Kano Airport ready for commissioning - FAAN

Aviation Nigeria

The Managing director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Mr George Uriesi has said that the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport is ready for commissioning.

Mr Uriesi made this statement while on inspection of the remodelling projects going on across the airport terminals across the country.

In a brief interraction with the staff, he charged them to adopt a new attitude that will compliment the current transformational changes taking place in the aviation sector, challenging them to take ownership of the remodelled Airport terminals in order to maximise its full benefits and realise the corporate objectives of the Authority.

"We cannot carry over old nonchalant  attitudes into the new world class airport terminals being constructed." Uriesi stated.

The FAAN Managing Director had  earlier visited Abuja, Jos, YoIa and Kaduna for on-the spot assessment of the remodelling projects, and was led around the airport by Regional General Manager, Ibrahim Danyabu.

Uriesi called on all aviation stakeholders to take advantage of the new facility for wealth creation adding that the remodelled airport will boost economic activities and create employement to thousands of people.

The Mallam Aminu Kano International airport is among the first phase of airport remodelling project which comprises 11 airports of 22 earmarked for remodelling in the aviation transformation agenda by aviation Minister Princess Stella Oduah.

NAMA workers to begin warning strike on Friday

Aviation Nigeria

Workers of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency(NAMA), on Wednesday, announced plans to embark on one-day warning strike on February 22.

The workers are making this complain under the umbrella of the Air Transport Service Senior Staff Association (ATSSSAN), National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE).

The strike is to be embarked over alleged non-implementation of the new salary structure  introduced by  the agency, which the workers have demanded to be implemented.

Addressing newsmen at the NAMA headquarters in Lagos, Benjamin Okewu, National President, ATSSSAN, explained that workers of the agency across the nation would embark on a warning strike to drive home their demand.

“We affirm categorically that failure on the part of NAMA management to implement the approved salary structure is an invitation to industrial crisis,” he said.

"The workers of NAMA, therefore, unequivocally call on NAMA management to immediately and comprehensively implement the reviewed/adjustment of the salary structure of the agency dated Aug. 13 2012.” Okewu added.

He noted that the implementation of the salary would guarantee the welfare of workers, enhance productivity and performance of the agency.

Princess Stella Oduah Awarded For Excellence by Champion Newspaper

Aviation Nigeria

The Champion man of the year award has not been given based on any political, ethnic or other base considerations or with intent to boost the ego of the award recipient, but with the highest sense of responsibility, the Chairman of Champion Newspapers Limited Dr. Emmanuel Nwanyanwu disclosed Tuesday at the Sheraton Hotel Ikeja.

The Chairman, Dr. Nwanyanwu  said For the first time in the history of the Champion Newspaper Man of the year awards, a woman is recognized  and this time Nigeria’s Aviation  Minister Princess Stella Oduah for her outstanding performance at the Ministry since assumption of office.

The Chairman said the verdict by the Newspaper Board of Senior Editors to award the Aviation Minister is based on her courageous performance to in transforming the Aviation Industry within an 18 month period.

In his remarks, at the conferment of the award, the Champion News paper boss said the recipient, Princess Stella Oduah has set a high standard that should become the benchmark for other public officers in Nigeria.

The Aviation Minister, in her acceptance speech questioned why she should be awarded for doing what she had been called to do.

She said “To be sure, I have always been hesitant to accept awards not only from the media, but also from numerous other groups and bodies within and outside the shores of this country. The reason for this is simple. I hold the strong belief that I do not need to be given any award or honour simply for doing my job. I think as Aviation Minister, everything I am doing, and everything I am going to do going forward, is within the normal brief of an Aviation Minister. So I don’t feel I am doing anything extra-ordinary. This principally accounts for why, up till this moment, I have turned down several Awards, with all due respect to the groups and organizations that had considered me in the past.”

The Minister however said, she consider herself highly privileged to be considered and eventually selected for the prestigious Man of the Year 2012 Award by the Champion Newspapers, a newspaper that has a tradition of dedication to excellence, professionalism and the pursuit of the ideals of nationhood.

The Award she said, “is significant in one profound respect – it challenges me and my team at the Ministry not to rest on our oars, but to continue to do all we can to expand the frontiers of transformation in the aviation industry beyond what we are seeing today.”

Speaking earlier, the Anambra State Governor Mr. Peter Obi challenged the Minister to do more and ignore the praise singers. Governor Obi said everyday the role of leadership in Nigeria is challenging because everyday, leaders are encouraged to do the wrong things as most Nigerians choose the act of sycophancy in praising the leader rather than telling them the true situation of thing that are wrong with the system.

Professor Oyewusi Ibidapo was the Guest Speaker at the event, and called on Nigerian leaders to set the pace in Leadership for the younger generation

NCAA to introduce fresh insurance scheme for travelers

Aviation Nigeria

In a bid to reduce the hardship encountered by travelers resulting from emergencies or  accidents, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is planning a fresh insurance scheme for prospective travelers.

Speaking to reporters in Lagos at the weekend, the NCAA Director-General, Dr. Harold Demuren, said the planned scheme was feasible and alternative and that it was already functional in Europe and the United States.

The scheme, regarded as a no-fault insurance scheme, would allow prospective travelers to accumulate or buy insurance from airlines. A system which differs from the recent approach.

Demuren who expressly stated that the $100,000 compensation was no replacement to the value of lives in the event of accidents, described the scheme as one that would be managed separately by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), with input from the Minister of Aviation.

There are indications that in the event of an accident, victim’s family could be paid as much as $300, 000 depending on the consistency of the deceased in raking up more premiums.

The NCAA director has also requested the availability of land by the the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for airline operators to improve the industry by building hangars.

Heathrow airport hits record 70 million passengers - BBC

Aviation Nigeria

A record 70 million passengers used Heathrow last year, boosting the airport's revenues by 8% to £2.46bn.

The airport, the UK's busiest, is operating at close to capacity, with 471,341 flights during 2012, just below the legal limit of 480,000 a year.

Passenger numbers fell by 400,000 during the Olympics, as Britons stayed home to enjoy the Games and the number of inward-bound travellers dipped.

The chief executive of Heathrow again warned about a lack of capacity.

Colin Matthews said a decision on new airport capacity was "urgent", because of competition from rival airports in Europe and the Middle East.

The results published on Monday include Stansted airport, which was sold to Manchester Airports Group for £1.5bn. Stansted's passenger numbers fell 3.2% to 17.5 million last year.

The company said construction of the new Heathrow Terminal 2 should be completed towards the end of 2013, with operations commencing in mid-2014.

The project accounted for a large slice of the £1.1bn invested in the airport during 2012, an increase of more than 30% on a year earlier.

Source: BBC News.

Anambra State Governor commends Aviation Minister

Aviation Nigeria

Executive governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi has sent a congratulatory message to the Honorable Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah on on her selection as the Champion Newspaper Man of the Year 2012, noting that the Award is a call to greater service and dedication towards the sanitization of the Aviation industry in Nigeria. 

This was made public by the Special Adviser to the Minister on Media Joe Obi. The message dated February 4, 2013 Obi urged Oduah to

“...on behalf of the government and good people of Anambra state accept my hearty congratulations on the occasion of your selection as the Champion Man of the Year 2012”

The governor, in his letter indicated that the Minister had done a great service and stressed that the minister had been selected on meritorious grounds stating that: “amidst a plethora of qualified candidates for this award speaks volumes about your accomplishments''.

The governor also urged the Minister to continue her transformation in the aviation sector, adding that “Much as the award is a reward for excellence, it inevitably challenges you to do more in your effort to sanitize the Aviation industry. It is my belief that you will continue to acquit yourself creditably as our worthy Ambassador”

Governor Obi expressed joy that the vision, focus and courage with which Oduah had brought about, and was continue bringing transformation to bear on the Aviation industry. 

Victorious Super Eagles return home with Arik Air

Aviation Nigeria

African Champions of the AFCON 2013, Nigeria’s Super Eagles are scheduled to arrive at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja today(February 12) on a special flight provided by Arik Air.

The Airline dispatched its flagship aircraft, Airbus A340-500 to Johannesburg to fly the victorious team back home. 

The flight is scheduled to depart Johannesburg early morning Tuesday and touchdown in Abuja at 1:00 pm same day.

The airline in 2010 was also charged with transporting the Super Eagles team to Durban during the world cup.

Fans and supporters have also been provided free vehicles to welcome the Super Eagles at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja.

Guinea military plane crashes in Liberia

Aviation Nigeria

At least 10 members of a Guinean military delegation, reportedly including the army chief, have died when their plane crashed in Liberia, officials say.

No-one is said to have survived but it is not clear how many people were on board. The plane was carrying officials to Liberia's annual Armed Forces Day.

It came down in Charlesville, near Monrovia's international airport, Liberia's Information Minister said.

At the ceremony, Liberia's President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf dedicated a minute's silence to "several" Guinean officials "involved in the tragic plane crash".

Guinean military spokesman Alpha Barry said that armed forces head Gen Souleymane Kelefa Diallo was among those killed in the crash, according to the AP news agency.

The Roberts International Airport is about 45km (32 miles) south of Monrovia.

Source: BBC Africa

Boeing requests Dreamliner test flights

Aviation Nigeria

Boeing Co has asked the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for permission to conduct test flights of its 787 Dreamliner, suggesting the company is making progress in finding a solution to the battery problems that grounded the entire 787 fleet last month.

Boeing said it has submitted an application to conduct test flights, confirming a report in the Seattle Times on Monday.

The newspaper reported that the FAA might grant permission this week, citing sources with knowledge of the matter.

The FAA said it is evaluating Boeing's request. Boeing would test a potential fix for the problem that caused two batteries to burn on 787s last month, the paper said. But passenger flights would still be weeks if not months away, the paper said, citing two sources.

Japan's transport safety agency said on Tuesday that a CT scan showed six of the eight cells of the main battery on the All Nippon Airway's Boeing 787 Dreamliner jet that made an emergency landing last month were badly damaged, charred and deformed.

The island nation's Civil Aviation Bureau said the FAA had informed the agency that Boeing had sought permission to conduct Dreamliner test flights.

Source: Aljazeera

US Embassy commends work at Nigerian Airports

Aviation Nigeria

A delegation led by Mr. Jerrod Hanssen, Consular Officer of the United States Embassy has said that the levels of infrastructural developments at Nigerian Airports are commendable.

Mr. Hanssen spoke during a courtesy visit by a delegation of economic officers to the corporate headquarters the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) in Lagos on Friday, and observed with satisfaction, the remarkable strides by the authority to reposition Nigerian airports.

Responding to the visit, the managing director, FAAN, Mr. George Uriesi informed the delegation that FAAN was determined to change passenger’s experience of service delivery at all Nigerian airports, stressing that airport terminals of the past were for travelling only, while the modern airports have turned to commercial centers.

Uriesi noted that some airports around the world would have folded if they had relied solely on aeronautical sources of revenue, as against the current trend of offering commercial opportunities which encourage business, entertainment and leisure at the airports.

Thousands duped in UAE airline twitter scam

Aviation Nigeria

Thousands of people have been duped by several social media scams offering free flights with Emirates and Etihad Airways.

Messages offering free economy tickets to 20,000 people who follow a page claiming to be the airline’s official membership on photo-sharing website Instagram have attracted thousands of “followers” and caused a stir on other social media websites.

Each of the hoax posts includes the airlines’ logos and some include photos seemingly taken from the companies’ websites.

One post on Instagram says: “Hello All Our first 20,000 follower who share our page and tag&mention #EmiratesPromotions will receive ticket in our economy class to Dubai!”.

Another one reads: “Hello all. Our first 20,000 Followers who share our page and mention #etihadpromotions will receive , two economy class tickets to Dubai.”

As many as 10,000 people are reported to have “followed” the pages but many appear to have “unfollowed” after the airlines used other social media outlets to warn customers it was not involved in the “promotion” and did not have an Instagram account.

“Etihad Airways has no association with any accounts or promotions (such as #EtihadPromotion) competition currently running on Instagram as we don’t have an official Instagram account yet. 

Thanks for checking” Etihad wrote in a message in response to an inquiry from Aizz Irfan, who copied the message onto micro-blogging website Twitter to warn others.

Hundreds of people also took to Twitter to alert potential victims.

“Interesting to see #EtihadPromotion & #EmiratesPromotion fake hashtags spreading on Instagram. Good move from both airlines in clarifying.” @Bader al Hinai‏ tweeted.

Twitter user @kathey9 was relieved not to have fallen for the hoax, writing “I did a lot of stupid things in my life but thanks god I didn't believe #EmiratesPromotion thing..”

Air Passenger Growth in Africa hit 7.5% in 2012 - IATA

Aviation Nigeria

The International Air Transport Association (IITA) has said that the air transport market recorded a solid growth during 2012.

Globally, air passenger traffic rose 5.3% as cargo demand fell during last year and this helped airlines deliver an estimated $6.7 billion profit in 2012 despite high fuel prices.

According to the association, African airlines had a solid year of passenger growth up 7.5% in 2012 with capacity expansion of 7.1% traffic growth and an improved load factor of 67.1%.

IITA an international trade association represents over 240 airlines comprising 84% of scheduled international air traffic and has pointed at Africa's economic expansion being responsible for the air transport growth.

“African airlines had a solid year of growth, up 7.5%, as the continent’s economic expansion drove traffic demand, said IATA when it announced the global air passenger traffic for 2012 on January 31, 2013.

Africa’s freight capacity also grew 9.2%, outstripping demand. The freight load factor fell to just 24.7%, the lowest of any region by a significant margin, IATA said.

“Passenger demand grew strongly in 2012 despite the economic bad news that dominated much of the last twelve months. This demonstrates just how integral global air travel is for today’s connected world. At the same time, near-record load factors illustrate the extreme care with which airlines manage capacity. Growth and high aircraft utilization combined to help airlines deliver an estimated $6.7 billion profit in 2012 despite high fuel prices. But with a net profit margin of just 1.0% the industry is only just keeping its head above water,” said Tony Tyler, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

In its December 2013 outlook, IATA has projected a 4.5% growth in passenger markets and 1.4% growth for cargo demand saying “that will contribute to an improvement in profitability from $6.7 billion (1.0% net profit margin) in 2012 to $8.4 billion (1.3% net profit margin) in 2013.”

IATA was formed in April 1945 and has about 243 members from more than 126 countries of the world. The association made the 2013 projections based on the fact that business confidence was up, the stability of the Eurozone situation and the avoidance of the US fiscal cliff. IATA believes business confidence will help cargo markets to recover the lost ground from 2012.

Africa’s economic expansion has driven the air transport market to record a solid growth during the year 2012, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has said.

The Lagos International Airport

Aviation Nigeria

Guardian Editorial

THE relative improvement on facilities at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos is worthy of acknowledgement, both as a welcome break from what was clearly an embarrassment to Nigeria, and as a measure of further improvement needed. An airport is a visitor’s first point of contact with a country and first opportunity to develop an opinion about that country. Airports are also a sort of display window through which countries portray themselves as worthy of any foreigner’s visit for leisure or business.

In the early 1960s, former Prime Minister Lee Kwan Yew, the man whose government transformed Singapore into the development miracle it is today, ordered a comprehensive beautification of the road that led to the nation’s airport. Trees and flowers were planted and hawkers removed. Lee Kwan Yew’s express intention was to portray Singaporeans as disciplined and hardworking people to visiting tourists and business people.

The attempt being made to reverse the neglect, which has made MMIA, by far the biggest entry point into Nigeria, an eyesore rather than a positive advertisement of the country’s ambitions or potentials should therefore be encouraged. The trouble with this modest effort is whether the renovation, which the Ministry of Aviation is carrying out at the airport, and 11 others in the country, will be sustained.

For most of the past 20 years, the state of the MMIA has largely been a reflection of the poor state of governance in Nigeria. Under Military Head of State, General Sani Abacha, the airport was like an airstrip in a high security garrison, a reflection of the siege the country was under. Soldiers and other security officers fiercely accosted visitors to the airport. This siege was lifted with the advent of democracy in 1999. But the airport for long remained dirty with malfunctioning conveyor belts, air conditioners and toilets. The terminals were shabby and overcrowded. Once in a while, travellers who had the misfortune of using the airport broke into tears in the humid arrival hall after an endless wait for their luggage.

The renovation by the Ministry of Aviation may be limited in scope, but it represents an uncharacteristic display of responsibility by a government agency. The airport’s deterioration was almost in proportion to the rise in Nigeria’s oil income and allocation to the Ministry of Aviation. The renovation undertaken from mid 2012 has seen the arrival and departure halls expanded and spruced up in terms of look and feel. The airport now looks far more befitting. The renovation, of course, could have been carried out with less obstruction to the movement of travellers and other activities but it is salutary that the Ministry of Aviation has at last been touched by the embarrassment of having the country’s major airport look like an unkempt provincial bus terminal.

There is still a lot to be done, for instance about the chaos outside the airport, which foretells the one inside. The car park has become choked and is also poorly maintained. Lawlessness rules as cars, most of them belonging to highly influential Nigerians, are still parked on the roads leading to the arrival and departure halls, seriously obstructing the flow of traffic. Certainly the airport authorities need to be stricter in enforcing traffic regulations.

Besides, there is need for policy consistency. Under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Federal Government settled on a policy of developing and operating airports through Public Private Partnerships (PPP). Murtala Muhammed Airport Domestic Terminal Two was developed by Bi-Courtney Aviation Services under this policy. Has the Federal Government abandoned PPP as a means to develop the country’s aviation infrastructure and why, if this is the case? The current trend in aviation is to have airports developed and managed by private investors while governments focus on regulation and safety, areas in which Nigeria remain challenged severely. What is important is to embrace due diligence in choosing the partners. Brazil, a much richer country, in December 2012 announced a plan to attract $9.2 billion of private sector investment for the Rio Airport and 270 regional aerodromes under concession arrangements.

The renovation of airports by the Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria/Ministry of Aviation has attracted its share of controversy with allegations of opaque procurement and poor design by aviation experts. The rationale of spending millions to upgrade financially unviable airports all over Nigeria is also suspect. The private sector is better skilled at undertaking the ministry’s proposed plan to incorporate revenue-generating facilities such as shopping malls at the airports as a means of enhancing their financial viability. The financial risk involved in these schemes is better left to private providers, including their banks or financiers, rather than allow a frittering of public funds with no one taking responsibility. Government should enhance the procurement process under which private developers are chosen, rather than abandon PPP as a policy option. Policy coordination and coherence in government is vital, to save public funds from being expended on projects that can be more efficiently and cost effectively undertaken through PPPs. The Brazilian example is quite instructive, in this connection.

Transformation Agenda: Cleaning the 'graveyard'

Aviation Nigeria

by Tahir Sherriff

Activities to rid Nigerian airports of damaged aircraft remains have commenced in a new Ministry of Aviation project, pioneered by Princesss Stella Oduah.

The planes which have been lying around several of the nations airports had some dating back as much as 8 years. From technical problems or insolvency to government impounds and also de-commissioned planes, airports in Nigeria were becoming dump-sites and graveyards.

At least 65 planes ranging from small jets to Boeing 747's, have been abandoned at airports across Nigeria and the process aims to dismantle and rid the airport premises, a move which is described as a step to improve air safety, and aid in proper airport facility maintenance.

Notice had been given to the several owners of the abandoned aircraft's to move the planes before the dismantling process kicked-off. Beginning with a press release from the FAAN Corporate Communications Manager Yakubu Dati stating that the airports could not be used as a dumping ground and citing the safety and security implications caused by that scenario.

Some responded by weighing the cost implication and taking no action, others gave express go-ahead through notification to the aviation authorities and some entirely failed to respond.

For external observers it seems as one of those alternative seeking government projects, but from workers at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport the large chunks of metals presented some ill luck, and they were quick to adopt the name 'the graveyard'

The large space was known to habour the remains of Space Worlds two aircrafts, a Dana passenger plane, two planes from Bellview, a plane from Nicon Airways and several others, with several appeals by the authorities in the past to remove this abandoned aircrafts by meetings with the owners and publication of paid notices in various newspapers in the past five years.

Before now, some abandoned aircraft owners had taken FAAN to court over the issue and got court injunctions that made it difficult for the Authority to carry out this exercise before now

This recent moves shows a technical approach to a social problem, solving an otherwise 30 year problem. It also follows an airport transformation that is unseen, with terminal remodeling which reports say have not been done in as much as 50 years.

Planes abandoned at other airports, including Abuja, and Kano, would also be dismantled as explained by the Director of Airport Operations of the Federal Airport Authority  Captain Henry Omeogu who is currently spear-heading the operation.