Author: Wole Shadare

*Go about your businesses, FAAN tells airport users  The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has notified air travellers and users of airports that the Nigerian Air Force would be conducting a mock exercise on counter- terrorism simulation at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja. The Managing Director of FAAN, Saleh Dunoma said the exercise is part of strategies to reinforce the safety and security of air transport and the nation’s airports, in addition to…

  ASKY, the Pan-African Airline, is introducing special fares and additional baggage allowance for its numerous customers on the Lagos to Douala and Lagos to Libreville routes.   The special fare is targeted at offering succor to the Nigerian travel public to these two destinations considering the current economic challenges in the country. Also, additional baggage allowance affords passengers the opportunity to travel with more baggage, thereby allowing them maximize the benefits of air travel….

*China, Middle East seek to poach crew   Nigerian pilots are looking beyond the country for greener pasture, as there are indications that China and other wealthy nations are poaching some pilots that have been thrown out of job. Chinese airlines need to hire almost 100 pilots a week for the next 20 years to meet skyrocketing travel demand. Facing a shortage of candidates at home, carriers are dangling lucrative pay packages at foreigners with…

*Refutes fold up claim FirstNation Airways has again denied reports that it is at the verge of folding up, stating that the act of taking aircraft out for maintenance is not the same as winding up operations. A statement by the Head, Corporate Affairs of the airline, Rasheed Yusuff disclosed that the carrier’s current fleet is undergoing engine maintenance, adding that global airlines have had cause to ground larger aircraft fleet types to enhance safety…

Airline operators can now heave a sigh of relief as airline operators can now do heavy maintenance of their airplanes in the country to save costs as a new aircraft maintenance base has been set up in Lagos. With that, Nigeria will be saving $3bn annually as airlines have indicated their interest to patronise the facility. Speaking to Woleshadare.net, the Managing Director of Onedot Aviation, an aircraft maintenance base in Lagos, Capt. Henry Oludotun Ogunyemi…

By Clement Uwiringiyimana Rwanda has signed a deal with the African division of Portuguese construction firm Mota-Engil to build an international airport at a cost of $818 million, the company and government officials said. They said the first phase of the airport, which is part of a push to attract more tourists and boost Rwanda as a conference destination, would cost $418 million and is expected to start in June next year and be completed…

…. To represent Nigeria on the board of AATO   The nation’s foremost ground handler, the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc has been elected into the Council of the Association of African Aviation Training Organisations (AATO).    The membership is for a first term of three years. With the membership, NAHCO would, in conjunction with other council members, be in a position to make policies that would further the development of Aviation training and development in…

*To meet AMCON to resolve crisis   Aero Contractors workers can now heave a sigh of relief as the Federal Government has assured the workers of Aero Contractors that none of them would lose their jobs just as he promised to restructure the airlines.   The Minister who identified some of the challenges facing the airline said he would meet with Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) and the management of Aero Contractors and he would…

*Calls for state of emergency in air transport sector The National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) has called for a state of emergency in the country’s aviation industry with the hope of stemming the rot that has pervaded the sector. President, NANTA, Bankole Bernard in an interaction with travel journalists in Lagos said if nothing was done; the sector would continue to witness the precarious situation it has found itself. He noted that Ghana…

*Gulf carriers pay FAAN N320 monthly as charges *Reject payment in dollars      Despite the Internally Generated Revenues (IGRs) and the government intervention funds in the sector, there is a discontent that there have been no appreciable returns in quantity of infrastructure in the aviation sector. Consequently, foreign airline operating to the country have petitioned the Ministry of Transportation over appalling facilities at virtually all the airports across the country. The carriers which spoke…