Author: Wole Shadare

  Use-it-or-lose-it airports slot rules threaten to break connection services and dampen the recovery of long-haul operators and airlines that rely heavily on connections. That is the warning from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which is urging airports to extend the suspension of 80:20 slot rules into November when the winter schedule starts. In response to the Covid-19 crisis airports around the world have suspended rules dictating that airlines must use at least 80%…

Nigerian airlines are gearing up to bounce back from the huge effects of COVID-19.WOLE SHADARE takes a look at how the carriers can survive the effects of three months hiatus Uncertainty The airlines are bleeding. It is not yet known how they intend to come back to profitability even after resumption of flight operations that is tentatively scheduled to start June 21, 2020. According to the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), indigenous operators have lost N360…

  Executive Jet’s chairman apologises to Minister, labels musician ‘useless’ Chairman/Chief Executicve Officer of Executive Jet Services Limited, Mr. Sam Iwuajoku, the airline suspended by the Federal Government for ferrying Nigerian musician, Azeez Fashola also known as Naira Marley has apologized to the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika for being misled that the flight was operated to airlift Minister of Works, Mr. Babatunde Fashola and not the popular musician. Iwuajoku in a letter addressed to…

***Crew gave control tower false information-Minister The Federal Government has suspended Executive Jets Services for flying popular musician Azeez Fashola popularly known as Naira Marley contrary to the approval it was granted. The musician was flown from Lagos to Abuja by the airline despite COVID-19 restrictions after approval of aviation authorities. ExecuJet is a leading global business aviation organisation offering a diverse range of services including aircraft management for private and commercial airplanes. But the Federal…

Minister for aviation, Hadi Sirika, on Monday berated the flight company that conveyed Naira Marley to Abuja for a concert saying “the flight was approved for a different purpose.” Sirika said this while answering questions during the daily briefing on the presidential task force on COVID-19 on Monday in Abuja.     He said the company has been suspended indefinitely. He also said the flight captain will be sanctioned for providing false information. Details shortly…

  Flight crews around the world are currently facing mass unemployment as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has caused the airline industry to virtually grind to a halt. Prof Rob Bor and Aedrian Bekker, founders of The Centre for Aviation Psychology, said pilots are arguably more affected than most by Covid-19 as the impact on the air travel industry and on job security “has been profound and is likely to remain so for…

      As air traffic picks up, Air France is gradually reinforcing its flight schedule for summer 2020.   By the end of June, the flight schedule will represent 20 per cent of the capacity usually deployed over this period.   Subject to the lifting of travel restrictions, the gradual increase in the number of frequencies and destinations will continue, reaching 35 per cent of the flight schedule initially planned in July and 40…

  ACI EUROPE (Airports Council International), the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Airlines for Europe (A4E), representing Europe’s airports and airlines, today welcomed and amplified the European Commission’s call for the complete lifting on  June 15 of remaining intra-EU travel restrictions (including quarantines), as well as its proposed approach for starting to phase out restrictions for travel from/to other countries as of 1 July. The three aviation associations urged all EU and associated States to…

Following the erosion of revenue by virtually all the aviation agencies occasioned by the closure of the airspace, the House of Representatives has called for urgent release of bailout to rescue the agencies and to save jobs. Chairman House Representatives Committee on Aviation, Nnolim Nnaji appealed to the Federal Government to quickly release the intervention fund it pledged for the aviation agencies to ensure a smooth gradual restoration of air transport services as announced by…