The Nation Newspaper

Category: Aviation

  • Dana crash: Multiple claims delay $70,000 payment to families

    Dana crash: Multiple claims delay $70,000 payment to families

    WHY has the outstanding $70,000 compensation to families of victims of the June 3 Dana plane crash not been paid five months after the accident?

    The Nation has learnt that payment is being delayed because of multiple claims by some family members.The families, it was learnt, could not agree on who should be the next- of- kin to collect the letter of administration from the Probate Registry of the Lagos High Court to get the outstanding payments.

    To solve the problem, the Ministry of Aviation, Dana Air and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) have set up a familiy assistance programme.

    The seventh of such meetings was held last week at NCAA annex, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

    Although airline officials and family members who attended the meeting declined to comment on its outcome, NCAA’s Director-General, Dr Harold Demuren, said the challenge remained a sore point for air crashes.

    Demuren said: “When we start having problems about the claims we cannot leave the families of the victims or the victims alone. That is why we came up with the family assistance programme. We have been working hard on what can we do to assist them so that they can get the smallest thing that is available under the law, concerning the compensation claims to the families.

    “There are some families who have received the $30,000, being the first tranche of compensation but nobody has got the $70,000, the second tranche because this is being reinsured abroad.

    “To get the outstanding $ 70,000 would require a letter of administration from the Probate Registry, which would have to come from the Lagos State government. We want to see how we can fast-track the issuance of the letters of administration for the families of the Dana Air tragedy.

    “We want to see how the issuance of the letters can fast-track and accelerate the process of getting the letters of administration and once we get that, we have got assurance from the insurance companies that the money would be paid on getting this letters.

    “We have been discussing that and how we can assist them considering the agonies they had been passing through since the accident occurred on June 3, 2012. The families of the affected victims have had to travel from the parts of the country to Lagos on several occasions.

    “Eighty individuals have so far got the 30 per cent; whether infants, elderly, payments must be made on every person on board that aircraft because life is life.

    “The contract on the tickets is per passenger.

    “We have to contend with the controversies or muliple claims from families of victims. And most, regrettably, we have many of those.

    “In all air accidents in Nigeria, this issue of multiple claims by families of deceased always comes up. We must resolve this issue or less the affected families might lose the money.

    “Nobody would pay when there are multiple claims and the one would be in the escrow account until the families can resolve their differences.

    “We are putting a lot of pressure on Dana Air and it is towing that line also.They said the money is there but it needs the letter of administration before its insurance company can pay the remaining 70 per cent. We are talking to the Lagos State Government to fast-track this special dispensation, to treat the Dana Air case as special.

    “The Lagos State Governor State has given instruction to the Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, who has given same directive to the Probate Registry to act fast.

    “We need to treat Dana Air’s case as a special. It is a tragedy for the nation.”

  • Emirates deploys Boeing 777 on Lagos route

    Emirates deploys Boeing 777 on Lagos route

    Emirates Airlines is responding to strong passenger and cargo demand in Nigeria, by upgrading one of its Lagos flights to a Boeing 777-300.

    The Airbus 340-500 deployed on one of Lagos’ two daily flights, EK781, will be replaced with a larger Boeing 777-300ER from December 1, 2012 giving a 48 per cent boost to seat capacity.

    “Deploying a Boeing 777 on the Dubai-Lagos route demonstrates the strong demand from travellers to fly with Emirates and experience our superior products and services,” said Jean Luc Grillet, Senior Vice-President of Commercial Operations for Africa.

    “The aircraft upgrade will open up more seats to our customers travelling to and from Nigeria and further raise Emirates’ contribution to Nigeria’s economy.”

    The aircraft passengers will enjoy Emirates’ award-winning ‘ice’ Digital Widescreen, the industry’s most sophisticated video and audio system, offering 1,400 channels of on-demand entertainment – the largest selection of programming in the sky.

    “With the introduction of this larger aircraft, we will offer over 10,000 seats every week to and from Lagos.This aircraft upgrade will offer travellers from West Africa markets seamless connections to the Indian Subcontinent, East Asia and Australasia, via Emirates Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport,” Jean Luc added.

    Nigeria has been part of Emirates’ route network since January 2004,when services were launched between Dubai and Lagos with four flights a week. From December 1, this year the Dubai-Lagos service will be operated twice a day by a Boeing 777 aircraft in a three-class configuration that offers 12 luxury First Class seats, 42 seats in Business Class and generous space for 310 passengers in Economy Class.

    The Boeing 777-300ER is the backbone of the Emirates fleet, with 91 in service and a further 72 on order.

    Emirates has a fleet of 189 aircraft and are the world’s largest A380 and Boeing 777 operator, flying to 126 destinations in 74 countries.

  • ‘Integrated aviation policy will develop industry’

    ‘Integrated aviation policy will develop industry’

    President, Aviation Round Table, Captain Dele Ore, has urged the Federal Government to formulate an integrated policy that will accelerate the growth and development of the aviation sector.

    Ore spoke at a workshop with the theme: Capacity building in the aviation sector, organised by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (Aviation Chapter) in Lagos.

    Such policy, he said, would enable the sector to achieve economic growth in the country.

    “We should know how to manage transport industry, particularly the aviation sector.

    “Increase taxation, rising fuel prices and political instability has continued to challenge the economy system of the aviation industry in Nigeria,’’ he said.

    Ore noted that domestic airlines should adapt positively to a changing environment, otherwise the aviation industry would collapse.

    “The charges in Nigeria are very high, when these are put together, airlines cannot survive.

    “Intending airline investors should know the implication of what they are trying to get into. Successful airlines try to streamline their operations; they make money through hotel operation.

    “Government should invest more in aviation training schools and they should specialise in a particular area of study,’’ he said.

    Managing Director, Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited, Mr Olu Owolabi, said the sector was the most international and borderless unit of the global market.

    He said aviation has proved to be a catalyst in promoting understanding and cooperation among its people.

    He noted that the demand for transport and logistics service is strong when economic activity is buoyant.

    Owolabi noted that Nigeria’s strong economic diversity in the area of climate and population density made the country interesting for exporters and foreign investors to come in.

    The Chief Executive Officer of Widescope International Logistics Limited, Mr Segun Musa, explained that if the Federal Government must carry out reforms in the aviation sector, such efforts must not strangulate the operating environment by pushing operators out of business. he said such policies must address operational challenges.

    According to the freight forwarders’Chairman of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, until the Federal Government establishes a cargo village at the Lagos Airport, efforts to sanitise the cargo section of the industry will not yield the desired results.

    He explained that as is the practice in other parts of the world, the establishment of a cargo village at the airport will boost trade facilitation, as such a facility will not only earn revenue for government, but will help to organise the business of freight by the air for goods coming in and out of the country.

    Musa explained that the major challenge operators in the cargo and freight arm of the aviation sub sector face range from exclusion by government officials while putting policies in place that will shape operations at the airport.

  • How to improve airport security, by experts

    Security agencies devised ways of securing the airports. The security agencies including personnel from the Federal Airports Authority (FAAN), Aviation security unit, Nigeria police, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Customs Service, the State Security Service, National Civil Defence Corps and the Nigeria Air Force promised to redouble their efforts at countering terrorism.

    Deputy Commissioner of Police Airport Command Mr Haliru Gwandu, said the synergy among the agencies must be strengthened to keep potential terrorists at bay from the airport.

    He observed that theft in the airport, which he attributed to connivance among airport personnel, is a great cause for worry for the Police.

    Gwandu called for more logistics for the Police to do their job, especially in perimeter patrol, arrest of miscreants and other unlawful interferences on the land and airside.

    Johnpaul Echeta, the Commanding Officer, Anti-Terrorism, stressed the need to enhance security around the airports at both peak and non-peak period to miscreants from catching in on the loopholes.

    He appealed to the authorities to put right pegs in the right holes to avoid compromise among security agencies, adding that security is everyone’s duty.

    Other participants advised that the latest security technologies should be acquired to assist airport security agencies to achieve success in protecting the airport and its teeming passengers.

    The first yearly international airport security and safety summit with the theme: Getting it right was organised by Karamba Consulting.

    The organiser, Daniel Young, said the event would afford experts the opportunity to learn advanced strategies and technologies deployed to enhance national security.

    Young said the event was designed to discover cutting edge technologies and approaches towards achieving optimal physical security of personnel and infrastructure.

    He explained that the summit provided a robust platform for experts to examine how to execute appriopriate security training programmes that will meet domestic and international security threat, its needs as well as vulnerabilities in the airport operating environment and the resultant culture.

    He said: “The summit has gone a long way in addressing the issues of security and the safety needs in Nigerian airports.” Part of the issues discussed include securing Nigerian airports, airspace safety and security, cross border strategies for sharing intelligence as well as innovative strategies that facilitate risk-based airport security and safety.

    Other issues include contingency planning- threat assessment and airport in internal security, protecting air travellers in Nigeria a security imperative.

    Young explained that the effects of the threat of terrorism has become imperative to attract the attention of aviation experts, because the industry is often used as target by terrorists.

    He said: “There is need to explore new strategies of combating domestic and cross border security threats. This has become serious because the airports serve as the main link between national and international boundaries.”

  • Group wants more fire men

    The President of Nigerian Aviation Fire Safety Association (NAFSA), Mr Lewis Ojeifo, has said additional, aviation fire personnel are needed at the various fire points at airports in the country to meet the need of fire service.

    Speaking on the activities of the department in the one year of the management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Ojeifo, noted that there has been some significant transformation in the system.

    He remarked that ageing workforce and retirement has depleted the staff strength of fire men in the nation’s airport which necessitated the need for fresh hands to be recruited into the service to adequately meet the challenges of the future.

    “People are retiring daily, not that they do not like the job, the people have attained the retirement age. So, we need to bring in fresh hands to add to what we have. We do not need anything less than 1,000 men to add to what we have now and that is when we will say that we have enough hands to support those on ground”, he said.

    According to Ojeifo, the number of firemen has gone below 800 across the airports, which has led to some of them working round the clock in some airports to ensure that they keep the airports running but lamented that it could lead to fatigue.

    While expressing appreciation to the Minister of Aviation Stella Oduah for her transformation programme, Ojeifo commended George Ureisi for equipping airports in the country with new fire trucks and the training of fire personnel on the trucks. “When the rein of affairs in FAAN changed hands to the present boss, the whole thing changed and we have been collaborating and as today, we have 40 brand new fire trucks in our airports for our operations,” he said.

  • ‘Dana committed to safety’

    THE management of Dana Air has reiterated the airline’s commitment to the provision of safe and reliable world-class services to travellers.

    Its Head of Corporate Communications Tony Usidamen restated the airline’s commitment while outlining steps taken by the airline for safe and smooth returning of the firm in a chat with aviation correspondents.

    According to Usidamen, “following the lifting of the suspension on our operations by the Federal Government on September 5, 2012, the airline commenced a rigorous process of recertification by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). This is a standard safety measure taken by the authorities to ensure that all the aircraft in our fleet are fully serviceable, and we have been cooperating in the exercise.

    “Of the five aircraft in our fleet, three are on ground at MMA2 and have undergone thorough internal engine inspection and systems by NCAA, while the other two are undergoing scheduled C-Checks in Istanbul, Turkey andMiami, Florida.

    “The airline also organised an independent inspection of aircraft by Aircraft Leasing and Management (ALM) – a leading aviation consulting company based in the United Kingdom.”

    Usidamen disclosed that the airline has signed a five-year contract with a Canadian firm, FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd, for its flagship automated information reporting system (AFIRS) 228 at an estimated 1M USD.

    “The contract requires FLYHT to install the AFIRS 228 on all our aircrafts to provide real-time flight data monitoring and to assist in achieving maintenance and operational efficiencies.”

  • Group makes case for female engineers

    Group makes case for female engineers

    Female engineers have expressed concern over the few number of female engineers in the country.

    Speaking at a seminar in Lagos to mark 30 years of the National President of Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN), its President, Olayinka Abdul, stressed the need for the training of the girl-child to embrace the engineering profession.

    “We are not satisfied with the number of practising female engineers in the country. We need more entrance of females into engineering,” she said.

    Abdul explained that a lot of females do not know about the engineering career hence the association decided to embark on the visitation to schools.

    The APWEN President urged associations, well-meaning Nigerians and institutions to encourage the girl-child to take up engineering.

    Abdul expressed delight that the future was bright for female engineers, adding that they started with six women and now have over 2,000.

    She declared that their male counterparts were never a threat to them as there was no intimidation on the job and urged girls to embrace science subjects that will make them future engineers.

    Also speaking, the Lagos State Chairman of APWEN, Felicia Agubata, said the education of the girl-child towards becoming engineers cannot be over emphasised.

    According to Agubata, the profession needs more females, especially the aviation industry, noting that the profession has achieved a lot in the last 30 years despite all the challenges facing it.

  • Overland Airways aquires aircraft

    Overland Airways has taken delivery of the first of its six ATR 72 aircraft. The aircraft with Registration Number 5N-BPE, according to a ,arrived Nigeria in October from the manufacturer’s facility in Toulouse, France.

    The Overland ATR 72 aircraft, with a significantly reduced noise level, is configured to carry 70 passengers in its Business Flyer seats and offers easy aisle access to every seat.

    The Chief Executive Officer of Overland Airways Limited, Capt. Edward Boyo, said: “The addition of the ATR 72 to our fleet enables Overland Airways to provide a high level of on-board comfort to our customers. It increases our seat capacity while ensuring that we can extend our services to new locations in Nigeria. We are proud to be the first airline in Nigeria to operate this modern aircraft type.”

    “The delivery of the ATR 72 marks another milestone for Overland Airways as we celebrate our 10 years of offering excellent air services in Nigeria. It shows our commitment to continuously upgrade our fleet in line with the expectations of our discerning customers and satisfy our growing market. This new addition to our ATR family of aircraft will further our leadership and presence in the Nigerian airline industry,” the statement added.

    Overland Airways, according to the statement, plans to provide air transport services to every state in Nigeria through continuous development and delivery of aviation products and services to meet the needs of air travelers in the country.

    Overland Airways is a responsive airline committed to the revival and sustenance of hitherto perceived unviable routes in the country thereby supporting the growth of the air transport industry in Nigeria and enhancing business and cultural ties in the communities it serves.

  • Arik Air urges CBN to review ban on loans

    Arik Air urges CBN to review ban on loans

    Arik Air has called on the the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to review its policy which banned airlines from accessing loans from any bank . It said the airline business needs huge capital to survive .

    The CBN, two months, ago barred two of the country’s top airlines from receiving any additional loans on their outstanding debts.

    Chris Ndulue, Arik Air’s Managing Director, made this call at a press conference to mark the sixth anniversary of the airline in Lagos. He said the decision by the apex bank to bar the airline from accessing loans was not the best, adding that it should be reviewed to allow it (the airline) have access to money for expansion of its operations in the interest of Nigerians.

    “We hope that the CBN will review the directive. Is not appropriate to take such stand with a big airline like ours? We have even done more than the loans we get from the banks. We have acquired a lot of aircraft and state-of the art facility. There is nothing we can do. We still need to borrow to buy aircraft. The banking system should understand this.

    “We have come a long way. We have done our beat; we will continue to borrow for the sake of expansion. We expect that the CBN will review it”, he said.

    In the wake of the ban, Ndulue had said he was surprised that the carrier was owing a ‘little’, considering the number of aircraft in its fleet.

    Also speaking, Johnson-Arumemi Ikhide, chairman of the airline, had also said: “Apart of the money the carrier owed is for guarantees, adding that the business involves a lot of capital which many are yet to understand.

    “There is a lot of ignorance in the matter; we only got N10 billion at seven per cent from the intervention fund. In the banking system alone, we have taken N8.7 billion as interest to banks in Nigeria this year. The system banking has not been fair to us.

    Aero is going through a restructuring under the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), pending the final approval by its board, which is expected very soon.”

    Meanwhile, Arik Air, Nigeria’s major carrier, is partnering Lufthansa Technik to establish an international Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility in the country that would attract businesses from different parts of the world.

    Nigerian airlines lose billions of naira every year ferrying their aircraft overseas for repairs and sometimes when such MRO facilities are saturated with demands and work, the airlines will have to keep their aircraft waiting for space.

    Arumemi-Ikhide, disclosed this in Lagos.

    He said the facility would be built to meet international standards, including that of the International Aviation Safety Assessment Program (IASA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States.

    The facility when completed would be one of Lufthansa’s major MRO located outside Hamburg, Germany, the headquarters of Lufthansa Technik and it is targeted to carry out overall maintenance of New Generation aircraft; that is, modern aircraft.

     

  • Bi- Courtney laments operational challenges

    Bi- Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) has said it has been sinking money in providing services and maintaining the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos Domestic Terminal (MAA2), which it built under the Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) arrangement.

    The company said the terminal had not generated enough money for its maintenance since it became operational five years ago; rather, it had to source money from other businesses to fund its operations.

    The spokesman of the company, Steve Omalale-Ajulo, said for the five years the terminal had been in operation, it had not recorded total black out as witnessed in other airport terminals in the country because the company had continued to provide reliable and modern alternative power source, which it is upgrading.

    “We spend a lot to keep this place going and what we spend is enormous. That is one of the challenges we are facing. The second challenge is that people owe us. Airlines owe us; some clients; some tenants here owe us; then the debt the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Arik are fighting over what belongs to us going by the concession agreement we had; that GAT (General Aviation Terminal) belongs to us.”

    He said it had been tough managing the terminal because of the high cost of maintaining the facility and its inability to generate enough revenue for its maintenance.

    “It has been very tough to manage this place because it is a terminal of international standards and there are certain things you must do because of its standard to make sure that you meet certain conditions and those conditions must be met; no excuses. So it has been very, very challenging.

    On the supply of electricity to the terminal, Omalale-Ajulo said the BASL was pre-emptively upgrading its power systems to ensure that electricity supply was adequately maintained at the facility.

    “Today, we have four giant generators. Those generators are five years old. We didn’t wait for them to break down but we are already upgrading the power system. The upgrade is to enhance the alternate source of power supply. It is going to be in phases. We have brought in two brand new generators and we will provide another two in the second phase.

    “We are investing a lot in power supply. We are also investing a lot in maintenance. There are aspects of maintenance we carry out every day. This is whether it is only one airline operating. You must carry out maintenance of certain things.”

    He said the terminal had been recognised as the cleanest in the country and the management of BASL intends to maintain that reputation by making sure that the terminal is adequately maintained and all necessary amenities sustained.