Nigeria's Aviation News Headlines For Monday November 28,2016
Abuja Runs Out Of Supply As Aviation Fuel Scarcity Bites Harder
Arik Air: Nigeria's largest airline worst hit by scarcity of aviation fuel |
Respite
may be far from coming the way of airline operators who have been
facing shortage of aviation fuel in the last one month as the scarcity
bites harder across the country.
At
the moment, Abuja, the nation’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has run
out of supply as major fuel suppliers at the Nnamdi Azikiwe
International Airport (NAIA) do not have it in stock.
According to an airline CEO, who spoke with Daily Trust yesterday, most operators are currently running helter skelter in order to meet their daily fuel supply for flight operations.
Virtually
all local carriers are affected while Arik Air which is the worst hit
has slashed its flights in the wake of the deteriorating scarcity.
Though
Med-View Airline, Dana Air and Azman Air say they have operated their
scheduled flights 100 per cent, it has been hectic for them getting
fuel. The situation across airports was not different yesterday as many
flights were delayed.
Accountable Manager of Dana Air, Mr. Obi Mbanuzuo, told Daily Trust that
apart from Abuja not having fuel at all on Sunday, the supply in Lagos
and Port Harcourt was epileptic, saying the fuel scarcity, rather than
thaw, continued to exacerbate.
“The
situation has not improved. For example today (yesterday) we don’t have
any fuel in Abuja, we are picking from Lagos and it is not readily
available. No fuel in Abuja, just little fuel in Port Harcourt. So the
effect is still there”.
Also
speaking, Director of Engineering, Med-View Airline, Engr. Lookman
Animasahun, said, “The situation is getting worse and no airline is
exempted from the effect of the scarcity”.
NCAA Intensifies Surveillance of Airlines to Ensure Safety
In order to ensure that airlines do not compromise safety and security standard in flight operations because of the prevailing economic recession, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has intensified surveillance of the domestic carriers.
Forex challenges, paucity of aviation fuel and high cost of maintenance have constituted a big hurdle to Nigerian carriers, so there is the fear they could cut corners, especially as there is significant reduction in passenger traffic, which means less revenue.
The Director General who spoke in Lagos, said NCAA had sanctioned some airlines and pilots recently when they strayed from the rules, and disclosed that the authority, while supporting the operators in every way possible, would ensure they do not compromise standards.
But the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Muhtar Usman, has allayed the fears of air travellers over possible accident, especially during the yuletide. He said at the weekend that the authority had intensified the monitoring of the activities of the operators.
http://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/11/28/ncaa-intensifies-surveillance-of-airlines-to-ensure-safety/http://leadership.ng/business/561518/ncaa-intensifies-surveillance-of-domestic-airlines
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