Interviews Archives - Aviation metric

Walsh: It’s bizarre that a lot of traffic from Africa to Africa goes over the Middle East

Posted on June 15, 2026June 15, 2026 by Wole Shadare

Willie Walsh is the outgoing Director-General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA). In this interview with WOLE SHADARE at the IATA82nd AGM in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, he speaks about issues, prospects of the global airline and aviation industry, Africa’s slow implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) and how the continent can realise its potential Willie, could you give an appraisal of your tenure as you leave your role as the…

Kuku: We’re leveraging technology to improve new Lagos airport terminal

Posted on March 14, 2026March 14, 2026 by Wole Shadare

Mrs Olubunmi Kuku is the managing director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). In this interview with CNBC monitored by WOLE SHADARE, she speaks about the plan to turn the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos terminal under construction, into Africa’s premier aviation hub, how to drive passenger traffic effectively, and the provision of transit facilities at the major airports across the country, among others The big decision came from the President last week on the…

IWD: ‘There’s no glass ceiling for women, competence is powerful equaliser’

Posted on March 8, 2026March 9, 2026 by Wole Shadare

Engr. Teresa Ijeoma Ihenachor, Director of Safety, Electronic and Engineering Services (DSEES), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), is the first woman to attain the position in the long history of Nigeria’s aviation industry. In this interview with WOLE SHADARE to celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD), a day to honour the achievements of women and promotions of gender equality, empowerment and women’s right speaks on her 30 year marathon that began in 1994 as Signal Officer…

Our emergency response to MMIA Terminal 1 fire was very good-Capt. Mahmood

Posted on March 2, 2026 by Wole Shadare

Captain Abdullahi Zubeir Mahmood is the Director of Airport Operations at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). In this interview with WOLE SHADARE, he speaks about the fire that gutted the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Terminal 1 last week and how the coordination by various groups in the aviation ecosystem helped to avert what would have amounted to a national tragedy and other issues concerning the inferno The fire incident at MMIA last week caused significant…

Balkan: Our network provides Nigerian travellers with unparalleled connectivity to 356 destinations in 132 countries

Posted on February 23, 2026February 23, 2026 by Wole Shadare

Lokman Balkan is the General Manager of Turkish Airlines in Nigeria. His leadership has been characterised by a strategic focus on expanding the airline’s footprint in Africa and improving the passenger experience for Nigerian travellers. In this interview with WOLE SHADARE in his Lagos office, he speaks on aggressive expansion of the carrier with the airline hitting record global passenger numbers—surpassing 92 million in 2025—with integrated Nigerian culture into the skies Many travellers now prioritise comfort, flexibility, and…

Adede: Nigeria ranks amongst most expensive countries in Africa for air travel

Posted on November 3, 2025November 3, 2025 by Wole Shadare

Senator Musa Adede, an airline owner, ex-lawmaker with tremendous experience in many areas of aviation, in this interview with WOLE SHADARE, speaks on many problems besetting the nation’s aviation sector and proffers solutions to many of the woes What recommendations would you give the government to strengthen the aviation sector? There are key recommendations that will help the aviation industry. These recommendations are reduction of taxes and levies on passengers and airlines to improve profitability,…

Kirby: We Are Excited About Our Business In Africa Despite Slow Aircraft Delivery

Posted on June 9, 2025 by Wole Shadare

United Airlines’ Chief Executive Officer, Scott Kirby, in this interview with WOLE SHADARE at the unveiling of the airline’s United’s Polaris Studio suites in New York, United States, speaks about $150 million in inflight meals, excitement about its operations in Africa, supply chain crisis and how to make the carrier the biggest in the world. United’s Polaris Studio suites you are unveiling today are not only innovative but also creative as they give premium travellers a new…

Jacquorie: Nigerian route is a complicated market

Posted on March 10, 2025March 10, 2025 by Wole Shadare

Managing Director, International Customer Experience and Strategy, Delta Air Lines, Michael Jacquorie speaks to WOLE SHADARE in Atlanta, Georgia on the huge investment on its products, its plan on the Nigerian routes, interline arrangement with Nigerian carriers among others that have strengthened its foothold on the lucrative Atlanta-Lagos route What has been customers’ experience at Delta? Customer experience for us at Delta specifically over the last five years has been really focused on across all the different divisions that…

Anugom: Lessons learnt strengthened us on the Nigerian market

Posted on January 28, 2025 by Wole Shadare

Julian Ugochukwu Anugom leads in-flight entertainment and connectivity development at Delta Air Line. He speaks to WOLE SHADARE at the airline’s head office in Atlanta, Georgia on how the carrier is challenging the face of air travel with innovation. You have changed the face of Delta Air Lines in terms of In-flight Communication and Entertainment. How has it been with Delta? I lead in-flight entertainment and connectivity development here at Delta. If you have heard about the internet…

It takes team work, efficiency to run massive airport system like FAAN, says Dati

Posted on November 29, 2024November 29, 2024 by Wole Shadare

Yakubu Dati was the General Manager of Public Affairs of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and a former Commissioner for Information and later Commissioner for Land and Survey, Plateau State. In this interview with Television Continental (TVC) monitored by Aviation Metric on Thursday, he speaks about the giant strides by the Managing Director of FAAN, Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku to improve age-long infrastructure decay at many of the country’s airports, the recertification of the…

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