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NCAA, US safety board meet over Delta Airline, FAAN face-off
In order to understand the implementation of the recent Executive Order as directed by Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, the Director-General of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Muhtar Usman had a meeting with a team from the United States of America’s Transportation Security Administration (TSA) over Delta Air Lines.
Spokesman for NCAA, Sam Adurogboye confirmed the meeting, saying the agency and the TSA team met in Lagos..
The TSA Attaché- West African Region, Mr Gary Pleus was in the company of Mr James Plasman, Economic officer of the United States Consulate General and Group Captain USA Sadiq, Director Security Services, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).”
Commenting last week on Delta Air Lines’ issue with their Executive Order, the Managing Director of FAAN, Saleh Dunoma said, “it is not anything peculiar. They want to do certain checks, we will tell them where to do the checks. We are not stopping anybody from checking anything. The Executive Order does not stop that but let us do the appropriate thing at the appropriate locations. We will handle Delta Airline issue.”
In its response through a statement, Delta Air Lines said: “Delta Air Lines works closely with aviation authorities around the globe. Delta is actively working with both the authorities in Nigeria and the United States to understand the new Presidential directive and ensure we remain compliant with the respective authorities. Delta is subject to U.S. Government and Nigerian Government security regulations. The safety and security of Delta’s customers and crew is the airline’s number one priority.”
The TSA Attache- West African Region, Mr Gary Pleus was in the company of Mr James Plasman, Economic officer of the United States Consulate General and Group Captain USA Sadiq, Director Security Services, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
The airline had argued that the US agency provides some level of manual checks by any airline flying to the US.
It insisted that its staff would manually check some of the passengers, threatening to stop the boarding of Nigerian passengers from the airport. The issue was resolved by the FAAN management several hours later.
Meanwhile, as part of the implementation of executive order, FAAN registered its satisfaction on the success with the compliance by agencies at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos.
The agency said the physical check tables at the departure hall of the terminal is been removed, also the desks belonging to Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) following the last screening by the FAAN’s Aviation Security.
Many of the security personnel at the airport use the excuse to physically check passengers’ luggage extort money from intending travellers.
