Aviation

Director-General of International Air Transport Association (IATA) Alexandre de Junaic has predicted tough times for African airlines, saying airlines will go bust without support from governments in the form of bailout. He disclosed that already, four African carriers have ceased operations and two are in administration, stressing that without financial relief, many others will follow. Just last week, Nigerian government harkened to plea of stakeholders and airline operators by releasing N4b to struggling carriers which…

Gives nine safety recommendation, laments delayed reports   Twelve years after the accident involving a Chanchangi Boeing 737-200 aircraft at the Port Harcourt Airport Omagwa, the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) has released the report of this accident and three others.  This is coming as the agency has released three other investigation reports including a Nigerian College of Aviation Technology ( NCAT) Tampico TB-9 aircraft with registration 5N-CBJ, a Beechcraft aircraft with registration N564UZ belonging to…

Operators seek to repeal of 5% ticket sales charge Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika made a startling revelation on the humongous debts Nigerian airlines owe various aviation agencies. Sirika who made the disclosure in Abuja on Monday at the ongoing stakeholders and general public hearing on the repeal and enactment of civil aviation bills of all the aviation agencies put the staggering debts of airlines at $6, 993, 284 million and N19, 365, 374,336 billion…

Carriers projected to lose $9bn in 2020 The Secretary-General of African Airlines Association (AFRAA), Abderahmane Berthe, said the group was pushing for free COVID-19 tests for passengers on African airlines within the continent. The AFRAA scribe, who spoke at the 29th African Aviation Summit – Air Finance Africa 2020, which was monitored online by Woleshadarenews at the weekend and put together by Chairman, African Business Aviation Association (AfBAA), Nick Fadugba, stated that the unharmonised COVID-19…

Amount too meager for carriers-Senate The Federal Government has approved N4 billion as bailout fund to airlines to cushion the effects of the impact of the devastation of COVID-19 on their operations. Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika made the disclosure on Monday in Abuja on three day public hearing to repeal and enact Acts of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT),…

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) presented new analysis showing that the airline industry cannot slash costs sufficiently to neutralize severe cash burn to avoid bankruptcies and preserve jobs in 2021. IATA reiterated its call for government relief measures to sustain airlines financially and avoid massive employment terminations. IATA also called for pre-flight COVID-19 testing to open borders and enable travel without quarantine. Total industry revenues in 2021 are expected to be down 46% compared…

African travellers, including Nigerians, have now got the opportunity to travel from Africa through Dubai to Jordan as Emirates has concluded plans to provide more options and choices for its customers with the introduction of scheduled Airbus A380 services to Amman as part of its expanded schedule of 10 weekly services.. The expanded flight schedule between Dubai and Amman demonstrates the airline’s commitment to safely connect customers to and through Dubai to Africa, America, Europe,…

The harsh economic reality occasioned by COVID-19 could see many more airlines in Africa go into extinction just as many Nigerian carriers are already showing signs of insolvency. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) had forecast that a full return to 2019 levels is not expected until late 2023. The anticipated bailout from the Federal Government is looking like a mirage. Airlines are operating less than 50 per cent of their capacity because of near…