Travel & Business News

An EgyptAir A320 Aircraft  EgyptAir has announced that one of its flights, MS181 from Alexandria to Cairo has been hijacked. The aircraft with 81 passengers and crew has been diverted to Larnaca Airport, Cyprus where it landed following a threat from a passenger believed to be strapped with explosives. According to the airline, negotiations with the Hijacker have so far resulted in the release of all the passengers except four foreigners and the crew.   Reports show that among those onboard the flight includes ten passengers of American decent, one Irish and eight British citizens among others. The nationalities of those left behind on board the flight is yet to be ascertained. EgyptAir is the first airline to be established in Africa and the Middle East and a member airline of the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The carrier is IOSA certified and has been working assiduously to assure travellers of their safety and security in the face of the Metroj...

Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport - Photo Courtesy: Wikipedia  In order to thoroughly secure Nigerian Airports against runway incursions by animals, the rising trend of stowaway and  land grabbing, the Federal Government of Nigeria needs to invest an estimated N25 billion to construct perimeter and operational fences across all the 22 airports operated by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). This is according to the General Manager, Corporate Communications, FAAN, Mr. Yakubu Dati who revealed in an interview that the amount was determined after a recent survey carried out by the authority. The huge sum is expected to take care of the over 500 kilometers landmass across the 22 airports in the country. Currently, only four international airports in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt have partial perimeter fencing,  the other 18 airports owned by the Federal Government are not fenced, a situation, which has led to encroachments on the land...

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has announced that it will operate a B777-200 aircraft on the Lagos – Amsterdam route with effect from March 27, 2016. The aircraft features the carrier’s New World Business Class (WBC) cabin designed by leading Dutch designer, Hella Jongerius. KLM created an entirely new Business Class look & feel while   uniting international allure with top Dutch design to emphasize a sense of pride in its Dutch heritage .   In addition to designing the interior, Hella Jongerius also shaped the full-flat seats. Customer comfort and safety always form the premise, harmonising well with KLM’s brand values. This also fits into the broader context of other successful KLM initiatives in WBC with top Dutch chefs and fashion designers. Jean-Raoul Tauzin, General Manager KLM Nigeria & Ghana, said; “By revamping our World Business Class cabin we make our Business Class passengers feel at home onboard. KLM strives constantly to safeguard individual comfort ...

Capt. Muhtar Usman, DG, NCAA The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has once again authenticated the progress and development of aviation in Nigeria. This was made manifest during the presentation of preliminary audit result at the closing meeting of the ICAO Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP). These result clearly indicated that Nigeria has done excellently well according to the auditors. The presentation was presided over by the Team leader of the Auditors; Mr Jean-Claude Waffo. He was joined by three team members to present their assessment of the aviation industry in Nigeria. Each member gave an individual assessment of all the delineated areas. These are: - Legislation (LEG), Organisation (ORG), Accident and Incident Investigation (AIG), Air Navigational Services (ANS) and Aerodrome and Ground Aids (AGA). During the presentation, the Team leader and the members articulated all their systemic findings in the course of the 11-day USOAP Au...

Tour Brokers International (TBI), a leading Tour Operator and Destinations Marketing firm based in Lagos, Nigeria has successfully launched the prestigious Royal Caribbean Cruises in Nigeria in a strategic partnership with Cruises International. Based in Miami, Florida, United States of America, Royal Caribbean is a cruise line brand founded in Norway. Uloma Egbuna, Managing Director, TBI, said, “We are partnering with three international airlines including Emirates, KLM and Delta Airlines; Emirates for Arabian Gulf Cruise, KLM for Mediterranean Cruises and Delta Airlines for Caribbean Cruises.” “We are coming up with all inclusive packages with these three airlines so that when you are buying a cruise you are also buying an all inclusive package, which includes your ticket, visas and the cruise content. We have a cruise package per person to the Arabian Gulf that is as low as $1250,” she disclosed. Giving credence to its affordability, the seasoned tour operator stres...

Mr. Rene Decurey is the Managing Director of Air Cote D'Ivoire, a rapidly growing carrier in the West and Central African region. He spoke with Ewos IRORO in Abidjan recently and shared the airline's growth strategy among other contemporary industry issues.    Rene DECUREY, MD, Air Cote d'Ivoire -  Photo Courtesy: marcopolis.net Q: Air Cote d’Ivoire recently took delivery of a third Q400 aircraft. What does this new aircraft delivery mean to you both as an individual and as a company? Well for me it is a great satisfaction and I am really proud for this new acquisition because for a young African carrier it is not evident at all to be able to fund and to raise funding for a new aircraft. First of all you have to prove that you are capable. And secondly, you are coming out of a region and out of a country which was in a deep crisis not so long ago. So the trust in you and your country is quite limited; or should I say was quite limited. And to succeed to rais...

Scholarship Aeroism Training.  P hoto by Chris Miller ,   winners Maria LeBlanc and Esther Mbabazi ,   presenter Rick Brown Women in Aviation, International (WAI), the nonprofit organization dedicated to providing networking, mentoring and scholarship opportunities for women and men who are striving for challenging and fulfilling careers in the aviation and aerospace industries, recently held its 27th annual International Women in Aviation Conference at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee on March 10 – 12, 2016. Aerial view of the exhibit hall. Courtesy: WAI Speaking on the weeklong event, WAI President, Dr. Peggy Chabrian, said: "Thousands of women made powerful connections this week that will enhance their lives and careers for years to come," adding that, "Attendees and exhibitors alike agree that we continue to raise the bar for energy, support, enthusiasm and camaraderie." In the exhibit hall, companies and or...

Following Tuesdays attack on Brussels airport, the management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has beefed up security in and around all the airports in the country. The General Manager, Public Affairs, Mr. Yakubu Dati said the authority has taken proactive steps to forestall any security threat at the nation’s airports in the face of the Brussels incident. He noted that sniffer dogs have also been deployed to airports in conjunction with the Nigerian police in an effort to beef up security. “We will not leave any stone unturned to ensure maximum security at the airport especially with the Easter celebrations around the corner,” he stressed. Expressing shock over the reprehensible act carried out at the Brussels airport, Mr. Dati warned those without business to conduct at the airport not to constitute any nuisance stressing that a special task force from the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) were on ground to apprehend touts. Dati also assur...

Flight Safety Foundation (FSF), an independent, non-profit, international organization engaged in research, education, advocacy and publishing to improve aviation safety with a mission to be the leading voice of safety for the global aerospace community, has issued a statement on the findings of investigations into the March 24, 2015, crash of Germanwings Flight 9525, in which 150 passengers and crew were killed.  A  Germanwings A319 -  Courtesy: wikimedia According to its final report published earlier this week, the aviation accident investigation agency of France, the Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses (BEA) said the accident was due to the "deliberate and planned action of the copilot, who decided to commit suicide while alone in the cockpit." In the light of this, the Bureau recommended that “ Europe should change rules governing doctor-patient privacy when the patient’s mental state and job could put lives at risk.” The Airbus A320 was flown deliberately...