Aviation in Nigeria
FirstNation Airways lost its fleet of three A320s to the lessor, Aviation Capital Group. The aircraft (5N-FNA, -FNB and -FNC) were reregistered to the American register as N409AG, N466AG and N997AG earlier this month.
FirstNation suspended its flight operations in June 2012, and ferried its aircraft to Istanbul for scheduled maintenance.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
FG Unveils Remodelled GAT at Lagos Airports
By Chinedu Eze and Yemi Akinsuyi (Thisday Newspaper)
The Federal Government Monday unveiled the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos built at the cost of N648 million.
Before cutting the tape to open the facility for service, the Secretary to the Federal Government, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, said the rehabilitation of the airport structures would mark the beginning of the total transformation of the nation’s airports.
He stated that by next year government would embark on the building of new terminal at the Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt airports.
The new GAT may be the largest domestic terminal in the country with expansive departure, arrival and offices in the one story facility, which was built to meet modern airport standards.
Anyim, who commended the Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Stella Oduah, expressed surprise at how she was able to complete the terminal in 11 months at relatively low budget, disclosing that the facility would be certified by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) before it would be put into service.
Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), George Uriesi who spoke to the media after the inauguration, said the remodelled terminal unlike before now has the capacity of 2.8 million passengers per annum.
He observed that the new GAT terminal was the first terminal facility that would be built in any of Federal Government owned airports in 30 years and explained that the terminal which used to handle 400 passengers was now able to handle 1,500 passengers per hour and would improve the economics of the business in Lagos.
Meanwhile, Oduah has said that the remodelled GAT does not belong to Bi-Courtney.
Speaking through her Special Assistant on Media, Mr Joe Obi, she explained that the location of GAT has never been concessioned to Bi-Courtney Ltd, adding that the agreement with the firm has a survey plan clearly marked in square metres.
Oduah said: “Information at our disposal indicates that Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Ltd, the concessionaire to MM2, apparently threatened by the imminent opening of the newly reconstructed and remodelled GAT, Lagos is mounting a media campaign in an attempt to blur or diminish the unprecedented achievement of the Aviation Minister.”
“It is inconceivable that anyone would not only contemplate, but also hold fast to the jaundiced belief that a nation as big and great as Nigeria ought not to progress beyond having a terminal like MM2.
“Regarding allegations that there are subsisting court orders restraining anybody, including FAAN which is the landlord of all federal airports in Nigeria from further development of the GAT, we need to stress that the cases are still on-going.
The minister further added: “In fact, our case is currently before the Supreme Court, challenging the Orders being referred to mainly, but not limited to the fact that in several of these cases, FAAN, as a principal interested party was never fully represented.
“Most of the cases and attempts at arbitration were conducted without the full incorporation and participation of FAAN. Those behind Bi-Courtney, relying on their privileged positions and closeness to the corridors of power at the time conspired to leave out FAAN in most of the adjudication and arbitration processes.”
Arik Air wins Best Security and Safety Conscious Airline 2012 Award
Nigerian Aviation News
Arik Air, West and Central Africa’s largest airline has been adjudged the Best Security and Safety Conscious Airline in West and Central Africa for the second consecutive year. The honour was bestowed on the airline at the 9th Security Watch Africa Award held at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, Accra, Ghana on Friday, October 19, 2012.
According to the organizers, Arik Air was conferred with the award because of the airline’s commitment to high standard of security and safety in its regional operations since inception as well as compliance to the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO’s) standard for aviation operations internationally. The organizers found the airline’s security and safety standards exemplary in West and Central Africa.
The Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, who was among the several dignitaries from Nigeria and Ghana that witnessed the ceremony, presented the award to Arik Air’s Aviation Security Training and Standards Manager, Akeem Oladimeji.
Governor Amosun congratulated Arik Air and other award recipients and hoped it would spur them to do more exploit.
Responding, Arik Air’s representative, Akeem Oladimeji, thanked the organizers of the award and stated that the award bears testimony to Arik Air management’s huge investment in safety and security. He stressed that the airline’s Aviation Security (AVSEC) Department is the most sophisticated in the industry and the airline’s commitment to safety is second to none in West and Central Africa.
Arik Air has invested a lot of money on itemizer equipment used to trace drugs. The airline, which has 300 security staff in its employment, is the only Nigerian airline that conducts an independent secondary screening of passengers prior to departures.
The airline also places a lot of emphasis on training and certification of its security personnel. The airline’s Aviation Security Training and Standards Manager and the Chief Security Officer are ICAO certified Aviation Security Professional Managers.
This is the third time Arik Air has won the Security Watch Africa award. The airline first won the award in 2007/2008 as the Best Security Conscious Airline in Nigeria and also as the Best Security and Safety Conscious Airline in West Africa in 2011. The International Institute of Professional Security also gave Arik Air an award for excellence in 2009/2010 in recognition of the airline’s security consciousness.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Aero flight makes air return over engine problem
By Chinedu Eze (Thisday Newspaper)
Aero Contractors’ pilot took precautionary measure Tuesday and returned an Abuja-bound flight to the Lagos airport after one of the engines was said to have developed technical problem.
Efforts to confirm the incident from the airline failed as calls and SMS sent to its media consultant, Simon Tumba, was not returned.
“I was a passenger in an Aero flight, a Boeing 737/500 series aircraft, which (developed problem with one engine) and returned to Lagos airport. Passengers were over joyous when it finally landed,” the passenger said.
Aero Contractors’ pilot took precautionary measure Tuesday and returned an Abuja-bound flight to the Lagos airport after one of the engines was said to have developed technical problem.
According to one of the passengers in the aircraft, the flight AJ 133 with over 90 passengers, took off from Lagos at about 6:55 pm yesterday on its way to Abuja and when the pilot noticed a problem with one of the two engines, he made air return after the flight had been airborne for some time.
Efforts to confirm the incident from the airline failed as calls and SMS sent to its media consultant, Simon Tumba, was not returned.
The passenger who narrated the incident to THISDAY, said the flight was billed to land in Abuja after 55 minutes of take-off but midway, the pilot returned to Lagos airport.
“I was a passenger in an Aero flight, a Boeing 737/500 series aircraft, which (developed problem with one engine) and returned to Lagos airport. Passengers were over joyous when it finally landed,” the passenger said.
As at press time, the actual problem of the engine was still unknown, but the pilot decided to return the aircraft to the airport of departure, which was the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
Arik Air lauds FG over import duty waiver on aircraft, spare parts
Nigerian Aviation News
Arik Air, has lauded President Goodluck Jonathan over the waiver of import duty on commercial aircraft and spare parts as announced in the 2013 budget presentation to the National Assembly on Wednesday.
Mr. Chris Ndulue, the Executive Vice President/Managing Director of Arik Air described the concession as heart-warming and one that will not only enhance safety but also assuage the high operating cost incurred by Nigerian airlines.
He praised the President for mustering the political will to incorporate the tariff waiver in the 2013 budget presentation thereby giving vent to the long sought relief for domestic airlines that have been reeling under the cumbersome Custom procedures for imported aircraft and spare parts.
“There can be no better time than now for this tariff waiver announced by the President as Nigerian airlines are bleeding from excessive taxes. We have been clamouring for this kind of succour over time and are happy that it has finally come”.
“The waiver of import duties on aircraft and spare parts will undoubtedly reduce the financial burden on airlines and encourage good maintenance practices since spare parts will now be available at lower costs,” Ndulue stressed.
President Goodluck Jonathan had during the 2013 budget presentation to the National Assembly on Wednesday observed 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.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
National carrier: Lufthansa, AirFrance rebuff FG
The Federal Government is in desperate search for investors among foreign airlines to partner with it to establish a new national carrier for the country; findings by our correspondent have shown.
This is after Lufthansa German Airlines and AirFrance reportedly turned down an approach by the government to be its partners in the proposed national carrier.
However, barely three months to the December 2012 deadline set by the Minister of Aviation, Ms Stella Oduah, for the take off of the new carrier, hopes of its emergence look dim, according to investigations by our correspondent.
The minister had last December said the Federal Government would establish a new national carrier this year, eight years after the liquidation of the Nigeria Airways.
Oduah had made the announcement during an open chat with her followers on the social networking medium, Twitter.
Responding to questions from our correspondent then, she said the Federal Government was working on a new model for the proposed carrier.
According to her, the funding and ownership for the new airline will not be like that of the defunct Nigeria Airways, which was wholly owned by the government.
Nigeria Airways was liquidated in May 2003 by the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
However, there have been calls for a new national carrier to boost the nation’s image internationally and to realise the dream of making Nigeria an air transport hub.
The minister said, “We are working on a national carrier that will be publicly owned with limited financial contribution by the government. Government will act as a regulator and provide an enabling environment for this objective to be realised.
“We recently reviewed the models of national carriers in other countries and we are working on the best solution for Nigeria. We are working to deliver the national carrier by next year (2012).”
However, top industry sources told our correspondent on Monday that the government had separately approached Lufthansa German Airlines and AirFrance for partnership over the proposed national airline.
By Oyetunji Abioye (The Punch)
The two separate discussions, it was learnt, did not yield any positive result because the airlines said they could only offer technical and management assistance.
According to sources close to the discussions, the airlines were not ready to take up stakes in the proposed national carrier, an arrangement the Federal government was not willing to embrace.
“The government has approached Lufthansa and AirFrance for partnerships, but they both declined. They said they could only offer some technical assistance and also help to manage the airline. But as per investing in the proposed national carrier, they were not ready,” one of the sources close to the situation said.
Investigations by our correspondent revealed that the airlines were concerned about the inconsistency in government policies in the aviation sector, noting that another minister might come and cancel the arrangement they might have had with the current minister if they should go ahead to take up stakes in the proposed national airline.
A source familiar with the situation said the airlines also pointed at how the government violated its Memorandum of Understanding with British airline mogul and founder of Virgin Group, Sir Richard Branson, after the setting up of Virgin Nigeria.
However, the Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of Aviation, Mr. Joe Obi, said the plan to establish a national carrier was still on.
He said the government was pursuing the project and would come up with the latest development on it very soon.
“A national carrier is not something you pick on the shelf. There are processes to be followed. We are doing these and you will hear from us when the time comes. Ninety days is till a long time,” he said.
Industry observer and Managing Director, Belujane Konzult, Mr. Chris Aligbe, said Nigeria deserved a national carrier, but a private sector-driven one.
Friday, October 5, 2012
Arik rejects 2 Hungarian Airlines’ jets
Daily Sun
Arik Air management has rejected two B737-800 series jets offered it by the recently-liquidated Malev Hungarian Airlines. Investigations by Daily Sun reveal that the Hungarian carrier, shortly after it ceased all activity on February 3 this year, after 66 years of operations declared its airplanes for sale.
Whilst looking for buyers for some of its aircraft, the company approached Arik Air to buy two of the B737-800 jets which had been in storage since February. However, Arik Air, after concluding its investigations, discovered that the airplanes were the first generation type and between 8-10 years old, and not the model it would have been interested in. “As at the time of liquidation, the airline had 22 aircraft in its fleet and are now in storage.
Some of the aircraft could find their way to Nigeria via other Nigerian airlines”, warned a top aviation source. Malév ceased all flight operations on 3 February 2012, after 66 years of continuous operation. It came after the European Commission ordered Malév to repay various forms of state aid received from 2007 to 2010, totalling 38 billion forints (€130m; $171m; £108m), a sum equal to its entire 2010 revenue.
Days before the shutdown, the Hungarian government declared the airline a “strategically important” firm in an effort to save it.
According to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, the Hungarian government decided to end the airline’s operations when two aircraft were not permitted to leave foreign airports, with one held at Dublin Airport and another at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel. Orbán said over the radio that the collapse was “painful” but that a replacement would have to be founded with private funds.
The airline’s total debt was put at 60 billion forints ($270.5 million USD) at the time of shutdown. The closure occurred at 6am Western European Time on February 3, 2012.
Arik Air management has rejected two B737-800 series jets offered it by the recently-liquidated Malev Hungarian Airlines. Investigations by Daily Sun reveal that the Hungarian carrier, shortly after it ceased all activity on February 3 this year, after 66 years of operations declared its airplanes for sale.
Whilst looking for buyers for some of its aircraft, the company approached Arik Air to buy two of the B737-800 jets which had been in storage since February. However, Arik Air, after concluding its investigations, discovered that the airplanes were the first generation type and between 8-10 years old, and not the model it would have been interested in. “As at the time of liquidation, the airline had 22 aircraft in its fleet and are now in storage.
Some of the aircraft could find their way to Nigeria via other Nigerian airlines”, warned a top aviation source. Malév ceased all flight operations on 3 February 2012, after 66 years of continuous operation. It came after the European Commission ordered Malév to repay various forms of state aid received from 2007 to 2010, totalling 38 billion forints (€130m; $171m; £108m), a sum equal to its entire 2010 revenue.
Days before the shutdown, the Hungarian government declared the airline a “strategically important” firm in an effort to save it.
According to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, the Hungarian government decided to end the airline’s operations when two aircraft were not permitted to leave foreign airports, with one held at Dublin Airport and another at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel. Orbán said over the radio that the collapse was “painful” but that a replacement would have to be founded with private funds.
The airline’s total debt was put at 60 billion forints ($270.5 million USD) at the time of shutdown. The closure occurred at 6am Western European Time on February 3, 2012.
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