FEATURES

When the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) was launched in January 2018, it was enthusiastically embraced as the key that would unlock air travel growth in the continent. WOLE SHADARE writes that more than two years after the launch, interconnectivity within the African continent has been problematic as it was even before SAATM Long way to go Although 33 countries in the continent are signatories to the project, the agreement appears to be on paper rather than being…

In Nigeria, the needed executive capacity to implement aviation roadmap programmes is lacking on an international scale. WOLE SHADARE highlights the impediments to this policy adopted by successive governments. Sing songs? The ‘mantra’, aviation road-map seems to have been the sing-song for any new administration saddled with the responsibility of leaving the sector when they met it. The airports’ infrastructural report of Nigeria unlike South Africa, Ethiopia, Egypt, Rwanda and Kenya is nothing to write home about as…

Within the aviation industry, employees’ eyes glitter when electric aviation is mentioned. It’s a  topic that is hot and heavily debated and, what only a few years ago felt unlikely, is now becoming a reality, writes WOLE SHADARE Experiment So it looks as though electric air taxis and small planes could arrive in the near future, subject to regulatory approval. In December 2019, the first commercial trip using electric aircraft flew in Vancouver and the…

Green Africa is Nigeria’s newest airline having started flights last week. Nigerians are ready to travel again following COVID-19 pandemic. More airlines are offering services. Competition will become tougher as more people plan to join. What unique services would they be offering?  WOLE SHADARE raises some posers Great expectation Is it going to be the same or a purpose driven competition to benefit Nigerians? Time shall tell. Nigerians are ready to travel again for leisure and…

There is still no solution to the skyrocketing price of aviation fuel otherwise known as Jet A1. WOLE SHADARE x-rays some of the challenges that has seen to unabated rising costs of the commodity in Nigeria Steady increase Since January 2021, the price of Jet A1 was approximately has been skyrocketing to the chagrin of airline operators. A litre of aviation fuel in the domestic scene goes as high as N305 and N315 per litre, depending on the airport…

The last few months have been harrowing for international airlines and passenger facilitation. FAAN has been called to question for not quickly filling the void left by the coming to end of SITA deal. However, there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel. Time will tell how much long travelers and airlines would have to wait to truly see this come to a quick end, writes, WOLE SHADARE Excruciating pain The difficulty of…

  As travel rebounds in many parts of the world after excruciating lockdown of air travel occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic, many countries are still hit by high costs of PCR tests-the so-called gold standard, writes, WOLE SHADARE Air travel hampered Restarting international travel is vital to supporting the 46 million travel and tourism jobs around the world that rely on aviation. Meanwhile, high cost of testing will bear heavily on the shape of the travel recovery….

Nigeria is witnessing a new normal in flight delays and cancellations. The double whammy is taking the joy out of air travel. WOLE SHADARE writes that at their core, airlines promise a simple service — timely transportation — yet they make little progress toward improving that basic offering Sirika worried, kicks The pronouncement by the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, last week, that passengers whose flights are delayed by over two hours are bound to…

No doubt, this is the year airlines, aviation firms and others are trying to pick the pieces after the devastating effects of COVID-19. It is equally a defining year for Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika to bring to fruition his aviation sector road map, writes, WOLE SHADARE Huge moment  Year 2021 and perhaps half year 2021 is expected to define the future of aviation in Nigeria. COVID-19 has disrupted economies and businesses, locked down billions of people,…

Despite having the continent’s largest economy and population, and strategic location in the middle of West and Central Africa, Nigeria is yet to capture what some would refer to as its rightful position as an aviation hub. However, demand-side inhibitors, such as the lack of a national carrier, high airline fees, infrastructure, sound and workable policy to make the nation’s airlines thrive among others must be addressed if the country is to fulfill its potentials,…