‘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.

Turkish Airlines, hotel deny maltreating stranded passengers

Stranded passengers at a Lagos airport

Turkish airlines and the management of Golden Tulip Hotel, Apapa, Lagos, has denied reports of maltreating some stranded passengers and subsequently ejected them from the hotel.

The airline said while it regretted the development caused by cancelled flights early January, the affected passengers were catered for as mandated by the rule.

Imo Air born, to be operated by Dana

The Imo State Government is set to launch Imo Air to be operated by Dana Airline, in a partnership deal.

Dana Airline Communications Manager, Mr Kingsley Ezenwa, made this known in a statement in Lagos on Tuesday.

Emirates introduces blankets made from recycled plastic bottles

Emirates Airline. PHOTO: TWITTER

Emirates has introduced new sustainable blankets made from 100 per cent recycled plastic bottles. The soft and warm blankets are made using ecoTHREAD™ patented technology and is now available in Economy Class on all long-haul Emirates flights.

Ethiopian Airlines ShebaMiles launch platinum tier level

Ethiopian airlines

Ethiopian Airlines is set to introduce a platinum tier level in its frequent flyer loyalty programme, ShebaMiles.

The Platinum tier level offers extra benefits to frequent flyers that accrue 75, 000 status miles or 60 qualifying segments within one calendar year, January 1 to December 31, within the validity period of two years, in addition to the remaining months in the qualification year.

Think-tank flays NCAA, FAAN over failed Abuja runway

Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja

The dust raised by the Federal Government’s plan to close the Abuja Airport for runway repairs may just not settle yet, as more stakeholders blamed the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for negligence.

The think-tank of the industry, Aviation Round Table (ART), carpeted the NCAA for its failure at ensuring that FAAN religiously complied with the Runway Maintenance Programme for the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, which is an operational safety requirement.

RwandAir to open Harare, Mumbai routes in April

Country Manager of RwandAir, Ibiyemi Odusi

RwandAir, one of the fastest growing airlines in Africa, said it has concluded  arrangements to expand flight operations into Harare, Zimbabwe, and Mumbai, India, in April 2017.

Medview Airline to be listed on NSE on Jan. 31

Med-View Airline

Medview Airline, one of Nigeria’s fastest growing flag carriers, will be listed by introduction on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Jan. 31, a senior official said on Sunday in Lagos.

Medview’s Executive Director, Business Development, Mr Isiaq Na-Allah,said the listing would enable the airline to expand its route network and acquire more aircraft to boost its operations.

Ethiopian Airlines expands operations to China

Tewolde GebreMariam

Africa’s largest airline group, Ethiopian Airlines, has concluded plans to connect Chengdu, China, with three times weekly flights.

Chengdu is the capital of China’s Sichuan Province and is the seventh-largest city in China. Chengdu is the country’s western centre of logistics, commerce, science and technology, as well as a hub of transportation, manufacturing and communication. Chengdu is also a major hub for Air China, Ethiopian Airlines’ Star Alliance partner.