New Telegraph

Evaluating dangers of regulatory interference

Nigeria is at the edge of other missteps with so many calls and pronouncements from politicians on aviation activity control even as the regulator, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), remains strong and more effective in its functions. WOLE SHADARE writes

 

 

Global aviation bodies lend voices

Sometimes in June 2021, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) called on the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to maintain the critical separation between politics and aviation safety issues.

Even, the global aviation regulatory body, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), has maintained the same stance.

According to IATA, the clearing house for over 290 global airlines, “aviation safety and regulation must never be politicised.”

IATA had condemned the actions of the Belarus Government and called for an independent investigation, adding that banning European aircraft from using Belarusian airspace with a safety directive was also a politicisation of aviation safety.

The group described the action and much other political interference in safety matters as retrograde and disappointing development.

Recent pronouncements

No where is political interference more manifest than a recent pronouncement from the House of Representatives, a bunch of politicians, on how best the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) should run its activities in the name of ‘oversight’ functions.

 

The pronouncement from them, last week, brings the sector back to the Dark Age where NCAA was a rubber stamp of many politicians who influence not only regulatory duties, but chose who becomes anything in the aviation sector.

To further highlight their power over regulatory functions, NCAA was told not to issue Air Operators’ Certificate (AOC) to the Nigeria Eagle Airline being

 

 

 

milestone for RwandAir and marks the beginning of an exciting new journey with Qatar Airways. We are also immensely proud to welcome Doha to our route network, connecting customers with Qatar’s hub and further expanding their flight map.

 

“This codeshare agreement will give our customers significantly more choice and flexibility, allowing RwandAir to strengthen its global presence and build on its strong and loyal African customer base.

 

As we continue to grow out of the pandemic, this partnership represents yet another extremely important step on our recovery runway, and we hope to deliver more commitments like this to our customers in the very near future.”

 

His Excellency, Mr. Akbar Al-Baker, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, said: “We share a very close and collaborative bond with Rwanda and welcome RwandAir’s new non-stop service between Kigali and our home in Doha.

 

“With this comprehensive codeshare agreement, we are committed to delivering greater choice and connectivity to our customers in Africa and around the world. The new partnership will help position Qatar Airways in the region and complement our African expansion strategy.

“As we brace ourselves to meet pent-up demand for travel, I see dynamic partnerships like this one propel travel, tourism, and trade firmly on the path to recovery.”

 

The new codeshare will enable RwandAir customers to book attractive offers to popular destinations in the U.S, such as New York, Washington D.C., Dallas, and Los Angeles.

 

The partnership will also see these offers extend to key European cities, such as London, Zurich, and Madrid, and points across Asia, such as Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Bangkok.

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