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Hard times These are not the best of times for airlines particularly Nigeria carriers. The country is technically in recession. This has affected the revenue of virtually all the carriers amid sharp reduction in passenger traffic. Airline business is tough, unprofitable, and heavily regulated. It is even more overregulated in Nigeria because of the aggregate differences between the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) regulations, and the adverse policies issued by the ministry of aviation. Also,…

Lagos, Nigeria; 26 July 2016: British Airways has entered into a strategic agreement with telecommunications giant, Airtel, in a deal that will see customers of both organisations enjoy substantial discounts off tickets purchased in the next few months.  Speaking at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding in Lagos, British Airways’ Regional Commercial Manager for West Africa, Kola Olayinka said both companies operated in similar markets and placed a premium on customer service.  “This partnership is a way in which…

For Nigerian airlines to get out of the woods, the Federal Government must insist on clear-cut criteria on how to assist them so that whatever intervention government plans to give them is not mismanaged like the previous N200 billion handed to them some years ago. That was the view of a member of aviation think-thank, Aviation Round Table (ART), Group. Capt. John Ojikutu (rtd), in a chat with WoleshadareNews. He noted that there is nothing…

Only two marketers supply Jet A1 Despite assurances from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) that aviation fuel scarcity would soon be a thing of the past, the commodity sold for an all-time high of between N200 and N250 per litre yesterday. Only two marketers, Sahara Oil and Total Oil supplied Jet A1 to virtually all the carriers yesterday, thereby putting huge pressure on airlines and passengers, who struggled to get on-board flights to their…

An official news agency says China has unveiled the world’s largest amphibious aircraft that Beijing plans to use for marine missions and fighting forest fires. The Xinhua News Agency said the AG600 rolled off a production line in Zhuhai in southern China on Saturday. It measures 37 meters (121 feet) in length with a wingspan of 39 meters (128 feet). The report cites Chinese state aircraft maker, the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, as saying…

To reduce the hardship to travellers occasioned by the scarcity of aviation fuel, the Federal Government is already engaging stakeholders involved with the procurement and distribution of aviation fuel to ensure availability in earnest. This is coming as the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has called on all passengers who are experiencing the attendant flight delays and cancellations arising from the scarcity of Aviation fuel to exercise restraint. For two weeks now, passengers had been…

Emirates has launched the world’s first interactive amenity kit in Economy Class providing a more comfortable travel experience. The stylish new amenity kits utilize augmented reality (AR) technology to unlock immersive content on mobile devices. The kit bags come in six designs inspired by six regions in Emirates’ global network – Australasia, Latin America, Middle East, Africa, Europe and the Far East. The designs incorporate the colours and patterns of each of these regions and…

Touts are having a field day at most of the nation’s airports especially at the Lagos, Port-Harcourt and Abuja airports, as they are capitalising on the hike in fares on domestic routes to perpetrate their acts. Although, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has declared their activities as unlawful, but curiously, they have continued to thrive, as they have become a ring or power syndicate.   The touts hang around the old domestic airport…