Airport Reporters

Federal Government promotes 78 immigration officers at Lagos Airport  By Kelvin Osa Okunbor The Federal Government has approved the promotion of 78 officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) attached to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos . The newly promoted officers  were yesterday decorated with their new ranks and were charged to continue to be good ambassadors of the country and shun any vices that could drag the name of the country in the mud. Mr. Odeje Usman, the Assistant Comptroller General (ACG),NIS, Airport Command while decorating the officers with their new ranks said that the service and the country at large expected a lot more from the officers. Usman commended the Comptroller General Immigration Service, Mohammed Babandede and the board of immigration for granting the approval for the elevation of the officers, maintaining that the command had never had 78 of its officers promoted in a singular exerc...

Why Chicago bound passenger was restained on our flight, by Emirates  By Kelvin Osa Okunbor Why Chicago bound passenger was restained on our flight, by Emirates  Emirates Airline given reasons why a 71 year old passenger : David Ukesone, was restrained on its flights between Dubai and Chicago. The airline said Ukesone was unruly on board the flight, as he forced his way into another passengers's seat. Emirates said the passenger engaged in air rage, by biting another passenger, forcing the cabin attendants to professionally restrain him during the flight, so as not to endanger the lives of other passengers and the security and safety of the aircraft. The airline in a statement issued yesterday said : “Emirates can confirm that Mr Ukesone was a passenger on flight EK235 from Dubai to Chicago on 23 January, and that he had to be restrained by cabin crew due to unruly behaviour during the flight. Despite the best efforts of our cr...

Arik Air wins double at Africa Security Watch Awards Arik Air  been named winner of the Best Security and Safety Conscious Airline in West and Central Africa award at the 14 th Africa Security Watch Awards to be held in Kigali, Rwanda in February 2018.  The CEO of the airline, Captain Roy Ilegbodu has also been named the Most Outstanding Aviation Personality in West and Central Africa. The award of Best Security and Safety Conscious Airline in West and Central Africa was bestowed on Arik Air in recognition of the airline’s strict compliance to international security and safety standards and the use of modern security tools in its operations.  Arik Air won same award in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. Similarly, the airline’s Chief Executive Officer, Captain Roy Ilegbodu was conferred with the Most Outstanding Aviation Personality in West and Central Africa because of his pragmatic leadership in bringing back Arik Air to life and commitment to ...

MD FAAN BAGS CRIMEWATCH EXEMPLARY LEADERSHIP AWARD The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Engr. Saleh Dunoma has won the 2017 National CrimeWatch Exemplary Leadership Award. He was adjudged the winner of the award, which was keenly contested in recognition of his exemplary effort at repositioning FAAN for quality service delivery and his immense contributions to the Nigerian aviation industry The  Management and Staff of the Authority have  congratulated  him on the feat.

  Turkish Airlines announced its “2018 Targets”  After completing 2017 successfully, Turkish Airlines has now set its targets for 2018, the year in which the carrier will move its hub to the third  Airport of Istanbul. According to the non-consolidated 2018 budget that was approved by the Board of Directors under the presidency of M. İlker Aycı, Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee of Turkish Airlines, the guidance regarding the Incorporation's targets and expectations for the year 2018 are grouped into two: Traffic development and Financial Development (Unconsolidated).   For traffic development, the total number of passengers carried is targeted to reach 74 million including 33 million on domestic routes and 41 million on international routes. The  passenger load factor is expected to be in the band of 79 per cent  per cent and 80 per cent , total Available Seat Kilometers (ASK) will approximat...

Row over adoption of single African air transport market  Posted By:  KELVIN OSA OKUNBOR   On:  January 30, 2018  In:  Aviation 0     Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp African leaders’nod for a single air transport market for the continent seems to be giving Nigerian carriers the goose bumps.They argue that the policy can push them out of business, KELVIN OSA OKUNBOR reports Eighteen years after its ground work, the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), otherwise known  as African Open Skies, has finally taken off. But indigenous carriers are kicking against it. They asked the Federal Government not to be in a hurry to endorse the treaty. Citing poor preparation and unfavourable policy in the operating environment, they said the policy could affect their profit margins, if implemented. Nigeria is one of the 23 African countries that have okayed the policy expected to address the cha...

Medview suspends Dubai operations By Kelvin Osa Okunbor Medview Airlines said on Monday that  it will be suspending its Dubai operations until March 2017.  Its Managing Director, Muneer Bankole disclosed this at a briefing in Lagos. Medview began Dubai operations on  December 7, 2017. He said the airline was not suspending operations on account of indebtedness but took the decision to create time to fix its aircraft. Bankole said : " 'We have shut down Dubai operations till March 24th when our own aircraft B767-300ER returns from complete refurbishment in the UK. Passengers who have booked with us will be flown to their destination via interline arrangements." Speaking on its recent challenges with its London operations, the airline's MD said the airline has paid 1.45million pounds for service provided by Menzes, its ground handlers in UK and has an outstanding of 37thousuand pounds. He futher disclosed that the airline had paid 45th...

Med-view explains cancellation of London flight ......Alleges sabotage from European handlers By Kelvin Osa Okunbor Medview Airlines  has  given reasons behind its London flight cancellations.  The airline is alleging sabotage by its handlers in Europe. In a statement signed by Isiaq Na-Allah, Executive Director, Business Development and Commercial made available to journalists, he said  after the departure of our flight from Lagos to London on Wednesday 24 Jan, the airline was informally notified by its handling agent that they will not be providing services to its  aircraft. Na-Allah added that the airline immediately sought intervention of the Gatwick Authority which is expected to be unbiased but joined the fray surprisingly. Not wanting to take  any chance, the airline he said  sought for alternative handling arrangements to avert an ugly situation , which  proved abortive. "Our passengers who were scheduled to come to Lagos on ...

MAX AIR TO COMMENCE DOMESTIC FLIGHTS SOON, AIRLIFTS 500,000 WITHIN 11 YEARS MAX AIR TO COMMENCE DOMESTIC FLIGHTS SOON, AIRLIFTS 500,000 WITHIN 11 YEARS From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano The management of Max Air Ltd has concluded plans to commence domestic flights to all destinations in the country, in order to ease the hardship, being encountered by air travelers in the country.  Addressing Reporters in Kano, yesterday, the Media Officer of the Airline, Alhaji Ibrahim Dahiru, said already the Company had acquired three additional aircraft, which would be used for the domestic operation nationwide.  The newly acquired aircraft, 737-500, with the capacity of 130 seats each is to  have its operational base in  Kano.  While disclosing that, Max Air was established in Nigeria in 2007, he said they have been operating, as an International Charter Airline, concentrating mainly on the annual Hajj and Umrah airlift, adding ...

FAAN begins evacuation of disused aircraft at Lagos Airport  .........Set to install CCTV cameras at airside to forestall aircraft poaching  The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has commenced evacuation of abandoned aircraft at the airside of the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos. This is just as plans have also reached an advanced stage for the agency to install Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras at the strategic locations within the airside in order to forestall aircraft poaching and other incidences. At least, 13 aircraft belonging to different airlines have been abandoned at the airside of the airport for several years with their owners reluctant to relocate them despite several warnings issued by the agency in the past. Disclosing  this yesterday in an interview , FAAN , General Manager , Corporate Communications, Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu, said at least 13 aircraft have been abandoned at the airside by di...