Unkempt Benin Airport Provides Cover For Stowaway lad

Teenager Daniel Ihekina, stowaway on an Arik Air flight from Benin to Lagos on Saturday, might have

entered the Benin Airport Terminal through the several holes in the airport’s barbed-wire perimetre fencing.

Some parts of the barbed wire have broken off, making it easy for animals to stray into the airport.

Around the airport are bush paths through which people walk to another street on the other side.

A large part of the airport’s surrounding is unkempt, some crops are planted in other areas.

Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) officials said no family member had come for Ihekina.

It was gathered in Lagos that the boy might have been handed over to operatives of the State Security Services (SSS), for further interrogation and questioning by the Murtala Muhammed Airport police.

A source said he was taken by aviation security personnel to “Tango City”, a detention facility around the international terminal, before being handed over to the police. The police reportedly completed their interrogation on the circumstances leading to how Ihekina got into the aircraft wheels and handed him over to SSS operatives for investigations to establish the airport’s vulnerability.

Officers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Police Command declined to comment on the matter.

A public commentator and one time top shot at the Lagos Airport said stowaway is not new to Nigeria. He said there was a similar experience of a teenager who was brought back from Amsterdam in the 1990s. He is growing up today at MMIA as tout. There was another incident in the early 1920s.

He said FAAN is expected to conduct background checks on the staff working at the airport security controlled areas and have airport security fence in addition to Perimeter fence. But what evidence do we have that adequate background checks are done on staff. Today, no Nigeria airport has security.

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/unkempt-benin-airport-provides-cover-for-stowaway-lad
 Author:Kelvin Osa Okunbor, Lagos and Osagie Otabor
Source: The Nation

AMCON Appoints New MD for Aero Contractors, Takes Controlling Stake

The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) has confirmed that it has appointed a new managing director and chairman for Aero Contractors and has also taken a controlling stake of 60 per cent in the company.

The Managing Director of AMCON, Mr. Mustafa Chike-Obi, confirmed this to THISDAY Sunday, where he disclosed that the agency had taken about 60 per cent stakes in the airline, while the original owners now have 40 per cent.

He said the newly appointed managing director of Aero was an experienced Scottish man and a British Airways veteran with experience working for many other international airlines.

Chike-Obi also said AMCON had appointed a new chairman for the company, who was a director in AMCON.

“There is nothing new about AMCON take-over of the management of Aero. That has been in the works since  six months ago. AMCON has 60 per cent control stake and the original owners have 40 per cent. We have appointed a new managing director, an experienced Scottish, a British Airways veteran and a new chairman who is a director in AMCON,” Chike-Obi said.

In December last year, AMCON had carried out the restructuring of Aero which forced the then Managing Director, Mr. Akin George, to resign his appointment and for some months now, AMCON had been involved in the running of Aero after it took over some of its debts running into billions of naira from banks.

A new Managing Director, Mr Obaro Ibru, who obviously represented the original owners of the company, was then appointed but with the latest change of batons, AMCON was poised to take the full control of the airline with the aim for rejuvenating it with the acquisition of more aircraft to make the airline, which hitherto dominated Nigeria’s domestic air travel, more competitive.

After the appointment of Ibru, AMCON had directed the airline to restructure its operations to become nimble, smarter and more profitable as Chike-Obi disclosed then that the agency had reached a restructuring agreement “which we believe will make the company better and for the good of all Nigerians.”

Since the airline’s financial problems started, it has lost its market share to other airlines, although technically it is still a strong airline to contend with.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/amcon-appoints-new-md-for-aero-contractors-takes-controlling-stake

Author:Chinedu Eze

Culled from Thisday

 

Jimoh Ibrahim's Global Fleet planning to sell off Air Nigeria

Air Nigeria (VK, Lagos) could make a return to the skies, albeit under new ownership and management,

the current CEO of the airline, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim, has stated. 

Speaking on the tenth anniversary of the founding of his group of companies, Global Fleet, Mr. Ibrahim said his board of directors would meet over the coming week to discuss the future of the airline, which ceased operations in September 2012.

“Well, I cannot say categorically. The Group’s Council will meet next week to take a final decision on Air

Nigeria. But I can tell you that our position has always been on divestment of our shares from it. I can

tell you that the airline will fly again, but under a different ownership, not Jimoh Ibrahim. It was sold to

me by Richard Branson. I will sell to another person,” he said. 

Air Nigeria collapsed in 2012 following weeks of speculation about mounting debts, tax raids and safety concerns. 

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has now denied previous reports that the Nigerian Government, through the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), is seeking to take over and liquidate all airlines still indebted to AMCON. 

Ten Nigerian airlines, under the auspices of the Aviation Intervention Fund,had received a total of NGN86.7billion (USD540million) in loans, at interest rates of between 2 and 7percent with between 10 to 15 years to repay the loan. 

Air Nigeria was the largest beneficiary with a total sum of NGN35.5 billion, followed by Aero Contractors (AJ, Lagos) with NGN20 billion, Kabo Air (N9,Kano) NGN6.66billion, Chanchangi Airlines (5B, Kaduna) NGN3.4 billion, Dana Air (9J, Lagos)NGN618million, Caverton Helicopters NGN1.348billion, Overland Airways (OJ, Lagos) NGN805million,and First Nation Airways (FRN, Lagos) N271.7 million.

 It was alleged that the domestic airlines, when liquidated, would pave way for the new carrier, Nigeria 1 Aviation (Lagos). Out of the 10 carriers that benefited from the bail-out loan, Air Nigeria has closed shop, leaving a backlog of unpaid debts.

However, fellow Nigerian carrier, FirstNation Airways, who suspended operations in October 2012, have

now announced plans to resume domestic operations this month using two A319-100s on lease from

the ILFC. The Lagos-based carrier claims the two aircraft are part of plans to operate nine in total.

http://www.ch-aviation.ch/portal/news/21022-jimoh-ibrahims-global-fleet-planning-to-sell-off-air-nigeria

 

Source: Ch-Aviation

Easing air travel hassles through online booking

With technological improvements, the face of flying has changed a lot. One does not have to stay on a long queue before getting a ticket to book for a flight, as almost all the airlines around the globe sell their tickets online, thereby easing the hassles in air travel.
  However, the age of computerised processing has resulted in solving many of such hassles of getting a flight ticket. The simple requirement is that of a computer system with Internet connection.
  Online booking however provides the travelling passengers more benefits like discounted ticket prices, hurdle free online flight booking, which also gives them the advantage to select the seat of their choice for enjoyment and comfort while traveling.
  There are many websites available on the Internet through which the online flight ticket booking has become easier, as one does not need to go out for ticket and can make a reservation at any time.
  Such an informational website offers passengers the news of the flight or fare offers on flights, they are booking for. Through this website, you can easily make a comparison in price and services offered by different airlines. Such assessment by the travellers would assist them, in finding tickets that are in their range of respective budgets.
  According to experts in the industry, always check the authenticity of a website before making any decision. Also, ensure the security of payment method before any credit card details.
  Therefore, the online flight ticket bookings through any airline websites are the easiest method to book your ticket. The only thing to do, is fill online flight form in the available website. The payment methods are also online for online flight booking.
  For business class, these offers are very suitable, as they have to fly frequently and discounted ticket prices are provided for online flight booking and international travel booking.
  You can also take free membership of airline websites, to keep you aware about the new offers regarding the travel bookings and their discounted airfares. You can also do comparison of the prices of the various online flight ticket booking companies. You can also take the advantage of the various auction sites to get full information about the discount
  There are many airlines in the country like Arik Air, Aero Contractors, Dana Air, IRS and others that provide online tickets at lower rates. For the regular business class, such offers are often beneficial. The discounted airfare is meant for both the online flight ticket and international flight booking.
  This type of airline ticket booking has certain conditions. The people who buy such tickets are not allowed to carry any type of eatables along with them on the flight. The flight has arrangements so that people can buy on board.
  Online flight booking also allows customers to have the freedom to shop around for the best prices. Travellers do not get this kind of freedom when booking flights through a travel agent or calling an airline.
  A lot of money can be saved through online booking. If you are flying domestic, you can check in as far in advance as 24 hours and as late as one hour before the flight. 
  Furthermore, international travellers are able to check in between two and 24 hours before their flight. They simply go to the airline’s website and find your reservation, enter all their information and print out the boarding pass at home.
  Major airlines also offer a mobile check-in option in which travelers can have boarding pass bar codes sent directly to their cellphones.
  Changing or canceling a ticket is simple when you have booked an airfare online. In many cases, all you have to do is to go directly to the airline’s website and log in with your booking information.
  From there, you can simply change the flight to a later date, upgrade to a different cabin class or cancel your reservation. Another benefit is that tickets purchased at a regular travel agency may incur an extra “external fee,” while some carriers waive the extra fee if you are able to finalise changes online through the airline’s website.
Culled from The Guardian
Author: Chika Goodluck-Ogazi

NAHCO workers down tools over sack of 30 workers, gratuity

Workers of the Nigeria Aviation Handling Company Plc, yesterday downed tools to protest the sack of 30 workers and other alleged anti-worker policy of the firm.
  As early as 11am, the workers, numbering over 50, with their unions, disrupted activities at the company's head office at the Lagos airport.
  Beside the protest over the sack of 30 of its workers, the workers' unions- the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and the Air Transport Senior StaffStaff Association of Nigeria (ATSSAN), called for salary review of the employees, decried what they termed selective promotion and unfair gratuity payment administration.
  The crisis forced the management to hold an emergency meeting with the unions, which lasted for about two hours.
  At the meeting were the Acting Managing Director of NAHCO, Nobert Bieldman; General Manager, Human Resources and Organisational Development, Umar Birmah; ATTSAN's National President, Benjamin Okewu; his scribe, Abiola Olayinka, among others.
  Bieldman told reporters that few months ago, the unions gave the firm issues they wanted them to address in terms of workers’ welfare, saying three of the five issues had been resolved.
  He denied that 30 workers were relieved of their jobs as insinuated by the workers.
  Rather, he said they were hired to do certain jobs for a specified period of time when the job was expected to have completed.
  Consequently, he said the company only yesterday conducted tests for the disengaged workers with a view to giving them permanent employment.
  “For our promotion exercise, we have equal distribution of all the ethnic groups in this company. I don't know where this is coming from.
  "We did a promotion exercise recently and we found out that our revenue cannot cope with mass promotion. We are a public company.”
http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/business-news/129201-nahco-workers-down-tools-over-sack-of-30-workers-gratuity

Culled from The Guardian

Bank Chief Drags British Airways to Court

 British Airways has been dragged before the Federal High Court in Abuja by a passenger for breach of contract and refusal to refund money involved in the said transaction.

The customer, Mr. Shehu Jafiya, an employee of Eko Bank Nigeria Plc and his family alleged that in August 2012, he bought return tickets to New York through London at the cost of N6,159,469 but did not get the service paid for.

According to Jafiya,  on getting to Heathrow Airport in London, he was forced to purchase another set of tickets to proceed to New York, upon being informed that his previous tickets had been cancelled without further explanation by the airways.

He stated in the writ of summons prepared by his counsel, Mahmud Magaji (SAN), made available to THISDAY yesterday, that on arriving New York, he approached the stand of the British Airways, where he was again told to take a separate flight back to Heathrow even after he had bought a valid ticket from the airline.

The plaintiff said after the said inconvenience, his luggage was delayed for two days after his arrival, adding that a member of his family, who was also supposed to fly back to Abuja, with him was made to purchase another ticket from Arik Airlines, although he had already purchased tickets from the defendants for her.

Based on this, he is therefore, demanding that the airline refund him the sum of N6,159,469, the total cost of unused tickets as well as N186,400, which is the amount he spent on Arik Air flight tickets that brought back one of his relations to Abuja.

The plaintiff is also claiming the sum of N1,000,000 as damaged for breach of contract and what he terms “the harrowing experience, harassment and disgrace he went through” at the Heathrow Airport and the John. F. Kennedy Airport in the US.
He is also wants the court to compel the defendant to pay him the sum of N5,000,000, being the cost of undergoing the suit.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/bank-chief-drags-british-airways-to-court

Culled from Thisday

NCAA won’t compromise on safety – DG

The Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Mr. Fola Akinkuotu, has advised airlines in the country to adhere strictly to aviation regulations, insisting that the agency will not compromise on safety standards.

The NCCA boss said this when the Chairman of Caverton Airlines, Mr. Aderemi Makanjuola, paid him a courtesy visit on Monday.

He said that as a regulator, the NCAA would access the performance of the airlines based on their adherence to the industry laws.

According to him, it is not in the interest of the NCAA to liquidate any airline in the country.

While expressing his wish for airlines to succeed and make profit, Akinkuotu said that the authority would provide an enabling environment for airlines to operate and succeed.

Makanjuola told the director-general that his team had come to pledge its support to him, promising to continue to execute its responsibilities with due diligence and recourse to the existing industry laws.

He added that the company was willing to make correction wherever necessary in the course of its operations.

Meanwhile, the NCAA has commended the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, for her efforts aimed at transforming the nation’s aviation sector.

The Director-General of the NCAA, Mr. Fola Akinkuotu, who gave this commendation, said others should borrow a leaf from the minister and bring about improved activities in their various sectors.

A statement from NCAA quoted Akinkuotu as saying this while receiving the Managing Director, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, Mr. Nnamdi Udoh, and his team, during a visit to his office.

Speaking further, the director-general said the transformation agenda of the present administration could be actualised with full cooperation by all stakeholders, adding everyone must work together to achieve sustainable development.

He said, “The minister is putting everything in place, infrastructure and adequate manpower to ensure our nation’s airspace is safe and secure. People talk about the leadership and often times ignore the followership.

“The minister has shown that she is exemplary in carrying out her duties and this has culminated in the changes the sector has witnessed lately. We need to face the challenge of providing continuous improvement in our operations.”

Speaking on the visit, the NAMA boss said, “We are here to give you our support and ensure that your tenure is successful. We are not unaware that a lot of congratulatory messages have come to you; our key motive is to respond to your call to build, cement and join you in ensuring safety and security in air transport operations in Nigeria.”

Udoh stressed the need for unity in the aviation industry, saying professionalism, teamwork, safety and identity would speed up the growth of the sector.

http://www.punchng.com/business/transport/ncaa-wont-compromise-on-safety-dg

Author:Udeme Ekwere

Culled from Punch