Airport Reporters

 FAAN Celebrates Aviation Icon Kunle Soname at 60 .....A Visionary Who Redefined Private Air Travel in Nigeria    The Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, on behalf of the entire management and staff, extends hearty congratulations to renowned Nigerian entrepreneur, sports enthusiast, and founder of ValueJet, Mr. Kunle Soname, on the occasion of his 60th birthday today. In a press release signed by the Authority’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection,  Mr Henry Agbebire, the FAAN MD/CE described Mr. Soname as a trailblazer whose contributions to Nigeria’s aviation sector have left an indelible mark. Through the establishment of ValueJet, one of the country’s leading private airlines, Soname demonstrated uncommon courage, resilience, and a steadfast commitment to safety, efficiency, and customer satisfaction. “Mr. Kunle Soname is not just a businessman; he is a visionary who saw what ma...

 Ibom Air may reduce operational capacity over aviation fuel hike  ....Spends N7.6m per flight Ibom Air Ltd has hinted of a possible reduction in its flight capacity following its inability to cope with the astronomical increase the price of aviation fuel. The Airline in a statement by it's group manager, marketing and communication, Aniekan Essienette, disclosed that it spends N7.6million on fuel per flight.   According to the company, the cost of fueling its aircraft has tripled between January and April representing 350% increment since the beginning of March. The statement reads in parts, "The fuel price situation is an unprecedented crisis for Nigeria’s domestic airlines. At Ibom Air, the cost of fueling our aircraft has more than tripled between January and today.  "From an average of N2.1m per flight in January, as at today, the 27th of April, we are paying approximately N7.6m to fuel every flight. This is a more than 350% increase since the beginning of March...

 Aviation Fuel Crisis : Industry group prescribe recovery pills for govt, airlines  Air transport think tank group and safety advocate : Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI), has prescribed a bouquet of interventions in resolving the escalating cost of aviation fuel, saying the Federal Government needs to urgently establish a National Energy Price Protection Program (NEPPP). The establishment of the body, the safety group said has become compeling because Nigeria’s aviation sector stands at a critical inflection point with the  Jet A1 crisis,which has occasioned  liquidity strain on airlines. The ASRTI said  the cascading financial pressures across airports, concessionaires, and ground handlers have converged into a systemic emergency , creating a distortion that threatens the survival of our airlines and, by extension, the entire aviation ecosystem. In a letter of appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and members of the National Assembly and the Minis...

  Its Time! Emirates’ iconic A380 returns to Dubai with world-first Starlink Wi-Fi onboard Emirates’ flagship A380, long celebrated as one of aviation’s most iconic aircraft, is set to reach new heights as the first installation of next-generation Starlink Wi-Fi onboard has just been completed. The Emirates A380 was one of the first commercial aircraft in the world to offer internet to its customers, with first generation systems offering a total aircraft bandwidth of less than 1 Mbps.  Emirates’ installation of three Starlink antennas on each A380 will improve the Wi-Fi available onboard a thousand-fold - offering a ‘better than at home’ connectivity experience for customers, while flying at 40,000 feet. The first Emirates A380 aircraft equipped with Starlink made its return to Dubai this week, after its installation and certification was accomplished in Newquay, UK. With more A380s scheduled for accelerated installation throughout 2026, Emirates customers will soon enjoy a t...

 NMDPRA pegs jet fuel price at N2,037 per litre for  Abuja ....... Fixes price band for  Lagos The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has pegged aviation fuel prices as high as ₦2,037 per litre in Abuja. The regulator disclosed this in a statement on Monday.  The regulator also set a Lagos price  band between ₦1,760 and ₦1,988 per litre. The intervention, according to the statement, is aimed at stabilising supply and pricing amid persistent volatility in Nigeria’s aviation sector. In addition, the NMDPRA has directed energy marketers to sell directly to airline operators. The  move, the regulator said, is designed to cut out middlemen and reduce inflated costs within the supply chain. The regulator expects improved efficiency, transparency and quicker access to fuel across airports. NMDPRA price benchmark anchors aviation fuel stability According to the authority, the benchmark reflects Platts average prices recorded b...

  Impact of aviation fuel crisis on our operations  By ...Aniekan Essienette The fuel price situation is an unprecedented crisis for Nigeria’s domestic airlines. At Ibom Air, the cost of fueling our aircraft has more than tripled between January and today. From an average of N2.1m per flight in January, as at today, the 26th of April, we are paying approximately N7.6m to fuel every flight. This is a more than 350% increase since the beginning of March, a space of just 7 weeks! And our aircraft are some of the most fuel efficient in the domestic market.  At this point, domestic airlines are baffled at why the price of aviation fuel in Nigeria has ballooned to this level, way above the rest of the world, while the fuel marketers obtain 95% or more of their aviation fuel from Dangote Refinery. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that a combination of competitive pressures and patriotism have prevented a commensurate increase in our fares, meaning that we and our fe...