Business

21,000 pilots, 22,000 technicians, 26,000 cabin crew members needed   Aircraft giant, Boeing has projected that intra-African passenger traffic will more than quadruple in the next twenty years, placing the continent’s growth among the highest globally. To support this, 1,025 new airplanes will be needed over the next two decades.  Overall African air traffic growth is forecast at 7.4%, the third highest among global regions and above the global average growth of 6.1%. Boeing included the…

*IATA welcomes Nigeria’s FAAN’s repair of Lagos airport  IATA, FAAN back Lagos int’l airport corrective action plan    The International Air Transport Association (IATA) welcomes the commitment of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to improving infrastructure and service levels at Lagos’s Murtala Muhammad International Airport within twelve months. This follows a number of safety, security, and passenger service level concerns in Lagos airport raised by IATA member airlines over the past year. This…

The Managing Director of Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) Ahmed Lawan Kuru said the challenge of Sir Arumemi Johnson’s Arik Air Limited (in Receivership) to recover his airline may seem difficult, but not irredeemable, stressing that there is always a way out of every resolution situation. The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of AMCON who was in Lagos on Monday to field questions from the media regarding developments in the aviation portfolio especially in the…

Mangcu wants Africa to heed AFCAC’s call for ‘Open Skies   Nigeria and South Africa have deepened their Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) by signing a technical agreement between the countries’ regulatory bodies. The technical agreement signed between both nations at the just concluded 7th Aviation Africa Summit in Abuja according to the Deputy Minister of Transport, South Africa, Lisa Mangcu, would ensure that they strengthen their regulatory regimes, build formidable technical capacity within the…

Overland takes delivery of three E-175s, Air Peace orders five new jets   Brazilian-made aircraft maker, Embraer has continued to make an inroads into the country’s aviation industry with huge orders for E175 jets, more fuel-efficient, and narrow-body airplanes. In the bid to also overcome economic headwinds, the country’s carriers have started shifting their focus away from the more expensive big airplanes for narrow-body aircraft. Overland Airways, an airline reputed for its efficient model has…

Nigerian airlines’ aircraft demand to rise by 2042   In a bid to resolve the lingering trapped airlines’ trapped funds, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) hold quarterly reconciliation meetings with a view to finding a lasting solution to a matter that has damaged the country’s reputation in the eyes of the global aviation industry. The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo made the disclosure…

Nigeria has for the first time since the audit of the aviation industry began over 15 years ago failed to scale the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme. The country represented by the NCAA tried in its oversight function of the sector but failed to score the least pass mark of 75% in ICAO Audits with many opening gaps that must be closed within 60 and 90 days. The Nigerian Civil Aviation…

  A United Nigeria Airlines aircraft Friday night skidded off Murtala Mohammed Airport Lagos runway on landing due to a downpour. The aircraft which was coming in from the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport Owerri operated and landed normally but skidded off the runway upon landing. According to the spokesman of the airline Achilleus-Chud Uchegbu, all passengers were safely evacuated alongside their luggage and no passenger was hurt in the incident. “Relevant authorities have been…

Türkiye’s national flag carrier, Turkish Airlines, has announced a new order for 10 additional A350-900 aircraft, taking its total for the type to 40. This latest agreement is in addition to one announced in August for four A350-900s. Turkish Airlines already operates a fleet of 14 A350-900s. Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International said, “We are delighted that Turkish Airlines has decided to further enlarge its fleet with the purchase of…

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for July 2023 global air cargo markets, showing a continuing trend of recovering growth rates since February. During the month under review, African airlines had the strongest performance in July 2023, with a 2.9% increase in cargo volumes compared to July 2022. Notably, Africa–Asia routes experienced significant cargo demand growth (10.3%), capacity was 11.0% above July 2022 levels, while the continent accounted for 2.0% of the total global air…