The Nation Newspaper

Category: Aviation

BA offers summer fares

British Airways (BA) has announced discounts for summer in its First Class cabin, from Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria.

According to the airline, its esteemed Executives can purchase tickets to travel from Abuja or Lagos to London at special rates.

The mega carrier said the offer is open to all existing and potential customers and it covers outbound travel from 1 August to September 30.

Commenting on the offer, B A’s Regional Commercial Manager for West Africa, Kola Olayinka, said the latest offer was in line with the company’s desire to offer great deals to its Executive customers planning on travelling for business or spending and celebrating with their family members and friends abroad this summer.

Olayinka noted: “Our First Class customers have been a solid support to us over the years, as they experience our First class servicer service, this is our way of saying thank you for their loyalty to us. We will continuously support them with our wonderful service in our First Class cabin and those flying on First Class this summer whether for business or personal reasons, can enjoy the same world-class luxury from British Airways for less.’’

August 4, 2015
Aero gets IATA membership

TO boost its safety and operational rating, Aero Airlines has been certified as a member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA). This was disclosed by the acting managing director of Aero, Captain Rusell Leefoon and the IATA area manager, South western Africa , Mr Samson Fatokun at an event in Lagos.

Aero, according to them, is now the second member of the global airline association in Nigeria and the third in West and Central Africa. This followed the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), the highest safety certification of the association that Aero received last year.

Aero, Nigeria’s oldest aviation company, received the membership certificate following a rigorous exercise in meeting safety standards, customer services and security by IATA over the last two years.

The membership offers Aero opportunities for interline and code share with top players in the global business. The airline will also have access to training and information data base of IATA, among many benefits.

August 4, 2015
Nigeria loses over N100b yearly to Open Skies policy

NIGERIA is losing over N100 billion yearly to the Open Skies agreement with other countries, a former director of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Adeyemi Dare, has said.

He spoke at an event in Lagos with the theme: Liberalism or protectionism of the aviation sector.

Unless Nigeria designs its “protection measures”, it could lose more money because of the heavily skewed bilateral air services deals, Dare said, urging the government to design policies that would assist indigenous carriers to compete with their foreign counterparts.

He blamed the government for taking what he called the wrong steps of granting flight entries indiscriminately to foreign airlines to the detriment of local carriers.

Dare, a pilot, said there were over 300 foreign pilots in the sector, yet their Nigerian counterparts were roaming the streets for jobs.

Nigeria, he said, had yet to realise the importance of the sector to the economy, demanding stringent policy on expatriate quota to checkmate the influx of foreigners into the sector indiscriminately.

Over 47 airlines, he said, had been licensed to operate since the emergence of commercial aviation in Nigeria, noting that of the number, 31 are comatose.

According to him, many factors, including: government’s action, undue interference by airline owners, improper allocation of resources, uncertainty in regulations and lack of proper market survey, have contributed to the problems of the airline sub-sector.

He said besides engaging only experienced personnel at the Ministry of Aviation the government should initiate aircraft tax-free measure and limit the use of foreign registered aircraft in the country, among others.

A pilot with the defunct Nigeria Airways, Captain Prex Porbeni, lamented that bootlicking is a major problem in the ministry, adding that when people are ready to say and stand by the truth instead of shortchanging the system, the sector would grow.

“If the government policy on expatriate is strong enough, it will check the system because foreign airlines call the short in the aviation they are aided and abetted by ministry officials to kill the sector’s business rather than empower local industry to become strong enough,” he said.

According to him, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) should also enforce, not necessarily on books, the employment of Nigerian pilots as it was done when Nigeria Airways was in existence to develop capacity.

“Another problem is that domestic airlines are looking for finished products; that was not the situation in the days of Nigeria Airways. As a young pilot, I gained experienced at the Airways because they employed us and invested in us,” he added.

Other stakeholders identified the government’s influence and policy summersault as major problems that have slowed the development of the industry.

In his paper, titled: ‘Issues in Nigerian flight safety environment: An overview’, a veteran aviator and a member of Aviation Round Table (ART), Sam Akerele, identified the reasons domestic airlines couldn’t grow and why they were bogged with debts.

“This is not how it is done in other climes where they allow only one entry point to give opportunity for their local airlines to distribute the international passengers to other airports within their countries.

But this is not the case in our country where ‘Peter is robbed to pay Paul”. He said :” The government killed the domestic airlines when it allowed international airlines to enter and operate from all the international airports in Nigeria has which are in Lagos, Abuja, Kano Port Harcourt and Enugu.”

Akerele said for the country to continue to enjoy safety, the aviation agencies must continue to emphasise on training and retraining of their technical staff.

He, however, regretted that no airport in Nigeria had been certified fit and licensed by the regulatory authorities, a situation that has pushed up the insurance premium the airlines pay.

On security, he said adequate security should go beyond providing perimeter fences, but should include deploying technology for proper surveillance of the airports’ environment.

In other words, according to him, NCAA should sanction sister agencies such as Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) , Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) and Nigerian College of Aviation Technology ( NCAT) when they renege in their statutory responsibilities.

Akerele advocated the scrapping of the Ministry of Aviation , urging the government to empower the Federal Ministry of Transport to over see aviation.

According to him, Nigeria has many policies, but what it requires is a turnaround of mentality to rescue the industry, adding that liberalism of the open sky must stop where Nigeria’s interest of growing domestic airlines begin.

The former director general of NCAA, Bola Akinkuotu while responding to the accusations levied against the NCAA, said the problem is not with the agency, but the operators who prefer to bend the rules and refuse to comply with the laws. He assured the audience that the situation is changing for the better.

NAAPE President, Isaac David Balami, an engineer, in his opening remark, thanked the participants, saying the forum was aimed at providing an opportunity for stakeholders to jaw-jaw and find solution to Nigeria’s aviation problems.

July 28, 2015
Union to govt: overhaul agencies

The Federal Government has been urged to restructure aviation agencies to address their challenges.

A formerAir Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) president, Comrade Agboola Ogunfeitimi, said the restructure was imperative to turn the agencies round.

Ogunfeitmi, the Deputy President-General of the new Nigerian Aviation Professional Association (NAPA), said : ” The industry is in a mess. There is need for a general restructuring of the industry. Total restructuring is desirable from the management level to the lowest by putting the right people into the right position and not people over-staying their welcome in an agency whether in Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA ), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and so on .”

He lamented high level indiscipline in some of the agencies which he asked the Buhari administration to address.

On why NAPA was formed, Ogunfeitimi, claimed the leadership of the unions in the sector ” do not have focus. What they are after is grabbing, grabbing and grabbing. They do not inject new ideas into unionism in the industry’’.

He said: “When I was the National President of ATSSSAN, we assisted the government in policy formulation and hosted several stakeholders fora in which captains of the industry were present.

“That makes us to be more relevant. After my departure as the president of ATSSSAN, things started going wrong.

“The workers have lost confidence in the unions.

“Unionism is not about shouting. Unionism is about dialogue, about exchanging views and make positive change in the industry. It’s about promoting professionalism, about safety and progress.

“The majority of aviation workers have lost confidence in the unions and that is what led to the formation of NAPA.Workers believe that there must be a union that will stand right.

‘’Unions that will be able to take care of the interest of professionals and administrative cadres, that will also be above board take care of the professionals in the management level and those in the lower cadres and be able to advise government on policy formulation that will engender growth in aviation sector and peace and harmony among staff and management.

“We should be able to create a system to the effect that those owing the agencies are made to pay up their debts. Unionism is not about salaries and wages alone but how to ensure growth. NAPA of cause, will change the deterioration. NAPA stands integrity, accountability and transparency.”

NCAA branch which I inaugurated yesterday. I admonish them to be prudent, be disciplined and be punctual in their assigned official duties.”

July 28, 2015
Photo: Inspection at Lagos airport

L-R: Engr. Saleh Dunoma, Managing Director, FAAN;
Hajia Binta Adamu Bello, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation and Dr. Ibrahim Idris, Director, Planning, Research & Statistics during an inspection of the Lagos airport.

L-R: Engr. Abdulsalam Abubakar, Managing Director, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency; Dr. Felix Abali, Commissioner, Accident Investigation Bureau; Capt. Mukhtar Usman, Director General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority; Engr. Saleh Dunoma, Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria; Hajia Binta Adamu Bello, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation and Engr. Hassan Musa, Director, Air Transport Management during an inspection of the Lagos airport.

July 24, 2015
Expert faults committee report on airlines’ , merger

An aviation expert, Olumide Ohunayo, has faulted the recommendation of the Ahmed Committee proposing enhanced capitalisation for indigenous carriers .

Ohunayo, who is the head, Strategy of Zenith Travels, described increased recapitalisation for domestic carriers as mere documentation that will not resolve the myriad of challenges operators are grappling with.

He said mere increase from N2.5 billion to N5 billion is not enough to enhance capacity for struggling carriers.

Ohunayo also picked holes in the recommendations of the Ahmed Joda Committee which proposed that debtor domestic carriers be taken over by government to establish a national carrier.

He said:” The committee asked the Federal Government to merge all airlines owing the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON ) to transform into a major carrier.

“I do not agree with that submission because the alleged debt to asset ratio of debtor airlines is obviously higher than their liabilities. Doing that will not be appropriate.

“Also I am not impressed with the management of one of the domestic airlines by the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) the airline rather than improve in services has been reducing in operations and fleet with an abysmal staff strength.

‘’The resuscitating medication is not working.”

Ohunayo said AMCON should lookout for other options such as placing advertisement for buyers or shopping for turnaround airline experts.

Such steps he said could help the recovery process before a merger arrangement could be put in place. He said: ”An outright merger now will be counterproductive.

It would serve as a subtle subsidy for families who in the past allegedly mismanaged their airlines using funds from banks owned by Nigerians.”

He also spared a thought for under utilization of some domestic routes calling on government to install air field lighting facilities at some airports to boost flight operations.

He said:”The committee also wants the government to address the under -utilisation of routes, this is a good initiative if we can address this problem .The airlines are fixated on the trunk routes leaving other domestic routes to a flight or two per day.

”These famished routes can be improved upon if the Airport facilities are tweaked to extend operational hours,by drastically reducing charges and fees at such airports and by also giving interested airlines some Incentives.”

He said it is the joint responsibility of the Federal and State government to attract flights to those airports.

He said the Federal Government should take the lead. He said :”If we improve facilities and increase operational hours it will benefit our airlines, passengers and the economy at large.”

On the recapitalisation proposal for domestic airlines , he said : The committee also requested that the NCAA should enforce the capitalisation requirement of N2.5billion and N 5billion, for domestic and international operators that are registered in Nigeria, within three months.

“I disagree, we will continue to progress in error if the emphasis is on capitalisation.

July 21, 2015
17 NAMA engineers graduate from NCAT

SEVENTEEN engineers of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), from the Directorate of Air Traffic Safety Electronics Services (ATSES) have graduated from the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), after undergoing a three-month preparatory course for the Air Traffic Safety Electronics Personnel Licence issued by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

The course, which began in April, this year, was designed to prepare qualified engineers to man communication navigation system and air traffic management infrastructure, Information communication technology equipment as well as power systems.

Speaking at the graduation, NAMA Managing Director, Ibrahim Abdulsalam, who was represented by the Director of Safety Electronics and Engineering Services, Emma Anasi, congratulated the participants.

He said:”For justifying management’s huge investment in the training by successfully rounding off the programme.”

Abdulsalam also expressed confidence that the training would equip participants with the necessary skills and latest trends required for them to contribute towards improving the safety of air navigation in the country.

July 21, 2015
Pilots, engineers plan proposal for Buhari

The National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers ( NAAPE) plans to submit a proposal to President Muhammadu Buhari on how to fix sore points in the aviation sector, its General Secretary, Ocheme Aba, has said.

He said the proposal to the government would reflect the views of stakeholders on key civil aviation regulations, flight safety and security as well as protectionism and liberalisation of bilateral air services agreement .

Aba said the association decided to forward the position paper to the government to douse ongoing discordance of tunes coming from various aviation stakeholders .

He said :” Our resolve to send the position paper is coming

at a time when the new Federal administration is in the process of setting new agenda of reforms in all sectors of the economy.

”NAAPE considers this present state of animosity among various elements of the aviation family to be a dangerous trend which needs to be urgently arrested, less aviation misses this golden opportunity to take its rightful place as a driver of economic prosperity in Nigeria.

“It is, therefore, in a bid to provide a platform for the aviation family to muster together at this critical junction of our national life that NAAPE is organising an Aviation Stakeholders Forum which outcome will be a unified and unifying aviation agenda for the Buhari government.”

He further said :” It is pertinent to note that several other key stakeholders will equally present individual and group views for dissection at the forum.

“The synthesised views which will be presented to government will, therefore, be fully representative, encompassing, and will no doubt act as active ingredients for the rapid and sustainable growth of the aviation industry in Nigeria.”

Meanwhile, NAAPE will today hold a stakeholders forum to discus myriad of challenges confronting the sector.

A former rector, Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Captain Adebayo Araba will chair the forum .

A former of airworthiness standards engineer at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Patrick Ekunwe, will lead discussion with his paper titled : “ Bottlenecks , shortcomings and competences in Nigerian civil aviation regulations .

A retired air traffic controller , Sam Akerele, will discuss a paper titled:”Issues in Nigerian flight safety environment – An overview.”

While, Capt. Adeyemi Dare , a former staff of NCAA will examine the title: “ Liberalism Vsp Protectionism – Whither Nigerian national interest: An aviation sector perspective.”

July 21, 2015
Delta Airlines reports $1b profit

Delta Airlines has reported financial results for the June 2015 quarter, including adjusted net income of $1.0 billion or $1.27 per diluted share.

The net income represents up 22 cent from the June quarter of 2014.

Its Chief Executive Officer, Mr Richard Anderson, said this while giving details of the airline’s performance.

He said :” Delta’s record results have allowed the company to invest in its employees through higher wage rates and profit sharing; improve the experience for our customers through new aircraft and innovative partnerships with global carriers; and uniquely deliver value for our shareholders by accelerating our capital returns while also paying down debt.

“We have more work and opportunity ahead of us on all of these fronts as we continue to execute on our long-term plan.”

Anderson continued: “Our significant fuel savings in the September quarter should allow us to produce another record quarter with more than 30 per cent growth, a 19 to 21 per cent operating margin and $1.9 billion of operating cash flow.”

Delta’s operating revenue for the June quarter increased one per cent, despite $160 million in foreign currency pressures which reduced unit revenues by approximately 2 points. Passenger unit revenues declined 4.6 per cent on a 3.9 per cent decline in yields.

Delta saw solid progress with several of its revenue initiatives, including Branded Fares, which increased passenger revenues by $56 million, and its enhanced agreement with American Express, which produced an incremental $60 million in revenue.

“Our commercial initiatives continue to gain traction in the marketplace and we will produce summer margins in excess of any achieved in our history,” said Ed Bastian, Delta’s president.

“However, unit revenue growth is an important component of our long-term plan to expand margins.

“We continue to project flat system capacity growth for the fourth quarter of 2015 – a level in line with current demand expectations, which should put the business on the right trajectory to stem the erosion in unit revenues by the end of the year.”

July 21, 2015
BA’s rules on flying with children out

Towards making flying smooth in the holiday season, British Airways has put in place some basic steps to ensure a pleasant flying experience for passengers, including children.

According to its Country Commercial Manager for West Africa, Kola Olayinka, the firm has ensured a comfortable flying experience for every passenger.

He said: “When travelling with children, it is important to have a careful plan and take certain precautionary steps that will ensure that a child is relaxed, occupied and comfortable.’’

He added that, being in a confined space with a noisy youngsters could be awkward for parents and irritating to fellow flyers.

“Most children are naturally quite excited about flying. The trick is to harness that interest, without them getting over-excited while ensuring they do not become fretful in an unfamiliar environment,” he said.

Olayinka listed the steps to enjoy flying with children without stress to include a visit to sites such as BA.com which have comprehensive details of paperwork required for travelling with minors, so you can plan ahead.

“You can also order children’s meals online, or get help from the hostess,” he added.

July 14, 2015