Top Stories Archives - Page 34 of 617

How conflicts impact Africa, Middle-East global aviation profitability

Posted on January 20, 2026January 20, 2026 by Wole Shadare

Africa remains the least profitable aviation region globally. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) forecasts that African carriers will generate just $200 million in net profit in 2026—a marginal 1.3% profit margin compared to the global average of $7.90 per passenger. The conflicts in the continent and the Middle-East have the potential to do more damage to aviation profitability, writes WOLE SHADARE The continent has seen conflicts in Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Sudan, Libya, and…

Boeing delivered 600 planes in 2025

Posted on January 20, 2026January 20, 2026 by Wole Shadare

Aircraft maker Boeing indeed hit a significant milestone in 2025, delivering 600 commercial aircraft. This represented a 72% increase over its 2024 performance and marked the company’s highest annual output since 2018. While Boeing trailed its European rival Airbus in total deliveries (793 planes), it successfully outpaced Airbus in net orders for the first time in seven years, securing 1,173 net orders compared to Airbus’s 889. The majority of Boeing’s deliveries were driven by the…

ValueJet Unveils VIKI – Africa’s First Full-Scale Airline AI Concierge To Transform Passenger Experience

Posted on January 20, 2026January 20, 2026 by Wole Shadare

ValueJet, Nigeria’s innovative airline, has officially launched VIKI, an AI-powered digital concierge designed to transform how passengers access flight services, making it the first airline in Africa to deploy such technology at scale. VIKI is a multilingual, text- and voice-enabled AI assistant that responds verbally to voice commands, offering enhanced accessibility for visually impaired users. Through popular messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram, passengers can book and manage flights, modify reservations, check in online,…

Qatar makes forced landing in Lagos after mid-air technical fault

Posted on January 17, 2026 by Wole Shadare

A Qatar Airways aircraft carrying 248 passengers and 12 crew members made a safe emergency landing at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos on Friday night. The emergency was triggered by a technical fault that developed mid-air within Nigerian airspace. The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) activated its response plan immediately after receiving distress calls through the 767/112 toll-free lines. Despite tense moments, the pilot successfully executed a forced landing on…

Delta generated $63 billion revenue in 2025, $5.8 billion operating income

Posted on January 15, 2026 by Wole Shadare

Delta Air Lines concluded 2025 (its Centennial year) with record-breaking revenue and strong cash flow, primarily driven by a surge in demand for premium travel and a highly successful loyalty partnership with American Express. For the December quarter, Delta recorded $16.0 billion in operating revenue, delivering an operating income of $1.5 billion and an operating margin of 9.2%. Earnings per share for the quarter came in at $1.86, supported by healthy demand across premium, international…

Carriers refund N1B to passengers late 2025 as NCAA fumes over 5% TSC, CSC non-remittances

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

There are indications that passengers who were victims of poor airline service were refunded approximately ₦1,038,505,680.80 by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in late 2025. The record shows that more than 5,285 passengers received payments during this window. The 2025 refund volume was the highest in the NCAA’s 25-year history. This milestone was largely attributed to a significant shift in regulatory enforcement and improved airline compliance. The refunds were issued due to flight disruptions, including…

AFCAC: Africa’s aviation sector showed resilience in 2025

Posted on January 14, 2026 by Wole Shadare

The African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) said that, in a complex and evolving global context, the continent’s aviation industry has demonstrated resilience, cohesion, and steady progress, guided by decisions of AFCAC’s governing organs that align with the African Union (AU) integration agenda. The AFCAC’s Secretary-General, Adeyemi Adefunke, stated this at the agency’s 2025 performance report, highlighting a defining and resilient year for the continent’s aviation sector. Adefunke noted that the commission remained steadfast in its…

Airlines on cliffhanger

Posted on January 13, 2026 by Wole Shadare

The Nigerian aviation industry is often described as a quagmire—a complex, sticky situation where every attempt to solve one problem seems to trigger another. This goes beyond just high prices; it is a structural trap involving debt, taxes, and a lack of local technical self-sufficiency, writes WOLE SHADARE To say Nigerian airlines are on a cliffhanger is a perfect metaphor for the suspense and high stakes of the carriers. This month marks a major…

New MMA2 slot policy to solve terminal congestion, enhance airlines performance

Posted on January 12, 2026January 12, 2026 by Wole Shadare

First private terminal to introduce precision-based system in Nigeria For years, the experience at major Nigerian airports during peak hours was predictable: a sea of passengers packed into check-in halls, long security queues stretching toward the entrances, and a symphony of delayed announcements echoing through the terminals. The recent rollout of the slot system at MMA2 represents the first time a private terminal in Nigeria has moved away from a first-come, first-served model to a…

Qatar becomes first carrier to enable B787-8 with Starlink

Posted on January 8, 2026January 8, 2026 by Wole Shadare

Qatar Airways has launched the world’s first Starlink-equipped Boeing 787 and completed Airbus A350 Starlink rollout, connecting over 11 million passengers with the fastest Wi-Fi in the sky. The carrier has now officially become the first airline in the world to equip and certify the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with Starlink. The airline set an unprecedented pace for fleet upgrades, completing massive installations in record time. Three Dreamliners are already operational with Starlink, and the carrier…

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