Review of activities in the aviation sector for 2021
Review of activities in the aviation sector for 2021
Significantly, emerging challenges propelled by the new variant of COVID - 19 : Omicron has altered the stakes for the aviation industry as the curtain draws on 2021 in the next four days. But, there is a silver lining in the cloud for domestic carriers, which are revving their aircraft engines for year - end passenger traffic amid rife competition, aircraft deliveries and other survival strategies, writes KELVIN OSA OKUNBOR.
The last twelve months has been a mixed bag for the strategic sector, following huge impacts from travel bans, row over flight frequencies between some governments and other unsavoury developments. flight bans were placed on Nigeria by the United Kingdom, Canada and other countries, which have since been lifted following condemnation by many organisations.
Activities in the global aviation sector have been upbeat in the last twelve months as airlines, border control agencies, ground handling companies, regulators , airports and other aeronautical authorities adjust to the new variant of COVID - 19 christened - Omicron.
With some countries already raising the flag for others to steer clear from their jurisdictions on account of rising infection rates; global bodies have also been unrelenting in evolving intervention measures to starve off glitches the development would portend for the air transport industry.
Curiously, global regulators including the : International Air Transport Association (IATA), World Health Organisation (WHO) ,African Airlines Association (AFRAA) and other bodies have called for concerted mitigation measures that would reduce the severity of the new COVID - 19 , variant - Omicron on the movement of passengers and goods across local, regional and international borders.
With some countries already raising the flag for others to steer clear from their jurisdictions on account of rising infection rates; global bodies have also been unrelenting in evolving intervention measures to starve off glitches the development would portend for the air transport industry.
Curiously, global regulators including the : International Air Transport Association (IATA), World Health Organisation (WHO) ,African Airlines Association (AFRAA) and other bodies have called for concerted mitigation measures that would reduce the severity of the new COVID - 19 , variant - Omicron on the movement of passengers and goods across local, regional and international borders.
In the period under review, the lastest was the intrigues that surrounded the bilateral air services agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the state of flight frequencies approved for carriers flying both countries.
While the UAE carrier enjoys 21 weekly frequencies out of the Lagos and Abuja Airports, Nigerian carrier - Air Peace was enjoying the short end of the stick with thrice weekly frequencies into Sharjah Airport, near Dubai.
In the drive to attain reciprocity of the air treaty, the Federal Government reduced the flight frequency of the UAE carrier into a lone flight - only Thursdays into Abuja Airport.
The deft move by the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika , many industry groups and experts have noted was a step in the right direction, as it would whip the Arabs in line with prescribed international practises.
Speaking on the development, Airline Operators of Nigeria(AON), praised Sirika for the courageous way he responded to the situation affirming that he restored the honour, dignity and respect of the country Nigeria's sovereignty.
The body said such unwavering move is what is required to reciprocate the treatment meted out to a Nigerian airline operating into the UAE.
The UAE recently reduced the three weekly flights operated by Nigeria's Air Peace into the Sharjah International Airport to just one flight per week while UAE's carrier,
Sensing stiffer sanctions, the UAE authorities have not only granted seven slots per week to Air Peace but have granted the Nigerian carrier the slots to operate from the preferred Dubai Airport instead of Sharjah.
The AON said on the matter : " We are not opposed to other foreign airlines operating into Nigeria but frown at the underhand actions of these airlines and their countries in making it difficult for Nigerian airlines to get the necessary permits to operate in their countries.
"We encourage the Federal government to continue to reciprocate, in equal measure, any country that tries, in any manner whatsoever, to disrespect our sovereignty again."
There was a deluge of controversies in the Nigerian aviation sector over needless interloping and meddlesomeness by the National Assembly Committees on Aviation on the statutory function of the industry regulator - Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The committees had directed the NCAA not to issue the mandatory Air Operators' Certificate to a fledgling carrier - NG Eagle Airlines , because of legacy debts owed by Arik Air , which is under receivership of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).
Aviation experts including President of Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI), Dr. Gbenga Olowo had warned that such interloping into the activities of a civil aviation regulator by the legislature would erode the independence and autonomy of the NCAA.
Besides, ASRTI, other industry groups including : National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) condemned the unprofessional role of the legislature in determining the criteria to be met before the NCAA issues an operating licence to a new carrier.
General Secretary of NUATE, Comrade Ocheme Aba said it was curious to ask if the duty of a civil aviation regulator was debt recovery or providing the statutory template, standards and practises that would improve air safety.
As a major industry upheaval , Sirika unfolded plans to deliver the controversial national carrier by the first quarter of next year with three wet leased aircraft.
The declaration continues to draw flak from industry experts who said there is nothing on the ground to suggest the delivery of the ambitious project when questions on the equity structure, technical / financial private sector partners were yet to be convincingly offered.
In the period under review, the template for the concession of four international airport terminals in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano is yet to get the endorsement of industry investors , players and other interested parties.
The proposed concession of airports continues to ignite fresh controversies, though Sirika has assured that no jobs would be lost to the exercise.
But, it is entirely not tail wind for the strategic sector as some indigenous carriers scaled up their acts in the period under review.
Local carriers : Ibom Air, Air Peace, Overland Airways, United Nigeria Airlines, Green Africa Airways, Aero Contractors in the period under review made bold statements with the acquisition of brand new regional fuel - efficient jets , wet leasing of widebody aircraft and ordering of new airplanes.
While Air Peace, for instance, took delivery of its fifth Embraer 195 E -2 jets from the manufacturers in Brazil, in addition to wet leasing an Airbus , Aero Contractors on its part took delivery of two Airbuses.
United Nigeria Airlines added an Airbus 320 to its fleet of airplanes.
State - run carrier : Cally Air also acquired some aircraft to boost its operations.
Fixed wing operator : Overland Airways ordered six Embraer jets.
Speaking in an interview, its Chief Executive Officer, Captain Edward Boyo described it as a post - Pandemic recovery strategy.
Ibom Air on its part, in the period under review ordered 10 Airbuses 220 to boost its operations.
Experts say the last months witnessed a huge surge on passenger traffic on the domestic scene with higher air fares.
Investigations revealed that despite the skyrocketing prices of air tickets more people are taking to the skies on account of the state of insecurity across the country.
IResponding to this, NCAA's Director General, Captain Musa Nuhu said passenger traffic on the domestic scene has in the last few months experienced a surge.
Nuhu said the authority was processing licences for new carriers which are taking advantage of the insecurity in the country.
The NCAA boss said activities in the sector in the last three months has been a mixed bag.
Nuhu said : " I must say I am pleasantly surprised with the domestic aviation industry. We certainly have recovered from COVID -19 pandemic. Not only have we recovered from the COVID -19 level, we have passed the pre COVID -19 level. If you see the airlines from Nigeria, they have been getting clients. Right now, I have about ten to twelve aircraft on wet lease to fill in the gap of the demands of the system.
"So, the industry has done fairly well. The domestic industry is growing at a fantabulous rate. We have given a lot of Air Operators’ Certificates (AOC) and we still have about fifteen in the pipeline. We are working on it. We have airports propping up all over the place and a lot of maintenance organisations coming up.
For us to achieve the growth we have now, agencies, ministries, and stakeholders must be doing something right that is building investors’ confidence in the system. The investors are willing to put their money in the system and grow the industry.
"We will continue that way and hopefully, we want to get to a place where aviation plays very significant contributions to the gross domestic product in the short and medium terms; at least five per cent. Also, the growth is stretching the infrastructure. So, sometimes, clogs are created here and there because the system has been stretched.
"Generally, it has been hectic and stressful for us at NCAA, trying to cope with the demands everywhere, but we will keep doing what we are doing to ensure the system continues to operate safely, in an orderly and organised manner."
In the last few months, some indigenous carriers have either returned to their old routes or launched new destinations.
Aero Contractors, in the period under review, expanded its flight to the economic hub of the North Eastern Region - Bauchi Airport. Arik Air resumed operations into Asaba .
On the South Eastern flank, Air Peace and United Nigeria Airlines are in a race for dominance at the newly opened Anambra International Cargo /Passenger Airport in Umueri, some three minutes drive from the state capital, Awka.
The last twelve months also witnessed agitation for increase in ground handling rates by operators. Though the NCAA granted approval for the new rates to become effective by next year, concerns raised by the issue continue to dominate discussion in the sector.
Commenting on the matter, Nuhu said : " The issue of the handling rates was justified because for over 30 years, the handling rates were not adjusted. Imagine, these ground handlers import a lot of their equipment using foreign exchange, just like the airlines use foreign exchange to procure their machines.
"So, what affects the airlines, directly affects these ground handlers and the ground handlers are a critical component for the success of the industry. So, we sat down, compare what we charge here with that of the other countries, but because of the devaluation of naira and the non-increase of ground handling over the years, the increase looked very high.
"So, the airlines complained. Then, we mediated the issue, listened to their complaints and reduced the new rates by 25 per cent. We did this so that we don’t shock the system, but we can gradually fully increase. I learnt ground handlers have come together and know that the competition is detrimental. So, they are working together now. I think if the ground handlers can work together, they should be able to implement the new rates. The handlers were undercutting themselves in the past."
In the period under review activities in the sector attained some headwinds as the sector took full grip over measures / interventions designed by the government to pull the air transport sector out of the wounds inflicted by the COVID - 19 Pandemic , which is seeing more people returning to the skies.
Enhanced airport screening procedures, increasing vaccination among the populace and other interventions designed to curb the spread of the new variant of COVID -19 experienced some spike as demand for air travel intensified.
Experts say travel has witnessed rebound in the period under review as a few carriers including Green Africa Airways , Cally Air , Kanem Air, United Nigeria Airlines made audacious entrance into the industry raising the stakes in the logistic value chain.
The new carriers have not only deepened competition in the sector in the period under review, but has brought about competitive fares on the routes where existing carriers were charging arbitrary fares.
With a low entry fare otherwise known in aviation parlance as promotional fares, Green African Airways for instance has pushed other carriers to rethink their strategy on operations on the Lagos- Abuja, Ilorin, Akure, Ilorin, Enugu, Owerri, and Port Harcourt routes.
Besides, Green Africa Airways, which offers the lowest fares, Cally Air , Ibom Air, United Nigeria Airlines in the period under review have also upped the ante with competitive fares on major routes, which many passengers and industry watchers describe as the best thing to happen to the sector.
In the period under review, DANA Air and Ibom Air posted data indicating improvement in their on time performance on major routes even as they inked a deal on codeshare / interline agreement.
The deal according to the Chief Operating Officer of Ibom Air, Mr. George Uriesi is historic in the industry and would be a game changer for passengers desiring to connect to their destinations using a single ticket booking.
In the period under review , Air Peace expanded its flight services into Gombe, in the North Eastern Region ; Ibadan in the South Western
Speaking in an interview, industry analyst / strategist, Dr. Alex Nwuba said more people in the period under review are expressing interest to set up airlines in different categories of carriage.
Aside scheduled passenger operations, Nwuba said more players are seeking approvals to ply their trade in the cargo / logistic value chain.
Aligning his views, another industry expert , Mr. Tayo Ojuri said the optics looked better for 2021 as investors are latching on to cheaper access to aircraft leasing to flag off cargo/ courier based airlines.
Like a silver lining in the cloud , the Federal Government in the period under review facilitated N 5 billion intervention fund to indigenous carriers to cushion the effects of the pandemic on their operations.
This move was greeted with ovation in the sector, but stakeholders including the industry think tank group ; Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative ( ASRTI ) described it as a dip in the ocean as they had looked forward to N27 billion Stimulus Package designed to bail out the sector from the ravaging shocks of the pandemic.
Of significant note was the sledge hammer dangled on AZMAN Air by the industry policeman - Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for gross and serial violation of safety regulations.
To put it simply, the NCAA suspended the operations of the airline and subsequently grounded the five Boeing 737 aircraft in its fleet to pave the way for a safety, technical and economic audit of its operations.
Director General of NCAA, Captain Musa Nuhu said AZMAN Air was sanctioned for gross violation of safety regulation following a series of burst tyres on landing involving airplanes in the fleet of the airline.
Though the carrier had cast aspersions on the reputation of the NCAA and its leadership following allegations of bribery, the airline later recanted .
The NCAA had described the incidents involving AZMAN Air as an accident waiting to happen,
Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has said.
Sam Adurogboye, General Manager, Public Affairs said the NCAA was constrained to
Adurogboye explained that the suspended airline had at least three serious incidents, including burst tyres, within the past six weeks, such that the NCAA could not continue to allow such unprofessional conduct to persist without taking decisive action.
The general manager said the alarming trend of tyre failures, in combination with improper tyre maintenance procedures by the airline, were a clear and strong indication of an accident chain formation in its final stages at Azman Air.
He further explained that there was an urgent need to break the accident chain, before a completely avoidable national tragedy occurred, adding that it would not allow avoidable accidents to happen in the sector, due to the airline’s persistent professional misconduct.
“Over a period of about six weeks, Azman Air Boeing 737 aircraft, operating scheduled passenger flights, were involved in three separate incidents, resulting in damage to the aircraft, in each case, but with no loss of life, for which it was grateful to God.
The 19 page audit report by the NCAA found AZMAN Air culpable of many safety infractions as the airline was found not to be in compliance with the management personnel required for commercial air transport operations ,
with regards to provision of resources and discharge of the duties of the Accountable Manager.
It read : “This is evidenced by complete non-staffing of the Safety Management Department and staffing of the Quality Management Department with only one officer, thereby making it impossible to effectively implement Safety and Quality Management Systems functions as required by Nig.CARs 9.2.2.3 and 9.2.2.10, respectively”.
“The Accountable Manager exhibited a lack of understanding of his duties and responsibilities as contained in the Operations Manuals.
”This is further evidenced by lack of evidence of the Accountable Manager’s involvement in Management Reviews of Quality Audit Findings.
The audit report further said “the DFO exhibited a lack of understanding of his duties and responsibilities as contained in the Operations Manuals.
”Fourthly, there is evidence of poor safety culture promoted by absence of concrete action on clear safety violations by flight crew for failure to make required entries in the technical log”
' This is evidenced by lack of a Safety Manager or Safety Officers to run the Safety Management System. Lack of this has also resulted in poor management of Flight Data Monitoring Reports for safety improvements.”
The report also stated that Azman Air Ltd was found to be in violation of Nig.CARs 18.10.3 regarding the submission of monthly financial health reports to the NCAA.
“This is evidenced in Azman Air’s failure to meet up with the monthly obligation in submitting the required financial health report for months despite several reminders."
The industry from a regulatory purview was upbeat as the NCAA unveiled plans to review regulations concerning private jet operators amid threat by the Nigeria Customs Service to impound jets brought into the country without payments of relevant charges and obtaining requisite approvals.
However, the period under review provided a window for aviation unions to remind the Federal Government of its inability to deliver on promises on the setting up of a national carrier - Nigeria Air, the Aircraft Leasing Company, Concession of Airports and setting up of a Maintenance Repair Overhaul facility (MRO) .
NUATE pointed out how the minister failed to deliver projects such as the suspended national carrier, aircraft leasing company and national aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility.
Its National President, Comrade Ben Nnabue, used the May Day celebrations to address the union’s frustration over the unjust treatment meted to aviation workers by the Salaries and Wages Commission and the Head of Service.
Nnabue said: “We have persistently pointed out the folly of a one-man-show in the governance of the sector. As we all know, there are no governing boards for all the agencies in aviation, and the CEOs being direct employees of the Minister of Aviation, and the minister being the chairman of all the so-called Interim Boards, the affairs of the entire aviation industry has been contrived to be totally in the hands of one man.
“This is extremely dangerous, preposterous and truly objectionable. All our protestations on the subject over the past years have fallen on deaf ears. That stakeholders in the industry have tolerated this circumstance for all of six years is quite honestly incomprehensible.”
On the infrastructure front, the Federal Government in the period under review procured bird control equipment for FAAN to address the scourge of bird strike causing damage to aircraft engines at airports.
Besides, the government also procured a N1.7 billion mobile control towers for the Lagos and Abuja Airports in the period under review.
But, the dip in the ocean intervention would not assuage mounting complaints of obsolete airport/ air navigation equipment by pilots and air traffic controllers associations.
While the UAE carrier enjoys 21 weekly frequencies out of the Lagos and Abuja Airports, Nigerian carrier - Air Peace was enjoying the short end of the stick with thrice weekly frequencies into Sharjah Airport, near Dubai.
In the drive to attain reciprocity of the air treaty, the Federal Government reduced the flight frequency of the UAE carrier into a lone flight - only Thursdays into Abuja Airport.
The deft move by the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika , many industry groups and experts have noted was a step in the right direction, as it would whip the Arabs in line with prescribed international practises.
Speaking on the development, Airline Operators of Nigeria(AON), praised Sirika for the courageous way he responded to the situation affirming that he restored the honour, dignity and respect of the country Nigeria's sovereignty.
The body said such unwavering move is what is required to reciprocate the treatment meted out to a Nigerian airline operating into the UAE.
The UAE recently reduced the three weekly flights operated by Nigeria's Air Peace into the Sharjah International Airport to just one flight per week while UAE's carrier,
Sensing stiffer sanctions, the UAE authorities have not only granted seven slots per week to Air Peace but have granted the Nigerian carrier the slots to operate from the preferred Dubai Airport instead of Sharjah.
The AON said on the matter : " We are not opposed to other foreign airlines operating into Nigeria but frown at the underhand actions of these airlines and their countries in making it difficult for Nigerian airlines to get the necessary permits to operate in their countries.
"We encourage the Federal government to continue to reciprocate, in equal measure, any country that tries, in any manner whatsoever, to disrespect our sovereignty again."
There was a deluge of controversies in the Nigerian aviation sector over needless interloping and meddlesomeness by the National Assembly Committees on Aviation on the statutory function of the industry regulator - Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The committees had directed the NCAA not to issue the mandatory Air Operators' Certificate to a fledgling carrier - NG Eagle Airlines , because of legacy debts owed by Arik Air , which is under receivership of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).
Aviation experts including President of Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI), Dr. Gbenga Olowo had warned that such interloping into the activities of a civil aviation regulator by the legislature would erode the independence and autonomy of the NCAA.
Besides, ASRTI, other industry groups including : National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) condemned the unprofessional role of the legislature in determining the criteria to be met before the NCAA issues an operating licence to a new carrier.
General Secretary of NUATE, Comrade Ocheme Aba said it was curious to ask if the duty of a civil aviation regulator was debt recovery or providing the statutory template, standards and practises that would improve air safety.
As a major industry upheaval , Sirika unfolded plans to deliver the controversial national carrier by the first quarter of next year with three wet leased aircraft.
The declaration continues to draw flak from industry experts who said there is nothing on the ground to suggest the delivery of the ambitious project when questions on the equity structure, technical / financial private sector partners were yet to be convincingly offered.
In the period under review, the template for the concession of four international airport terminals in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano is yet to get the endorsement of industry investors , players and other interested parties.
The proposed concession of airports continues to ignite fresh controversies, though Sirika has assured that no jobs would be lost to the exercise.
But, it is entirely not tail wind for the strategic sector as some indigenous carriers scaled up their acts in the period under review.
Local carriers : Ibom Air, Air Peace, Overland Airways, United Nigeria Airlines, Green Africa Airways, Aero Contractors in the period under review made bold statements with the acquisition of brand new regional fuel - efficient jets , wet leasing of widebody aircraft and ordering of new airplanes.
While Air Peace, for instance, took delivery of its fifth Embraer 195 E -2 jets from the manufacturers in Brazil, in addition to wet leasing an Airbus , Aero Contractors on its part took delivery of two Airbuses.
United Nigeria Airlines added an Airbus 320 to its fleet of airplanes.
State - run carrier : Cally Air also acquired some aircraft to boost its operations.
Fixed wing operator : Overland Airways ordered six Embraer jets.
Speaking in an interview, its Chief Executive Officer, Captain Edward Boyo described it as a post - Pandemic recovery strategy.
Ibom Air on its part, in the period under review ordered 10 Airbuses 220 to boost its operations.
Experts say the last months witnessed a huge surge on passenger traffic on the domestic scene with higher air fares.
Investigations revealed that despite the skyrocketing prices of air tickets more people are taking to the skies on account of the state of insecurity across the country.
IResponding to this, NCAA's Director General, Captain Musa Nuhu said passenger traffic on the domestic scene has in the last few months experienced a surge.
Nuhu said the authority was processing licences for new carriers which are taking advantage of the insecurity in the country.
The NCAA boss said activities in the sector in the last three months has been a mixed bag.
Nuhu said : " I must say I am pleasantly surprised with the domestic aviation industry. We certainly have recovered from COVID -19 pandemic. Not only have we recovered from the COVID -19 level, we have passed the pre COVID -19 level. If you see the airlines from Nigeria, they have been getting clients. Right now, I have about ten to twelve aircraft on wet lease to fill in the gap of the demands of the system.
"So, the industry has done fairly well. The domestic industry is growing at a fantabulous rate. We have given a lot of Air Operators’ Certificates (AOC) and we still have about fifteen in the pipeline. We are working on it. We have airports propping up all over the place and a lot of maintenance organisations coming up.
For us to achieve the growth we have now, agencies, ministries, and stakeholders must be doing something right that is building investors’ confidence in the system. The investors are willing to put their money in the system and grow the industry.
"We will continue that way and hopefully, we want to get to a place where aviation plays very significant contributions to the gross domestic product in the short and medium terms; at least five per cent. Also, the growth is stretching the infrastructure. So, sometimes, clogs are created here and there because the system has been stretched.
"Generally, it has been hectic and stressful for us at NCAA, trying to cope with the demands everywhere, but we will keep doing what we are doing to ensure the system continues to operate safely, in an orderly and organised manner."
In the last few months, some indigenous carriers have either returned to their old routes or launched new destinations.
Aero Contractors, in the period under review, expanded its flight to the economic hub of the North Eastern Region - Bauchi Airport. Arik Air resumed operations into Asaba .
On the South Eastern flank, Air Peace and United Nigeria Airlines are in a race for dominance at the newly opened Anambra International Cargo /Passenger Airport in Umueri, some three minutes drive from the state capital, Awka.
The last twelve months also witnessed agitation for increase in ground handling rates by operators. Though the NCAA granted approval for the new rates to become effective by next year, concerns raised by the issue continue to dominate discussion in the sector.
Commenting on the matter, Nuhu said : " The issue of the handling rates was justified because for over 30 years, the handling rates were not adjusted. Imagine, these ground handlers import a lot of their equipment using foreign exchange, just like the airlines use foreign exchange to procure their machines.
"So, what affects the airlines, directly affects these ground handlers and the ground handlers are a critical component for the success of the industry. So, we sat down, compare what we charge here with that of the other countries, but because of the devaluation of naira and the non-increase of ground handling over the years, the increase looked very high.
"So, the airlines complained. Then, we mediated the issue, listened to their complaints and reduced the new rates by 25 per cent. We did this so that we don’t shock the system, but we can gradually fully increase. I learnt ground handlers have come together and know that the competition is detrimental. So, they are working together now. I think if the ground handlers can work together, they should be able to implement the new rates. The handlers were undercutting themselves in the past."
In the period under review activities in the sector attained some headwinds as the sector took full grip over measures / interventions designed by the government to pull the air transport sector out of the wounds inflicted by the COVID - 19 Pandemic , which is seeing more people returning to the skies.
Enhanced airport screening procedures, increasing vaccination among the populace and other interventions designed to curb the spread of the new variant of COVID -19 experienced some spike as demand for air travel intensified.
Experts say travel has witnessed rebound in the period under review as a few carriers including Green Africa Airways , Cally Air , Kanem Air, United Nigeria Airlines made audacious entrance into the industry raising the stakes in the logistic value chain.
The new carriers have not only deepened competition in the sector in the period under review, but has brought about competitive fares on the routes where existing carriers were charging arbitrary fares.
With a low entry fare otherwise known in aviation parlance as promotional fares, Green African Airways for instance has pushed other carriers to rethink their strategy on operations on the Lagos- Abuja, Ilorin, Akure, Ilorin, Enugu, Owerri, and Port Harcourt routes.
Besides, Green Africa Airways, which offers the lowest fares, Cally Air , Ibom Air, United Nigeria Airlines in the period under review have also upped the ante with competitive fares on major routes, which many passengers and industry watchers describe as the best thing to happen to the sector.
In the period under review, DANA Air and Ibom Air posted data indicating improvement in their on time performance on major routes even as they inked a deal on codeshare / interline agreement.
The deal according to the Chief Operating Officer of Ibom Air, Mr. George Uriesi is historic in the industry and would be a game changer for passengers desiring to connect to their destinations using a single ticket booking.
In the period under review , Air Peace expanded its flight services into Gombe, in the North Eastern Region ; Ibadan in the South Western
Speaking in an interview, industry analyst / strategist, Dr. Alex Nwuba said more people in the period under review are expressing interest to set up airlines in different categories of carriage.
Aside scheduled passenger operations, Nwuba said more players are seeking approvals to ply their trade in the cargo / logistic value chain.
Aligning his views, another industry expert , Mr. Tayo Ojuri said the optics looked better for 2021 as investors are latching on to cheaper access to aircraft leasing to flag off cargo/ courier based airlines.
Like a silver lining in the cloud , the Federal Government in the period under review facilitated N 5 billion intervention fund to indigenous carriers to cushion the effects of the pandemic on their operations.
This move was greeted with ovation in the sector, but stakeholders including the industry think tank group ; Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative ( ASRTI ) described it as a dip in the ocean as they had looked forward to N27 billion Stimulus Package designed to bail out the sector from the ravaging shocks of the pandemic.
Of significant note was the sledge hammer dangled on AZMAN Air by the industry policeman - Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for gross and serial violation of safety regulations.
To put it simply, the NCAA suspended the operations of the airline and subsequently grounded the five Boeing 737 aircraft in its fleet to pave the way for a safety, technical and economic audit of its operations.
Director General of NCAA, Captain Musa Nuhu said AZMAN Air was sanctioned for gross violation of safety regulation following a series of burst tyres on landing involving airplanes in the fleet of the airline.
Though the carrier had cast aspersions on the reputation of the NCAA and its leadership following allegations of bribery, the airline later recanted .
The NCAA had described the incidents involving AZMAN Air as an accident waiting to happen,
Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has said.
Sam Adurogboye, General Manager, Public Affairs said the NCAA was constrained to
Adurogboye explained that the suspended airline had at least three serious incidents, including burst tyres, within the past six weeks, such that the NCAA could not continue to allow such unprofessional conduct to persist without taking decisive action.
The general manager said the alarming trend of tyre failures, in combination with improper tyre maintenance procedures by the airline, were a clear and strong indication of an accident chain formation in its final stages at Azman Air.
He further explained that there was an urgent need to break the accident chain, before a completely avoidable national tragedy occurred, adding that it would not allow avoidable accidents to happen in the sector, due to the airline’s persistent professional misconduct.
“Over a period of about six weeks, Azman Air Boeing 737 aircraft, operating scheduled passenger flights, were involved in three separate incidents, resulting in damage to the aircraft, in each case, but with no loss of life, for which it was grateful to God.
The 19 page audit report by the NCAA found AZMAN Air culpable of many safety infractions as the airline was found not to be in compliance with the management personnel required for commercial air transport operations ,
with regards to provision of resources and discharge of the duties of the Accountable Manager.
It read : “This is evidenced by complete non-staffing of the Safety Management Department and staffing of the Quality Management Department with only one officer, thereby making it impossible to effectively implement Safety and Quality Management Systems functions as required by Nig.CARs 9.2.2.3 and 9.2.2.10, respectively”.
“The Accountable Manager exhibited a lack of understanding of his duties and responsibilities as contained in the Operations Manuals.
”This is further evidenced by lack of evidence of the Accountable Manager’s involvement in Management Reviews of Quality Audit Findings.
The audit report further said “the DFO exhibited a lack of understanding of his duties and responsibilities as contained in the Operations Manuals.
”Fourthly, there is evidence of poor safety culture promoted by absence of concrete action on clear safety violations by flight crew for failure to make required entries in the technical log”
' This is evidenced by lack of a Safety Manager or Safety Officers to run the Safety Management System. Lack of this has also resulted in poor management of Flight Data Monitoring Reports for safety improvements.”
The report also stated that Azman Air Ltd was found to be in violation of Nig.CARs 18.10.3 regarding the submission of monthly financial health reports to the NCAA.
“This is evidenced in Azman Air’s failure to meet up with the monthly obligation in submitting the required financial health report for months despite several reminders."
The industry from a regulatory purview was upbeat as the NCAA unveiled plans to review regulations concerning private jet operators amid threat by the Nigeria Customs Service to impound jets brought into the country without payments of relevant charges and obtaining requisite approvals.
However, the period under review provided a window for aviation unions to remind the Federal Government of its inability to deliver on promises on the setting up of a national carrier - Nigeria Air, the Aircraft Leasing Company, Concession of Airports and setting up of a Maintenance Repair Overhaul facility (MRO) .
NUATE pointed out how the minister failed to deliver projects such as the suspended national carrier, aircraft leasing company and national aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility.
Its National President, Comrade Ben Nnabue, used the May Day celebrations to address the union’s frustration over the unjust treatment meted to aviation workers by the Salaries and Wages Commission and the Head of Service.
Nnabue said: “We have persistently pointed out the folly of a one-man-show in the governance of the sector. As we all know, there are no governing boards for all the agencies in aviation, and the CEOs being direct employees of the Minister of Aviation, and the minister being the chairman of all the so-called Interim Boards, the affairs of the entire aviation industry has been contrived to be totally in the hands of one man.
“This is extremely dangerous, preposterous and truly objectionable. All our protestations on the subject over the past years have fallen on deaf ears. That stakeholders in the industry have tolerated this circumstance for all of six years is quite honestly incomprehensible.”
On the infrastructure front, the Federal Government in the period under review procured bird control equipment for FAAN to address the scourge of bird strike causing damage to aircraft engines at airports.
Besides, the government also procured a N1.7 billion mobile control towers for the Lagos and Abuja Airports in the period under review.
But, the dip in the ocean intervention would not assuage mounting complaints of obsolete airport/ air navigation equipment by pilots and air traffic controllers associations.
Comments
Post a Comment