Reps Mulls Single Security Administration for Airports
The House of Representatives is spearheading a major reform of the nation’s international airports in support of the federal government’s Ease of Doing Business, (EODB) initiative that would usher in a single security screening point for arriving and departing passengers.
Currently, there are many security operatives including the Nigerian Customs Services, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Nigerian Quarantine Service, the Nigerian Immigration Service, Department of State Security (DSS), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Aviation Security (AVSEC), Nigeria Air Force and the Nigeria Police.
House of Representatives said the campaign for one security apparatus followed the outcome of the meeting with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, House Committee on Aviation, Committee Chairman on Health that of Agriculture Services, and other relevant Committees’ Chairmen on which also included the leaderships of all the agencies operating at the airports and the Special Adviser to the President on the Ease of Doing Business, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole.
It was gathered that the end of the crucial interaction which lasted for hours, Gbajabiamila, based on the contributions from the stakeholders on how to achieve international best practices, urged the Chairman of the Committee on Aviation, Nnolim Nnaji, and other relevant Committees’ Chairmen to work with the heads of the aviation agencies to come up within two weeks a Bill that would ensure a single security outfit similar to Transport Security Administration, (TSA) in United States of America that would take charge of security at the airports. Read more
SAA to Restart Lagos-Johannesburg Operations
South African Airways (SAA), yesterday, concluded plans to resume the Lagos-Johannesburg operations beginning from December 12, 2021. The carrier, just emerging from crisis, has brought options on the lucrative route that also has Air Peace airlines.
SAA has been flying to Nigeria for the past 23 years and the resumption of the service is a welcome addition to its growing continental offering.
The interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of South African Airways, Thomas Kgokolo, in a statement, said the Lagos destination takes SAA into one of the biggest travel markets in Africa, and “we are delighted that we are again able to resume operations, providing a link between Africa’s two biggest economies.”
Kgokolo said the service is part of SAA’s gradual growth strategy, having resumed full operations in September. He said: “Our intention is to continue to develop our route network driven by passenger demand and revenue potential. We are constantly evaluating opportunities, both locally, regionally, and internationally.”
He further stated that not only does the Lagos-Johannesburg route function as a key economic link between the two countries but would also service the burgeoning tourism market in both countries.
He disclosed that SAA would continue in partnership with South African Tourism to promote the country in Nigeria in the expectation that it would lead to more visitors now that international pandemic travel restrictions are being revised.
South African Airways had on September 23rd, 2021 resumed operations after a year of inactivity and almost 18 months without a commercial flight.
The carrier initially offered flights from Johannesburg to Cape Town, Accra, Kinshasa, Harare, Lusaka, and Maputo.
SAA has not flown any commercial flights since March 2020 and ceased all cargo and repatriation flights in September last year.
Kgokolo said: “After months of diligent work, we are delighted that SAA is resuming service and we look forward to welcoming onboard our loyal passengers and flying the South African flag. We continue to be a safe carrier and adhere to COVID-19 protocols.” Read more
We’ll Begin Commercialising Weather Forecast Services –Matazu, NiMET DG
Flight delays and cancellations due to inclement weather remains one of the many challenges facing the aviation industry and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) has consistently provided weather advisory for the sector to aid its operations.
However, this service has for a long contributed to over 90 percent of the agency’s revenue.
But according to the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NiMET, Prof. Bako Mansur Matazu, who was appointed in March this year, the agency is working hard to diversify its streams of income rather than depending on what it is getting from the aviation sector.
To achieve this, the agency is working on commercializing more of its services and Matazu projects that before the end of next year, it would have increased the ratio of revenue from other sectors from 10 to 30 percent and above. He speaks on this and other matters: Excerpts
Commercialization
Our main mandate is to provide weather climate services and advisory to the government and Nigerians and this we do in three layers – one is the public weather service which includes the daily and weekly weather forecast. The second is the climate support service for the Ministry of Agriculture, Health, Works, Maritime and others rely on the data that we provide to be able to plan their activities. We also give support to MDAs at no cost. The last one is the delivery of products and services based on requests from organizations and individuals which involve a lot of work and that is the area that we are commercializing, especially in the maritime industry just like the aviation industry.
Ships coming into Nigeria usually buy important information from other sources around the globe and Nigeria is losing revenue, so we are working on something that would be signed in the next few weeks with Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA). We have already started providing skeletal services to the industry through NIMASA and with the full implantation of the Memorandum of Understanding, there is a charge attached to such services just like we have in aviation. The other aspect we are looking at is agriculture where we can provide services for farmers to be able to get a forecast at a micro-mini -cost, maybe from the data that he utilizes. So, we are collaborating with the telecom providers where we will provide detailed forecasts that farmers can receive on the phones. Read more
Airlines Move to Cut Down Cost of Operations, Set to Acquire New Fleet
The trend is beginning to change for Nigerian airlines as they begin to acquire brand new fleet, which saves fuel, has less maintenance cost and improves safety with hi-tech advancement.
At the on-going Dubai Air Show, two Nigerian carriers, Ibom Air and Overland Airways have ordered for brand new aircraft from Airbus and Embraer respectively, thus joining Air Peace, which has already started receiving its 13 brand new Embraer E195-E2.
On Monday Embraer announced a firm order from Overland Airways for three Embraer E175 regional jets.
Speaking at the Dubai Airshow, President and CEO of Overland Airways, Capt. Edward Boyo, said, “We are confident that this is the right moment to invest, as regional aviation is on an optimistic post-pandemic recovery. Our customers will really enjoy all comfort in the E175, and we appreciate our partnership with Embraer.”
Also on Tuesday, Ibom Air announced an order of 10 Airbus A220, which delivery would start from the first quarter of 2003.
The new aircraft, A220 burns 20 per cent lower fuel per seat compared to previous generation aircraft and flies to a range of up to 3,400 nm (6,297 km), offering performance similar to larger, single-aisle aircraft.
Ibom Air noted that the A220s have combination of a superior cabin product and low operating costs, which are a perfect fit for the airline’s network growth strategy and would help the airline offer its customers an unrivaled value proposition.
Industry observers said this is a significant break from the past when domestic airlines do with already existing fleet and with the new trend, entrants into the sector would take a cue from the operators.
Over a decade after the defunct Nigeria Airways Limited acquired new aircraft, Arik Air broke the jinx and acquired brand new aircraft for its fleet and after many years, Air Peace which joined the market in 2014 began to acquire brand new fleet, which its delivery started early this year. Read more
Reps to Harmonise Airport Security Agencies, Multiple Charges
•Customs, NDLEA absent at steering meeting as stakeholders okay move
In reaction to multiple charges and official extortion at the nation’s ports of entry, the House of Representatives has begun moves to harmonise all security agencies into a single unit.
The model, which is the standard practice at modern airports globally, aims to neuter bureaucratic bottlenecks and malfeasance that connive to mock the Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business initiative.
Already, aviation stakeholders have warmed up to the reform on free movement of persons and goods, describing it as overdue. The Guardian recently reported that perennial sundry charges that are levied at local and international airports nationwide placed Nigeria among the most expensive aviation countries in Africa.
In fact, foreign cargo airlines and local exporters are fast ditching the multi-billion-dollar worth of Nigeria’s agro-export end over stifling official bottlenecks at airports.
Besides the hurdles of importing into the country, more complicated roadblocks have been mounted by government agencies in the forms of extortions, harassments and over 16 multiple charges on export goods, causing international cargo airlines to prefer flying out of Nigeria empty.
The development caused Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, to summon a meeting of members of the House Committee on Aviation, Committee Chairman on Health, leaderships of all the agencies operating at airports and the Special Adviser to the President on the Ease of Doing Business, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole.
Conspicuously absent at the meeting held this week, however, were the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), whose officials have consistently got fingered as the worst culprits. Read more
Brussels Airlines Confirms its Position in the Market with a New Brand Identity
Brussels Airlines keeps its focus on the African continent
BRUSSELS, Belgium, 18 November, 2021 -/African Media Agency(AMA)/- Today, Brussels Airlines presents a new brand identity, confirming its position in the market as Belgium’s home carrier and the Africa expert of the Lufthansa Group. Updated colours, a new logo and aircraft livery are the visual token of the airline’s new chapter, stating its readiness for future challenges and reemphasizing on the importance of the Belgian brand. A chapter with a strong focus on customer experience, reliability and sustainability while keeping a competitive cost-structure.
As a consequence of the COVID-19 crisis, Brussels Airlines accelerated and intensified in 2020 its transformation plan Reboot Plus, in order to pave the way for a future-proof company that is able to face the competition, with a sound and healthy cost structure.
After the restructuring, the company started the second phase of its Reboot Plus plan: the build-up and improvement phase. Brussels Airlines now turns its attention to the future with strategic investments in an improved customer experience, new technologies, digitization, new ways of working, and the development of its employees.
The Belgian company is transforming to become a healthy, profitable airline that offers perspectives to its customers, partners and employees; an airline with a constant focus on the environment and the reduction of its ecological footprint. A New Brussels Airlines.
“We want to clearly mark the start of the New Brussels Airlines. For our customers, who deserve the best, but also for our employees, who are committed to the transformation that we’re pushing forward and to which they contribute every day. That is why today we present the visual translation of our new start. With this new brand identity, we are ready to show our customers, our employees, our partners and all other stakeholders that we are turning a page. As one of the four Lufthansa Group network airlines, we are building the way towards a promising future. We see this new brand identity as a symbol of confidence in our company – re-emphasizing our identity as Belgium’s home carrier.”– Peter Gerber, CEO of Brussels Airlines
During the coronavirus crisis, the African network of Brussels Airlines remained the most important market for the company, with the most stable flight offer. Also in the future, Brussels Airlines will continue to serve as the African competence center for the Lufthansa Group and continue to invest in the continent. Read more
Immigration Chief Reads Riot Act to Airport Personnel
The Acting Comptroller-General of Immigration (Ag. CGI), Isa Idris Jere, has cautioned officers and men of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Command to desist from extorting passengers. He said the service would spare no efforts to punish offenders.
Jere, who spoke during a visit to the airport, said extortion by either Immigration personnel or anybody attached to any of the security agencies, does not only tarnish the image of the country but also brings their work to ridicule as ambassadors at the country’s entry /exit points.
He said the NIS was getting embarrassed with the content of the videos circulated to the public about alleged extortion at airports.
He said the NIS would investigate those involved in the unwholesome conduct.
Jere said the NIS was collaborating with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and other security agencies at airports across the country to improve passenger facilitation through increased check-in desks and other facilities to scale up their operations.
He said NIS personnel are part of the aviation security meetings at the airport whose mandate is to ensure that persons on the watch-list are not allowed to travel out of the country.
Jere said the service will not spare any officer caught in any unprofessional conduct at the nation’s airports, stressing that acts like extortion, and other vices will attract drastic action as part of efforts to salvage the nation’s image.
Jere inspected the working environment and met with the airport manager to discuss modes of improving facilitation
The Acting CG said: “We work 24/7, it’s an entry point and I came to see my officers and men inform them on the need to be courteous, to be security conscious in the entry point. There are video clips going around on extortion at airports so we need to talk to them, we need to synergize. It is not only NIS that is at the airport, but several agencies are also there and we need to do a family meeting, talk to our people and draw their attention to what is happening so they can work accordingly. Read more
Airlines Buckle Under Fuel Hike, Travel Restrictions, Others
International airlines are in dire straits over the spike in the cost of aviation fuel and spiral effect on the cost of operations. Amid the upswing in passenger traffic across the regions, operators are contemplating a rise in airfares to cover the cost, though at the risk of eroding gains in travel demands.
Already, aviation fuel is at its highest price since 2014 due to the elevated price of oil, with the U.S. jet fuel benchmark at $2.27 a gallon last week, a 25 percent increase from three months ago.
Locally, the price of aviation fuel in Nigeria has been on the rise since January. The commodity price had spiked from N200/litre in January to about N315/litre, raising concerns for airline operators.
Indeed, airlines and travel agencies are forecasting a significant increase in the number of travelers over the Christmas period, as lockdowns continue to ease, and several international travel routes reopen. The worry is the cost of fuel, travel restrictions and even depleted workforce on some of the airlines.
With most airlines no longer receiving government financial support, which had helped many firms keep afloat during the worst period of the pandemic, companies are having to employ and pay more pilots, flight attendants, travel agents, and airport staff to meet the growing demand with their own finances, betting on the return.
For flights booked before the price of jet fuel increased so much, it seems likely that airlines will take a loss, increasing the price of future flights to make back some of this money.
The winter rush is bittersweet, as airlines must contend with higher flight and employment costs, betting on the stability of the international COVID-19 situation – where lockdowns are minimal and travel routes remain open – to reap the rewards. Read more
Sources: The Guardian, ThisDay Live, SunNewsOnline, NationOnline