Tag Archives: Airline

Only one foreign airline agrees to use Kaduna airport as Abuja airport is closed

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Only one foreign airline has agreed to use the Kaduna International Airport, as the Nigerian government officially announced the closure of the Abuja International Airport on Monday.

The Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, told journalists that so far only Ethiopian Airlines has agreed to use the Kaduna airport as an alternative.

The government said the Abuja airport will be closed beginning from 12 a.m. Wednesday.

The closure will last for six weeks to allow a comprehensive maintenance of the airport runway.

The decision to close the only airport in the federal capital has been criticised by aviation experts, and several international airlines warned they will not operate the Kaduna route.

Mr. Sirika said observations made by acting President Yemi Osinbajo who was in Kaduna Airport on Friday had been “taken care of”.

 

Source: Premium Times

Nigerian Airline Aero Contractors Resumes Operations Today

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After almost four months of suspension of flight operations, the management of Aero Contractors has announced the resumption of scheduled flight operations from today

The airline had suspended flight operations on August 31, 2016, following the self-inflicted crisis, which culminated in the quick reduction of its 15 fleets of aircraft to just two in less than a year.

A statement by the media consultant of the airline said that the airline decided to suspend flight operations as a result of a strategic business realignment to reposition it and return it to the part of profitability.

The statement hinted that the airline would re-launch scheduled services to Lagos, Abuja, Warri and Port Harcourt, using its Boeing 737-400/500 and the Dash8-Q400, with the expectation that as more aircraft return to service, more routes would be reopened.

The statement quoted the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of Aero, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu as saying that: “We are delighted to inform our esteemed customers that our schedule operation is back. Full flights will commence on Thursday, December 22, 2016, with consistent passenger demand despite the suspension of schedule services. This patronage reinforces the strength of our brand and the quality of our service.
“We are aware of the impact the four months suspension had on our staff and our highly esteemed customers. Hence our move to return to operations is to continue to offer the most reliable, safe and secure operations, which the airline is renowned for.”

Akinkuotu urged the airline’s clients with existing tickets before the suspension to contact its Ticket Desks/Call Centre to rebook their tickets free of charge, adding that those who would prefer a refund may send in their refund requests from the 9th of January, 2017.

It would be recalled that the airline had announced the suspension of operation on August 31, 2016, after almost five years of been in murky waters primarily caused by diversion of funds and inflation of aircraft price by the management.
The airline, which was taken over by the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON), made the crucial decision when its current management led by Capt. Fola Akinkuotu as the Chief Executive Officer could not rescue the airline from going further down.

A source close to the airline had confided in our correspondent that AMCON debt in the troubled airline had grown to N20 billion from the initial N 11 billion in 2011 at the takeover.

The source said that with the initial N14 billion, AMCON had 60 per cent shares in the airline and with the current N20billion, the source said AMCON had taken over the running of the airline entirely and decided to liquidate it.

Besides, the source told our correspondent that the Federal Government through AMCON had engaged the services of a reputable accounting firm to undertake a forensic audit of the airline’s accounts in the past five years and eventually liquidate it.

BREAKING: Finally, Aero Contractors ready to fly again.

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Aero Contractors Airlines will resume flights this week after shutting down for nearly nearly four months, TheCable understands.

The airline, which used to be industry leader before entering economic turbulence, suspended operations “indefinitely” from September 1, 2016.

But insiders told TheCable that the airline will resume operations “most likely on Wednesday” after securing new investors and getting a breather.

“If things work according to plan, the staff will be recalled and addressed on Monday, IT staff will resume on Tuesday and flight operations will commence on Wednesday,” the source said.

Aero will restart by flying only three routes: Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt.

This will come as a relief to Nigerian travellers who have had their options limited since the aviation industry went into a tailspin following financial and fuel crises.

TheCable could not confirm if the airline got foreign investors to re-start operations.

When Aero suspended operations, its CEO, Fola Akinkuotu, had said it was pursuing a “strategic business realignment” to reposition the airline and return it to the path of profitability.

“This business decision is as a result of the current economic situation in the country, which has forced some other airlines to suspend operation or outrightly pull out of Nigeria,” he said.

“In the case of Aero, the airline has faced grave challenges in the past six months, which impacted its business and by extension the scheduled services operations.

“This suspension is pending when the external opportunities and a robust sustainable and viable plan is in place for Aero Contractors to recommence its scheduled services.

“The implication of the suspension of scheduled services operations extends to all staff directly and indirectly involved in providing services, as they are effectively to proceed on indefinite leave of absence during the period of non-services.

“We are aware of the impact this will have on our staff and our highly esteemed customers, hence we have initiated moves to ensure that we are able to return back to operations within the shortest possible time, offering reliable, safe and secure operations.’

Hundreds of its employees staged a peaceful protest after the suspension of operations which they blamed on the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON), the “bad bank” set up by the central bank to buy the debts of heavily indebted companies.

NAN reported that the protest was organised by the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE).

The workers marched round the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, carrying various placards expressing their grievances.

The placards had inscriptions such as, ‘Don’t Allow Aero to Die,’ ‘Save Aero from AMCON’ and ‘Aero must not go the way of Nigeria Airways,’ among others.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Frances Akinjole, the Secretary, ATSSSAN, condemned the ‘illegal closure’ of Aero Contractors by AMCON, adding that they would resist the plan to liquidate the company.

Akinjole accused AMCON of running the airline aground after it took over majority shares in 2011 by approving bogus salaries and allowances for its representatives.

“Before AMCON took over, the airline had 11 operational aeroplane. They claim to have injected N12 billion in the company, but today, the airline has only three aircraft,” she said.

“This is calling on all well-meaning Nigerians to please come to the aid of Aero at this crucial time in her life.

“Aero should not be allowed to die from the strangle of AMCON.”

Pakistan national airline chairman resigns following crash

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Pakistan’s International Airlines (PIA) chairman, Azam Saigol, has resigned in the wake of a crash last week that killed all 48 people on board, officials said on Tuesday.

Saigol resigned late Monday, PIA spokesman, Danyal Gilani, said.

“The PIA chairman resigned due to personal reasons,” Gilani said.

The chairman had worked on a pro bono basis, without salary or perks, since his appointment in May, he added.

On December 7, a PIA flight to Islamabad from the tourist resort of Chitral crashed, killing everyone on board the small ATR-42 plane.

Three foreign nationals, two from Austria and one from China, were among the dead.

PIA faced tough questions about adopting international safety standards and procedures after the crash, which came after financial losses and accusations of mismanagement, according to media reports.

Earlier this year, the Pakistani government tried to sell 25 per cent of PIA’s shares to offset financial losses that had piled up over the years, according to reports.

The plan was abandoned after a strong protest by the company’s employees and opposition political parties.

On Monday, PIA grounded its ATR fleet and started the process of so-called “shakedown” tests of all 10 planes, Gilani said.

The decision to ground the fleet came after another ATR-42 airplane encountered technical issues at take-off Sunday night.

Pakistan aviation experts have begun a probe into the crash of the ATR-42 plane with the help of a French team, officials said.

Somalia Airlines set to resume after 22 years absence.

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The Somali Government has said that it would soon revive the country’s national carrier, Somali Airlines, after more than two-decades of after its closure.

The General Director of the Ministry of Aviation and Transport, Mohammed Osman-Ali, told the local media in Mogadishu that plans to revive “the white star carrier” from scrap yards were already in motion.

According to Somali local media, the airline would resume operations with four new air planes already decorated with the white and blue colours of the Somali national flag.

The airline’s long absence followed the collapse of the central government in 1991 and the subsequent outbreak of a civil war in the country.

In 1996, the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, and the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, established the Civil Aviation Caretaker Authority for Somalia, CACAS, in Nairobi, Kenya to handle the Somalia’s airspace.

Mr. Osman-Ali said the Somali Government and the Somali Civil Aviation Steering Committee were concluding arrangements after their recent meeting with various aviation governing bodies, including the ICAO in Montreal.

“During a two-day meeting in Montreal, Canada, the Somali Civil Aviation Steering Committee requested international assistance to rebuild the national civil aviation capacity over the next three years.

“The committee also requested that all administration and management of the industry should be handed back to the Somali authorities instead of operating in Nairobi by foreign staff,” the report said.

Mr. Osman-Ali said that there was a huge interest, and market for the Somali Airlines waiting to be explored as thousands of Somalis, who fled to other countries, were set to return to the country after many years of absence.

He said the government had ordered an additional plane, including SA Mair (9C Bratislavia) B737-400 and OM-SDA (MSN 24438) for the successful operation of the airline.

The Somali airline began operations on July 1964, in a co-ownership deal between Somalia and Alitalia national airline of Italy and later became a fully state-owned company in 1977.

Airline Operators Back FG’s Plan To Concessionaire Lagos, Abuja Airports

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The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has given its backing to the plan by the Federal Government to concessionaire the Abuja and Lagos airports, after the completion of their new terminal buildings.
AON’s president, Capt. Nogie Meggison, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos.
NAN reports that the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, had announced the plan while defending the ministry’s budget before the National Assembly.
Meggison noted that the privatisation of airports in the country was long overdue, adding that government had no business managing airports and their facilities.
“Everywhere in the world, what government is involved in is the concessionaire of public-private partnership or Build, Operate and Transfer. So government cannot manage the facilities properly.

“When you compare the Murtala Muhammed Airport 2 which is managed by Bi-Courtney to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, you will understand what we are talking about.’’
He said despite making more money annually than MMA 2, the international airport was operating at a lower standard of service delivery because it was government-owned.
“So when you look at it, you will realise that it is time to move on. If Nigeria wants to become a hub like we are planning, then privatising the airport is the way to go,’’ Meggison said.
He, however, advised government to jettison the idea of establishing a new national carrier, like the defunct Nigerian Airways.
According to him, the government should give priority to upgrading critical facilities that will improve the nation’s aviation sector.

 

(NAN)