Travel & Business News

  Dr. Gbenga Olowo, President, ASRT. Aviation Safety Round Table (ASRT) has advocated for interlining and codeshare between Nigerian domestic airlines as a means of increasing their profitability. This was the core message of the recently concluded Quarter 1 Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI) Breakfast Webinar which held on April 29, 2021. During the meeting, it was noted that interlining and codeshare between airlines can minimize the losses airlines incur due to flight cancellations and unused seats on an aircraft. Elimination of these factors can potentially provide a better travel experience for passengers and generate more revenue for airlines; which is a win-win situation for both parties. It was acknowledged that despite the above advantages of partnership between airlines, it is an herculean task to attain any sort of collaboration between airlines that do not consider themselves peers; do not have mutual trust and do not operate similar business models. I...

  The Management of Arik Air recently revealed that the airline is set to recommence flights from the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja to Maiduguri, effective Monday May 10, 2021. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Arik Air, Captain Roy Illegbodu expressed his delight with the present state of affairs: “We are delighted to introduce our services to Maiduguri, following popular demand by our customers for Arik’s presence in the city.” He went ahead to assure members of the flying public that Arik is committed to their safety, and will ensure their comfort and security as they patronize the airline. For the time being, Arik will operate four weekly flights from Abuja to the Borno State capital – flights which are scheduled for Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.  

  The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released data for global air cargo markets for the month of March, 2021, revealing that demand for air cargo was at an “all time high” during the said month. The following analysis compares data recorded in March 2021 with that of March 2019 (and not March 2020) because of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts which were heaviest between 2020 and early 2021. The increase (4.4%) in cargo demand (measured in cargo tonne-kilometers – CTKs) recorded in March 2021 was significantly higher compared to March 2019. Growth rose by 0.4% compared to February 2021, though this increase in demand is considered insignificant compared to the growth recorded in February 2019 (9.2%). Global capacity (measured in available cargo tonne-kilometers – ACTKs) continued its recovery in March 2021 and was up 5.6% compared to the previous month. Still, capacity remained at 11.7% below that recorded before COVID-19 (March 2019) – a situation which ...

  Azman Air, Boeing 737-500 with registration 5N-SYS   Azman Air is set to resume operations after getting the go ahead from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). This comes after the airline complied with safety recommendations from the regulator and effectively carried out the Corrective Action Plan (CAP). The news was divulged by Azman Air via a tweet in which the airline reiterated its commitment to maintaining safety standards for its passengers and crew: “Having satisfactorily undergone the safety audit and implemented the Corrective Action Plan as recommended by the regulatory body (NCAA), we are pleased to inform the general public that the suspension is hereby lifted. This was confirmed in a meeting held between the Management of Azman Air and NCAA on May 1, 2021. The underlying purpose of this journey is safety and we can assure the general public that we are committed to raising the standard when it comes to safety of crew, equipment and passengers”, the...

  Boeing, the airplane-manufacturing giant has received another order from the Lufthansa Group to supply five (5) more 787 Dreamliners - an increment to the Group's last order of twenty (20) Dreamliners made in 2019. According to Ihssane Mounir, Boeing's Senior Vice President of Commercial Sales and Marketing, "The Lufthansa Group has been navigating an extremely challenging market and positioning itself for the recovery ahead and the eventual return to growth. We are honoured that they have once again selected Boeing's widebody airplane family to power their future fleet." Sources say that Lufthansa chose the 787-9 Dreamliner for the expansion of its fleet because of the jet's fuel-efficient, environment-friendly and ultramodern qualities - qualities which are in sync with the Group's goals of reducing its fleet complexity and improving environmental performance. "We are very pleased that five (5) more Boeing 787-9s will accelerate the modernization...

  Willie Walsh, DG, IATA The Director General (DG) of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Willie Walsh has called on governments to better manage the cost of COVID-19 testing so as to make travelling easier for individuals and families. Walsh made this call after reviewing the results of an IATA sampling of costs for PCR tests - a test which was chosen for the sampling because it is what is required by most governments. The findings reveal that out of the sixteen countries whose markets were sampled, only France complies with the World Health Organization's recommendation for the state to bear the cost of testing. Among the remaining fifteen countries, the average minimum and maximum costs for testing stand at $90 and $208 respectively. It was equally established that following the above testing costs, the average cost for a return-trip could balloon from $400 to $760 - a state of affairs which could adversely impact the efforts being made to encourage people to fl...

  The Federal Government (FG) will soon give Emirates Airline the nod to recommence operations in Nigeria, on the condition that the Airline meets all its requirements. This was revealed on Monday by the Director General (DG) of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Musa Nuhu during a Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) meeting on COVID-19. Sources reveal that negotiations between the FG and Emirates are ongoing, and that the final decisions taken will soon be made public. According to Capt. Nuhu, “As regards the issue of Emirates Airline resumption of flights to Nigeria, the PSC deliberated extensively and the gap has been significantly closed between the position of Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They have met some of our requirements, and we are just waiting for one confirmation.” Before the ban on Emirates went into force, the Airline insisted that Nigerians do a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test seventy-two hours before departing Nigeria and...

  Capt.Fola Akinkuotu, MD, NAMA. The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has secured Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) licenses for twenty-four (24) freshly enlisted Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) who have proven their savoir-faire in Aerodrome and Approach Control. The commendable ATCs will be posted around the country as required.   By the same token, thirty (30) other ATCs in various categories have successfully completed the necessary training and testing, and have been recertified in line with NAMA’s goal of keeping its personnel current with international standards. Commenting on the development, NAMA’s Managing Director (MD) Capt. Fola Akinkuotu called on all ATCs to excel in their duties so as to authenticate the Federal Government’s huge investment in the construction of infrastructure and the mobilization of required personnel for their training. Akinkuotu also noted that this is not the first time NAMA is recertifying ATCs as prior to this batch,...

  Green Africa, one of the new entrants in the Nigerian aviation industry has taken delivery of its very first ATR 72-600 aircraft – the first of three aircraft leased from ACIA Aero Leasing. The jet arrived yesterday April 23, 2021 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) amidst much pomp and pageantry. According to sources, a number of high ranking personalities from the airline were present to receive the jet, including the Founder/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Green Africa, Babawande Afolabi; President/Chief Operating Officer (COO), Neil Mills and other members and partners of the Founding gTeam. In a statement expressing his euphoria in relation to the event, Mr. Afolabi (CEO) said, “This is a great day for all of us at Green Africa, and the beginning of what we all hope is a new era in Nigerian aviation. ACIA Aero Leasing has been a very supportive partner and we are proud of this new relationship. The arrival of our first aircraft is a precursor to the com...

  The national carriers of Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo – Kenya Airways (KQ) and Congo Airways have signed a codeshare deal with the aim of growing their operations in the sub region and beyond. According to sources, the deal which was closed in Kinshasa on Thursday between the CEO of Kenya Airways Group, Allan Kilavuka and his Congolese counterpart D é sir é Balazire Bantu will enable passengers patronizing KQ to fly directly to Kinshasa from Nairobi. In addition to the aforementioned advantage, the deal will also permit both carriers to sell seats on each other’s flights; share excess passengers and cargo; jointly carry out maintenance and trainings, among other activities. It can be recalled that KQ had shut down operations for a period of six months due to COVID-19 travel restrictions last year. Thanks to this timely partnership with Congo Airways, KQ hopes to steadily pick up steam, assuming that travelers increasingly gain the confidence to fly again.

  Mrs. Susan Akporiaye, NANTA President The President of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), Mrs. Susan Akporiaye has joined the assemblage of people sending condolences to the members of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) for the loss of their President, Alhaji Rabo Saleh. In a condolence letter to FTAN, Mrs. Akporiaye prayed for the deceased and encouraged FTAN’s Acting President, Mr. Nkerewuem Onung to ask God for strength during this moment of trial faced by the Federation. The Executive Secretary of NANTA, Mr. Sylvester Olobor who was a signatory of the condolence letter remembered the deceased as a man who made sacrifices for the good of the Federation and showed utmost dedication in his work. Olobor prayed that the deceased man’s family and friends be granted the strength they need to bear this great loss. It can be recalled that the departed FTAN President was also previously the Vice President of NANTA, Abuja Zone. His f...

  United Nigeria Airline is set to begin operations into and out of the domestic wing of the Port Harcourt (PH) International Airport. According to a statement released by the Airline’s Head of Corporate Communications, Achilleus Chud Uchegbu, the inaugural flight (Lagos – PH) for this route will take place tomorrow April 22, 2021 at 1330 hours from the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 2 (MMA2), Ikeja – Lagos. In the same vein, inbound flights from PH to Lagos have been scheduled for 1800 hours daily. United has equally divulged that daily flights from PH to the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport – Abuja will depart at 1500 hours while daily flights from Abuja to PH will be departing at 1630 hours. The creation of the PH route is part of United Airline’s expansion scheme, and it is expected that more routes will be opened in the future.

  Aviation Security personnel (AVSEC) of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 2 (MMA2) recently recovered a passenger’s lost luggage containing essential documents and the sum of N2.3m. According to sources, the owner of the lost but found luggage, Mr. George Etuk had just flown in from the U.S and had visited MMA2 to board a flight to Uyo, when he misplaced his luggage while standing on a queue in front of the Ibom Airline check-in counter at about 1715hours. As stated by the AVSEC Manager Mr. Olatubosun Okeowo, the mix-up occurred between Mr. Etuk and another passenger when the latter unwittingly took the former’s bag – a faux pas which was revealed thanks to CCTV footage and a delay of the passengers’ flight. “During our CCTV investigation, it was discovered that the bag belonging to Mr. George Etuk was accidentally picked up by another intending passenger with the same airline. They were not aware at all. But after the flight was delayed, and the passengers had to find a...

  From L-R: Mr. Linus Awute (Director of Administration); High Chief Obiora Okonkwo (Chairman); Mazi Okonkwo (COO); Capt. Chimara Imediegwu (DFO). In a recent press conference, United Nigeria Airline, one of the new entrants in the Nigerian aviation industry discussed its operations and plans for the future. The press conference occurred today April 4, 2021 at the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) Centre, Murtala Muhammed Airport Ikeja – Lagos. United was represented by the crème de la crème of its hierarchy and included amongst others the airline’s Chairman, High Chief Obiorah Okonkwo; the Chief Operating Officer (COO), Engr. Mazi Okonkwo; the Director of Flight Operations (DFO), Capt. Chimara Imediegwu; the Director of Engineering and Maintenance, Engr. Alex Iheuwa; the Training Captain, Capt. Lawali Abubakar. In his address, Chief Okonkwo described United Nigeria Airline as “the newest baby of the airline industry in Nigeria,” with a “strong vision of flying t...

  In line with its growth strategy and vision of offering customers seamless connectivity to various destinations around the world, EgyptAir is currently expanding its network and is at the verge of concluding arrangements to commence services into Dusseldorf, Germany. Effective July 2, 2021, the airline plans to begin three (3) weekly services out of Cairo into Dusseldorf; which is one of Germany’s international business and financial centres that is renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. The flights will be operated on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays; utilizing the airline’s brand new A320neo aircraft with a two-piece baggage allowance of 46kgs. This new service will therefore go a long way in offering Nigerian passengers more choices in terms of fares and connectivity, coupled with the excellent Egyptian hospitality which EgyptAir is known for.

  It was with pride that Ethiopian Airlines marked its 75 th anniversary on April 8, 2021 – 75 years since the carrier made its maiden international flight to Cairo on April 8, 1946. Ethiopian Airlines has gained a reputation as the largest pan-African aviation group after bracing the highs and lows of the aviation industry and standing the test of time. The Airline has thus decided to celebrate its 75 th anniversary milestone in grand style – a yearlong celebration under the theme “Celebrating 75 Years of Excellence.” On this auspicious occasion, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ethiopian Airlines, Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam took the opportunity to chronicle the accomplishments of the Airline over three quarters of a century: “Among the many ‘firsts’ introduced by Ethiopian are: the first Jet aircraft in Africa; the first East Africa to West Africa scheduled flight, the first airline from the western hemisphere to China; the first scheduled service between the capitals of...

  Thanks to an amendment of Emirates Airline’s ticket policy, passengers holding tickets issued by the airline can now enjoy an extension on their tickets. According to the amendment, customers in possession of tickets issued prior to September 30, 2020 for travel before December 31, 2021 can now rebook to make their trip anytime within 36 months. This amounts to an extension of 12 months from the former ticket policy. Customers holding tickets issued after October 1, 2020 for travel before the same date (December 31, 2021) are free to utilize their tickets whenever they want within 24 months. In addition to the above amendment, fees that are normally paid for the reissuance of tickets will be waived; meanwhile unused portions of Emirates’ tickets and vouchers may be refunded without penalties. Also, all tickets bought either on the company’s website or through the airline’s retail and contact centres will be automatically extended. On the other hand, if customers bought ...

  An Air Peace Passenger Displaying an Air Peace' gift pack In a bid to show its appreciation to its customers, Air Peace has launched a 14-days Easter campaign called Random Acts of Love in the form of in-flight gifts, to the delight of its passengers. The Random Acts of Love campaign was officially launched on Sunday, April 4, 2021 and involves the placement of gift items in random seat pockets of the aircraft. Passengers are then asked to check their seat pockets during a flight to see if they won any gift items – items which include thermo water-flasks, diaries, food flasks, umbrellas etc. On one of the flights, Allen Onyema, the Chairman of Air Peace guaranteed passengers of the airline’s dedication to providing them the best customer experience, and thanked them for their continuous patronage. The flying public has mostly responded positively to the Random Acts of Love campaign – feedback which will no doubt encourage Air Peace to do more for its customers in the future...

  Engr. Akin Olateru, Commissioner/CEO, AIB The newly reappointed Commissioner/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) – Nigeria, Engr. Akin Olateru has divulged that he is looking forward to the next four years of his tenure, during which he plans to elevate AIB to higher heights. He said this during a virtual meeting with AIB staff from the Bureau’s corporate headquarters in Abuja recently. During the meeting, the AIB boss thanked President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Aviation for the trust they have put in him in reappointing him to lead the Bureau. After appreciating the AIB staff for its continuous hard work, Olateru went further to enjoin staff members to cooperate to the maximum while being meticulous, diligent and professional in carrying out their duties because to him, these are the qualities needed to deliver on the Bureau’s mandate, which is the investigation of aircraft accidents and serious incidents. Speaking on his pla...

  Engr. Roland Ahmed Maikudi, CEO, Leadstream Leadstream Aviation Training Organization has been authorized by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to carry out training on certain types of aircraft. The authorization was given in the form of a certification, which permits Leadstream to carry out initial and refresher trainings on type rating systems for a number of jet types including the B737, Hawker 125 and CRJ series; ATR, Donier, DHCB; Challenger and Embraer aircraft. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Leadstream, Roland Ahmed Maikudi expressed his joy with some reserve, as he says there is still tremendous work to be done. In his own words, “I feel great and very grateful to God for the strength to pursue this dream thus far. We are not yet there. Even though we are happy, we are not celebrating, because the journey ahead of us is still long.” Though he is cautious about the future, Maikudi acknowledges that NCAA’s certification is a clear indication that Lead...

  Willie Walsh, DG, IATA The International Air Transport Association (IATA) recently announced that Willie Walsh has taken over from Alexandre de Juniac as the Director General (DG) of the Association. “I am passionate about our industry and about the critical work that IATA does on behalf of its members, never more so than during the COVID-19 crisis. IATA has been at the forefront of efforts to restart global connectivity, including developing the IATA Travel Pass”, Walsh said. The new IATA boss expressed his gratitude to his predecessor for “leaving behind a strong organization and a motivated team.” He went further to say that his goal as the new DG of IATA is to ensure that the Association is a “forceful voice supporting the success of global air transport.” According to sources, Walsh is a seasoned aviation professional with a career in the airline industry spanning forty years. He began his career in aviation as a cadet pilot at Aer Lingus in 1979 and was once the CE...

  The Federal Government (FG) has inaugurated the Nigeria Immigration Service Passport Express Center for the purpose of facilitating and expediting the delivery of passports within 72 hours of a successful application. This was divulged by the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola on social media following the inauguration of the service in Abuja recently. According to Aragbesola, “Every Nigerian has the right to a Nigerian passport and it is our responsibility to put it in the hands of anyone desirous of it within the shortest possible time, without stress. The passport should be available within a maximum of 72 hours of a successful application.” The Minister went on to say that while the delivery of passports within 72 hours will attract no extra cost, Nigerians will also have the opportunity to obtain their passports within 24 hours of a successful application, at extra cost. “By creating this Center, the FG aims to reduce the stress associated with acquiring Nigerian ...

  Boeing recently closed a deal with one of its most loyal customers, Southwest Airlines to deliver 100 Max planes, with delivery of the first thirty to happen next year. The deal was closed on Monday, which happened to be the 50 th anniversary of Boeing’s agreement with the airline for its first three planes. The contract comes as a boost for the jet program, especially after the 737 MAX was grounded in March 2019 after two crashes that resulted in loss of lives. Commenting on the recent development, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Stan Deal said, “Southwest Airlines has long been a leader and bellwether for the airline industry and its order is a big vote of confidence for commercial air travel. We are deeply honoured by Southwest’s continuing trust in Boeing and the 737.” According to sources, the financial terms of the agreement have not been divulged yet, but Southwest made it quite clear that Boeing offered them a tremendous bargain, o...

  L-R: Mr. Wenden De Landro, Ambassador of Trinidad and Tobago; Captain Chris Najomo, Arik Air’s Chief Pilot; Mr. Esmond Reid, Ambassador of Jamaica. It was amid pomp and fanfare that Arik Air was recently crowned Airline of the Decade 2010-2020 by producers of African Travel Quarterly (ATQ)/Travelers magazine. The award was presented by the Ambassador of Trinidad and Tobago, Mr Wendell De Landro . The award ceremony took place last Saturday during Travelers Award 2020 held at the Nicon Luxury Hotel , Abuja, and was graced by Commissioners of Tourism and Culture, Ambassadors, top travel agents and tour operators. According to Mr. Ikechi Ukoh, Tourism Ambassador and publisher of ATQ magazine, Arik Air deserves the award because it is “still a global brand from Nigeria.” He went further to praise the airline’s founders for the great things they have accomplished so far through the carrier. While receiving the award, Captain Chris Najomo, Arik Air’s Chief Pilot thanked the orga...

  The much talked about International Air Transport Association (IATA) Travel Pass has overcome its first test, as Singapore Airlines became the first airline to implement the Pass when it recently transported its first passengers to London’s Heathrow Airport – passengers who made use of the Pass to manage their health credentials throughout the trip. As expected, IATA is pleased with this milestone. Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO expressed this pleasure by saying, “The successful implementation of IATA Travel Pass in this trial with Singapore Airlines passengers demonstrates that technology can securely, conveniently and efficiently help travelers and governments to manage travel health credentials. The significance of this to re-starting international aviation cannot be overstated .” The IATA boss went on to call the step a “big win for many parties”, as he further emphasized the importance of having a single system which harmonizes all passenger health ...

  Hadi Sirika, Minister of Aviation The Federal Government (FG) has given the go-ahead for catering companies to resume their activities on domestic flights after they were suspended at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The resumption will be supervised by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to ensure that all those involved execute their roles in accordance with international practices. The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika divulged this on Monday during the weekly media briefing held by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19. According to Sirika, the decision to resume in-flight catering services came from the need to restart the various businesses involved in the aviation catering sector, because these have suffered undesirable effects linked to the suspension of their activities when the pandemic hit. The Minister went on to reveal that modalities are being put in place for the resumption of international flights at the Port Harcourt, Akanu Ibiam and Mallam Am...

  On Thursday, Air Peace took delivery of another Embraer 192-E2 – the second of thirteen orders already placed by the airline. The aircraft was received at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. According to Barrister Allen Onyema, the Chairman of Air Peace, the E195-E2 is an extra modern aircraft, and Air Peace is the first in Africa to pay for thirteen brand new jets. In his own words, “ We are the first in Africa to pay for 13 brand new planes and we would be acquiring 17 more to make it 30. These planes shall be deployed to domestic and regional routes. These jets are the best. If all the powers shut down while 30 feet above sea level, a RAM deploys automatically and the plane lands effortlessly. The aircraft speaks to the pilot and the pilot speaks to it. By the time we get everything, we would be providing 8000 jobs to Nigerians” Commenting on the airline’s present depleted capacity, Onyema explained that Air Peace’ jets that were flown out of Nigeria for mai...

  Capt. Rabiu Hamisu Yadudu The Managing Director (MD) of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Captain Rabiu Hamisu Yadudu, was recently appointed to represent Africa in the World Governing Council of Airports Council International (ACI). He was appointed alongside two other seasoned aviation professionals namely Mr. Emanuel Chaves of Aeroportos de Mozambique – a seasoned aviation professional from Mozambique who was appointed President of ACI, and Mr. Dewananda Chellen of Airports of Mauritius Co. Ltd (Member) from Mauritius. Together, the three men will be representing Africa in the Council, and their appointment takes immediate effect.  

  Ethiopian Airlines has joined forces with Africa Centers for Disease Control (Africa CDC) to implement the African Union Trusted Travel Pass in order to render travel easier and safer within and from the continent. The collaboration was born of the need to harmonize health information across various health platforms; to curb the high costs presently associated with air travel due to COVID-19, and to create a data bank for the benefit of health policy makers and biosecurity planners. Ethiopian Airlines’ customers can now enjoy contactless, convenient and hassle-free travel, as the Trusted Travel Pass program will ensure that country regulations pertaining to COVID-19 travel requirements are met as meticulously as possible, and are easily verified prior to passengers’ takeoff. Mr. Getinet Tadesse, Ethiopian’s Chief Information Officer had this to say about the partnership: “ We are offering new digital opportunities to our passengers so as to fully and safely restore air trav...