The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Medview Airline

  • Medview reintroduces three aircraft for steady operation

    Medview Airline is stepping up its game to consolidate its position as one of the leading operators the country, its Managing Director Chief Executive Officer, Munner Bankole, has said.

    Part of the strategy to regain its position, Bankole said, is the re- introduction of three aircraft into its fleet to boost its domestic operations.

    The airline, he said, had secured credit facilities from a financial institution to undertake the maintenance of one of its aircraft at Aero maintenance base in Lagos.

    Besides fixing of the aircraft, Bankole said other airplanes undergoing major maintenance in Israel and Estonia would soon be on ground in Lagos.

    He said: “Medview airline is one of the airlines approved by the Federal Government for hajj operations. We have 17 states and we have covered 15, we signed a contract to airlift a lot of pilgrims for 2019. We got a loan from First bank so, we got the B777-200 aircraft for the company. The aircraft would be used to commence hajj operations in Kaduna by July 10 and we have a total of 10,600 pilgrims from Kaduna, we expect a turnaround in 2019.”

    On domestic operations, Bankole said: “We have three classic aircraft, which are all due for C-check at the same time. One was in Israel, another was in Estonia and third was flying, but we got the money from the bank to put the second aircraft to use and so, it has been taken to Aero Maintenance base, I assure you that the third aircraft would soon be on ground because domestic operations is our major market, we promise to do more than expected.

    He continued: “Expect a beautiful operations when the three aircraft would be fully operational soon and each aircraft would be yielding about N376 million in a month. We also assured you that we will not lease aircraft, therefore, we are working with a strategic partner in order to get a new aircraft into our fleet. Fifty cabin crew have already completed their recurrent training while 10 workers have been recalled to join the training in preparation for operations.”

    Bankole, who disclosed that Medview has signed an agreement with Ethiopian Airline on maintenance of its B777 aircraft, explained that the company has disposed one of its aircraft because of huge maintenance cost.

    “The management took a decisive response and disposed the aircraft for the benefit of the company. As I have always stated, the Board and management are continually seeking to achieved the best growth for the company and Medview is firmly on the path to improved performance, sustained growth, profitability and adequate returns to all stakeholders within the shortest possible period of time,” he said.

  • Hajj 2018: 2nd batch of Lagos pilgrims arrive Thursday

    The second batch of 310 Lagos pilgrims will be transported back to Nigeria from Saudi Arabia aboard Med-view Airline on Thursday.

    Mr Abdulrahaman Ishola, Executive Secretary, Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, made this known on Thursday in Lagos.

    “The second batch of 310 pilgrims are ready to be transported back home today.

    “ We will continue to thank Allah for a successful exercise, and we pray that He accepts all our acts of worship.

    “I advise the pilgrims to obey all regulations regarding their luggage and should not carry excess luggage,” he said in a statement by Mr Jamiu Dosunmu, the board Public Relations Officer.

    Ishola also advised the pilgrims not to engage in excessive buying of goods, saying that any extra good in excess of the approved kilograms would be confiscated.

    Read Also:Hajj 2018: Nigerian pilgrim dies in elevator pit

    He urged pilgrims to take cognizance of the 32 kg and 8 kg for big and small bags given by the Air carrier and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria ( NAHCON ).

    Ishola thanked the state government for showing interests in hajj operation and for providing necessary logistics to make the operations smooth and successful.

    He reiterated the commitment of the board to ensure safe and timely arrival of Lagos pilgrims.

    Ishola assured them that arrangement had already been put in place for subsequent flights after a four day break.

    Only 2,000 pilgrims from Lagos state participated in the 2018 Hajj.

    312 of the pilgrims were earlier transported home on Tuesday.

  • Medview apologises to passengers over flight delays

    Medview apologises to passengers over flight delays

    Medview Airline on Saturday apologised to its passengers following flights delay and rescheduling experienced in the week.

    The Medview Media Consultant, Mr. Obuke Oyibotha, said in a statement that the regretted the inconveniences caused passengers as a result of the delays and flight rescheduling.

    “We share your pains for our inability at the material time to fly you to your destinations at the appointed time,’’ he said.

    Oyibhota, however, attributed the delays to adverse weather conditions and unscheduled aircraft maintenance, which were critical to flight operations.

    He added: “The safety of passengers and crew come first before any other considerations, and in such situations, delays and rescheduling becomes inevitable.

    “We have put the necessary logistics in place to meet our obligations to esteemed passengers, who have over the years, kept faith with us.”

    NAN

  • Disruption: Medview airline apologises to passengers on Lagos-London route

    Disruption: Medview airline apologises to passengers on Lagos-London route

    Medview Airline on Sunday apologised to its passengers on the Lagos-London route following disruption of their flights due to operational reasons.

    The airline in a statement signed by its media consultant, Mr Obuke Oyibhota, assured the passengers that efforts were being intensified to airlift them to their destination.

    Oyibhota said the airline had reached out to the affected passengers, and all the issues would be resolved latest by 3pm on Monday.

    “We are deeply sorry for all the inconveniences suffered by the affected passengers and everything possible within Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) in aviation is being done to airlift them,” he said.

    Oyibhota said Medview Airline would not abandon its obligations to passengers, noting that safety comes first in all its operations.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the airlines flight from Lagos to London was disrupted on Sunday leaving its passengers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, frustrated.

  • Arik Air resumes Maiduguri flights, donates items to IDPs

    Arik Air resumes Maiduguri flights, donates items to IDPs

    Arik Air on Tuesday resumed flight operations to Maiduguri, after suspending flights to the North Eastern city since 2013 due to insecurity.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the airline’s Boeing 737-700 aircraft landed at the Maiduguri International Airport at 11.06 am and was received by aviation personnel and other dignitaries.

    Speaking to newsmen, the Vice President, Northern Operations of the airline, Mr Hamza Bukar, commended the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration for restoring peace to the North East region.

    Bukar recalled that the airline suspended operations to Maiduguri in December 2013 following the attack on the airport by Boko Haram insurgents.

    “We are here in line with the achievements by the government of the day. They have done a very good job.

    “Security in Borno State has been restored. The state is now in the eyes of the international community and that is why Arik wants to be a part of the success story.

    “We want to complement efforts made by the government and we are here to reclaim our position as the pacesetter of aviation in West Africa,’’ he said.

    Bukar said flights to Maiduguri via Abuja would operate three times weekly on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, with the possibility of increasing frequency in the coming weeks.

    The Airport Manager, Maiduguri International Airport, Mr Mohammed Saidu, in his remark, said that security had improved in the state which led to the return of commercial flight operations.

    Saidu said Medview Airline and Azman Air were already operating flights in and out of Maiduguri, noting that the return of Arik Air would give passengers more options.

    Meanwhile, some officials of Arik Air visited the Teachers Village Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Camp and donated relief items to them.

    The items, which included foodstuffs, clothes and sanitary products, were received by the camp officials on behalf of the displaced persons from Ngala and Kukawa Local Government Areas of the state.

    Speaking at the ceremony, Bukar said the gesture was aimed at supporting the efforts of the Federal and Borno State Governments in ameliorating the plights of those displaced by insurgency.

    “This is one of the numerous corporate social responsibilities of the company to the state. It is our time to give back to the society,’’ he said.

    The vice president congratulated the governor and the people of the state for the peace achieved and prayed for its sustenance.

    Responding, the Camp Coordinator, Mr Ali Idi thanked airline for providing assistance to the camp which was accommodating 7,793 IDPs.

    “For somebody to come all the way from Lagos to come and see the plights of the IDPs, it is commendable, and we thank Allah and the management,’’ Idi said.

    He noted that the needs of the displaced persons were numerous and appealed to other corporate organisations and Non-Governmental Organisations to support them.