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Tag: Med-View Airline

  • FG appoints Med-view Airline to evacuate Nigerians from Libya

    FG appoints Med-view Airline to evacuate Nigerians from Libya

    The Federal Government has appointed Med-View Airline, through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), to participate in the evacuation of 5,037 Nigerians from Libya.

    The Airline’s Executive Director, Business Development and Commercial, Mr Isiaq Na’Allah, and Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, the spokesman of NEMA, South-West Zone, confirmed the development in Lagos on Saturday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the agreement was signed between the parties on Friday in Abuja. It is expected to facilitate the smooth repatriation of Nigerians from the volatile North African country.

    The agreement was signed on behalf of the airline by Na’ Allah, while the Director-General of NEMA, Alhaji Mustapha Maihaja and Mrs Fatima Bukar, a Senior Legal Officer of NEMA, signed on behalf of the agency.

    Na’Allah said in a statement that Med-View Airline would participate in the transportation of the returnees with another carrier to be appointed by the government.

    “This kind of responsibility is meant for Nigerian carriers, because it is our responsibility, and we have the capacity to carry out this operation.

    “We have demonstrated the capacity that we can do it and we are honoured to have been appointed by the Federal Government through NEMA”, he said.

    According to him, it is a known fact that Med-View Airline has been in operations for the past 10 years and has successfully carried out Hajj operations within and outside the country.

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     Na’Allah said : “I think that was a factor the government considered before we were assigned this national project.

    “We will deliver professionally up to international standard and the government is not making any mistake for entrusting Nigerian carrier to this kind of project.”

    NAN reports that a total of 6,806 Nigerians were evacuated from Libya in 2017 through the efforts of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the European Union (EU).

    However, following reports of gross abuse of Nigerians in the country where they had been stranded enroute Europe, President Muhammadu Buhari recently constituted a 17-man fact finding committee.

    The committee, headed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, is saddled with the responsibility of facilitating the repatriation of Nigerians and also reintegrating them into the society, in collaboration with the state governments.

  • Hajj: Med-View concludes pilgrims’ airlift

    Hajj: Med-View concludes pilgrims’ airlift

    Med-View Airline, one of Nigeria’s official carriers for the 2017 Hajj operations on Thursday concluded the airlift of pilgrims from Saudi Arabia.

    The Managing Director of the airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole, confirmed the development to journalists in Lagos.

    He said the last flight conveying pilgrims from the Eastern zone; comprising Enugu and Port Harcourt, among others, landed at the Port Harcourt International Airport at 7:00 a.m.

    Bankole said about 15, 000 pilgrims were airlifted to Nigeria, while the other 2,000 were taken to Djbouti, Guinea-Bissau and Sudan.

    He said the airline, which deployed three aircraft – B747-400, B777-200 and B767-300 – for the exercise had in the last 11 years of its foray into Hajj operations transported over 350,000 Hajj pilgrims.

    Bankole commended the stakeholders, including the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) management for their contributions towards the success of the exercise.

    He said: “We airlifted about 15,000 from Nigeria and passengers from Lagos, Kano and environs including the allocations from the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON).

    “We have now gone international by airlifting pilgrims from Sudan, Guinea Bissau and Djibouti. If you add those ones, we have more than 17,000 pilgrims.

    “The exercise has been successful by the grace of Allah. The way God has made it easier this year was wonderful.

    “We thank everybody including the entire management of Hajj Commission and all the stakeholders as we hope for a better exercise in 2018.”

    NAN

     

     

  • Shareholders approve new capital raising for Med-View Airline

    Shareholders of Med-View Airline Plc have mandated the board of the company to raise additional capital to support the business expansion programme of the company.

    At the annual general meeting in Lagos, shareholders unanimously approved a special resolution authorizing the board of the company to raise new capital through debt or equity or a combination of debts and equities through any of private placement, rights issue, public offer and staff share purchase scheme.

    Chairman, Med-View Airline Plc, Sheik Abdul-Mosheen Al-Thunayan, said the company was witnessing the beginning of a new era and urged all shareholders and other stakeholders to support the company as the board and management continue to work together to move the company forward.

    According to him, the growth of the company has continued with accelerated efforts and ahead of its contemporaries as it has been able to spread to various routes across the world from its humble beginning in Nigeria in 2007.

    “We have commenced plans to include Conakry, Douala, Cotonou, Kinshasha, Abidjan and Lome in the second quarter of 2017. Our international route covers Jeddah and London. We are planning to include Dubai, United States of America and South Africa in 2017,” Al-Thunayan said.

    He noted that the airline came at a time that Nigerians were yearning for an airline and Med-View Airline has been the preferred airline by Nigerian, which earned it the nickname “airline of Nigeria”.

    Managing Director, Med-View Airline Plc, Alhaji Muneer Bankole, pointed out that the airline industry is capital intensive, thus access to funds is a major key factor to the survival of any airline.

    According to him, the challenges before the company are to ensure that it improves its performance and move to an era of sustained growth, profitability and adequate returns to all stakeholders within the shortest period of time.

    He assured that the company has been well-positioned to overcome challenges of the business environment citing the quality of its human capital and experience of the directors.

    “We expect 2017 to be a year that will provide us with the opportunities for growth and investment with which we shall consolidate our past achievement, take advantage of the projected growth the Nigerian economy will offer and deliver value to our stakeholders,” Bankole said.

  • Med-View airline flags-off Kaduna-Lagos route

    Med-View airline flags-off Kaduna-Lagos route

    MED-VIEW Nigeria airline Tuesday flagged-off its Kaduna-Lagos to ease stress associated with flying directly to Kaduna from Lagos and vice-versa.

    Head of Engineering of the airline, Engineer Lukman Animashaun, said the airline operators promised to dominate the route with friendly packages without compromising international standard.

    Engr. Lukman said the 150 sitting capacity Boeing 737-400, which arrived Kaduna from Lagos at about 9:00 am Tuesday, is scheduled to fly Lagos-Kaduna and Kaduna-Lagos four times in a week; Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The Aircraft will depart Lagos 7:30 and depart Kaduna by 9:15 on those days

    According to him, “Med-View is one airline that has taken the area of making sure that we give the best opportunity to fly around the country comfortably and safely. As you can see from our opening, we are airline of Nigeria and as such we should be seen all over the country which is what has taken us to Kaduna.

    “We are having four flights weekly; Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The Aircraft will depart Lagos 7:30 and depart Kaduna by 9:15 on those days.

    He urged Nigerians not to be afraid of flying because of maintenance problem, saying “Nigerians who will fly will continue to fly and we at Med-View will encourage them to fly because it remains the safest means of transportation all over the world.

    “Med-View Airline doesn’t compromise on maintenance and definitely we will not compromise on safety. We maintain our aircrafts according to regulations and as at when due.

    On security of passengers, he said “we take proper check of every single thing that entering the plane. Apart from electronic checking equipment, we also don’t compromise our manual checks and that is why you see female security personnel checking female passengers while male are checking males. All this is to ensure safety while on board the plane.

    “What makes Med-View different is on time departure. No other Nigeria airline has been able to beat that as at today and we will continue to do that in Kaduna. So, Med-View is here to dominate Kaduna.

    “Most people believe that between Kaduna and Abuja by road is just two hours. But between kaduna and Lagos is about an hour flight. When people know that when they get to the airport and see that there is a flight directly to Kaduna or directly to Lagos, they will be encouraged to fly with us and that will also increase the number of people that will be coming to Kaduna,” he stressed.

     

  • Maiduguri airport reopens with 82 passengers

    About 82 passengers including Governor Kashim Shettima and the Managing Director and Chief Executive of Med-View Airline Alhaji Munir Alamin Bankole were among the first set of passengers that flew into Maiduguri International Airport on Friday afternoon marking the resumption of commercial flights at the airport  after its closure  due to the Boko Haram activities.

    The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has resumed international and local flights at the Maiduguri International Airport, 18 months after its closure by the Military over Boko Haram attacks of Nigerian Air Force (NAF) base on December 2, 2013.

    Governor Kashim Shettima who among the passengers on board  the flight from Lagos to Maiduguri conveyed the joy of Borno people over the resumption of flights at the airport, adding that  “full local and international flights, including the airlifting of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia will now commence at the airport.

    His words: “This bears testimony to the cordial relationship between the Federal Government under the able leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Borno state government. It was quite regrettable for over six million people to been denied flight services, because of the ongoing Boko Haram insurgency in the North East sub-region of this country.

    “Our gratitude goes to the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Med-View, Alhaji Munir Alamin Bankole for resuming flights to this airport, 18 months after its closure for any political reason. Flights get in and out of Bagdad, Kabul and Damascus airports, and there was no any other reason for anyone to close this airport for political reason.

    “Our intending pilgrims from now will no more travel by road to any of the airports in Gombe, Kano and Bauchi; and to be airlifted for their pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia,” Shettima said.

  • First batch of Hajj Pilgrims arrive from Saudi Arabia

    The first batch of 805 pilgrims that performed the 2013 Hajj in Saudi Arabia arrived the Muritala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, and the Ilorin Airport, aboard Med-View Airline on Sunday.

    A statement made available to aviation correspondents by Mr. Oyibotha Obuke, on behalf of the airline, said that a Med-View Boeing B747 aircraft with 507 pilgrims from Osun touched down at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja at 9.00am.

    It added that 298 pilgrims from Ondo State also arrived the Ilorin Airport aboard the airline’s B767 aircraft at 5.30am.

    The statement said the airline was pleased with the safe arrival of the pilgrims after a successful pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

    It noted that the management of the airline would complete the transporting of the pilgrims allocated to it by the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON) in record time.

    The statement added that flights to arrive on Monday would transport the Ogun and Oyo States’ pilgrims.

    It quoted a member of the Osun State House of Assembly, Mr. M. B.O. Ibrahim – one of the pilgrims, as commending Med-View for its hitch-free Hajj operations.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the lawmaker urged the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria to improve on facilities at the Hajj Camp, Murtala Muhammed Airport, to make it more conducive for pilgrims transiting through the terminal.

     

     

     

  • Medview Airlines flies 30,000 passengers

    Med-View Airline has carried more than 30, 000 passengers between November and December 2012.

    Briefing newsmen at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal -2 in Lagos yesterday, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the airline, Munir Bankole, said the airline carried about 12, 846 passengers in November when it commenced operations and more than 20, 110 18, 000 in December.

    He attributed the increase in patronage to the Christmas season.

    He also said the airline has taken delivery of another B737-800 aircraft as part of its expansion strategy.

    He said the additional aircraft would help the airline operate to other routes besides Lagos-Abuja and Lagos-Port Harcourt.

    He said the airline would start the Lagos-Owerri and Lagos-Yola route next year, adding that it would take the delivery of its fourth aircraft before the end of March, 2013.

    ‘The stage has been set and we are ready to fill the gap created by the death of so many domestic carriers. Our service will be unequalled. We have put in a lot of things in place to ensure passengers have a nice experience on board our aircraft,” he said.

    Meanwhile, Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL) has been picked to provide total ground handling services for the airline.

    By this agreement, SAHCOL would provide ramp and passenger handling services of the airline’s operations within Nigeria.