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African airlines experienced a 7.4 per cent increase in traffic compared to a year ago but this relates mainly to the strong upward trend in seasonally-adjusted traffic during the second half of 2015. Capacity rose 5.9 per cent, and load factor climbed 1.0 percentage point to 72.4 per cent, lowest among regions. This was disclosed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) when it announced global passenger traffic results for July showing acceleration in demand growth…

*Why we are concessioning airports-FG Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika said decrepit facilities at most of the country’s aerodromes have negatively affected the low passenger traffic currently recorded by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). Sirika, in an interaction with the media late Monday night on the state of aviation, said Nigeria loses millions of dollars, adding that with the way things are, super jumbo airplanes and many more airlines cannot operate to the…

For any economy to grow, aviation is a crucial component that helps to speed up growth, as it cuts across spheres such as travel, tourism, agricultural production and distribution, trade and commerce, rural development, manufacturing, oil and the non-oil sector. This was the view of former Secretary General of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Mohammed Tukur, in Lagos. Specifically, he said that the ripple effect and the value chain aviation creates is immeasurable. He noted…

*FG to dedicate Kaduna refinery for Jet A1 *Why we suspended flight-FirstNation Airways   The scarcity of aviation fuel in the country has been attributed to the diversion of Jet A1 in place of kerosene as aviation fuel is now cheaper than kerosene. Aside the scarcity of Jet A1 occasioned by the difficulty in sourcing foreign exchange to import the commodity, most homes now use aviation fuel in place of kerosene. This disclosure was made…

The Federal Government has made a slight restructuring at the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) following the appointment of Alhaji Farouk Ahmed Umar as Executive Director, Safety Electronics and Engineering of the agency. Umar’s appointment was officially announced by the government following several months of speculation that he was going to be made the substantive Managing Director of the agency. The current Acting Managing Director of NAMA, Emma Anasi is said to be due for…

The aviation industry in Nigeria has never grown. Every time, it is behaving like a toddler, writes WOLE SHADARE Events in the last week show that Nigeria’s aviation industry is really going through turbulent times. Nigeria is no doubt, in recession and since aviation is part of the country’s economy that used to contribute less than one per cent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), it cannot be isolated. Given the status quo, nobody is…

Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika would tomorrow meet with airline operators under the aegis of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON). WoleshadareNews learnt that the meeting is not unconnected with the state of the aviation industry in the country and the need to proffer solution to many problems that have stunted the growth of the industry. An airline chief who confided in our reporter said the meeting will take place at 10am. But the…

*Go about your businesses, FAAN tells airport users  The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has notified air travellers and users of airports that the Nigerian Air Force would be conducting a mock exercise on counter- terrorism simulation at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja. The Managing Director of FAAN, Saleh Dunoma said the exercise is part of strategies to reinforce the safety and security of air transport and the nation’s airports, in addition to…

  ASKY, the Pan-African Airline, is introducing special fares and additional baggage allowance for its numerous customers on the Lagos to Douala and Lagos to Libreville routes.   The special fare is targeted at offering succor to the Nigerian travel public to these two destinations considering the current economic challenges in the country. Also, additional baggage allowance affords passengers the opportunity to travel with more baggage, thereby allowing them maximize the benefits of air travel….

*China, Middle East seek to poach crew   Nigerian pilots are looking beyond the country for greener pasture, as there are indications that China and other wealthy nations are poaching some pilots that have been thrown out of job. Chinese airlines need to hire almost 100 pilots a week for the next 20 years to meet skyrocketing travel demand. Facing a shortage of candidates at home, carriers are dangling lucrative pay packages at foreigners with…