Author: Wole Shadare

    Background Screaming headlines abound and for good reason too! Sometime in December 2019, a series of pneumonia-like cases were reported from an unknown virus in Wuhan city in Hubei province of China. This virus, which following clinical investigations was traced to a new strain of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) Coronavirus 2 and called the Coronavirus Disease 2019, otherwise known as COVID-19 (previously 2019-nCoV), leapt across international borders showing the high interdependence…

  The aviation industry in Nigeria faces another round of turbulence on top of the coronavirus pandemic, which has adversely affected the sector. This time around, the crux of the crisis is the relocation order on aviation agencies headquarters to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. This has pitched professionals in the sector against each other. While some have said it is a welcomed development, others view the whole exercise as a waste of scarce…

  Arik Air, one of Nigeria’s indigenous airlines said on Saturday in Abuja that it was preparing to resume operations after the COVID-19 crisis, assuring that the airline would offer better services. The Manager, Public Relations and Communications of the company, Mr Adebanji Ola, announced in a goodwill message to customers of the airline that the company was collaborating with other aviation stakeholders to offer better service delivery. “No doubt, the post COVID-19 lock down will…

I am fully persuaded that this is the right time to encourage decision makers at all levels, notably the Minister of Aviation, Ministry of Aviation, Managing Directors/Chief Executive Officers of all the aviation agencies, aviation ground handling companies, airline operators, concessionaires and other stakeholders who are at the receiving end of the devastating effects of COVID-19 to see it as great opportunity to shape their destiny. COVID-19 will be over or at best be reduced…

  Aviation pressure group and think-tank, Aviation Round Table (ART) has kicked against the botched Air Peace Airline evacuation flight for stranded Nigerians in Canada caused by COVID -19 pandemic. The group in a statement by its spokesman, Olumide Ohunayo said it reject in totality the nebulous safety concerns conveyed by the government of Canada. ART views the action not only as an unfriendly act but an unwarranted discriminatory and anti- competition acts bordering on avoidable…

  Nullifies deal, airline to make refund   The Nigeria High Commission in Canada has given reasons why the planned evacuation of Nigerians from Canada by Air Peace may not come to fruition. Consequently, the High Commission says it is working assiduously to secure an alternative arrangement to Nigerians stranded in Canada home as soon as possible, safely and at the least cost possible, adding that updates would be communicated in due course. In a…

Arising from Unions/Management meeting, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has rescinded the decision to pay workers 50 percent of their May salaries. In an internal circular to the workers by the unions comprising the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) dated May 21,2020 congratulated staff of the agency saying the U-turn was made by the management of FAAN after extensive negotiations that lasted…

  Seeks bail out for continent’s carriers Distressed carriers cut jobs The International Air Transport Association (IATA) lamented the suffering of African airlines occasioned by the devastating effects of COVID-19. Speaking at a media roundtable, IATA’s Vice President, Africa and Middle East, Muhammad Ali said the continent’s carriers are currently battling for survival, stressing thatalready, Air Mauritius has entered voluntary administration, South African Airways and SA Express are in business rescue. He noted that other distressed carriers…

  Aero seeks merger, Air Peace scraps inflight meal service Airlines risk extinction Nigerian airlines were before now struggling to survive as the carriers had cut their operations by over 30 per cent but the advent of COVID-19 could see airlines cut their capacity by over 6o per cent. Investigations by Woleshadarenews show that many carriers may not return to operations while others are planning a hike in air fares and cutting down on inflight…