Nigeria's Aviation News Headlines for Friday July 22, 2016

Touts on Prowl as Fares on Domestic Routes Soar (New Telegraph)

Touts are having a field day at most of the nation’s airports especially at the Lagos, Port-Harcourt and

Abuja airports, as they are capitalising on the hike in fares on domestic routes to perpetrate their acts.

Although, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has declared their activities as unlawful,

but curiously, they have continued to thrive, as they have become a ring or power syndicate.

The touts hang around the old domestic airport terminal popularly called General Aviation Terminal

(GAT) because of lax security in the area and monitor passengers who are desperate to get on board

departing aircraft. Immediately they sense the uneasiness or desperation of intending travellers, they

accost them; giving them assurance of getting seats on aircraft that the airline officials at the counters

said is full.

After convincing the desperate passenger of getting seats, the bargaining begins and they usually get

seats at least N5, 000 more than one already quoted by the airline.

The touts take advantage of huge network provided by a leading Nigerian airline to carry out this

nefarious activity. At times, the tout surfaces with a valid ticket and most times; they collect the money

and disappear into thin air.

https://newtelegraphonline.com/touts-prowl-fares-domestic-routes-soar

Airlines Take in-flight Entertainment to Virtual Reality(Guardian)

Airlines worldwide are employing various in-flight entertainment devices to serve their passengers better on board as some have introduced virtual reality to replace the tiny screens at the back of aircraft’s chairs that often have low quality movies.
Virtual reality (VR), also known as immersive multimedia or computer-simulated reality, is a computer technology that replicates an environment, real or imagined, and simulates a user’s physical presence and environment to allow for user interaction.
Most up-to-date virtual realities are displayed either on a computer monitor or with a virtual reality headset (also called head-mounted display), and some simulations include additional sensory information and focus on real sound through speakers or  
headphones targeted towards VR users.

According to VRscout’s report, the virtual travel and flight experience started from inside of the Boeing 747 flight. Participants would sit inside a rounded ball chair, wearing a custom-painted oculus rift DK2 headset, and holding a Sony play station motion

controller to interact with the virtual experience.

Though, virtual reality travel experiences are not intended to replace visiting a location, but to help travellers select destinations. With individual tourist attractions also creating virtual reality travel experiences, travellers will not only be able to use virtual reality to
help them select a destination, but also to help them decide which attractions to visit while at that destination, said experts.
Airlines are now beginning to explore what virtual reality could mean for their industry. For instance, Virgin Atlantic has rolled out a series of virtual reality experiences highlighting their first-class amenities. The virtual reality experience also showcases Virgin’s
check-in experience, its first-class lounge in London, and its first-class cabin.
http://guardian.ng/business-services/aviation-business/airlines-take-in-flight-entertainment-to-virtual-reality

 

Another Week of Chaos, Losses for Operators, Passengers Nationwide(Guardian)

Fresh scarcity of aviation fuel at airports nationwide has again called to question, the ability and willingness of the authorities to revive the ailing industry. 
Aviation sector around the world has a reputation of being the fastest, safest and the most reliable means of transportation. But there is at least a clime where that position may not be true, Nigeria. If the mood at major airports nationwide is anything to go by,
then the local aviation sector may just be one exception lacking the said global reputation.
Experience of passengers in the last one-week was such that drew tears from eyes of even the rich. The journeys of about one hour started taking one day, two or even more. The Attahs, a family of six from Akwa-Ibom state, were in Lagos for a wedding
ceremony at the weekend and due to return 3pm Sunday. Flying into Lagos from Uyo was itch-free. The return trip was entirely a different experience.
After five hours of waiting among scores of passengers at the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) of the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos, on Sunday, message reached them that the flight had been cancelled. Indeed, it was an unusual Sunday afternoon
where all outbound flights were cancelled at the GAT, except one that later flew at 11:30pm.
http://guardian.ng/business-services/aviation-business/another-week-of-chaos-losses-for-operators-passengers-nationwide

 

IATA, FIATA Seal Pact on Air Cargo Programme(Guardian)

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) have concluded agreement to implement the IATA-FIATA Air Cargo Programme (IFACP) to replace the existing one. IATA stated in a
media statement on Tuesday, that the new programme would move decision-making away from the rules governing the airline-forwarder relationship and also from an airline-led conference to a governance body – the IATA-FIATA Governance Board (IFGB), jointly
managed by forwarders and airlines.
The pact was signed by the Director General and Chief Executive Officer, IATA, Tony Tyler and the President of FIATA, Huxiang Zhao, According to IATA, over the decades, cargo agency programme has operated; cargo agents (freight forwarders) have evolved
from being “selling-agents” for airlines to being their “purchasing-customers”.
The Senior Vice President, Financial and Distribution Services, IATA, Aleks Popovich, who said that IATA and FIATA have reached an important agreement on a new jointly-managed air cargo programme, added that this was the result of four years of hard work
to modernize the relationship between freight forwarders and airlines.
http://guardian.ng/business-services/business/iata-fiata-seal-pact-on-air-cargo-programme

 

‘Nigeria is ASKY’s Biggest Market in West Africa’(Tribune)

The Managing Director, ASKY Airlines, Mr. Henok Tefferra, a recipient of the Balafon award for the Aviation Personality of the Year in West Africa, at the just concluded Accra Weizo, a travel and tourism show, speaks with WALE OLAPADE in Ghana on

seamless air connectivity, problems facing the travel industry in Africa and ASKY brand focus among others.

ASKY Brand Focus
Since ASKY is a customer focused airline we want to meet your expectations. One is safety, the highest; the maximum international safety standard possible, ASKY is an IOSA certified airline. Secondly, we bring you on time, our flights are 80 per cent on time,
so we have a very on time performance, punctuality and the friendliness, the courteous, the hospitality of our staff both on ground and in the air.
http://tribuneonlineng.com/nigeria-askys-biggest-market-west-africa

Embassy in New York Broke(Nation)

The Nigerian Embassy in New York has fallen on bad times. For months, workers have not been paid. Neither is the embassy able to repair its air conditioners, the only source of air since the windows of the imposing glass house cannot be opened.

Visitors now wait outside the building while their passports are being processed, writes Adeola Fayehun, who visited the embassy in New York.

I needed to see for myself. I’ve heard that it’s been more than a month since the air conditioner broke down at the Nigerian High Commission in New York. It was 32°C, and there are no windows or cross ventilation in the 21-storey all-glass building located on

44th Street and Second Avenue. The only source of air in the edifice are the air conditioning units.

Outside the embassy, visitors were sitting, waiting for their,  passports. I approached a woman with two kids, a boy and a girl. Idera had been sitting outside for hours, while her husband breezed in and out of the embassy. The heat inside was unbearable for her

and her children. She showed me the boy; his face was covered with sweat. She lifted his arms; “My baby had no rashes before we came here today, now his two arms are covered with rashes from the heat. It’s like an oven in there,” she said.

When her husband came out, he hesitated to tell her, but despite waiting for six hours, the embassy said he had to come back in two days because they were out of ink.

http://thenationonlineng.net/embassy-new-york-broke