Author: Wole Shadare

South Africa’s national airline, South Africa Airways (SAA) said despite the tough economic reality, the airline does not plan to exit the country, saying it believes in the nation’s burgeoning aviation market. To show its commitment to, the carrier said it would be celebrating its 20 years of operations to Nigeria in few weeks’ time. Regional Manager, North, West and Central Africa for the airline, Mr. Ohis Ehimiagh, at a media get together with the…

*Launches new aircraft A330-300 on Lagos-Johannesburg route   In a bid to bring new travel experience to Nigerian travellers, South African Airways (SAA) today announced that it would introduce a brand new A330-300 aircraft on the Lagos-Johannesburg route from December 11, 2016. The SAA A330-300 aircraft deployed to the Lagos-Johannesburg route is one of the five new state of-the-art, environmentally friendly, super-comfortable aircrafts that the airline has acquired to improve its service offering for passengers’ memorable journey….

* Airlines now chase fuel to Libreville *Condemn decrepit facilities at Lagos, Abuja airports Ghana, which served as succour to airlines operating in Nigeria in acquisition of aviation fuel, otherwise known as Jet A1 is said to be running out of stock, thereby compounding the already worsened situation of airlines. Aviation fuel scarcity has become a perennial problem prompting the carriers to source the commodity in Accra, which is cheaper to what is obtained in…

Ethiopian Airlines has been announced as winner of the Airline of the year  for the fifth year in a row. The airline was bestowed with the award by African Airlines Association (AFRAA) during its 48th Annual General Assembly held on November 21, 2016, in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. The AFRAA annual awards recognize excellence in service delivery, innovation and competitiveness in airlines, individuals and service providers in the African aviation industry.Ethiopian has been applauded for its…

…..Airline to pay each customer $150 …We were constrained to use smaller airplane-Airline   For allegedly failing to deliver passengers’ luggage, the nation’s aviation regulatory body, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) said it would sanction Arik.   The carrier disclosed that the airline failed to ferry passengers’ luggage over 48 hours after arrival at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.   The director, Consumer Protection, NCAA, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu disclosed this in an interview…

  The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced global passenger traffic results for October showing that demand (measured in revenue passenger kilometers, or RPKs) rose 5.8 per cent compared to the same month last year. Capacity grew 6.3 per cent and load factor slid 0.4 percentage points to 80.1 per cent. But for African airlines, traffic growth slowed to 5.8 per cent year-on-year in October, from 9.1 per cent in September.  The analysis was…

 Wherever stowaway occurs, it is an indictment on any country’s national security. It is a thing government must carefully look into, writes WOLE SHADARE Last week, a stowaway from Lagos aboard an Arik Air flight was discovered after the aircraft landed at the OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa. Unfortunately, the victim did not survive as he was discovered dead inside the enclosure. This brings to the fore the incessant cases of stowaway incidents…

*Technically, “Air Force One” is a call sign for any aircraft carrying the US president. However the term is mostly used to refer to two customised Boeing 747-200B jets *Capable of in-flight refuelling, and equipped with secure communication equipments, they have been described as “flying Oval Offices” *Inside, the president and his travel companions enjoy 4,000 sq feet (400 sq m) of floor space on three levels *This includes a presidential suite as well as…

*Reported deal cancellation falls Boeing share bi 1 % Donald Trump’s Tuesday morning criticism of Boeing (BA) closely followed the publication of a story in which the aerospace giant’s CEO expressed concerns about the trade agenda Trump has backed. The Chicago Tribune published a column Tuesday morning which included Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg’s  recent comments arguing that free trade is a crucial part of the U.S. economy. Boeing has a lucrative jet business in China. Muilenburg expressed concerns about…

The head of LaMia Airlines — the charter carrier that was transporting Brazilian soccer team Chapecoense before their plane crashed in Colombia last week — has been apprehended by authorities, according to a Bolivian state media report. The team was on its way to play in the first leg of the Copa Sudamerica finals before the flight went down. More than 70 people were killed. Gustavo Vargas, the general manager of the airline, and two…