Nigeria And IATA’s ‘Iron Lady Of African Aviation’ Crowned Winner Of 2021 Ato Girma Wake Lifetime Achievement Award

Nigeria and International Air Transport Association (IATA’s), Adefunke Adeyemi, fondly called ‘Iron Lady of African Aviation’ has been named the winner of the  ‘2021 Ato Girma Wake Lifetime Achievement Award’.

According to AviaDev, the organizer of the recognition: “All award winners are nominated and chosen by the AviaDev advisory board who consists of recognized experts in African aviation. Jon Howell, CEO, and Founder of, AviaDev said “We are delighted our advisory board nominated Adefunke. Her passion for the industry is contagious and she has been a leading light, balancing pragmatism and positivity in equal measure during the last 12 months. This leadership has been vital during some of the darkest times our great industry has known.”

On receiving the news of the award, Adefunke, according to AviaDev said:  “I am deeply humbled to receive this award. Africa is a continent with immense talent in aviation and across the board and I’m proud to represent the people of Africa through this award to continue to promote the integration, prosperity, unity, and emancipation of Africa. My passion for Africa and aviation keep burning brighter and I remain committed to working with partners like AviaDev and so many others to ensure the growth and sustainability of African aviation.”

Ato Girma Wake who received the first award and following the award has been named in his honor said “This is great news. The iron lady of African Aviation deserves the award. I am very happy that due recognition is served to a very accomplished member of the industry. Congratulations and thanks are appropriate at this time to Adefunke for being the advocate of African Aviation.”

She was recently honored as one of the 200 globally Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) in affiliation with the United Nations Decade for People of African Descent. She is a lawyer, advocate, global aviation expert, and executive mentor with a career spanning over 20 years, and has spearheaded numerous leadership and capacity building initiatives for aviation and other sectors in Africa and the Middle East region over the past 15 years. Read more

Hope Rising for Leasing Company

The Ministry of Aviation recently notified the industry that the federal government’s plan to establish aircraft leasing company is still in progress. Chinedu Eze writes that the initiative will significantly improve capacity of Nigerian airlines and could bring down airfares.

The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika recently announced that the federal government has progressed in its plan to establish aircraft leasing company and make it easier for Nigerian carriers and others in West Africa to lease aircraft. Government said the leasing company would provide opportunities for Nigerian and African airlines in order to boost fleet size; alleviate the problems of aircraft leasing and the attendant high insurance premium charges.

The Ministry of Aviation said the aircraft leasing company has been structured as a joint venture between the government and the private sector, adding that its business objectives would be to initially lease aircraft from international lessors and subsequently sub-lease to African airlines and in the future acquire and own its aircraft. Read more

United Airlines Not Giving Up On Washington-Lagos Direct Flight

Despite the slow recovery of the air transport market battered by the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States’ United Airlines has not backed down on its ambition to commence the only Washington-Lagos flight in 2021 Spring.

Not setting a definite date, the airline had earlier said: “The new route is subject to government approval and tickets will be available for purchase on united.com and the United app in the coming weeks.”

According to a source from the carrier, who is aware of the development   “United is looking forward to offering the only nonstop service between Lagos and Washington, D.C. with a new, three-times-weekly service. United will announce a start date and inform travelers when our flights will be available for purchase in the coming weeks.” 

On September 9, 2020. United Airlines disclosed intended operations to two West African countries (Nigeria and Ghana). The carrier then said: “United will become the only U.S. carrier serving Accra nonstop from Washington, D.C. and the only airline to serve Lagos nonstop from Washington, D.C., with three weekly flights to each destination beginning in late spring 2021. The Washington metropolitan area has the second-largest population of Ghanaians in the United States, and Lagos is the largest Western African destination from the United States. Now, with 65 different U.S. cities connecting through Washington Dulles, United will offer convenient one-stop connections to Western Africa.” Read more

‘Why Merger of Airlines Will Not Work in Local Sector’ – Mshelia

Aviation trainer and Chief Executive Officer of West Link Airlines, Capt. Ibrahim Mshelia, in this interview with WOLE OYEBADE of The Guardian Newspaper, looks at the challenges facing private local operators, prospects of collaboration for survival and why Nigeria Airways died.

A lot has been said about the defunct Nigeria Airways and its collapse. Some said it failed due to mismanagement, others blamed workers. What is your view?
First and foremost, I will talk about the airline’s structure before talking about the staff and management. The truth is that Nigeria Airways was not created for profitability with the way it ran and the structure it had. The airline had a yearly budget. But how can the airline have a yearly budget? The government pays for all its A, B, C and D checks, and other mandatory obligations. But because the airline had a budget, every government department then flew Nigeria Airways with warrant officers for free. In the military, for instance, ranks from Colonel and above flew in First Class cabins. Those below got Economy Class. For government establishments, Directorship level also got First Class and the rest, Economy. That was how the airline ran. It wasn’t meant for profit. So, how will it survive?x

Also, the presidency didn’t have an aircraft designated to it. Whenever the presidency had a function, they would just pull out an aircraft immediately, either for local or international operations. There was a time the scheduled flights of the airline were just disrupted midway. That was how even the government contributed to the death of the airline.

Now, how did staff and management contribute to its death? It is corruption. Everybody was helping him or herself through the airline. Everyone was employed based on the quota system. But you will begin to get it wrong when you apply the quota system in the aviation sector. The management of the airline did employ mediocres into places they should not be; give people positions above their levels and qualifications, thereby demoralising other staff that are better qualified. There were cases in which Station Managers were sacked or recalled for not doing the biddings of some people in government, especially when they wanted their non-revenue luggage to be given priority above luggage of fee-paying passengers. Read more

Proposed National Carrier Gets $250m Lifeline 

About three years after its unveiling in London, the Federal Government has relived hope of the new national carrier with a funding offer above $250 million.

The Ministry of Aviation, in a memo, disclosed that the private sector would avail the fund, in line with the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) design for the ‘Nigeria Air’.

The Federal Government on July 18, 2018, unveiled the name and logo of the proposed carrier at the Farnborough International Public Air show in London, United Kingdom (UK) ahead of the planned initial take-off on December 24 of that year. The lack of budgetary provision and criticism by the public forced the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, to “temporarily” ditch the December 2018 roll-out plan.

The national carrier is to replace the defunct Nigeria Airways that ceased operations in 2003. The replacement was designed as a PPP project with the Federal Government likely to own as much as 10 per cent stake.

The equity was earlier backed by N47 billion in the 2019 budget to help the airline take off after it reached the procurement stage in early 2019. The carrier was also listed in both the 2020 budget and the recent N27 billion aviation intervention fund proposed by the government in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more

Airlines Yet To Resume In-Flight Catering Services

Two months after the federal government lifted a ban on in-flight catering services on domestic routes, most of the airlines have not commenced the services, findings have shown.

The federal government had suspended in-flight catering services after the resumption of flights which were suspended due to the COVID-19.

The suspension of catering was in line with the COVID-19 protocols put in place by the former Presidential Task force on COVID-19.

But on March 22, the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, disclosed that the ban on catering services has been lifted and that airlines can now begin to serve the usual pack of snacks and biscuits in-flight.

The minister explained that the decision was taken into consideration by the businesses involved in the provision of in-flight refreshments that have been adversely affected by the suspension. Read more

COVID-19: Kuwait approves London flights

Cairo: Kuwait’s civil aviation authorities have reportedly approved operating direct flights to London starting later this month, as the country is planning to increase the traveller capacity of its airport amid eased restrictions against COVID-19.

On Thursday, Kuwait ended a health nighttime curfew that had been in force since March.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued approvals to the Kuwait Airways and Jazeera Airways to start flying to London with three flights a week starting May 22, a DGCA official source said.

The source expected that British Airways will request approval for operating direct flights with Kuwait in the coming period as the summer travel season sets in.

“Kuwait has no objection to direct British Airways flights to and from Kuwait,” the source told Al Anba newspaper. Read more

Indian Budget Carrier GoAir Plans IPO to Raise $491 mln

Indian budget carrier Go Airlines Ltd has filed for an initial public offering aiming to raise 36 billion rupees ($491 million), a move that comes as airlines try to bolster finances to cope with the latest disruptions caused by the pandemic.

A second wave of COVID-19 infections in India is taking a heavy toll on domestic airlines, which were taking initial steps back towards normality after a nationwide lockdown hampered their operations for months in 2020.

The company, which is in the process of rebranding itself as “Go First”, plans to use the money raised from the IPO to repay loans, which total more than 20 billion rupees, and clear other dues, it said in a filing.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has had an adverse impact on our business … the duration and spread of the pandemic or another pandemic could result in an additional adverse impact on our business,” Go Airlines said in the filing. Read more

Boeing Wins FAA OK for 737 MAX Electrical Fix, Notifies Airlines

Boeing Co (BA.N) on Wednesday won approval from U.S. regulators for a fix of an electrical grounding issue that had affected about 100 737 MAX airplanes, clearing the way for their quick return to service after flights were halted in early April, the planemaker said.

An FAA official confirmed that the agency had approved the service bulletins and associated instructions.Boeing sent two bulletins to air carriers on Wednesday on the fixes.

“After gaining final approvals from the FAA, we have issued service bulletins for the affected fleet,” Boeing told Reuters. “We are also completing the work as we prepare to resume deliveries.”

The announcement is a relief for U.S. air carriers that have been anxiously waiting to get the planes back into service before the traditional late May start to the summer travel season as air travel demand increases. Read more

South African Airways Aims To Resume Flights Before September

South African Airways (SAA) aims to restart flights before September, the airline’s chief executive has said. However, the airline will closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and is also looking to resolve an ongoing pilot dispute before committing to a firm date.

South African looks to restart in July or August

After canceling all commercial operations in September last year, SAA is looking to resume flights before September this year. The airline has set a tentative target of July or August, although it will depend on the progression of the pandemic.

Additionally, SAA is currently dealing with a pilot dispute involving salary payment and proposed layoffs. The disagreement has been going on for months, with no resolution currently in sight. The airline plans to meet with pilots again today to arrive at a solution. Read more

Korean Air swings into profit for 4th consecutive quarter

While most of the airlines are still counting losses amid the ongoing pandemic, the Seoul-based carrier Korean Air has swung into operating profit for the fourth consecutive quarter.

On May 14, 2021, the biggest South Korean airline Korean Air announced that it ended the first quarter of 2021 with an operating profit of 124.5 billion won ($110 million). 

Following the financial report, sales fell 24% year-on-year to 1.7498 trillion won ($1.544 billion) due to low passenger demand caused by the pandemic. However, despite low numbers in passenger traffic, the cargo demand tipped the balance and made an operating profit possible.

“Korean Air maximized cargo operations by fully utilizing its 23 freighters, operating cargo-only passenger flights and converting passenger jets into freighters,” read the airline’s statement. 

According to Korean Air estimates for the second quarter of 2021, the cargo business is expected to be positive because of a “lack of belly cargo supply of passenger flights, a recovery of global trade, and increased shipping and logistics demand”. 

However, the outlook of the international air travel recovery still continues to be dimmed by the ongoing pandemic and travel restrictions. Korean Air said it would operate its network flexibly to meet all the factors and trends that the COVID-19 pandemic presents. Despite the challenges in customers’ operations, Korean Air succeeded in increasing passenger sales by operating chartered flights for repatriation and business as well as flights to nowhere. Read more