Aviation

The Federal Government has extended the ban placed on flights in the country as part of efforts to curtail the spread of coronavirus for another four weeks. The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Mr Boss Mustapha, disclosed this at the daily briefing of the task force on Wednesday. Mustapha, who is also the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, said the decision to extend the ban was taken after due consultation…

While the world yearns to travel once again, meet and hug loved ones, seek new adventures and close those business deals, Emirates is busy protecting and readying the world’s largest all wide-body fleet to take to the skies.  This could have proved daunting, but Emirates Engineering, a division of the airline and one of the world’s most technologically advanced aircraft maintenance facilities, has it all covered – literally! Ahmed Safa, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President…

The House Committee on Aviation has condemned the decision by the Federal Government to engage the services of foreign airlines to evacuate Nigerians abroad when there are three Nigerian carriers that have the capacity to do that.  This was disclosed by the Chairman of the Committee, Nnolim Nnaji who called on the federal government to revert to capable indigenous operators to carry out the evacuation exercise. Nnaji frowned at the engagement of foreign airlines like…

   Says risk of transmission on board aircraft is low  Backs wearing of face masks  Airlines planning social distancing on-board their airplanes as a measure to bring back passengers’ confidence have been told to jettison the idea as the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said it does not support mandating social distancing measures that would leave ‘middle seats’ empty.  Calls for social distancing measures on aircraft, according to the group would fundamentally shift the economics…

Leaves Gatwick for Heathrow airport, reduces costs  In response to the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic that has put global airlines in serious financial dire straits, Virgin Atlantic has announced strategies to reshape its business and come out of the problem stronger. Consequently, the airline announced the planned reduction of 3,150 jobs across all functions, just as it also disclosed that from today, it would will no longer use all of its seven 747-400s, with four A330-200 aircraft…

  Social distancing at airports would mean kilometre-long queues to board each jumbo jet, Heathrow’s chief executive has said. John Holland-Kaye warned the UK’s major airports do not have enough space for social distancing to be a solution to safe travel after the coronavirus lockdown ends, reports Sky News. “Forget social distancing, it won’t work in aviation or any other form of public transport, and the problem is not the plane, it is the lack of space…

  Action may erode gains, say experts Workers in the aviation industry have begun to fret over the plan by the Federal Government to implement the Stephen Oronsaye report that would merge about 102 Federal Government Agencies. Although, the aviation is not part of agencies that had been approved for merger, workers in the aviation industry are on the edge as they do not want to be caught unawares and indicated their desire to protest…

  Ahead of the partial relaxation of the Covid-19 lockdown billed to commence on Monday, staff of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) have been tasked to ensure full compliance with the directives and safety guidelines by the Federal Government and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on COVID-.19 preventive measures, including social distancing, regular washing of and/ or sanitizing of hands and wearing of face mask. Managing Director of NAMA, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu…

Airports Council International (ACI) World and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) have called for governments to quickly grant financial relief to assist airport operators and airlines during the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis and support the essential connectivity the industry will provide for economic recovery. The industry is united with governments around the world in efforts to stop the spread of the virus, and, in the face of massive government imposed travel restrictions, the industry is…

  The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that its rescheduled 76th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit will take place in Amsterdam, the Netherlands on 23-24 November 2020. IATA’s 76th AGM and World Air Transport Summit will be hosted by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines at the RAI Convention Centre. The dates were selected in anticipation that government restrictions on travel will have been lifted and that the public health authorities in…