Aviation

Tinker with merger, interline to cut costs, United inks MoU with carriers Why air tickets are on the rise   In a market hugely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic on top of rising ticket prices and increased competition, airlines have been urged to synergise their operations in a bid to cut cost without compromising on passenger experience. The chairman of start-up United Nigeria Airlines, Chief Obiora Okonkwo made the call while asking airlines to merge…

The Ministry of Aviation has issued a warning about expected attacks on airports across the country. This was stated in a memo addressed to airport security chiefs and signed by S.M. Mamman, FAAN Deputy General Manager of Administration and Logistics. Airports in Kaduna, Maiduguri, Sokoto, Kano, Abuja, and Lagos are on the list, according to a document dated April 9, 2021. The memo reads: “I am directed to convey a warning from the Ministry of…

Tasks workers on professionalism, hard work   Commissioner/ Chief Executive Officer of the Accident Investigation Bureau Nigeria (AIB-N), Akin Olateru, an aircraft engineer listed professionalism, cooperation, diligence as some of the criteria or essential tools needed to achieve the agency’s mandate of investigating aircraft accidents and serious incidents. Olateru stated this while seeking more support from workers to continue to deliver on their mandate disclosed that the Federal agency was established to investigate aircraft accident…

The European Union has approved a plan by the French government to inject more than $4 billion into Air France, which was hit by a collapse in passenger traffic during the pandemic. Ministers in Paris welcomed the news, but the Netherlands government said there was no “urgent need” for an injection of capital for KLM, Air France’s Dutch partner. The measures were approved under temporary COVID-19 state aid rules and come after weeks of negotiations…

Ground handling firms seek waiver, others from FG   High level insecurity on many of the country’s roads occasioned by banditry and other forms of criminality is helping to see a rise in air travel. Amid the rise in passengers choice of air travel, virtually all the airlines lack capacity to cater for teeming number of passengers turning at airports because of acute shortage of aircraft as many of the operators lack the necessary foreign…

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced that Willie Walsh has officially taken on the role of Director General of the organization. He succeeds Alexandre de Juniac. “I am passionate about our industry and about the critical work that IATA does on behalf of its members, never more so than during the COVID-19 crisis. IATA has been at the forefront of efforts to restart global connectivity, including developing the IATA Travel Pass”. Less visible…

85% Emirates crew fully vaccinated as UAE administers 8 million shots   Emirates next month will operate a special flight with one of its brand new A380 aircraft to showcase the UAE’s vaccination programme and offer a glimpse at ‘the new normal’ for air travel while boosting confidence among the flying public. Flight EK2021 on April 10 will carry only fully vaccinated crew and passengers on-board. It will depart Dubai International Airport at 12:00hrs local…

Inclement weather on Monday forced aircraft to be diverted from Kano and Kaduna airports to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. Many prominent Nigerians who were billed to attend the 12th Bola Tinubu Colloquium could not travel by air. Many of them went by road for the much advertised event scheduled for Kano. The Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) however cited adverse weather condition as the reason aircraft could not operate to the city and…

  The lingering face-off between the representatives of Nigerian workers, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Turkish Airways assumed another dimension as the workers’ union has concluded plans to picket the airline over alleged violations of workers’ and trade union rights. Consequently, the NLC  has arrived at a decision of the NEC of Congress to picket the airline Tuesday March 30, 2021. The union in a schedule of the exercise stated that the action would…

The aviation industry’s response to the COVID-19 crisis has lacked vigour, according to a panellist speaking at the Arab Aviation Summit on Monday, who described industry efforts as “timid”. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) must step up its communications efforts, provide common guidelines and rally all industry stakeholders to boost confidence in the aviation sector, the panel concluded. Sunil John, communications expert and founder of ASDA’A BCW, said the aviation sector’s current challenges cannot…