Category: Aviation

The global move to improve aircraft accident investigation procedures is gathering momentum as regional bodies scale up their acts to improve the State Safety Programme (SSP). Experts at a programme in Abuja, last week, rebooted the debate on ways of improving accident/incident probe. KELVIN OSA OKUNBOR reports.

A coalition on how improve aircraft accident investigation among players in the air transport sector is growing.

Reason: experts and players in the sector are seeking ways and means to galvanise the necessary instruments and technology to make investigation of air mishaps and serious incidents seamless.

To drive this, experts say pooling of expertise,  deployment of the latest technology and collaboration remains key in achieving the objective.

To reaffirm this, the Banjul Accord Group Accident Investigation Agency (BAGAIA) said with the right legislation and regulations the use of unmanned aerial vehicles ( UAVs) are  a step in the right direction for aircraft accident investigation

BAGAIA Commissioner Charles Irikefe Erhueh, made this known  at  the close of the Workshop on the Role of the Accident/Incident Investigation in the State Safety Programme (SSP) and Flight Recorder Workshop -“Recorders and Beyond” held in Abuja.

Erhueh, who made a presentation on “The Use of Drones for Accident Investigation in Africa”, said drones are important to aircraft accident investigation especially for for capturing accident scenes before they are compromised, search for missing wreckage and to perform final flight path reconstruction/visualizations among others.

He said UAVs have capability of immediate site safety assessment and may provide distinct advantages over manned aircraft or other search and surveillance efforts used for disaster response.

On other uses of drones in aircraft accident investigations, Engineer Erhueh said such tool had capabilities of mishap wreckage survey and documentation.

He said: “After initial response actions are completed to protect life, properties, and the environment, accident investigators could use the UAS system to begin mapping the wreckage distribution, debris fields, and component and evidence locations.

“Other UAS system uses include building airborne depictions that are extremely useful in the mishap analysis, as well as determining other locations of interest or locating missing components.

“Ground scars, wreckage distribution, foliage damage, and other factors can be useful in determining flight path vector; this is extremely valuable in the initial stages of investigation to help determine the state, attitude, flight path, and energy of the aircraft impact.

“UAS may be useful in producing reconstructions of mishap events against backdrop of the actual terrain and wreckage pattern, which would be useful for both investigator analysis and for public consumption.”

Giving the closing remarks on the series of Workshops Commissioner/CEO Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB-N) Akin Olateru described the workshops put together by BAGAIA in cooperation with African Union (AU) in partnership with the European Union under the EU-ASA Project as highly impactful.

The commissioner, represented by M. H. I Wali (Director of Engineering), said, “I believe the workshops have been of immense benefit to all the participants, with the myriad of presentations by industry veterans and the wealth of experience shared with us all.

“This training represents the trends in the aviation industry as to the role of accident/incident investigation in the State Safety Programme and Flight Recorders.

“We, at AIB Nigeria, are also glad to have been able to host this and give the participants a tour of our facilities. We are committed to safety in Africa and are ready to adapt to current trends and technologies in the aviation industry, especially in the area of accident investigation.

He acknowledged and thanked veteran investigator and former Managing Director of National Transportation Safety Board ( NTSB) Mr. Dennis Jones for his contributions towards the growth of the sector, particularly in Africa.

Erhueh also hinted on the importance of partnering with the right stakeholders and communities in crash sites so everyone knows their role when incidents and accidents occurs.

According to him, partnering with the right stakeholders: airport authorities, military, police, national civil defense, construction companies, emergency management agencies, and even how to relate with communities where the crash happened so as to inform them of their role, which by the way is most critical if we are to get good results.

He said the workshops would deepen investigators knowledge further in understanding safety as well as the investigative processes, and enhance the understanding of stakeholders’ role during the investigation in terms of the State Safety Programme.

He said:”Also, this will let us have the understanding the benefits of the use of drones in accident investigations while looking beyond the flight recorders.

“Note that once an accident happened and the scene becomes contaminated by people who should not be there, their actions more often than not, derail the investigative process.Sometimes you see a massive crowd looting and carting away things from the scene all in the guise ‘to help’.” Erhueh said.

Jones,who spoke on emerging risks and high risk categories, dissected a few inimical to air safety in his presentation Overview of Accidents/Incidents (Globally/Africa/Region) looked at the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and it’s associated consequences on safety.

The renowned investigator identified unruly passengers, mental health of operational staff,increased number of mistakes by operational staff as well as manpower shortage as some high risk factors to air safety.

He also explained that with the PBN approach procedures into any runway or airports, airlines must adhere to strict weather minima published by the NCAA, NAMA and NiMet of that particular airport and not go below

” Airlines must take from these minima published by the NCAA domesticate them and their minima must not be lower than the State minima. If the NCAA says if you are heading to Abuja on PBN procedure and you need 500 metres visibility. This means  the ability for the pilot to see horizontally to the runway, which  must not be less than 500 metres. The  airlines can take 500 meters minimum or increase it but they cannot go below 400 metres, It could   be 500 metres or higher.”

He called on increased sensitization, saying : ”  The challenge airlines are having is getting these operational approvals, what we are advocating is for the NCAA to improve on sensitization to airlines of these requirements for getting operational approval.

” It is necessary, airlines might be equipped but do not know the procedure in getting these approvals so there has to be continuous sensitization.”

Efforts by the Federal Government to deliver a roadmap for the air transport sector has drawn flak from unions, safety advocacy organisations and other  interest groups seven years after it was conceived.  Last minute rush by the Ministry of Aviation to actualise some components of the initiative – National Carrier, Aerotropolis and  Concession of four international airport terminals – is creating unease among  stakeholders. KELVIN OSA OKUNBOR reports.

 

Discontent is growing in the aviation sector over failure by the Federal Government to implement the roadmap it conceived for the industry over seven years ago.

The cause of the anger among leading industry groups, including unions, safety advocacy organisations and  other industry groups is the abandonment of the blueprint designed to correct infrastructural gaps and other challenges erecting a roadblock to the growth of the industry.

Put together seven years ago, at the outset of the Muhammadu Buhari-led regime, the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, enunciated the  Aviation Road Map  to consist  six flagship projects  – the  establishment of a national carrier, an aircraft maintenance, repair & overhaul facility, an aircraft leasing company, agro-allied airports, aerotropolis, and concession of the four major international airport terminals  in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt.

Many years down the line, industry analysts say the administration has been long in talk and short in action in driving the projects to reality.

But, Sirika said the roadmap was on track as some of its components are 90 per cent completed.

He said before the end of May 2023, when President Buhari would leave office, majority of the roadmap components would have been concluded.

Sirika said by April 2023, an estimated 72,300 jobs would be created.

But, industry experts hold different views on the performance of the industry roadmap.

In an interview, an industry analyst, who pleaded anonymity, said for  inexplicable reasons none of the  projects have been delivered.

He said it was, therefore, not surprising that Sirika was in a frenzy to deliver the projects, being that the administration was at its twilight.

The expert observed that the seeming rush to deliver the components of the roadmap at all cost had expectedly occasioned suspicion and a plethora of missteps which if not corrected would spell doom for the  industry and could prove costly to amend in future.

The expert said though the  projects are vital for the good health of the industry, it is not the exclusive initiative of the  current administration.

He said: “The current government does not own the credit for conceptualising these projects. The  Aviation Road Map has been a recurrent theme in the Aviation Ministry for as long as one can call to mind.”

To drive home the disapproval of aviation unions on the failure of the Federal Government to deliver the projects, General Secretary of National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) Comrade Ocheme Aba said industry watchers were getting worried over the development.

He said: “But, we have to seriously worry about the manner of delivery. More crucially, we are concerned about whether what is being delivered is actually what Nigerians crave. That is the crux of the matter.

“However, our hearts are now greatly troubled to be witnesses to the ongoing bastardisation of the lofty objectives of the Aviation Road Map. But, activities around the implementation of the road map tend to suggest that a ploy is afoot to deny Nigeria of the benefits of its labour and natural endowments, or to divert such to private ends. Nothing evidences this more than the fact that key decisions and actions around the projects are taken outside the statutory organs.”

Airfield Lighting on Runway 18L/36R at the Domestic Terminal of the Murtala Muhammed Airport,  Lagos, will reduce operating costs for local carriers, Chairman of Air Peace,  Mr. Allen Onyema has declared.

Besides reducing operating cost for indigenous carriers,  Onyema  said the facility would improve turnaround time for local carriers, enhance possibility of improving flight frequencies and create avenue for operational efficiency.

He said the facility would change the narrative for passengers and airlines who hitherto lamented the time and resources wasted for  aircraft taxiing from the international terminal runway before getting to the local wing after landing.

In an interview at the weekend, Onyema  congratulated the Federal Government and the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika for  the feat.

He  hailed the Presiden, Muhammadu Buhari, for his administration’s favourable policies in the aviation industry.

“I must applaud the Federal Government for successfully installing lighting facilities on  Runway 18L/36R. President Buhari has been supportive to the aviation sector and projects like this one are a testament to the fact. One is not oblivious of the strides that have been achieved in Nigeria’s aviation sector courtesy of President Buhari.

“The installation of Airfield Lighting on this particular runway will go a long way in alleviating the sufferings of airlines and reducing the cost of operations as well as enhance the possibility of increasing flight frequencies. It will also help reduce turnaround time, which makes for more operational efficiency, and both the operators and passengers will benefit from it”, the Air Peace boss asserted.

Recall that the 2.7 kilometres  long Runway 18L/36R was shut down by FAAN on July 7, 2022 for 90 days to install approach, runway, threshold  centre, edge lights  and others  air navigaton support facilities  to facilitate the  return to 24 hours flight operations thereby  easing  the burden of airlines.

With the airfield lighting installed, the unnecessary 10-20 minutes spent and fuel burnt when an aircraft lands on the international runway before taxiing to the domestic, will become a thing of the past  thereby enhancing  maximum aircraft utilissation.

Rising incidence of bird strikes on aircraft in Nigerian airports is creating unease in the aviation sector. With over 20 aircraft already hit by birds in the last few months, local carriers are yet to recover from the $60 million spent to fix affected airplanes last year. Experts have canvassed collaborative measures intended to reverse the trend. KELVIN OSA- OKUNBOR reports.

Efforts to improve flight safety in Nigeria received a boost recently as experts gathered in the air transport sector to reboot the debate on the effects of migratory birds on aircraft in the fleet of local carriers.

Significantly, they analysed the increasing incidence of bird strikes on aircraft  and how the development is pushing airline business  precariously towards the cliff.

Regulatory data indicate that in the last few months about 20 airplanes have been hit by migratory birds at airports nationwide.

But, Nigeria is not insulated from the dangers of bird strikes . Global carriers are increasingly grappling with the effects of birds coming in contact with aircraft in flight.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) received 65,139 bird strike reports for 2011-14, and the Federal Aviation Administration counted 177,269 wildlife strike reports on civil aircraft between 1990 and 2015, growing 38 percent  in seven years from 2009 to 2015.

Nigerian airports recorded 93 bird aircraft hazard strikes in the first half of 2022 statistics from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) revealed.

Fifty four of  such incidents occurred  at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos alone.

Head Bird/Wildlife Hazard Control, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Mr. Azike Edozie , disclosed this at a workshop organised by the Search and Rescue Mission of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) last week  in Lagos.

He said  the number accounts for 70 percent  of incidents in the country.

Edozie said  the responsibility of keeping the airspace safe from bird incidents is the responsibility of every stakeholder in the industry, including airline operators, security agencies and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

He sought for a lasting solution to the recurring incident  decrying that airlines were losing millions of dollars to the incident annually.

He said: “My record shows that we have had at least 93 bird strike incidents in all our airports between January this year to June. And out of this number, 54 of it happened in Lagos Airport alone, which represents about 70 per cent of the total occurrences.

“We all have to proffer a solution to this menace and I do hope we have a lasting solution to it because everyone, especially the airlines are losing money.”

Head of Unit, Bird Control, FAAN, Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, Mr. Adetunji Adetutu in his presentation explained that FAAN was doing its best to curb the increase of the incident through the procurement of modern equipment, which he said had gone a long way to reduce its impact.

He said that 98 per cent of bird strike incidents occurred at the airports, especially when taking off and landing.

He ,however , said some of the pilots by neglecting and violating the advise of Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) because there were usually in a hurry to depart an airport for another, also were part of the problem  urging change of attitude to safety critical advice from ATCs

He said: “The final say on what happens to the aircraft lies with the pilots. Until the ATC gives clearance for pilots to depart or land, it is necessary for pilots to listen to their advice.

“Airline operators should have a change of culture on how we carry out our duties. It’s the suitability of the environment that brings birds to the airport environment. We have water, shelter and food around the airports. Runway should be free of activities at take off and landing.”

He emphasized further that most of the birds that cause havoc at the airports migrate from other continents to Africa at a particular time of the season.

Also, Mr. Olanrewaju Iwalaye, Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator, NAMA, said the same programme was simultaneously going on in all the major airports across the country, including the Port Harcourt International Airport (PHIA), Omagwa, Aminu Kano International Airport (AKIA), Kano and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Port Harcourt.

Iwalaye, observed that FAAN had in recent times improved with the procurement of equipment to reduce the incident.

“We need to find a way to address this challenge. Birds are in their natural habitat and most of our airports are built close to the forest.

“Apart from birds, we also have wildlife animals, which are also strikes. We hope to propose mitigation in order to address it. We also need to know the activities of birds too.”

Speaking on the development, a former director in the regulatory authority , who declined not to be named, urged FAAN to cut the airfield grass between five to eight inches, affirming that anything below five inches during and after operations would attract birds.

He said : ” In the United Kingdom, the civil aviation authority recommends six inches , the United States Federal Aviation Administration recommends between five to eight inches, but the International Civil Aviation Organisation recommends eight inches. Strictly complying with these standards would be the beginning of bird strike control.”

 

The drive to achieve cost-effective and efficient flight navigation for indigenous carriers is gaining traction. To clear the tracks for airlines, the air navigation services provider has set conditions to be met to achieve a new procedure christened – Performance Based Navigation (PBN). KELVIN OSA- OKUNBOR reports.

The global civil aviation sector is evolving safer, more-efficient and environmentally-friendly measures to keep aircraft in the skies.

To achieve this, global regulators: including International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), Flight Safety International (FSI), and Air Navigation Services Providers (ANSPs), have been reaching out to countries, including Nigeria, to implement new air navigation procedures in their airspace.

But, there are conditions to be met before the new procedure could take  off.

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has listed three key requirements for airlines willing to use the Performance Based Navigation (PBN).

The airspace agency said the new air navigation procedure has been fully implemented  in the country, stressing that  its usage will provide navigational accuracy, provide cost-effective and efficient flight operations as well as aid in reducing CO2 emissions, among others.

Its Acting Managing Director, Mr. Mathew Lawrence Pwajok, who disclosed this said the PBN had been implemented on all  runways of four international airports.

He stressed that it has been implemented on 32  Federal and State airports as well as   military aerodromes in Port Harcourt and Makurdi.

Pwajok said the air navigation procedure was yet to take off in  Jalingo Airport , in Taraba State  due to survey access, stressing that virtually all airports can be accessed by ground-based and satellite-based navigation.

On the range of the PBN, Pwajok said :  “We are still ongoing with the deployment of new systems of navigation to enhance access to our airports and enhance enroute navigation nationwide. We have also done satellite based navigation to provide back up for the conventional ground based system, I have mentioned what we have done in the four international airports is provide Performance Based Navigation (PBN) approaches on both sides of the runway and to provide back up; we use the satellite system or GPS, Global Positioning System to approach and land on any runway.

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“We have done over 32 airports at the moment, that includes all the Federal Airports, all the state Airports, I think the only airport we have not done PBN in Nigeria will be Jalingo airport and that has to do with lack of survey for Jalingo Airport in Taraba other wise we have done PBN in all Nigerian airports. This includes Zaria, even Eket. including the military airport in Port Harcourt and the milita    ry airport in Makurdi we are currently working with the Nigeria Air Force in Kaduna to assist them also and Kainji Military Airport, we have done the survey and are currently developing the procedure” he said.

While explaining why Nigerian airlines are not using the PBN, Pwajok said operating the PBN goes beyond having the required technology on the aircraft but that flight crew must be trained and certified and the aircraft must have the procedure documented in its manuals and approved by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority  (NCAA).

Pwajok  said the above three requirements need to be harped on by the regulators to airlines as they may not be aware due to low sensitisation, especially on something that may reduce their operational costs.

He said : ”  The PBN requires what is called operational approval by the NCAA. The aircraft should be equipped, flight crew should be trained and the aircraft operating manuals must have processes documented as approved by the NCAA.

Since last year, some Nigerian carriers started acquiring newer model aircraft from the Airbus A220 to the Embraer Regional Jets 195E.

He said some carriers have acquired  ATR-75  aircraft types,  which may have the technology to interface and operate on PBN; however, Pwajok insists it is still not enough.

He clarified : ” There are new aircraft and there is no doubt they are equipped to operate PBN, the only thing is even if you are equipped you have to show evidence your pilots are trained to fly on PBN and you have to include it in your operating manual, once you have that the NCAA would give you approval.

” That the aircraft are equipped does not guarantee the pilots can fly the procedure and that the pilot is trained does not guarantee that the aircraft and pilot can fly the procedure, it has to be in the operating manual of the aircraft.”

He continued,” Accepting that Arik, Aero, Air Peace have incorporated it in their operating manual for guidance of their pilots when flying into Abuja, you can use the PBN as it is the minimum requirement.

” If the system fails, what should the pilot do? It is required that the airline must have that in their operating manuals, they must input this in the procedure if they don’t do this the pilot would not be guided.”

He also explained that with the PBN approach procedures into any runway or airports, airlines must adhere to strict weather minima published by the NCAA, NAMA and NiMet of that particular airport and not go below

” Airlines must take from these minima published by the NCAA domesticate them and their minima must not be lower than the State minima. If the NCAA says if you are heading to Abuja on PBN procedure and you need 500 metres visibility. This means  the ability for the pilot to see horizontally to the runway, which  must not be less than 500 metres. The  airlines can take 500 meters minimum or increase it but they cannot go below 400 metres, It could   be 500 metres or higher.”

He called on increased sensitization, saying : ”  The challenge airlines are having is getting these operational approvals, what we are advocating is for the NCAA to improve on sensitization to airlines of these requirements for getting operational approval.

” It is necessary, airlines might be equipped but do not know the procedure in getting these approvals so there has to be continuous sensitization.”

Chairman of African Tourism Corporate Travel (ATCT) Chief John Adebanjo has called on the Federal Government to release foreign carriers’ trapped funds in order to grow air transport business in the country.

Adebanjo said with the inability of foreign carriers to repatriate proceeds of ticket sales, how does the government intend to attract foreign direct investments into the country.

Speaking at the unveiling of a travel booking platform: eazitravel in Lagos, Adebanjo said despite the effects of COVID -19, more passengers are traveling into and out of Nigeria for with business or pleasure.

The best the government could do, he said, is ensure that global practices are adhered to in allowing foreign carriers access to their money from ticket sales.

He said the spike in travel activities is forcing airlines, online travel agencies and destination managers to evolve measures that would enable them to negotiate tickets in bulk to deliver affordable fares.

Besides, he said the revolution in air travel is forcing the biggest travel companies in the world to consolidate relationships between trade partners and consumers of air travel services to rethink cost effective methods to retain patronage.

To meet the yawning travel needs, ACTC considered the setting up of a global travel platform, that will both be user – friendly and efficient.

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He said: “ATCT is excited to launch this unique one of a kind  online travel agency designed for our dynamic travel market.

“While most online travel agencies  focus on traditional travel services, eazitravel  went beyond that to offer a platform where passengers could book, pay and compare airlines, hotels and ground transfer  to bring offline travel products online and  ensure  we  are able to cater  to all travel needs.”

He said: “The platform is going to solve major problems in the travel space. The whole idea is to add value for passengers by making the fare offering affordable, because we are talking about volumes.

“The whole package is to create a new experience for passengers by creating a solution. We are here to change the air travel architecture. This innovation is supported by the industry regulator, because we are changing the way of organising travel. The trust is there for industry partners.

“We are building an element of trust into air travel, by offering passengers convenient, simple and technology backed ways to facilitate air travel.

The demand for air travel is very high, that is the reason we must encourage the government to do the needful. Government should release block funds in order to grow the industry.”

The soaring cost of keeping aircraft in the skies is forcing Nigerian carriers to adopt a new hybrid model. This strategy is hinged on the deployment of technology to lure passengers with minimum luggage into the aircraft cabin at low fares for short-haul flights. KELVIN OSA-OKUNBOR reports.

A New concept in running airlines is evolving in the Nigerian air travel eco-system as fledgling carriers tweak their operational model to birth what in aviation parlance is described as hybrid carriers.

Among the active carriers – Arik Air, Air Peace, AZMAN Air, Overland Airways, United Nigeria Airlines, Ibom Air – operating scheduled flights for domestic rotations, only Green Africa Airways appears to be aligning with the low-cost carrier concept. But, a new entrant ValueJet Airlines , which started operations last week, has unveiled a new model of operations, which it described as a hybrid airline.

According to experts, hybrid carriers latch on the deployment of technology in booking for flights to manage seats on the aircraft to offer lower fares for passengers traveling with scanty luggage.

Specifically, passengers booking flights with seven kilogrammes of hand luggage would be offered fares far lower than passengers with higher kilogrammes. The new move, already gaining traction among passengers, could shift patronage from legacy carriers which charge higher fares on major routes.

Investigations by The Nation show that the major attraction for embracing the new model for airline operations is to attract a segment of the population not patronising air transportation.

Experts say rising prices of aviation fuel, high cost of maintenance, huge cost involved in training crews and other considerations push carriers to think out of the box.

Part of the features of the hybrid model, experts say, include development of new products intended to make travel seamless, time saving and pleasurable.

They listed other features to include harmonised fleets, tightened operational processes which has translated to the use of the  internet as a sales channel, thereby reducing costs significantly. As the move gathers traction, passengers are getting upbeat as they join the race for cost-conscious short – haul trips.

At the unveiling of Valujet Airlines in Lagos, last week, its Chairman, Adekunle Soname, said the hybrid option contemplated by the airline was to change the air travel landscape with new experiences.

He said though the carrier was coming into the market as the cost of operations had become a huge concern, the introduction of  a low-cost model with point-to-point routes and seat-only business over the internet would make the difference.

He said: “Today, we are seeing more hybrid models which, in addition to offering low cost, are also beginning to offer networks and connecting flights.” He said the new operator would drive its acceptance in the air transport value chain with right pricing to compete with operators on the Lagos/Abuja/Port Harcourt/ Asaba/Jos Benin/Yola/Kano and other routes.

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“We are not a stranger in the industry, and all operational insights from previous partnerships have been applied in building our business plan and propositions. We have identified a niche in the sector, the need for fair pricing amidst the rising cost of commercial aviation to the average customer compounded by tough economic realities for air operators.

“With a long-term vision and growth mindset, we have set our sights in the coming years to expand beyond the Nigerian airspace. We are in a privileged position despite existing economic headwinds. We are building a cost-conscious business with an understanding of the sector and how Nigeria is poised to play a key role in developing Africa’s aviation by joining the rest of the global players in regional and international markets.”

Its Chief Commercial Officer, Trevor Henry, said the carrier would drive the model to give passengers more access to routes hitherto dominated by other carriers.

He said the new model would encourage passengers to explore affordable options by looking at route scheduling to make their travel experience pleasurable. Significantly, pricing and baggage allowance has been utilised by many airlines to determine their operational model.

Henry said  the new carrier would offer lower fares to passengers with less luggage as a low-cost carrier, compared to what other legacy carriers charge. Besides the new operator, other carriers, including Green Africa Airways, have been riding on the low-cost model.

An expert said inidigenous carriers had been using the weight of passenger baggage to mark out their model of operations.

Giving a breakdown of the baggage allowance for domestic carriers, he said passengers who book the lowest class of tickets with some airlines are only entitled to the free cabin  seven kilogrammes and would have to pay for the rest. A document sighted by The Nation reveals that while carriers, including Air Peace, offers six kilograms as free hand held luggage for the cabin, it offers 15 kilograms for check- in baggage. It , however, charges N1,000 for extra kilograms.

 

Arik Air on its part offers six kilograms for cabin  luggage and 20 kilogrammes for free check- in luggage, it, however, charges N750 for extra kilogrammes. Max Air, according to the document,  offers six kilogrammes free for cabin  luggage and 20 kilograms as free check- in luggage, it , however charges N1,100 for extra kilogramme.United Nigeria Airlines, the document indicates offers six kilograms of free cabin  luggage, 20 kilograms for check- in baggage; but it charges N1,000 for extra kilogramme.

Investigations reveal that Ibom Air offers seven kilogrammes for cabin  luggage, 20 kilogrammes of check- in baggage, and charges N500 for extra kilograms. A fixed wing operator : Overland Airways, the document reveals offers six kilograms for cabin  luggage, 23 kilogrammes for check-in baggage, but charges N1,000 for extra kilograms. Azman Air on its part, the document reveals, offers six kilogrammes for cabin  luggage, 20 kilogrammes for check – in baggage, whereas it charges N750 for extra kilograms.Another fixed wing low cost carrier – Green Africa Airways – offers seven kilogrammes as cabin luggage, between 15 and 20 kilogrammes for check- in baggage, but charges N700 for extra kilogrammes.

 

As more investors unfold their strategy to get their aircraft airborne, the Managing Director of K-Impex Airlines, Dr. Abel Ozigi, has given reasons for engaging Nasiru Ado Bayero as the chairman of the airline.

According to Ozigi, Bayero, a banker and businessman, chairs the board of several other companies and conglomerates. He is expected to bring his wealth of experience in the business and financial sector to bear on the fledgling carrier.

Bayero is the Emir of Bichi, in Kano State. His engagement came on the heels of  the exit of the pioneer Acting Chairman,  Alhaji Mohammed Tukur.

Ozigi said: “We are indeed excited to have him on board even as we appreciate the contributions of the former acting chairman Alhaji Mohammed Tukur.”

The carrier is poised to commence scheduled passenger, cargo, and charter operations across the country.

Ozigi said the airline would operate local cargo targeting perishable and non-perishable goods.

He noted that insecurity and decaying road infrastructure had made transportation of goods and services by road very difficult and unfashionable.

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Ozigi, who stated that the airline was shopping for the model of aircraft of between 15 and 20 tons capacity to develop local cargo operations, said he was concerned about the huge losses being incurred by distributors of perishable goods, resulting from frequent accidents and attacks by bandits on highways.  He added that the airline’s planned freight services would eliminate such unforeseen circumstances.

“The initiative, l believe, will equally ensure that perishable items are delivered fresh to consumers. It will eradicate delays and multiple taxations incurred by distributors who usually pay rates from state to state as they truck their goods.”

“We are quite aware of the implications of using the right model of aircraft for domestic operations so we are ordering the most suitable airplanes for our local and regional operations”.

The Managing Director further said K-Impex Airline would start operations locally, but would eventually extend to regional routes within the first six months.

The airline, according to him, is targeting to start with four airplanes for scheduled operations, two twelve seaters for charter, and one freighter by the first quarter of 2022.