Author: Wole Shadare

  Existential Threat of COVID-19 This pandemic has literally upended the commercial aviation world, with unnerving consequences that are yet unfolding. According to International Air Transport Association (IATA), the world aviation industry’s revenues are forecast to drop by more than half, with possible recovery return to 2019 pre-COVID-19 levels anticipated sometime by Q4 2021. In mid-April 2020, IATA released a further updated forecast indicating that the Covid-19 pandemic will see airline passenger revenues drop by…

  Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika on Sunday disclosed that impounded airplane and detained crew of Flairjet that engaged in illegal flights in Nigeria have been found to violate Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations IS 1.3.3(a) Table 2(IV)7(a) and IS 1.3.3 (a) Table 2(VIII)(4). Sirika, who made the revelation via his Twitter handle noted that the maximum penalty for each of the infractions was N500,00 and both totals N1 million. “We caused them to pay and…

  The Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu State, which was closed in 2019 because of ongoing renovation by the Federal Government, is to be re-opened at the end of COVID -19 pandemic. Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, stated this to reporters at the weekend. He also said that one third of the span of Second Niger Bridge had been done while many stretches of Enugu-Onitsha and Enugu-Port Harcourt highways had been…

    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…