Nigeria’s Aviation News Headlines for Friday August 12, 2016
Thank God is Friday! Major Nigerian Newspapers have dedicated pages for aviation reports on Fridays.Find the major stories below:
Minister Orders Aviation Agencies to Recover N40.08bn Debt from Airlines(Thisday, Guardian)
Minister
of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika: Photo credit: Thisday
The
Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika has directed aviation
agencies to recover the huge debts owed them by airlines and terminal facility
operators before the end of September.
Sirika
who gave the directive stated that the government needs the money for the
development of the industry and remittance to federation account. Agencies are
required to remit 25 percent of their earnings to the federal government
account to enable the
government
meet its obligations to the people.
Sequel
to the directive, the agencies such as the Federal Airports Authority of
Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), have
intensified their debt collection drive and have forced airlines to abort their
operations.
It was also gathered that some of the
airlines have started paying up the debts while some have met the agencies to
reconcile their debts and work out repayment plan.
Also,
the pay as you go policies of NAMA and FAAN have been reinforced to ensure that
henceforth airlines do not owe the agencies.
A
source at NAMA disclosed to THISDAY that the agency is owed N8.08 billion; the
Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) owed N12billion, while FAAN is owed
N20billion as at the time of filing this report.
http://guardian.ng/business-services/recovery-of-n30b-debt-may-ground-domestic-airlines
Meggison: Govt Needs the Right Policies to Grow Aviation(Thisday)
The Chairman of Airline Operators of Nigeria, Captain Nogie Meggison
says the aviation industry is a huge source of revenue to the government, just
like oil, but government must put favourable policies in place for this to
happen. He spoke to Chinedu Eze. Excerpts:
With the meeting at ART yesterday (Wednesday August 3) could you say
that government is responsible for most of the ills in the aviation industry?
Let me start by congratulating the Aviation Round Table for their
continuous interest in the Nigerian aviation sector as a nonprofit
organisation, they have not relented in speaking their views either right or
wrong.
An Aircraft Maintenance Facility is Long Overdue in Nigeria(Thisday)
 |
| Arik Air's Boeing 737-700: photo credit, www.arikair.com |
Establishing an aircraft maintenance facility in Nigeria will not only
save costs for airlines, but will enhance air safety and manpower development,
writes Chinedu Eze
There are two key things an airline must provide to ensure safe flight.
They are: an aircraft that is airworthy and crew that is fit to fly. So many
other things come in-between. For the airport manager, he must provide landing
aids, runway, runway lighting and
terminal facility.
Stakeholders laud Med-View over new Boeing 777, 747 Aircraft(Guardian)
Stakeholders
in the aviation industry have lauded one of Nigeria’s flag carriers, Med-View
Airline, for its giant strides, especially on the international front.
The
commendation is not unconnected with the airline’s acquisition of a new Boeing
777-200, shortly after taking delivery of a super jumbo 747 as additions to its
fleets.The feat, stakeholders said, was most “courageous” particularly at a time the sector is buckling due to pressure of economic recession. While the 747 has since been deployed to the Lagos – London Gatwick route, the triple-seven aircraft on Monday airlifted
pilgrims from Lagos to Saudi Arabia for the commencement of the 2016 Hajj operations. No fewer than 150 flights operations are expected to be carried out while the Hajj exercise lasted.
Regional
Manager of British Airways, Kola Olayinka, said the Med-View management had
again demonstrated the resilience of the Nigerian spirit to survive all odds.
Olayinka
said: “Nigeria is very active country of people that cannot be put down. No
matter what is thrown at us, we will struggle and make a comeback.http://guardian.ng/business-services/stakeholders-laud-med-view-over-new-boeing-777-747-aircraft
Medview, Max Air, Approved for 2016 Hajj Ceremony(Thisday)
Three
airline companies, Med-View, Max Air and Saudi Arabian airline, Fly Nas, have
been approved to airlift Nigerian pilgrims to and from Saudi Arabia during the
2016 hajj exercise, THISDAY has learnt.
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| Medviews Airline's Boeing 747-400 as captured by www.planespotters.net |
It
gathered that the three airlines, which signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) with the Nigerian and Saudi Arabian governments, made the list after a
rigorous selection process carried out by the Nigerian the Saudi General
Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA).
It
was also learnt that there is a provision that air traffic for the 2016 Hajj
would be subjected to instructions by the Saudi GACA, maintaining that nine air
carriers and four excess luggage carriers made the final list at the opening of
bidding which took place in
March
this year in Abuja.
“The
screened carriers includes Azman Air Services, Chanchangi Airlines, Dornier
AIEP, Fly-Nas, Kabo Air Limited, Max Air Limited, Med-View Airlines, Skypower
Express Airways Limited and Top Brass, while applicants for excess luggage were
Cargo Zeal
Technologies
Limited, Evergreen and White, Med-View International Travels and Cargo and
NAHCO Aviance,” a report said.
Delta System Failure Marks wake-up call for Airline Industry(Guardian)
The failure of Delta Air Lines Inc.’s worldwide computer network this week spotlights the vulnerability of the information systems sustaining the biggest U.S. carriers, each of which has contended with major disruptions during the last year.Complex networks cobbled together over the decades need major overhauls requiring significant new investments, said Bob Edwards, a former chief information officer for United Continental Holdings Inc. Recent flaws in computer systems quickly escalated
into corporate black eyes that exacted costs in both money and reputation.
“I don’t believe the flight ops, maintenance, passenger service systems, crew and dispatch applications are engineered with the level of redundancy needed,” Edwards, who retired in 2014 under pressure after several service disruptions at United, said by
telephone. More disruptions are a near certainty: “Mistakes will happen, devices will malfunction.”
http://guardian.ng/business-services/delta-system-failure-marks-wake-up-call-for-airline-industry
Workers’ Rage over Fresh Appointments, Restructuring in Air Travel Sector(Guardian)
Some aviation workers have accused the Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, of frustrating the restructuring of the sector. The workers, under the aegis of Nigeria Aviation Professionals Association (NAPA), alleged that Sirika has not only bowed topressure of some big wigs in relevant government agencies, but has also continued on the path of past appointments that disregarded due process.
Specifically, the union alleged that some graduate level entrants had been thrown into the civil service fray, to occupy managerial posts. It would be recalled that workers’ unions, including NAPA, have been clamouring for restructuring of the sector to address
some appointments and directorate proliferations made during the era of Stella Oduah at the helm of affairs.
http://guardian.ng/business-services/workers-rage-over-fresh-appointments-restructuring-in-air-travel-sector
U.S. Agency, others Okay Cargo-XML Messaging Standard(Guardian)
Globally, aviation bodies have endorsed the International Air Transport Association (IATA)’s Cargo- XML messaging as the new standard for air cargo industry electronic messaging, as well as an alternative to the old Cargo-IMP.
Extensible
Markup Language (XML) is a markup language that defines a set of rules for
encoding documents in a format that is both human-readable and
machine-readable.
However, the
IATA’s Cargo-XML messaging has been emerged as a preferred standard for the
electronic communication between airlines and other air cargo stakeholders such
as shippers, freight forwarders, ground-handling agents and regulators, as well
as customs and security agencies.
This new standard is based on multimodal and cross-border messaging and aimed at facilitating cargo business processes, fulfilling customs requirements for Advanced Cargo Information (ACI) filing, complying with security regulations like Electronic
Consignment Security Declaration (e-CSD).Before now, aviation industry’s call on Cargo Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) was to freeze Cargo-IMP messages by end of 2014, and encourage use of Cargo-XML messages.
http://guardian.ng/business-services/u-s-agency-others-okay-cargo-xml-messaging-standard
Ambode Inaugurates Helipad at LASUTH for Medical Emergency(Nation)
 |
| Lagos State Governor; Akinwunmi Ambode. Photo credit: google.com.ng |
Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday inaugurated a helicopter landing platform (helipad) at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, to aid victims requiring emergency medical attention, especially in remote areas.
The governor, at the event, said the upgrade of the 247-bed and five theatre suits for expectant mothers, popularly known as Ayinke House, would be ready by mid next year.
According
to him, “this helipad is a lifesaving asset and critical complement to the
efficient functioning of this unit and other emergency services being rendered
by the state. The helipad will also aid the movement of patients from remote
areas where healthcare
facilities
to provide the level of emergency medicine required are not readily available.
Ayade
Plans Beach Resort for Calabar (Vanguard)
As
part of value addition to the state’s tourism offering, the Cross River State
governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, has announced plans to build a beach resort in
Calabar.
Governor
Ben Ayade Governor Ben Ayade Speaking during the inspection of Nsidung Beach in
Calabar South Local Government Area of the state, the governor disclosed that
construction work will start in the second week of September this year.
He
said: “It is obvious that as Cross River State continues to blaze the trail in
tourism, we must develop our waterfronts in such a way that we find maximum
value.”
The
governor said, funding for the project had been secured with a team of investors
already setting aside $3 million for the project.
Governor
Ayade, said that the resort will complement the 2016 Calabar carnival, hinting
that a boat regatta could be in this year’s Calabar Festival calendar.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/08/ayade-plans-beach-resort-calabar
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/08/ayade-plans-beach-resort-calabar
Naira Appreciates as CBN Intervenes in Interbank FX Market(Thisday)
The
naira pared some its previous day’s loss on the interbank forex market as it
appreciated to N314.75 to the dollar on Thursday, stronger than the N317 to the
dollar it closed on Wednesday.
 |
| photo credit: www.google.com.ng |
The
positive momentum displayed by the nation’s currency was attributed to an
intervention by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which sold dollars to boost
liquidity and help the naira to strengthen against the greenback.
The
central bank asked some traders to bid for $1.5 million each, Reuters reported,
adding that the Bank had been selling hard currency since this week.
A total of $6.27 million traded on Thursday.
However,
on the parallel market, the naira climbed marginally to N395 to the dollar, up
from the N394 to the dollar it closed the previous day.
The
central bank had intervened in the interbank forex market on Tuesday to help
support the naira after it hit an all-time low of N350 to the dollar in thin
volume on that day.
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