Tag: airlines

African airlines face extinction, lose $6bn in revenue –IATA

Wole Shadare

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has lamented the fate of African airlines occasioned by the devastating effects of COVID-19. Speaking at a media roundtable, IATA’s Vice President, Africa and Middle East, Muhammad Ali, said the continent’s carriers are currently battling for survival. Ali stressed that already, Air Mauritius has entered voluntary administration, South African Airways and SA Express are in business rescue. He noted that other distressed carriers have placed staff on unpaid leave or signalled their intention to cut jobs. In the Middle East, he said Etihad Airways,…

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At-risk national airlines: Africa’s dilemma

Wole Shadare

Over 50 African countries continue to dabble in the airline industry despite the continent’s poor track record, mainly because a national carrier is believed to be a source of patriotic pride and economic status – both of which are seldom borne out in reality. WOLE SHADARE writes     Sing song The sing song in Africa for now is national carrier. Governments may need to ask if there’s still value to having a national carrier other than patriotism or pride. And they may wonder whether it still makes sense to…

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Ethiopian Airlines to offer shares to African countries

Andrew Iro Okungbowa

Ethiopian Airlines with the inroads that it has made in aviation in Africa and successes recorded by it in the global market as an African airline with the largest network, destinations and fleet, and focus on getting Africa to the world, the stage is now set for African countries to be part owners of the government owned airline. This indication was given by the Group Chief Executive Officer of the airline, Tewolde Gabremariam, when he suggested that it would a welcome development to have willing African countries partner owners of…

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Foreign airlines’ frequency to Nigeria rises

Wole Shadare

Int’l airlines enjoy 90% market shares     Amid multiple designation rows, foreign airlines’ frequency to Nigeria is increasing by the day, New Telegraph has learnt. In a data released by African Aviation Services Limited and made available to our correspondent, foreign airlines operate over 300 frequencies weekly into and out of Nigeria. Ethiopian Airlines has the highest entry points into Nigeria, which is five. Ethiopian and ASKY together operate 54 frequencies weekly into Nigeria. British Airways and Virgin Atlantic operate 21 frequencies weekly into Nigeria. The breakdown further shows…

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Airlines to adjust fares over oil price surge

Wole Shadare

The rise in the oil price is putting the squeeze on airline costs and is likely to lead to a rise in air fares, industry experts told New Telegraph yesterday. The oil price, which typically accounts for around 30 per cent of an airline’s costs, has risen 52 per cent since May this year to around $76 a barrel. Airlines are paying more for fuel and passengers may soon pay more to fly. A spike in fuel prices, generally airlines’ biggest cost after employee pay, is eating away at carriers’…

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Airlines have right to investigation processes – AIB

Wole Shadare

The Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) said airlines had a right to participate in any investigation launched to look into accidents involving their organisation. The Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the AIB, Mr. Akin Olateru, made this known at the weekend in Abuja at the end of a training exercise organised for key operators in the aviation industry. According to him, there is need for airlines to understand the procedures surrounding accidents in the sector, and it is their rights as an organisation should an accident occur. While urging the…

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Nigerian airlines spend over N120bn on aviation fuel

Wole Shadare

Operators meet over skyrocketing cost There are indications that scheduled domestic airlines in the country may have spent over N120 billion on aviation fuel in the last five years. This is coming as airline operators are meeting to seek solution to escalating price of aviation fuel, otherwise known as Jet A1. Over 40 per cent of the cost could have been saved if Jet A1 is refined in the country and distributed directly without the attendant long chain of middle men. The Managing Director of Medview Airlines, Alhaji Muneer Bankole,…

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Absence of night operations costs airlines N50bn yearly

Wole Shadare

●Aerodromes lack airfield lightings     The bleeding of Nigerian airlines could be curtailed if all the international airports across the country have facilities to ensure 24 hours operations, which could generate additional N50 billion revenue for the industry, New Telegraph has learnt. Experts who spoke to this newspaper said not operating most of the airports in the country cost the airlines enormously, adding that the losses could be over N50 billion annually if they have to put all factors into consideration. Aside Lagos, Abuja, Kano airports, major airports such…

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‘Why Nigerian airlines aren’t benefiting from category 1 status’

Wole Shadare

  Despite the successful scaling of the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Category 1 audit by Nigeria, the country’s airlines are yet to maximise the benefits of the Open Skies agreement between her and the United States of America (USA). Nigeria scaled the hurdle of the audit of the safety status of the country’s civil aviation industry recently, making it to obtain, yet again, another Cat-1-Status. The retention of the Cat-1-Status is coming barely three months after FAA visited Nigeria for the audit. One of the pre-conditions of the…

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How agencies lost over N100bn revenues to airlines

Correspondents

Carriers fault minister’s claim   There are indications that the various aviation agencies such as the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) have continued to lose revenues to airlines and concessionaires because of lack of accurate computation.   Consequently, nobody, not even the aviation agencies, know exactly how much airlines, concessionaires and others owe the various agencies as different figures are being bandied by government, which airlines have consistently disputed.   Former Commandant, Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos…

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