Arik Air increases frequency on Warri route

Arik Air has increased flight frequency on the Lagos-Warri and Abuja-Warri route due to the temporary closure of Benin Airport by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

This is stated in a statement by the airline . ‘Starting June 22, 2015, Arik Air is adding an additional frequency on the Lagos-Warri route to make three daily (Monday-Friday) flights. Weekend (Saturday/Sunday) schedule is increasing from one to two flights. Similarly, the five weekly Abuja-Warri service is increasing to daily with the addition of Saturday and Sunday flights.

The new schedule will be operated from June 22 to July 10 when the Benin Airport would be closed for repair works.

The additional Lagos-Warri flight will depart Lagos daily at 11:30 am and arrive in Warri at 12:30 pm. The inbound flight leaves Warri at 1:00 pm and arrives in Lagos at 2:00 pm. This is in addition to the early morning and late afternoon flights between Lagos and Warri.’

ICAO, WHO TO ASSESS MMIA MEDICAL EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced that the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in its global effort to improve states’ preparedness, planning and responses to public health events will be visiting the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, (MMIA), today and on an Assistance visit.

According to a statement from the regulatory agency, “ICAO through its Collaborative Arrangement for the Prevention and Management of Public Health Events in Civil Aviation (CAPSCA) has been visiting different regions in the world.

This is to assess the preparedness of their aviation sectors and offer training sessions including several assistance visits to states and airports in Africa, taking into account the priorities established by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as contained in the International Health Regulations (2005).

In addition, the visit will promote and facilitate communication, cooperation, coordination and collaboration between the public health sectors in the handling of public health events.”

To this end, a CAPSCA assistance visit will be conducted in Nigeria at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) from 22nd – 23rd June, 2015.

The team will be evaluating the level of emergency medical preparedness by the various agencies operating at the Airport.

It will be recalled that the Ebola outbreak in West Africa had generated great concern and focussed attention on the aviation sector due to some reported cases linked to air travel.

The agencies involved in the assistance visit are the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA), Federal Ministry of Health/Port Health Authority, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, (NAMA) and Airline operators (foreign and domestic).

“Others are Ground Handling Agencies, Security Agencies – Nigeria Air Force, Nigeria Police Force, Directorate of State Security Services. Nigerian Immigration Service and Nigeria Customs and Excise etc.

The tourism agencies – Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) and others.

At the Airport, the following areas will be visited – Air Traffic Control Area Control Centre (ACC),Air Traffic Control Tower, Designated Aircraft Parking position, Airport and Emergency Operations Centre.

Others are Passenger Screening Location and facilities, Suspect Case and Contacts Interview and Assessment location and facilities, Affected ill passenger isolation and treatment location and facilities, Port Health and Medical Facilities and any other facility involved in public health emergency – a scenario of an aircraft arriving with a suspect case on board or a local outbreak.

At the end of the two – day visit, the CAPSCA team, the State Public Health, Civil Aviation Authority including all Assistance Visit participants will meet for a debriefing and discussion on the preliminary visit results.

The Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Capt. Muhtar Usman has called on all stakeholders to ensure maximum cooperation with the ICAO CAPSCA Assistance visit team during the exercise.”

Arik Air introduces new timings, more baggage on South Africa route

Arik Air has introduced new summer timings on the Lagos- Johannesburg route. Additionally, the baggage allowance on the route has been increased for both Premier and Economy Class passengers.

With the new timings which came into effect on June 15, 2015,  outbound daily flights now depart the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos at 1:30 pm (local time) and arrive into the OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg at 8:40 pm (local time). Inbound flights leave Johannesburg at 11:15 pm (local time) and arrive into Lagos at 4:30 am the next day.

For the new baggage allowance, Premier and Economy class passengers from Lagos to Johannesburg can carry three pieces of luggage each with Premier passengers allowed a maximum weight of 32kg per piece and Economy passengers 23kg per piece.

The advantage of the new timings is that it offers better connections from Arik Air’s regional and domestic points to Johannesburg. Abuja and Port Harcourt passengers have multiple daily connection options via Lagos to and from Johannesburg.

Similarly, the new timings offer Dakar, Banjul and Luanda passengers same day connections in both directions while passengers travelling to Cotonou and Douala via Lagos have same day connection off inbound Johannesburg flight.

The domestic and regional South African markets are also benefiting from the new timings as they can now connect same day to the Johannesburg-Lagos service.

Arik Air Executive Vice President/Managing Director, Mr Chris Ndulue commented on the new timings and increased baggage allowance:

“Times are changing for passengers flying from West to South Africa. Their request for better connecting times has now been addressed. We are a customer oriented airline and we go the extra mile to ensure that our guests have value for money.”

ICAO awards Nigeria aviation distinction over audit

Nigeria aviation has scored over 90 per cent in the just concluded audit carried out by International Civil Aviation Organisation(ICAO) team. This is contained in the information made available to the press by Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA. According to the statement, the team of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Auditors has revealed that Nigeria performed excellently in the 9 – day audit conducted on the nation’s aviation security system.

This was made known by the team leader Steven Neu who was very impressed with the National Security Programme as there were very minimal open items to be closed.

Mr Neu said,’’ Nigeria surpassed our expectations. We reviewed the 2008 audit before we commenced this exercise but we discovered there have been massive improvements in the security systems at the airports.’’

‘’To Nigeria’s credit all the minimal open items were closed immediately. The audit was focused on the eight critical elements.

The Team Leader said Nigeria is one of the first countries in the world to go through the USAP Continuous Monitoring Assessment (CMA) Audit. He heaped praises on all the security agencies at the airports – the aviation security, Nigerian police airport command, DSS, Port Health Services, Air Force, Nigerian Drug Law enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and Quarantine services.

He said now that the USAP CMA activity has been completed draft findings and recommendations will be provided to the Regulatory Authority.

After 60 days ICAO will forward the USAP CMA audit report to Nigeria. In 30 days, Nigeria will submit its comments on the audit report if any. Within another 30 days, the country will submit to ICAO its Corrective Action Plan (CAP).

The Director General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA), Capt. Muhtar Usman thanked the ICAO Auditors for a very thorough and transparent audit.

He expressed joy that Nigeria’s performance was higher than the preceding audit in 2008.Usman assured ICAO that Nigeria will not rest on her oars but will continue to ensure that our air transport operation is secure and safe.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA), will soon commence preparation for the ICAO’s Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) coming up in November, later this year.

While the USAP takes cognisance of states’ security at the airports, the ultimate goal of USOAP is promoting global aviation safety through regular audits of safety oversight systems in all ICAO member states.

Gulfstream, Skyjet bring G650 to Lagos

Skyjet Aviation Services Limited  announced that in conjunction with Gulfstream that G650 aircraft will be in Lagos, Nigeria for demo. According to Skyjet’s Sales Director, Mr. Bruce Fullerton, “We are pleased to advise that Gulfstream Aerospace, in conjunction with SkyJet Aviation Services, will be bringing a Gulfstream G650 demonstrator to Nigeria, June 9th, 10th, 11th, & 12th, 2015. The aircraft will be based at the ExecuJet FBO, M/M Airport, FAAN Transit Road, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria.

“Gulfstream engineers partnered with a customer advisory board to envision an aircraft that would set a new standard in business travel. Working from that input, engineers rejected the status quo with a clean-sheet design. They pushed for more performance in every aspect. With the G650’s long, unfettered wing, they redefined how air flows over an aircraft wing, creating a highly efficient airfoil that delivers speed and an incredibly smooth ride.

What Gulfstream delivers in the G650 is a jet that flies at more than 92 percent of the speed of sound for thousands of miles with fly-by-wire precision. That same design innovation created a quieter, roomier, more adaptable cabin teeming with advanced technology.” http://www.gulfstream.com/aircraft/gulfstream-g650

SkyJet Aviation Services is Gulfstream’s commercial sales representative in central Africa. The company has its headquarters in Kaduna and has offices in Lagos and Abuja.

SAHCOL ABUJA STATION GETS ISAGO CERTIFICATION

The Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL) announced that its Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja Station has passed the International Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO), conducted by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

 According to the organization, ‘This implies that SAHCOL, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja has now modeled its operations to the ISAGO standards, as a result making a commitment to operate to globally accepted industry best practices.

 The registration which shall be valid till January 2017, in accordance with the provisions of the ISAGO Program Manual is to cover the  operational disciplines of Organizational and Management(ORM), Load Control (LOD), Passenger and Baggage Handling (PAB), Aircraft Handling and loading (HDL), Aircraft Ground Movement (AGM), and Cargo and Mail Handling (CGM).’

SAHCOL's Lagos Station was first certified in 2011, and recertified in 2013. The certification of the Abuja Station, now brings to two the number of SAHCOL stations admitted on the IATA website as an "ISAGO Registered Provider", having undergone an ISAGO Audit and cleared all findings..

The ISAGO audit, which is modeled after the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) for airlines, is conducted in a standardized and consistent manner, utilizing internationally recognized quality auditing principles, aiming to improve safety and cut airline costs by drastically reducing ground accidents and injuries.

The benefits of ISAGO are enormous, amongst which are; elimination of redundant audits, less damage and less audits, uniform audit process and harmonized standards , improved safety oversight , harmonized auditor training and qualifications , improved quality standards as well as the enhancement of the understanding of high risk areas within ground operations.

SAHCOL is resolved to provide quality and efficient Passenger, Ramp and Cargo Handling Services in line with best practices and the highest International Standards to the delight of  its customers and benefits of all Stakeholders, utilizing State-of-the-art equipment, skills, procedures and facilities, and employing a dedicated workforce in all its operational bases.

SAHCOL is poised to become a reference point where the efficiency of a successful flight operation is born. Hence, in addition to the completion of an ultramodern first-of-its-kind Custom Bonded Cargo Warehouse  at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, SAHCOL is committed to ensuring that ground handling to its customers is seamless.

SAHCOL was bought over by the Sifax Group in December 2009, after its successful privatization by the Federal Government of Nigeria. Within this period, SAHCOL has invested in continuous personnel development for optimum performance, good customer services, purchase of modern equipment and massive infrastructural development, which has helped reposition the company to meet the expectations and needs of its growing list of clientele.

Embraer appoints ExecuJet Aviation Nigeria new Authorized Service Centre

Phenom 300

Embraer Executive Jets has appointed ExecuJet Aviation Nigeria Ltd as a new Authorized Service Centre. Located in Lagos, Nigeria, ExecuJet is able to offer Embraer Phenom 300 Line Maintenance services in the Western Africa region.

This is according to a press release by the aircraft manufacturer.  “We are pleased to provide executive jet customers with one more option for their maintenance services in Africa,” said Pedro Paiva, Vice President Customer Support & Services, Europe, Middle East & Africa. “As the Phenom 300 fleet is growing in the region, this appointment shows the Embraer‘s commitment to offer the best and closest support for our customers.

ExecuJet Nigeria has joined the Embraer global network for its executive jets that has over 75 service centre worldwide. This network is complemented by the company’s 24/7 Customer Service Center at its headquarters in São José dos Campos, Brazil.

Embraer is one of the world’s leading executive jet manufacturers, having entered the business aviation market in 2000 with the Legacy jet, which led to the launch of Embraer Executive Jets in 2005.