Foreign airlines awaiting winter approval for flights into Nigeria

Aviation Nigeria

Aviation stakeholders have raised concerns on the circumstance that may face foreign airlines flying into Nigeria as they are yet to have their summer schedule approved, five days after the commencement of the summer season on March 28, 2013.

Aviation experts opine that the international position would deem flights into other countries without getting approval for its winter and summer seasonal schedules from the host countries, would be considered illegal.

The development has also generated concerns among the foreign airlines’ executives and top officials of the Ministry of Aviation, who felt that any further delay might force some of the carriers to consider halting their flight operations into the country so as not to find themselves in an unpleasant situation.

Reports indicate that most of the airlines’ winter schedules expired between March 28 and 31, as regularly placed on each carrier’s schedule.

The approval is usually given days ahead of the expiration of the current season’s schedule in order to avoid a situation where an airline has to ground its flight operations while waiting for approval.

Although most of the foreign airlines have begun implementing their winter schedule, which has yet to be approved by the Ministry of Aviation, a number of them are, however, worried that the delay in the approval process may put them in an unpleasant situation.

A country manager of one of the foreign airlines, who spoke to our correspondent in confidence because of the sensitive nature of the subject said, “This has not happened in a very long time. So, that is why we are worried. The approval comes usually days ahead of the commencement of the new season’s schedule.”

The financial implications of not getting approval for the schedule before flying is that in the event of a crash or major accident, insurance companies can refuse to pay compensation to the affected airline and its passengers as such flights would be regarded as an illegal.

Approval is conventionally issued by the Minister of Aviation on the recommendations of the Schedule Approval Committee comprising officials from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, and the Ministry of Aviation.

Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of Aviation, Mr. Joe Obi, said the Minister of Aviation had not refused to approve the foreign airlines’ summer schedules, adding that they would be approved as soon as possible.

NAMA Director debunks unsafe airspace claim by NATCA.

Sky Watch Nigeria.

In response to the claim by the Air Traffic Controllers of an unsafe Nigerian airspace, Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Engineer Mazi Nnamdi Udoh has re-assured Nigerians and all stake-holders in the aviation sector of its continued actions to a safer airspace.

While delivering a speech at the agency headquarters in Lagos on Friday December 14 2012, Engineer Udoh spoke on the claim by the Air Traffic Controllers stating that such statement could not collaborate with the glaring reality that airplanes have been flying for the last three months.

He however pointed out that the current challenge confronting the agency was its long range frequency of communication which had just been introduced, affirming  that aside from the new technology no control tower had significant challenges currently.

On the alleged statement by the Air Traffic Controllers, Engineer Udoh responded that: “If they are quoting Air Traffic Controller, it means that, the Air Traffic Controllers have not done any work in the last three months and should not to be paid.”


The Air Traffic Controllers,  in a six-page petition signed by its General Secretary, Mr. Banji Olawode and titled “Continued worrisome state of communication facilities within the Nigerian airspace” challenged Udoh to urgently declare national emergency on Air Traffic Services communication facilities within Nigerian airspace to mitigate the communication situation degenerating into distress stage thereby threatening the lives of air travelers and general public at large.
The General Manager, Public Affairs, NAMA, Mr. Supo Atobatele, agreed that the current radio frequency – 27.3 MHz for the Lagos Area Control Centre is at present congested following heavy traffic within the southern airspace, adding that decongestion would commence by December 17 2012.

NAMA completes first phase of solar power installations.

Sky Watch Nigeria.

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) says it has completed the first phase of installation of solar power units to eliminate challenges associated with erratic power supply to navigational aids in parts of the country.

A statement in Lagos on Saturday, signed by Supo Atobatele, the agency’s General Manager, Public Affairs, quotes Nnamdi Udoh, the Managing Director, as saying that the project would cover six locations.

He said that the project awarded at a cost of N218 million would cover Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt, Enugu and Bida in Niger.

Udoh in the statement said: “this is another milestone in saving money and diversifying our power source to solar energy.

“It is a project that has been ongoing and is now fully completed and we are now using it, saving us the huge amount we use to spend on diesel to power generators and the downtime we use to experience, due to power failure.’’

He said that the agency would continue to explore other areas to deploy the use of the technology to enhance its operational efficiency.

“The solar power is solely for navigation/landing aids for now in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, Bida and Enugu where we have major issues regarding constant power supply to the runways and air field lighting,’’ he said.

Udoh also added that power supply to the airfield and runways in the airports were erratic and that the agency used to keep them alight by running generators on 24-hour basis. The managing director said that the cost of the project also include the training of NAMA staff in the handling of the installations.

He assured that the next phase of the project cover other airports and that it was expected to begin before the end of next month January.

2013 BUDGET: Airlines to Enjoy Zero Tariff on Aircraft and Spare-Parts Importation.

By Lateef Lawal

Relief may have come the way of airline operators in Nigeria as President Goodluck Jonathan today in his 2013 budget presentation to the Joint Session of the National Assembly announced zero tariff on aircraft importation and spares.
In announcing it,he explained that it was obvious that airline operators in the country maintain their aircraft overseas at heavy cost and that the relief would go a long way in assisting the airlines to re-new their fleet of aircraft.
It will be recalled that members of the Airline Operators of Nigeria[AON] have over the years pleaded with successive government to assist them by sharply reducing the tariff they pay on the importation of aircraft, spares and rotables to assuage the high cost they incurred in their operations.
The Report of March 2006 of Air Vice Marshal Paul Dike had recommended that government should cancel the 5% Value Added Tax being charged on ticket and cargo as part of the palliatives sought for airline operators.
In the final report of the Presidential Task Force on Aviation Industry, the Paul Dike Committee recommended in paragraph 70 page xxvii,among others that,:'' Government should grant custom duty waivers on aircraft spares, engines and test equipment. This would reduce financial burden on the airlines. It would also encourage good maintenance practices since spare parts would be more easily available. It would also remove the extra delay occasioned by cumbersome Custom procedures''.
The Assistant General Secretary of AON, Alhaji Mohammed Tukur commended the president for his good gesture and that the proposal,he hoped would scale through the National Assembly screening so as to further enhance safety of aircraft operations within the country's airspace.
He, however noted that nobody should start claiming credit for this proposal except Mr President who has muster the political will to forward the Paul Dike Committee recommendation to the Legislature for approval in the 2013 Appropriation Bill.

Courtesy: Nigerian Aviation News.