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Tag: NCAA

  • Attempt to steal aircraft: Court summons NCAA, FAAN bosses

    A judge of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, Justice Muslim Hassan, has summoned the Director-General of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Cpt. Mukthar Usam and the Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Saleh Dunoma.

    They were summoned for their failure to appear in court over contempt charge for tampering with two Bombardier aircraft belonging to Topbrass Aviation.

    Read also: Reason for power outage at Lagos Airport, by FAAN

    They are to appear in court at the next adjourned date fixed for February 28, to explain why they gave orders for tampering of the two Bombardier aircraft in contention between Topbrass Aviation and SeaGold Investment Limited, the lessor of the aircraft.

    The summons was fallout at the hearing of contempt proceedings on January 15 by Justice M. S. Hassan.

  • Court summons NCAA, FAAN bosses over attempt to steal aircraft

    A judge of Federal High Court, Justice Muslim Hassan has summoned the Director General of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Captain Mukthar Usam and the Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Saleh Dunoma for their failure to appear in court over contempt charge for tampering with two Bombardier aircraft belonging to Topbrass Aviation.

    They are to appear in court at the next adjourned date fixed for February 28, 2019 to explain why they gave orders for tampering of the two Bombardier aircraft in contention between Topbrass Aviation and SeaGold Investment Limited, the lessor of the aircraft.

    The summons was a fall out at the hearing of contempt proceedings On Tuesday, January 15, 2019, by Justice M. S Hassan.

    President, Topbrass Aviation, Captain Roland Iyayi, who disclosed this said the summons became imperative because of the role played by NCAA and FAAN bosses in the disputed ownership of two Bombardier jets at Lagos airport.

    Iyayi said despite a subsisting Court Order, NCAA and FAAN colluded with agents of the lessor to move the aircraft in question to a repair facility belonging to AeroContractors, where the aircraft are being tampered with.

    He said despite the court order, agents of the lessor are colluding with AeroContractors to allegedly flout the court order.

    The aircraft, two Dash-8 Q-300s with registration 5N-MSN 61TBB with 3 and 5N-TBC with MSN 614 , according to managing director of Top Brass Aviation, Roland Iyayi are still being tampered with at the Aero Contractors hangar despite a restraining order in 2015 which provided basis for the contempt charges.

    However, a credible and highly-placed source in Aero contractors sources said  Aero Contractors as a company has no interest in the aircraft and are only ensuring that after the entire proceeding, both aircraft are still recoverable for whomever the court ruling goes to.

    However, Iyayi who spoke to The Nation alleged that barely two days after lawyers of both the NCAA and FAAN, promised to provide their principals in court on February 28 for the hearing, that the two aircraft are still being tampered with at the Aero Hangar.

    According to Iyayi, the brake pad of the aircraft has been changed.

    He said the propeller assembly of the aircraft has been removed and is awaiting replacement for ferry out of the country.

    Iyayi expressed fears that at the rate that the impunity was being perpetuated, before the next date of the contempt hearing, the aircraft might have been worked on and ferried out since the NCAA DG, Captain Mukhar Usman and other parties served are still going about as if there was no court order.

    Read also: Freezing CJN’s accounts contemptuous, say Agbakoba, Falana, Ozekhome

    Iyayi said, ”As at today pictures are being sent to us on what is going on at Aero and we are taking that again as further affidavits to court, to tell the court that despite the fact that we had a sitting two days ago, which would have been a contempt proceeding sitting, they are still tampering with the aircraft at Aero Hangar which is in violation of the order. we are going back to court with all the evidence because it is not good enough to speak, the idea is to show evidence. And indeed anytime we filed in court we have shown photographic evidence.”

    “As I speak, 30 minutes ago, someone under the aircraft told me they had removed the propeller from one of the engines, the engine stand was there with the view of changing the engine. Two weeks ago, the brake unit of this aircraft was removed and replaced, all of these reports were given to me and continue to be given to me by Aero Contractors staff, working on the aircraft.”

    “We actually approached the courts when all these were happening to ask for an exparte order that the aircraft be taken away from Aero hangar, possession of aircraft taken by the police, the IGP, AIG Airport and Commissioner of Police Airport, to take physical possession of the aircraft, secure it at a location at the airfield and report to the court about the security and safety of the aircraft pending the determination of the case. But the judge felt since there was going to be the contempt proceeding in two days time, felt there was no need
    to do that and felt the contempt proceeding will deal with it.”

    Iyayi SAID  Topbrass has invested over $12,000,0000 on the finance purchase agreement it entered into with Seagold for acquisition of the assets and had not defaulted in the 24 month agreement period to give Seagold unfettered access to the aircraft for repossession.

    The contempt order was filed against Seagold Investment Limited, a pilot with the Presidential fleet, one Captain Baba Mohammed personally, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), its Director General, Captain Usman Mukhar personally, Aero Contractors, Captain Ado Sanusi personally, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) all of whom must comply with the restraining order until the matter was settled.

    Justice Hassan ruled that all parties must be represented at the adjourned date or he will issue a bench warrant as the case was a quasi-criminal trial and those served needed to be present for the hearing.

  • NCAA sanctions four airlines

    THE Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has sanctioned four erring operators for violations.

    Its spokesman, Sam Adurogboye, who stated this yesterday, did not identify the operators.

    But, he said they are scheduled and non-scheduled operators.

    Adurogboye said infractions by the airlines were discovered during on the spot inspections carried out by NCAA Aviation Safety Inspectors (ASI).

    NCAA inspectors, the NCAA spokesman said, found out a number of deficiencies on the airlines, including non-implementation of training programmes of maintenance personnel as required, irregularities concerning helicopter flight identification, deliberate violation of regulations, performing maintenance programme without necessary approval and using outdated manual.

    These, he said, were found to be in violation of the civil aviation regulations.

    Consequently, the various operators were sanctioned with fines ranging from N1.5 million to N2 million.

    One of the operator involved in deliberate violation of the regulations had its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) suspended for 180 days.

    However, he said the authority has ensured that the affected personnel in question in the employment of one of the airlines are trained accordingly.

    Adurogboye reassured stakeholders that NCAA would keep ensuring that Standard Operating Procedures [SOPs] are strictly followed.

    But, aviation unions – Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) – have vowed to declare a state of emergency in NCAA from tomorrow, if their demands for staff promotion are not met.

    The unions stated this at the weekend in Lagos, claiming that the NCAA management has taken them for granted on issues of promotions for the agency’s workers.

    Chairman, NCAA Joint Action Committee and NUATE Chairman, NCAA branch Lucky Izebhokun said the agency’s management would be looking for trouble, if they do not promote the workers.

    Izebhokun, who said a lot of people have been highly discouraged in the system, added the aggrieved workers were ready for showdown on January 2, 2019.

    On his part, Chairman, ATSSSAN NCAA branch Comrade Ayodele Sofola confirmed that the issue has been delayed for long.

    Comrade Sofola said: “We have been on this issue for the past one year and we have not seen any good result. We have given the NCAA management ultimatum to either get this promotion done or we declare a state of emergency.”

    In his reaction, Adurugboye said NCAA is known for industrial harmony and that management and the unions have always been on the same page.

    According to him, he  believes that both parties would reach a compromise very soon because from 2000 till date, the unions and management always sit down together and discuss.

  • NCAA begins investigation into incident involving Air Peace aircraft

    The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Monday said it has  commenced investigation into the depressurization of oxygen mask on one one of Air Peace Boeing 737 aircraft on the Lagos / Enugu route last Friday.

    Spokesman of NCAA, Sam Adurogboye disclosed this in a statement.

    Adurogboye said the investigation was in line with civil aviation international standards and best practices.

    He said the investigation will be thorough and will include the review of the videos making the rounds in the social media.

    Adurogboye said :” The investigation will be conducted in line with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs) 2015. At the conclusion of the investigation, the recommendations will be fully implemented.

    “The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) wishes to assure all passengers that all aircraft operating in Nigeria are airworthy (fit to fly). Our Ramp inspections have been strengthened accordingly with the seasonal increase in the volume of passengers.

    “All operating airlines are therefore warned to observe the Standard and Recommended Practices (SARPs) as any infractions will be treated in line with the provision of the Regulations.”

    In a swift reaction, Air Peace , Monday said its aircraft involved in the incident is airworthy and was not involved in a crash.

    Air Peace, however , dismissed reports alleging that one of its aircraft almost crashed on the Lagos-Enugu route on Friday, describing the claims as an unfortunate misrepresentation of facts.
    A statement issued by the airline’s Corporate Communications Manager, Mr. Chris Iwarah on Monday said the aircraft experienced a change in cabin pressure en-route to Enugu and its flight crew had to do the normal technical manoeuvre by descending to a level comfortable enough for passengers on board.
    The carrier debunked insinuations that the aircraft involved in the incident might not have been properly maintained, explaining that the aircraft secured a renewal of its certificate of airworthiness (C of A) on December 10.
    The aircraft, the airline added, also went for its mandatory comprehensive maintenance checks (C-checks) abroad and got its certificate of release to service (CRS) in September 2017. C-checks are normally done on aircraft every 18 months. At the end of the checks, a CRS is issued to confirm the maintenance done. 
    Air Peace insisted that its aircraft were not only maintained at some of the best facilities in the world, but also had a reputation for spending millions of dollars on each C-check exercise to ensure its aircraft were in top shape because of the premium it placed on the lives of its customers and crew.  
    The carrier said in line with its strict maintenance and safety standards, it had retained the services of BCT Aviation of the United Kingdom for its routine maintenance programme on ground its base in Lagos 24 hours of the day throughout the year.
    The airline described change in cabin pressure as a common occurrence in aviation across the world, including Europe and America.
    “On Friday, December 14, 2018, our Lagos-Enugu flight experienced a change in cabin pressure. Where there is a change in cabin pressure, the oxygen masks will automatically drop from the panel for use by passengers on board the aircraft. This exactly was what happened on Friday. During safety briefings, passengers are advised to pull on the mask to trigger the flow of oxygen. The flow of oxygen is expected to last about 12 minutes within which the flight crew would descend to a comfortable altitude (usually below 10000 feet above sea level). Change in cabin pressure is a common occurrence in aviation across the world, including the UK and America. 
    “Once there was a change in cabin pressure, the oxygen masks on the aircraft automatically deployed. And in line with standard safety procedure, our flight crew performed a technical manoeuvre by descending to a level comfortable enough for passengers on board. We, however, observed cases of some passengers who did not properly fit their oxygen masks. A few others, perhaps out of panic, pulled too hard on the oxygen masks, causing the equipment to snap. This led to the unfortunate claims that there was no flow of oxygen from the masks. For the avoidance of doubt, the oxygen generators are part of the items of interest during C-checks. So, it could not have been right that there was no flow of oxygen. 
    “While it is quite expected and understandable that passengers would panic on occurrence of incidents such as a change in cabin pressure, the claims of a near-crash were a regrettable misrepresentation of facts which really should not be. The aircraft was ferried from Enugu back to Lagos in less than an hour of safely landing at destination. Certainly, no crew would fly an aircraft that is not airworthy. The aircraft involved in the incident had its certificate of airworthiness renewed on Monday, December 10, 2018. The aircraft also went for its mandatory comprehensive maintenance checks (C-checks) abroad and got its certificate of release to service (CRS) in September 2017. C-checks are usually done on aircraft every 18 months. At the end of the checks, a CRS is issued as evidence of the maintenance done. In line with our strict maintenance and safety standards, we retain the services of BCT Aviation of the United Kingdom for our routine maintenance programme on ground our base in Lagos 24 hours of the day throughout the year.  
    “We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused our loyal customers as a result of the incident and wish to reassure them that we place huge premium on the lives of our esteemed guests and crew and will never do anything to put them in harm’s way. We have had four years of accident-free flight operations and we are very determined to sustain our reputation and record. We thank members of the public for their generous show of love and trust in us to continue to deliver exceptional, safe and comfortable flight services to them,” Air Peace said.

  • NCAA and aviation unions

    The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is the umbrella body saddled with regulating the country’s aviation sector. With this, the authority must both be technically and procedurally competent to handle any or all the issues in the industry. Unlike the road transport sector that tends to be an all-comers’ affair, the aviation sector is expected to maintain integrity and scrupulous regulation as single lapse may be catastrophic.

    NCAA is not only saddled with the responsibility of ensuring safety in the sky, it is also to ensure peace in the aviation sector so that those operating therein will do so seamlessly. This is because, if all the aircraft landing and taking off in the country and all the facilities are in perfect order, but are operating in a chaotic environment, NCAA would have been seen to have failed in an aspect of its statutory duties. Therefore, NCAA has a responsibility to ensure that all government policies and contracts are sustained for the enhancement of safety in the industry. It also has a responsibility to educate the monstrous unions in the sector who are always hell-bent in disrupting the prevailing peace despite the federal government’s attempts to rejuvenate and attract foreign investors to the aviation industry.

    It is unbelievable that some union officials will deliberately promote misinformation and disinformation about happenings in the industry, all in an attempt to portray those who are providing jobs for teeming Nigerians and foreigners alike in bad light. They selfishly do this to strengthen their arguments laced with half-truths and outright lies to curry public sympathy whenever they disrupt operations of airlines and airport terminals.

    There is hardly any critical investor in the aviation industry today who has not tasted the bitter pill of the unions’ unruliness and thuggery. Airlines, such as Arik, Aero, Dana, Landover and others have lost millions of dollars to the unions’ brigandage in the name of picketing. Now, Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited, operators of the internationally-acclaimed Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2), has been under the constant threats of the unions since May, this year.

    As an observer and a critical stakeholder in the sector, I have watched in awe how the unions have been issuing all sorts of threats and ultimatums publicly to the terminal operators to recall some staff members relieved of their jobs for incompetence or old age. I have equally watched how Bi-Courtney has approached the government and NCAA severally with superior arguments, despite the threats to the MMA2 Concession from different quarters. I have read and digested the firm’s response to the unions’ allegations and I have rightly come to the conclusion that these are real needless threats. Fortunately, many other stakeholders have the same thought about the whole thing. The basic thing is that you can never force an employee on an unwilling employer.

    However, I am seriously worried that issues that are being discussed at various meetings both parties are holding and the contents of correspondences to NCAA to amicably resolve the crisis are being pushed to the public space by the unions, who obviously are workers of the aviation agencies, to curry public sympathy. This to me is very unfair on the part of the government.

    In as much as the unions have the right to protect their members anywhere they are, the employers they have been fighting in the industry also have the right to justly hire and fire for without the investors, there would not be anywhere for the employees to work and claim they belong to any union. NCAA must ring this into the ears of the union people, if they have not done so already.

    Part V of the Trade Union Act under the Miscellaneous and General Provisions in Section 43 (sub-sections 1, 1A and 2) outline everything that labour must and must not do when carrying out peaceful picketing. In Section 43 (1) with the heading, Peaceful Picketing, the Act says: “It shall be lawful for one or more persons, acting on their own behalf or on behalf of a trade union or registered federation of trade unions or of an individual employer or firm in contemplation or furtherance of a trade dispute, to attend at or near a house or place where a person resides or works or carries on business or happens to be, if they so attend merely for the purpose of peacefully obtaining (emphasis mine) or communicating information or of peacefully persuading any person to work or abstain from working.”

    While sub-section 1A says: “No person shall subject any other person to any kind of constraint or restriction of his personal freedom in the course of persuasion, sub-section 1B adds, “No trade union or registered federation of trade unions or any member thereof shall in the course of any strike action compel any person who is not a member of its union to join any strike or in any highways, institutions or premises of any kind for the purposes of giving effect to the strike.”

    And sub-section (2) concludes: “Accordingly, the doing of anything declared by sub-section (1) of this section to be lawful shall not constitute an offence under any law in force in Nigeria, or any part thereof, and in particular shall not constitute an offence under Section 366 of the Criminal Code or any corresponding enactment in force in any part of Nigeria.”

    It means that although the labour unions have the right to peaceful picketing, any attempt to restrict or compel other Nigerians, or block the highways, or any business premises, or destroy the assets of the business to give effect to their strike, or picketing is a criminal offence.

    Therefore, NCAA and the security agencies have a duty to ensure that no labour union is allowed to disrupt the operations or destroy the assets of any operator in the aviation sector, as this will certainly send a wrong signal to the international community that Nigeria is a volatile country to invest in.

    The authority must rein in the unions; not only that, it must act as impartial arbiter in all of the crises between the unions and the operators, knowing that any thoughtless strike by the unions will have serious bandwagon effects on the economy of the country.

     

    • Hadejia sent in this piece from Abuja.

  • Dana Air completes NCAA’s re-certification

    The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) at the weekend concluded the re-certification,  safety and technical audit of Dana Air operations.

    Spokesman of the airline, Kingsley Ezenwa, who disclosed this,  said airworthiness and safety inspectors of the apex regulatory body undertook total review of the airline’s  aircraft, operations manuals, ground handling and quality assurance, in particular, its safety standards

    He said re-certification is a standard practice conducted every two years by the NCAA as part of requirement for domestic carriers scheduled flights.

    He said Dana Air was glad that it  scaled the rigorous process,  praising the NCAA for carrying out a thorough check on the airline.

    Ezenwa said prior to the exercise, the  public space had been awash with negative reports allegedly sponsored by people with mischievous intentions about Dana Air operations.

    Ezenwa said:”Our position having gone through the review is to continue to maintain our operational efficiency, which we have come to be known for, and we wish to sincerely apologise to our passengers for the slight disruption in flights during our re-certification.

    “We wish to commend the NCAA for doing a thorough job and for giving us a clean bill of health which on its own reassures our  passengers that our 10 years experience in Nigeria’s airspace is no fluke.

    “We are, however, worried about some orchestrated and baseless stories that were circulated while the exercise lasted. “Unfortunately, the sponsors of the story displayed crass ignorance of simple regulatory exercise as a result of their mischievous intentions.

    “The safety and comfort of our passengers comes first before any other consideration and we find such report really unnecessary. “We advise the purveyors of such report to rather commend us, having served Nigeria for over 10 years and counting and showing massive commitment to changing the narrative about domestic airlines and Nigeria’s aviation industry as viable.”

  • NCAA cautions pilots, airline operators on flights in adverse weather

    PILOTS and airline operators have been warned by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to observe safety precautions in line with Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs) during flight operations in adverse weather.

    NCAA spokesman Sam Adurogboye said yesterday in a statement that the warning was contained in an Advisory Circular with reference no. AC: NCAA-AEROMET- 26: to all pilots and airline operators.

    The circular was signed by the authority’s Director-General Captain Muhtar Usman.

    Adurogboye said the circular became imperative as the rainfall cessation will likely herald a long and severe dust haze (Harmattan) in the months ahead.

    He urged pilots to be cautious and uphold Standard and Recommended Practices (SARPs) while conducting flights during hazardous weather associated with dust haze at this period.

    The statement reads: “This haze comes with – a dry and dusty wind that blows southwards from the Sahara across Nigeria in the months of November to March.

    “Consequently, pilots should note that air-to-ground visibility may be considerably reduced due to the dust haze.

    “In addition, aerodrome visibility may fall below the prescribed minima and in severe conditions; dust haze can blot out runways, the markers and airfield lightings over wide areas. This makes visual navigation extremely difficult or impossible.

    “However, where visibility falls below the prescribed weather minima, flight operations are expected to be delayed, diverted or cancelled.

    “Therefore to reiterate, all Pilots are obliged to exercise maximum restraint especially when severe weather condition is observed or forecasted by NIMET.”

    He said pilots should obtain adequate departure, en route and destination weather information and briefing from NIMET prior to flight operations at all the airports.

    Flight crews/operators and Air Traffic Controllers (ATC), he said should ensure adherence to aerodrome operating minima.

    He said: “Operators are therefore advised to ensure necessary measures are put in place to cushion the effects of flight delays or cancellations on their passengers in accordance with Nig. CARs, Part 19.

    “All passengers are therefore required be patient, understanding and exhibit exemplary conduct during flight delays and cancellations as safety is paramount in flight operations.

    “Similarly, stakeholders are expected to ensure strict compliance with this Advisory Circular as the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) will view any infraction very seriously.”

  • NCAA de-registers 10 aircraft

    The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), has carried out registration and de-registration of fifty-two (52) aircraft  as well as issued and renewed one hundred and fifteen (115) air worthiness certificates between January and June, 2018

    The Director General, Captain Muhtar Usman made this known at the 2nd NCAA Interactive Forum with Aviation Agencies’ and Airlines’ Public Relations/Information Managers at the NCAA Annex yesterday where he called for a united approach in information dissemination devoid of disinformation and scare mongering.

    Reeling out the figures, Captain Usman said 20 aircraft were registered for commercial air transport, while 10  were registered for general operations. He said 10 aircraft were de-registered, while another 12  were re-registered within the period in review.

    He said  between January and June, NCAA issued 30 certificates of air worthiness, while it renewed 85 air worthiness certificates.

    On licensing, Mukhar said  in the review period, the regulators have also issued 36 pilot licenses, 750 pilot medical and instrument, and has also changed 23 foreign licenses, issued 242 cabin crew licences as well as renewed 206 cabin crew medicals.

    He  said CAA has issued aircraft maintenance engineering licenses to 68 engineers and has renewed the licenses of 64 Air Traffic Controllers, 34 Flight Dispatchers and has conducted exams for 1, 537 professionals of various categories.

    On the issue of flight delays and cancellations, in the  review period, the NCAA boss said there were 16,880 delays in domestic operations and 2,443 for international operations with 253 flights cancelled domestically and 95 internationally.

    On missing baggage, he said  only 25 were delayed or missing domestically while 17, 893 cases of delayed or missing baggage were reported internationally.

  • NCAA generates N15.27bn from ticket sales charges in 8 months

    The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), has generated N15.27billion as revenue from the Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) in the past eight months.

    The TSC was collected from both the International and local airlines operators operating in the country.

    The Director General, NCAA, Capt. Muktar Usman, who made the disclosure while briefing newsmen in Lagos on Sunday, said that the amount was generated from January to August 2018.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the five per cent TSC is the charges levied on passengers and collected in trust by the airlines for remittance to the government to ensure facilitation at the airports.

    Usman explained that $16.98 million (N6.11 billion) was made from the international airlines while N9.16 billion was recorded from local airlines.

    “The amount is recorded between the month of January and August this year through our automation system.

    “It is expected that the amount to be collected by the NCAA will be more than double before the end of the year as passenger traffic increases,” he said.

    The director general said air travel demand as projected by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) would continue to grow with more connectivity.

    Usman said that as the second position in Africa in the July 2018 passenger traffic, Nigeria recorded 6.8 per cent increase, adding that this could be surpassed with direct link connectivity within the continent.

    “There is a projection that aviation in Africa is growing and the rate of growth is one of the highest in the world. We lack that internal connectivity within the Africa region.

    “Once those sectors are developed, Africa can witness increase in the movements for example, if you want to go to Niger as of today, you hardly have any direct link even though airlines have been designated,” he said.

    Usman said there had been increase in travel activities since the country came out of recession, adding that there would be further increase before the end of the year.

    “Yes certainly, passenger traffic is going up, do not forget that we came out of recession, but during the recession so many things happened.

    “Now that the economy is out of recession a lot of commercial activities are taking place, so people are being more empowered which is being reflected in the movement of passengers,” he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that statistics released by NCAA revealed that passenger traffic in the past eight months had hit 2.4 million

    International Passenger traffic from January to August showed that 10 of the airlines were carrying the traffic with Ethiopian airline taking the lead with over 134,104.

    Emirates followed with 107, 217; British Airways recorded 86,249 while Turkish Airline recorded 70, 392 passengers.

    Others are Air France with 70,144; KLM Royal Dutch recorded 63,990; Virgin Atlantic recorded 63,448; Delta Airline recorded 39,196; Qatar records 38,706 and South African Airways recorded 36,868 passengers.

    Meanwhile for domestic passenger traffic, seven airlines are pulling their weight with Air Peace in the forefront with over 340,664 passengers.

    Dana Air is trailing with 330, 370, AZMAN Air recorded 245,437 and Arik Air recorded 177,061 passengers.

    Others are; Med-View Airline ,156,226; Aero Contractors 138,146 and Overland 78,166 passengers in the same period under review.(NAN)

  • NCAA reads riot act to travel agencies

    THE Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has advised intending travellers to stop patronising unregistered travel agencies.

    NCAA spokesman Sam Adurogboye said the warning came on the heels of increasing reports of fraudulent ticketing practices by unregistered travel agencies.

    He said Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs) 2015, Part 18.9.1 (111) prohibits the undertaking of the business of travel agency by any person  without a Certificate of Registration or Licence issued by the Authority.

    Such a person, the NCAA said, must meet  certain requirements, including an applicant submitting evidence of membership of National Association of Nigeria Travel Agents (NANTA).

    Adurogboye said: “In addition, Section 30 (4) of the Civil Aviation Act 2006, empowers the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority to regulate, supervise and monitor the activities of travel agents in Nigeria.

    “Consequent upon these reports of sharp practices by unregistered travel agencies, the Authority has, therefore, directed all duly registered travel agencies to display their certificates of registration or licences in all their outlets.

    “There are 150 travel agencies on the register of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

    “However, there are guidelines for registration with the Authority. The applicant must fulfill both the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and NCAA requirements to be registered.

    “The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) therefore reiterates that prospective passengers should do business only with travel agencies registered with the regulatory authority.”