy.

The agreement which is expected to pave way for more direct flights between major cities of both countries, on the principle of reciprocity by the designated airlines, on behalf of the countries have been viewed by experts as an unprofitable venture.

Minister Dragged Into Airlines Proxy War

Minister of state for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, has been accused of championing the fight by foreign airlines to blackmail the federal government for preferential treatment.

Industry sources said yesterday that Sirika is seeking audience with President Muhammadu Buhari to discuss the alleged plans by foreign airlines to sack 2,000 Nigerians on their staff.

The plans have, however, been found to be a ruse as all foreign airlines in Nigeria have less than 400 employees, a fact that could not have been lost on the minister.

In a series of blusters to force the Nigerian government to release about $1.3billion foreign exchange allegedly held in Nigeria, the foreign airlines have leaned on domestic labour unions, threatened to raise fares by 100 per cent, and even instigated the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol) to issue a warning that it could impound any aircraft belonging to Nigerian carriers.

Angry Nigerian pilots, engineers ground Bristow Helicopters operations

Passengers of Bristow Helicopters in Port Harcourt, Rivers state were left stranded as the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers of Nigeria an affiliate of Trade Union Congress, TUC, as early as 6:30am stormed Bristow Helicopters and shut down all its offices in Port Harcourt thereby grounding all flight schedules today.

NAAPEN, Isaac Balami led the protesters along side national officials and the state Chairman of TUC to shut down the operations of Bristow Airlines in Port Harcourt.

According to Balami “For the past ten years our pilots and engineers working with Bristow Helicopters have suffered untold hardship due to discriminatory and slavish policies of the management of Bristow Helicopters. They treat them like they are in a slave camp. You will see a co-pilot who just has 200hrs experience from UK, South Africa and Canada earning far more than their Nigerian counterparts who have been working for years.

Foreign Airlines Claim Of 2,000 Staff False — Stakeholders

Stakeholders in the aviation sector have described as outrageous and false the claim that foreign airlines plan to sack over 2,000 workers, insisting that the airlines do not have such number on their staff.

Reacting to the issue, aviation consultant and former corporate affairs manager of Nigeria Airways, Chris Aligbe, insisted that there is no way the foreign airlines will have up to 2,000 Nigerian workers.

“This has been the issue we have been handling for some time now because these people come into Nigeria and employ mostly foreigners, while our own people are not considered. Now they claim that they have about 2,000 staff; from where did they come from?

Nigeria: Dana, Overland, Air Peace To Clinch IOSA Certification Soon

Dana Air, Overland, Air Peace, and Allied Air and Cargo Services – are about to earn the much coveted international IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) Certification in the industry. Tanja Grobotek, The IATA’s regional director for Africa who disclosed this, also confirmed that the IOSA certifications have been obtained by Arik Air, FirstNation Airways, and Aero Contractors.

Grobotek said that while Dana, Overland and Allied Air and Cargo Services are currently on the verge of securing the IOSA certification, Air Peace has done its last workshop and is about to be audited.

Flydubai Plane crash in Russia kills all 62 people on board

All 62 people aboard a passenger jet flying from Dubai to southern Russia were killed when their plane crashed on its second attempt to land at Rostov-on-Don airport on Saturday, Russian officials said.

Russia’s emergencies ministry said the aircraft, a Boeing (BA.N) 737-800 operated by Dubai-based budget carrier Flydubai, crashed at 0340 (0040 GMT). Most of those on board were Russian.

“The aircraft hit the ground and broke into pieces,” the Investigative Committee of Russia said in a statement on its website. “There were 55 passengers aboard and seven crew members. They all died.”

Visa Rules For Nigerian Traveling To Morocco

Who requires the Moroccan visitor visa for travel from Nigeria?

Moroccan tourist visa is issued for a short period of leisure travel and no business pursuits allowed. A tourist visa stamp or label placed by a Moroccan visa official on your passport that permits you to go to Morocco.
Holiday visa for Morocco usually are obtained through the Moroccan consulate in Abuja or in the closest city to your usual residential address. When applying for a Moroccan tourist visa, you can be requested to explain the purposes for planing a trip to Morocco.
Sources www.linksandtours.co.uk

Nigeria: Ekiti legislator backs Fayose on airport construction.

The plan by Ekiti state governor to construct an airport in the State has been applauded by an Ekiti lawmaker for his foresight in a bid to transform the economy of the state.

Princess Titilayo Owolabi Akerele representing Ikole ll constituency in the Ekiti State House of Assembly who commended governor Fayose while fielding questions from aviation correspondents at Ikeja, said the proposed airport when completed will boost the economy of the state.

According to Titi Akerele, there was nothing wrong in having an airport in Ekiti to facilitate movement of people if the state has the financial backings stressing that it will transform the state.

“If there is financial backing to build the airport there is nothing wrong in having an airport in Ekiti. If you look at the road connection between Ondo and Ekiti, the roads are bad”

The lawmaker who was a two time national president of Aeronautical Information Service of Nigeria AISAN,  explained that the government was not thinking of constructing an international airport but considering building one that will accommodate aircraft. “To me as an aviator, I don’t see anything wrong with that and I am not trying to be sentimental”

NANTA Condemns State of Nigeria’s International Airports

 

The National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) has expressed worry over the current state of Nigeria’s international airports, including the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos; Mallam Aminu Kano International airport, Kano and the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, saying the airports have suffered serious neglect and infrastructural decay over the years.