The Nation Newspaper

Category: Aviation

  • OVH Energy deepens penetration in aircraft fueling

    OVH Energy Marketing Limited  has deepened penetration in the aviation fueling arm of the aviation sub sector as it  has acquired brand new aircraft fueling bowsers.

    The acquisition is part of its expansion plans to deepen its service offerings in providing fueling solutions to players in the aviation industry.

    Manufactured by Flightline UK, the bowsers are equipped with latest technological and safety standards certified by the Joint Inspection Group (JIG), the world’s leading organisation for the development of aviation fuel supply standards.

    With a combined capacity of 88,000 litres, capable of dispensing up to 3,500 litres of aviation jet fuel per minute, these bowsers are designed to enhance safety and operational efficiency of partner companies.

    Commenting on the acquisition, Chief Executive Officer, OVH Energy Marketing Limited , Mr. Huub Stokman said  “this acquisition is one of the many investment initiatives we have for the downstream industry and we will continue to deepen our investments to consolidate OVH Energy’s leadership position in the aviation sub-sector and the downstream oil & gas industry as a whole. We are committed to exceptional service delivery to foreign and local airline operators in the Nigerian aviation industry so that Nigeria becomes the destination of choice for international airlines to refuel their aircraft.”

    The Chief Marketing Officer, Mr. Babafemi Olabiyi  said  the acquisition will  positions the company to further improve its aviation customers’ experience among which  are leading international, local and specialized airline operators.

  • ‘No plan to operate UAE flights from Port Harcourt Airport ‘

    Air Peace said  it is not planning to originate its flights to Sharjah and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

    A statement signed by the carrier’s Corporate Communications Manager, Mr. Chris Iwarah, said it had not altered its plan to commence its Sharjah and Dubai services from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

    The Lagos airport, the airline insisted, was strategic to the launch of its international flight operations.

    Air Peace assured that arrangements for its long-haul flight services to Dubai, Sharjah, London, Houston, Guangzhou-China, Mumbai and Johannesburg were nearing conclusion and the development would eventually give all parts of the country and West Africa a reliable alternative.

    “Our attention has been drawn to reports in the media claiming we planned to operate our flights to Sharjah and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates from Port Harcourt, Rivers State. We wish to state that there is no truth in the reports and we urge members of the flying public to discountenance the claims.

    “Our plan to operate our Sharjah and Dubai services from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos remains unchanged. Our strategic plan is to commence our international flight operations from Lagos, with Sharjah and Dubai preceding other routes.

    “As we have variously promised, we will eventually expand our international operations to cover other cities and regions of Nigeria and even the West Coast of Africa. The goal ultimately is to leverage our broad domestic and regional route network in offering the flying public a reliable alternative. This will be clearer as our long-haul route network unfolds . But we envisage that the base of our international operations will remain the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, while mini-hubs will be created in the North, East and South of Nigeria and West Africa. “

  • Why Nigeria can’t be West Africa’s cargo hub

    Nigeria has  lost its status as a cargo hub in West Africa, according to the Foreign Ailines and Representatives of Nigeria (AFARN).

    The group blamed the development on lack of proper planning, inadequate apron facility,  multiple  airport and other aeronautical taxes and institutional support by aviation agencies.

    AFARN President Kingsley Nwokoma, said  operators’ efforts to  draw authorities’ attention to the challenges have not yielded results.

    Speaking with reporters at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, Nwokoma said many cargo airlines now divert their aircraft to places like Ghana because it has become expensive doing business in Nigeria. He added that over the years, AFARN had mooted the idea of projects like the cargo village or cargo terminal to boost the cargo flow into and out of the country.

    He said : “Ease of Doing Business should be revisited. How easy is “Ease of Doing Business”, if the airlines and stakeholders are complaining? It simply means there is a problem. Nigeria is very expensive. The cost of doing business is high comparative to other African countries. Every businessman will want to go where the cost is comparatively good. These are things the government should look into. FAAN, Nigeria Airspace

    Management Agency (NAMA), Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) should look at these challenges.

    “ Government  needs  to look at the prevailing charges at Nigerian airports, which in the opinion of operators is expensive.

    ‘’Foreign airlines are complaining of coming in here, if they are paying so much on landing, parking and other multiple charges, it is discouraging. So it is something we have to look at, so as to move the industry forward and also make it competitive.”

    He said government should consider expanding the airports’ tarmac and parking bays to facilitate free flow of cargoes.

    According to him, at the MMIA, due to inadequate space, cargo aircraft are often moved to the passenger tarmac because the cargo apron cannot accommodate more than two aircraft depending on the aircraft type.

    This challenge, he said, leads  to disruption in aircraft network punctuality.

    Nwokoma said :” Once two aircraft are parked in that tarmac, we don’t have space for additional aircraft to park. So what is usually done is for them to ask the aircraft to go to the passenger terminal which is also time consuming and also causes more fuel consumption. Network punctuality is also disrupted. Because if I have an aircraft coming to Lagos and it is supposed to be in Accra or Nairobi at a particular time, and it moves from one place to the other, there is always time wastage.”

    He noted that incidents are recorded at the apron as aircraft wings sometimes collide in an attempt to park.

    He went on : “The expansion of the apron is very vital. We implore the government to look into that. We have had some incidents due to parking in the apron in the past and we all know how expensive it is when there is even a little scratch on the aircraft. In order to avoid all these, we should look at how to put them in the budget.”

    Explaining the challenges the industry had been facing over the years, Nwokoma said, “We the AFARN has a lot of projects like the cargo village or cargo terminal.

    ‘’We have talked about that over the years and we hope that that, within this  four years of President Buhari, such projects will be included in whatever project that they have in mind.

    “ When the tarmac and parking bays were built, we were not futuristic because we could have looked at a 10-20-year plan. But in the 60s, when this was built, it was just built with parking bays, to just contain averagely four to five aircraft, depending on the type of aircraft but now things have changed. Those days you have the 707s and the 727s, and those are small-body aircraft, but generational change has brought in aircraft like 747s, Dash 800; we have the 777 cargo aircraft and all that”.

    Nwokoma said there had been assurances from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to improve the system, but unfortunately the aviation agency had not been able to fulfil its promises.

    “ We have had so many assurances from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) but we don’t see them walk that talk. I hope the government will take this very important. It is important in terms of safety and commercial considerations. They should look at it holistically, so that we can still be example we should be to aviation in this part of the divide.

    “We know we have lost the cargo hub to some other countries but we can always make mistakes and correct them and set the standards. I have always said it that we are a beautiful bride in terms of passenger and cargo because of our population. However, if the beautiful bride is not ready, other suitors are ready to elope with that bride. That is why we have the situation whereby most of our cargo that were supposed to come into this country, go to other countries. If I am going to bring my shipment and I know that the air cargo is fast, I should have those benefits”, Nwokoma said.N

  • Investigators recover flight recorders of Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737-8 Max

    Ethiopian Airlines said Monday that it has recovered the Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) of its Boeing 737 – Max 8 aircraft crashed a few minutes after take off near the country’s capital in Addis Ababa.

    The airline said the flight recorders otherwise known as Black Boxes were recovered after a tedious search by the investigative team.

    The recovery of the black boxes comes, just as Ethiopian Airlines led the pack of global carriers to suspend the commercial operations of all Boeing 737- Max 8 aircraft in its fleet.

    Besides, Ethiopian Airlines, China Airlines has also suspended the commercial operations of the aircraft type.

    Investigators are working on the black box data to ascertain the cause of the crash.

    Ethiopian said in a statement signed by Biniyam Demssie, that it has continued monitoring the situation closely with all stakeholders and is providing all the necessary support to the families of the deceased in its temporarily established family assistance centers in Addis Ababa and Nairobi Airports.

    “Although we don’t yet know the cause of the accident, we had to decide to ground the particular fleet as extra safety precaution.

    All 157 souls, including two erudite Nigerians, Prof. Pius Adesanmi and Amb. Abiodun Bashua, died in the crash on Sunday.

    Boeing’s 737 MAX is the newest version of a jet that has been a fixture of passenger travel for decades and the cash cow of the world’s largest aircraft maker, competing against the Airbus SE’s A320neo family of single-aisle jetliners.

    The decades-old 737 family is considered one of the industry’s most reliable aircraft.

    The 737-800 delivers superior reliability, fuel efficiency and high-value returns that operators
    require in today’s competitive market. Its exceptional versatility and lower maintenance and operating costs provide a competitive edge regardless of business model or market.?

    Boeing rolled out the fuel-efficient MAX 8 in 2017 as an update to the already redesigned 50-year-old 737 and had delivered 350 MAX jets out of the total order tally of 5,011 aircraft by the end of January.

    But, two crashes involving Ethiopian Airlines and Lion Air has sparked global outrage on the safety status of the aircraft type.

    The latest version of Boeing‘s best-selling 737 family has again been thrust into the spotlight after a fatal crash in Ethiopia, months after a deadly crash involving an identical brand-new jet in Indonesia.

    A Nairobi-bound Boeing 737 MAX 8 operated by Ethiopian Airlines crashed minutes after take-off from Addis Ababa, killing all 157 on board.

    The same model flown by Lion Air crashed off the coast of Indonesia in October, killing all 189 on board.
    Meanwhile, aircraft manufacturer : Boeing said it is aware of reports of an airplane accident and is closely monitoring the situation.

    Boeing is facing a string of lawsuits in the US by families of the Lion Air crash victims, including five cases in US federal court in Illinois where Boeing has its Chicago headquarters.

    Former National Transportation Safety Board chairman Mark Rosenker said the catastrophic crashes of two new planes were “highly unusual” and both had broad similarities in that they went down soon after take-off.
    While it is unclear if there is a direct link, “this is now an extraordinary issue” for aviation safety officials to grapple with and will prompt a sweeping investigation to determine if there are common issues, Rosenker said.

    Dallas-based Southwest Airlines Co is the biggest operator of the MAX 8, with 31 aircraft, followed by American Airlines Group Inc and Air Canada with 24 each.

    Southwest and American said on Sunday they remained fully confident in the aircraft and were closely monitoring the investigation.

    China and Ethiopia grounded all Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft while a number of airlines across the world are carrying out safety measures on the jets.

    Aviation analyst Scott Hamilton cautioned against drawing comparisons between the two crashes, especially before the flight recorders are recovered. Ethiopian Airlines has a strong reputation and good safety record, he said in a blog post.

    Late on Sunday, Boeing said it would postpone the planned ceremonial debut of its 777x wide-body aircraft that had been set for Wednesday in Seattle and was to be live-streamed.

    The company said it is focused on “supporting” Ethiopian Airlines and “will look for an opportunity to mark the new plane with the world in the near future.”

    How safe is the brand new Boeing 737 Max 8? This a legitimate question to ask while search and rescue operations are in progress in Ethiopia after the recent crash.

    On October 29, 2018 a brand new Boeing 737 Max 8 operated as Lion Air Flight 610 crashed into the Java Sea shortly after take off killing also everyone on board, 189 people.

    Lion Air canceled a $22 billion order for the Boeing 737 Max 8. Qatar Airways followed, but later decided to stay with its agreement with Boeing for the delivery of some 60 737-800 MAX aircraft.

    The air flight maintenance log on Lion Air showed six problems had been identified on the plane since 26 October, including errors with its airspeed and altitude information displays.

    The global aviation industry is worried, at least behind the scene. The following airlines are currently operating Boeing Max 8 aircraft.

    Here is a list of airlines and the number of Max 8 on order or in operation.

    Southwest Airlines: 250
    GECAS : 150
    Ryanair: 135
    FlyDubai: 131
    Jet Airways: 125
    Vet Jet Air: 120
    Spice Jet: 116
    Norwegian Air Shuttle: 110
    Gol Transportes Aereos: 105
    American Airlines; 100
    SMBC Aviation Capital: 91
    AerCap: 85
    BOC Aviation: 77
    Aviation Capital Group: 70
    China Development Bank: 68
    Avolon: 65
    Turkish Airlines: 65
    TUI Group: 54
    China Southern Airlines: 50
    Garuda Indonesia: 50
    ALAFCO: 40
    Jeju Air: 40
    Silk Air: 37
    Ethiopian Airlines: 30
    Jackson Square Aviation: 30
    Korean Air: 30
    Virgin Australia: 30
    Air Europa: 20
    Goshwak Aviation: 20
    Oman Air: 20
    Westjet: 20
    Donghai Airlines: 15
    Malaysia Airlines: 15
    SunExpress: 15
    Air China: 14
    Air Lease Corporation: 14
    China Eastern Airlines 13
    Aerolinas Argentinas: 11
    Aeromexico: 11
    Air Peace

    Japan Investment Advisor: 10
    Lion Air: 10
    Xiamen Air: 9
    Comair: 8
    Smartwings: 8
    Blue Ar: 6
    Nok Air: 6
    Shandong Airlines: 6
    Fiji Airways: 5
    Qatar Airways: 5
    Shenzhen Airlines: 5
    TAROM: 5
    Air Niugini: 4
    Royal Air Maroc: 4
    Hainan Airlines: 3
    Icelandair: 3
    Business Jet: 2
    Enter Air: 2
    SkyUp Airlines: 2
    9 Air: 1
    Mauritania Airlines International : 1
    SCAT Airlines 1

  • New fuelling bowsers boosts Aviation sector

    Inadequate supply of fuel to operators in the Nigeria aviation sector will soon be a thing of the past if investment by OVH Energy is anything to go by.

    OVH energy is a licensee of Oando retail brand with business in petroleum product and services.

    The energy marketing company said that to tame the inadequacy, it has acquired new fleet of bowsers with the aim of ensuring efficient fuel service supply to aircraft at airports or airfields in the sector.

    The bowsers can also serve the Nigerian military, and jetty operations handled by private and government agencies.

    Making this known in a media statement, the firm said, the bowsers acquired were manufactured by Flightline U.k and were equipped with latest technological and safety standards; certified by the Joint Inspection Group (JIG), the world’s leading organisation for the development of aviation fuel supply standards.

    It said, the bowsers have a combined capacity of 88,000 litres, capable of dispensing up to 3,500 litres of aviation jet fuel per minute.

    According to the Chief Executive Officer, OVH Energy Marketing Ltd, Huub Stokman who shared light on how imperative it is to ensure availability of operational standard, safety and technology fitted bowsers for the aviation sector said,

    “This acquisition is one of the many investment initiatives we have for the downstream industry and we will continue to deepen our investments to consolidate OVH Energy’s leadership position in the aviation sub-sector and the downstream oil & gas industry as a whole.

    “We are committed to exceptional service delivery to foreign and local airline operators in the Nigerian aviation industry so that Nigeria becomes the destination of choice for international airlines to refuel their aircrafts.”

    The Chief Marketing Officer, Mr. Babafemi Olabiyi who also spoke on the new bowsers explained that the acquisition positions the company to further improve its aviation customers’ experience amongst whom are leading international, local and specialized airline operators.

    He reiterated OVH Energy’s commitment to operational excellence whilst delivering exceptional customer service.

    OVH Energy is the marketer of choice providing trusted petroleum products and services in Nigeria with expertise in jetty and terminating services as well as the marketing and distribution of refined petroleum products for retail, commercial and industrial purposes. Its aviation business spans over 25 years and is present in the major airport hubs within Nigeria.

  • No plan to operate UAE flights from P/Harcourt Airport – Air Peace

    Air Peace on Tuesday dismissed reports that it plans to originate its flights to Sharjah and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

    A statement signed by the carrier’s Corporate Communications Manager, Mr. Chris Iwarah said it had not altered its plan to commence its Sharjah and Dubai services from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

    The Lagos airport, the airline insisted, was strategic to the launch of its international flight operations.

    Air Peace assured that arrangements for its long-haul flight services to Dubai, Sharjah, London, Houston, Guangzhou-China, Mumbai and Johannesburg were nearing conclusion and the development would eventually give all parts of the country and West Africa a reliable alternative.

    “Our attention has been drawn to reports in the media claiming we planned to operate our flights to Sharjah and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates from Port Harcourt, Rivers State. We wish to state that there is no truth in the reports and we urge members of the flying public to discountenance the claims.

    Read Also: Air Peace boss advises workers on integrity

    “Our plan to operate our Sharjah and Dubai services from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos remains unchanged. Our strategic plan is to commence our international flight operations from Lagos, with Sharjah and Dubai preceding other routes.

    “As we have variously promised, we will eventually expand our international operations to cover other cities and regions of Nigeria and even the West Coast of Africa. The goal ultimately is to leverage our broad domestic and regional route network in offering the flying public a reliable alternative. This will be clearer as our long-haul route network unfurls. But we envisage that the base of our international operations will remain the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, while mini-hubs will be created in the North, East and South of Nigeria and West Africa. This, no doubt, will ensure we not only fully realise our vision to create seamless flight connectivity and positively impact the economies of our areas of operations, but also offer the flying public a whole new exceptional experience,” the carrier said.

  • Can state-owned airlines develop airport hubs?

    Is there any relationship between airlines and the development of airports into hubs? Last week’s acquisition of some Bombardier airplanes by the Akwa Ibom State  Government for its airline-Ibom Air- has triggered a debate on  what prospects the carrier holds in developing the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo, into a regional hub for flight services and aircraft repairs in West and Central Africa, writes KELVIN OSA OKUNBOR.

    Across the globe a huge debate is growing on the role of airlines in developing some airports into regional hubs. Whether such carriers are publicly or privately owned has not detracted from their place in delivering effective airport hubs.

    Across some regions, some airlines including British Airways, Emirates,  Qatar Airways, Lufthansa German Airlines, and KLM, have assisted in  developing effective hubs around London Heathrow in the United Kingdom Dubai and Doha in the Middle East as well as Frankfurt and Schiphol Airport in Europe.

    Africa is yet to develop effective airport hubs compared to other regions. Efforts by Nigerian carriers to develop strong hubs in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano and Enugu is yet to achieve the desired results.

    To close this gap, some state governments that have built airports in their domain are making frantic efforts to keep the terminals busy.

    This, some experts say,  drove  the Akwa Ibom State Government a few years ago  to set up Ibom Air to drive the development of the Victor Attah International Airport in Uyo, the state capital.

    The drive, experts say, is in line with advocacy by international aviation bodies  including International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Airports Council International (ACI), which continue to push for  the complementarity of airlines and airports in  developing  the global air transport industry.

    What precisely is an airport hub?

    Airline hubs or hub airports, according to IATA Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, Alexander De Juniac,  are used by one or more airlines to concentrate passenger traffic and flights at a given airport.

    According to  Juniac , they  serve as transfer or stop-over points to get passengers to their final destination. They  are  part of the hub-and-spoke system in global aviation.

    According to the global Centre for Aviation (CAPA), the world’s top 20 international airports by  2025 will mostly reflect hub connectivity expansion.

    According to the centre, there are  various factors that influence the evolution of airports. He listed them to include overall air travel growth and economic expansion, which has  larger impact on traffic at such airports.

    Besides, the centre said the geographical positioning constitutes an  important determinant of an airport hub’s effectiveness.

    A case for Akwa Ibom Air

    To underscore the relationship between airlines and development of airport hub, the Akwa Ibom State Government about two weeks ago took delivery of three Bombardier jets for the state’s carrier christened  Ibom Air.

    Akwa Ibom is the the first state in the country to launch commercial airline business.

    The state’s aim, its Governor Udom Emmanuel said, is to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs for the airline.

    This, he said,  would  enhance acquisition of improved skills for the people of the state who would benefit from aeronautical training  for pilots, engineers, cabin crew and others.

    Emmanuel said two of the Bombardier CRJ 900 series aircraft from Canada  arrived the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo about two  week ago ahead  of Ibom Air take off.

    The third aircraft in the fleet: CRJ 900 Series, the governor said, would arrive  in a few months.

    He said Ibom Air will operate routes that would give preference to Akwa Ibom people.

    Emmanuel said the   government would launch soon one of the best  airport terminal buildings in the country.

    According to him, the state government will  focus  on the development of the state economy through intermodal transportation comprising:  air  water and road.

    He said: “So far, the government has constructed over 1,000 kilometres of roads across the state while plan to construct the most digital seaport, the Ibom deep seaport, is ongoing.

    ”The launching of Ibom Air is a monumental achievement in Akwa Ibom State and indeed Africa. The journey to achieve Ibom Airline started in 2016 and it has become  a reality. This is the only state in Nigeria that runs and operates an international airport. We are the only state that runs a category two runway.”

    Emmanuel said the airline’s opening was a monumental achievement of his administration, saying the  six- year-old seater aircraft constitute the most modern in the fleet  of the Canadian aircraft maker.

    He said Akwa Ibom is the only state in the country that runs its airport and airline as a business.

    Bombardier CRJ 900 Series’ arrival at Uyo Airport

    About a fortnight  ago, two 90–seater Bombardier CRJ 900 Series aircraft were unveiled by the Senate President,  Bukola Saraki at the Victor Attah International Stadium, Uyo.

    Saraki praised Akwa Ibom State Government for establishing the carrier, which he said, would jumpstart aviation, tourism and allied sectors in the state.

    He said:  ”Today is to celebrate leadership and to say that a good thing can come out of Nigeria. Today, we celebrate the audacity of hope and a man who has a dream for his people that has been realised.”

    Saraki said Ibom Air’s opening is an indication  that the government in the state is always thinking of how to make life  better for its people.

    This, he said,  would bring investment to the state.

    He said: “When you have a man from the private sector that understands what it takes to bring in investment into a state.

    ”Millions of youths are looking for jobs.The government, on its own, cannot provide those jobs. It is the government that can facilitate an environment for investment that will bring hope for our people. That is what Emmanuel is doing here.”

    Project initiator’s comment

    The state former governor, who  initiated the airport project, Obong Victor Attah, lauded the governor for completing the project he started, adding that he was happy that the governor was running the state as a business.

    ”I thank God that we have  Udom Emmanuel, who has deemed it necessary to carry on the project we started years ago. I was accused of running the government as a business but I am happy that Udom Emmanuel is running the government as a business. Today, we have in front of us the beginning of something that will bring economic development to the state,” he said.

    Other Interventions/MRO

    The Chairman, Ibom Air, Idongesit Nkanga, said with the launch of the aircraft, the governor had shocked critics with his managerial prowess.

    The airline, he said, will boost  the Maintenance Repair Overhaul (MRO) facility in the region, adding that there is no stopping the visionary and industrial initiative of Emmanuel.

    The Technical Consultant of Ibom Air, Mfon Udom, who gave credit to Emmanuel, said the governor started the project three years ago, noting that successful airlines have been run by governments.

    He revealed that the third aircraft would arrive soon.

    He said three other CRJ 900 Series aircraft would arrive  in 2020 and 2021.

    ”The project commenced about three years ago and has been made possible by the governor. He came up with the drive and we carried it out. Ibom Air is one of the vehicles to drive Akwa Ibom and the state will benefit immensely from this.

    “Two airplanes  have  already arrived  and another airplane will arrive in August.

    “Three other  aircraft will join in 2020 and  2021.The plan is for Ibom Air to be a regional airline.  Ibom Air will fly three frequencies a day from Uyo to Lagos, morning, afternoon, evening.

    ”The policy of Ibom Air is to fly when our customers want to fly and not when it wants to fly. All successful airlines in the world are government-owned. British Airways is still supported by the government.

    ”The government has taken the right steps. Ibom Air will employ 300 people but 3,000 people will be involved in Ibom Air at one time or the other; excellent mangers have been selected,” he stated.

    Benefits of Airport as MRO facility

    Besides the airline, the airport will also serve as an MRO for West and Central Africa.

    African Aviation Chief Executive Officer Nick Fadugba said the MRO facility in Uyo will be useful to the continent.

    He said the facility will become useful in the absence of aircraft repair centres in Africa, arguing that the African  aircraft MRO market is worth over US$2.4 billion.

    He said, unfortunately, the  goldmine has remained untapped over the years in most parts of Africa.

    Fadugba said to achieve success in MRO business, such a facility should  have  a sound  business plan and competent management to drive the process.

    Fadugba said one of the benefits of African MROs, including the Victor Attah International Airport, is the creation of a competitive pricing for African operators.

    Fadugba  said when the MRO facility at the Akwa Ibom International Airport, Uyo, comes on stream, it will benefit the airlines that take their aircraft  overseas at prohibitive cost.

    “I was filled with optimism when Akwa Ibom started the hangar. It has been lying there for many years. And that is about $100 million invested in an empty hangar. Why haven’t Nigerian airlines come together? There is a hangar right there. Why don’t they come together and get that hangar up and running? I am very sure Akwa Ibom State government will welcome Nigerian airlines.

    “The government needs to get a company to put a business plan together for the  facility.

    So, they need the right business plan, the right management and investment to make it work. I believe that facility can be profitable and viable. When I look at Akwa Ibom State, it is a tremendous source of jobs for the state and the youth. I really urge the state government to pursue that project and make it viable,” Fadugba said.

    He stated that the geographical location of the facility or airport is not a problem saying: “It is a couple of hour’s flight.”

    “Nigerian airlines are ferrying their aircraft to Europe for maintenance. Why can’t they ferry it to Akwa Ibom? What is the difference?

    “If you have a facility there that can produce the job, I know the cost of labour will be much cheaper than in Europe. I believe that the project is far-sighted.

    “The facility can also serve the West African market. You can imagine people ferrying their aircraft from West Africa to Akwa Ibom.”

  • NAMA to operators: no going back on cashless payment

    The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA)   will not go back on the adoption of the treasury Single Account (TSA) for its transactions, its Managing Director, Captain Fola Akinkuotu, has said.

    He spoke at a meeting with agents and representatives of operators of non-scheduled flights.

    The meeting, which held at  the agency’s headquarters in Lagos, discussed, among other things,  how to address concerns, which may arise from the cashless payment system.

    Akinkuotu said TSA is a Federal Government’s policy that demanded compliance from all stakeholders.

    He appealed to the operators to embrace the new system as the entire world is going cashless, assuring them that the new system would yield them positive results.

    “This is an innovation that would not only improve and sanitise the nation’s financial system but also ensure accountability and transparency in the long run. If we desire an aviation industry that is globally competitive, we have to imbibe global best practices,” Akinkuotu said, noting that the risks associated with the old system of carrying cash around have made it not fashionable.

    Explaining further, the NAMA helmsman advised that all financial transactions must be done  into the NAMA TSA account domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    He emphasised that the era of paying cash to Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) for delivery to the CBN had become history.

    Speaking on behalf of the non-scheduled operators, the Managing Director of Sunrise International Air Support Limited, Mr. Sunny Ebisue, expressed gratitude to NAMA for organising such a forum, saying that it had shed more light on some of the grey areas that attended the new payment system.

    He however called on the agency to sustain such interaction with operators to keep them abreast with new developments.

    It will be recalled that in a circular, dated November 7, 2018, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation dated November 7, 2018 warned Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and other government entities to desist from maintaining accounts with banks without the President’s approval, saying that all affected Federal Government-owned and controlled MDAs and other entities must close DMB accounts, in local or foreign currency and transfer them to the TSA sub-account at the CBN.

    As part of the resolutions at the meeting, an operator or its representatives is to open a domiciliary account for its financial transactions with NAMA  using a smart phone.

    A representative can also open a domiciliary account, transfer an amount of foreign currency in advance into NAMA account at the CBN to enable it debit the operator, any time it does business with the agency.

  • NAHCO, FAAN partner on ground handling, others

    THE Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) Plc  and Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) are collaborating to improve  ground  handling.

    NAHCO Group Managing Director, Mrs. Olatokunbo Fagbemi, said the handling firm has set up modalities to defray its debts to the airport authority and other organisations as part of efforts to keep its accounting books clean.

    The NAHCO  boss spoke at a meeting with FAAN Managing Director,  Saleh Dunoma, in Lagos.

    She said plans were underway to pay FAAN  monthly to ensure that the debt was defrayed quickly.

    ”Our journey from Lagos is very simple. Our story is simple but essentially first, it is to say thank you. We have received substantial support from FAAN in the last few weeks on an issue that has been pending for a while and I believe we’d be able to find common grounds. It has to do with safety and security around the air cargo complex.

    ‘’The other thing is, before I got in, we were owing a lot of money, but I said we need to know that we can’t ask for things if we are not paying; so we are saying thank you for that support. We have been able to work out something with the director of finance, so we pay some amount every month. Hopefully, we believe that by the end of this year, we will not owe. We will keep our books current. We have to say thank you because unto whom much is given much is expected.

    “We are going to clear the backlog so that it doesn’t continue because if you want a lot of things” from FAAN, you should also pay.

    She, however, highlighted some key areas of mutual development to the FAAN boss, seeking his assistance to correct certain trend that could hamper both their businesses, including crowd control and others both at Lagos and Abuja airports.

    “We need to safeguard our business and we need to operate at an international standard,’’ she said.

    She also commended the FAAN management for the rapid changes ongoing at the nation’s airports stating: ”A lot of things have been done at the airport and no one can go around any of the airports and walk away without noticing a positive difference.”

    FAAN MD congratulated the new GMD. She went down memory lane, stating what the airport authority would do to support NAHCO, especially since  it was a part of FAAN before privatisation.

    He also said FAAN would look at NAHCO’s  requests on the Lagos and Abuja cargo areas critically, adding that the ground handlers were critical to safety and security around the airport.

    Dunoma said: “NAHCO  and FAAN  used to be one and so whatever NAHCO brings to the table NAHCO is an attachment of FAAN. FAAN created NAHCO  and in the wisdom of the government, they decided NAHCO be privatised. Privatisation is done, NAHCO is a success story till date so whatever NAHCO requests, we have little reason to say no because you started with one statement, our success is your success and your success is our success. So it has to be a win-win situation. We continue to support you and do everything possible to assist you improve your business because if you look at your operations of NAHCO,  it is critical to the operations of FAAN.

    “You cannot separate the two; if you fail, we fail because you handle so many things at the airport. So, we have to look critically at areas where FAAN needs to come in and support you.”

    “We need to work together. I know there are some requests that would require some processes. We can fast-track those processes and if there are huge calls in terms of implementation, you can come back to us and we will surmount this.”

  • Landover produces best student in travel course

    Landover Aviation Business School (LABS)  has produced  the best student in the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Foundation in Travel and Tourism with Amadeus.

    Amadeus is a travel solution provider for airlines and other industry users.

    The student, Ms. Adeola Alade, made distinction  in the December 2018 diet.

    Alade, also  a graduate of LABS, made a distinction in the course and became IATA’s Overall Best Performer in Nigeria.

    IATA ‘s Head, Global Partnerships and Innovations,  Training, Mr. Ivica Kovacic, applauded Ms. Alade’s achievement.

    He said: “On behalf of IATA Training, I congratulate you on successfully completing the Foundation in Travel and Tourism with Amadeus course and acknowledge you as the student with the Best Performance in your country for the December 2018 exam session. As our Best Performer, feel free to use this recognition as a reference in any future job application. IATA Training will gladly act as a referrer in your career journey. We wish you great success in your professional development.”

    Mrs. Aduke Atiba, executive director, Landover Company, presenting the Award of Recognition to Ms. Alade at the school’s Corporate Headquarters in Lagos, commended her for the outstanding performance.

    She stated: “At Landover Aviation Business School, we recognise excellence and that is why we are celebrating you. We are very proud of you.”

    She charged the awardee to apply the knowledge acquired at the school and continue to seek more knowledge.

    An elated Ms. Alade explained that she chose to study the course at Landover Aviation Business School because of its impressive track record and reputation in Nigeria and abroad.

    She said: “I am excited and happy. This is a dream come true for me. I will not settle for the best any longer but always strive for excellence. In fact, I have started putting some of the things I learnt to use. I organise tour packages for people because it is in high demand. I am also hoping to register my own travel and tour agency with the Corporate Affairs Commission as soon as possible,” she said.

    LABS produced IATA’s Best Performer in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017.

    In addition, LABS was awarded IATA Top Authorised Training Centre in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

    Landover Aviation Business School is approved by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) as an Authorised Training Centre.

    The school offers courses facilitated by qualified and specialised resident and international instructors. It deploys latest technology and expertise in the highly dynamic global aviation industry in providing its students with world-class theoretical and practical training courses to empower them to become excellent and globally recognised aviation professionals.

    In many instances, Landover Aviation Business School’s Alumni occupy leading positions in aviation in the country and in West Africa. It continues to push the frontiers of excellent aviation training in the sub-region.