Aviation

High Tests Cost Drag on air transport, tourism     The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has urged the Kenyan government to use all mechanisms at its disposal to encourage air travel, including reductions in COVID-19 test charges. “Kenya’s air transport recovery is stalling and requires ongoing support. Among the interventions, we are urging Kenya’s government to reduce the cost of PCR tests for travelers, which, at roughly US$80 each, is significantly higher than the…

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) welcomed the decision by the Biden Administration to enable vaccinated travelers to enter the US with a negative COVID-19 test result prior to travel from early November. Importantly, this supersedes the so-called 212f restrictions which prevented anyone from entering the US if they had been in 33 specific countries including the UK, Ireland, all Schengen countries, Brazil, South Africa, India, and China within the last 14 days. “Today’s announcement…

The Federal Government has lifted the restriction ban placed on flights from India. This was contained in a statement released Sunday by the Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha. The government had banned passengers from India, Brazil, South Africa, and Turkey in the last 14 days from entering the country as part of precautionary control measures to contain the spread of…

  Boeing has released its annual forecast for the commercial, defence, and space aerospace market, reflecting signs of the industry’s recovery following the impacts of COVID-19. The 2021 Boeing Market Outlook (BMO) – Boeing’s analysis of long-term market dynamics – states that commercial airplanes and services are showing signs of recovery, while the global defence, space, and government services markets have remained stable. The BMO projects a $9 trillion market for aerospace products and services…

PICA to close Airways’ ex-employees register month-end   Thirteen years after its liquidation and closure to airspace, the Federal Government has cleared the entitlements owed to ex-employees of the defunct national career, Nigeria Airways. “Every ex-employee of the defunct national carrier, whose name is captured in the book of the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA) has been paid as of this month,” a source told Aviation Metric. Checks by this medium on Wednesday at…

As the United States carrier, Delta Air approaches its 14th anniversary of operating services from its base in Atlanta to Nigeria; the airline has continued to focus on the health and safety of its customers and crew on flights between the capital and the United States.  The carrier has however stabilized its operations at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos after the COVID-19 hiatus. Delta now flies daily to Atlanta, its biggest hub, from where…

NCAA, airlines in N5bn debts reconciliation Insecurity fuels air connectivity With the increase in the number of airlines in operations and about four others that are on the verge of securing their all-important Air Operators Certificate (AOC), Nigeria is seeing a boom in domestic airline operations despite the ravaging impact of COVID-19 on aviation and travels. Amid the gloom of the pandemic, domestic carriers are said to be on their way to recovery with more…

price takes effect 35 years after amendment Fresh charges range between $1,500, $5,000   Thirty-five years after the last amendment to ground handling rates charged by aviation ground handlers, the Federal Government through the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has approved new ground handling charges for relevant companies. The new rate commences from October 1, 2021 (international carriers) and January 1, 2022, for domestic operators. Investigation by Aviation Metric shows that the Federal Government and the…

The risk of exposure to COVID-19 while traveling after all passengers’ test negative 72 hours, is less than 0.1 percent That’s according to a unique study that examined real-world customer data on Delta’s COVID-tested flight corridors between New York-JFK, Atlanta, and Italy’s Fiumicino International Airport. The peer-reviewed study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings showed a single COVID-19 molecular test performed within 72 hours of departure could decrease the rate of people actively infected onboard a commercial aircraft to…

The Federal Government has been urged to focus on expanding other underutilised airports across the country with a view to incorporating a cargo section to improve air cargo transportation within and outside Nigeria. Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Calabar, and Port Harcourt are the leading cargo centers in Nigeria. Chairman, Boff and Company Insurance Brokers Limited, Babajide Olatunde-Agbeja, made the appeal while speaking to Aviation Metric at the just concluded Aviation and Cargo symposium christened: “CHINET 2021,”…