Dana Air Re-launches Cloud 9 In-flight magazine

Dana Air Re-launches Cloud 9 In-flight magazine

Zainab Junaid Elesho

Passengers of Dana Air are in for an exciting flying experience as the airlines’ recently re-introduce its in-flight magazine Cloud 9.

Cloud 9' according to a release signed by Kingsley Ezenwa the airlines spokesman, is a quarterly, full-color in-flight magazine with a good blend of tourism, food, health, style, music, art, celebrity interviews, and opinion page. It is also a peek inside the exciting, picturesque destinations of Dana Air’s route network

Accountable Manager of Dana Air, Mr Obi Mbanuzuo also said that, “the re-introduction of Cloud 9 is part of our determination to meet, and even exceed the flying aspirations of our guests, by contributing towards an interesting and engaging in-flight experience.’’

He said the launch was borne out of Dana Air’s philosophy of giving more to its esteemed guests and going the extra mile to advance guests’ satisfaction has always been the driving force.

‘’We have made every effort to tailor the editorial content targeting our multicultural, multi-ethnic passengers, from the brilliant articles to the enthralling images, all have been well thought out and carefully put together to intensify the flying experience of our passengers.”

In less than seven (7) years of commencing operations, Dana Air has become one of Nigeria’s leading airlines, operating over 20 daily flights to Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt and Uyo.

The airline is reputed for its efficient customer service, world-class in-flight services, on-time departure and arrival, innovative e-airline products and high safety and quality standard.

Arik Air launches customised air travel insurance

Arik Air launches customized Air Travel Insurance

Zainab Junaid Elesho

Arik Air, West Africa’s largest carrier has launched a customized air travel insurance aimed at taking passengers flying experience to a new level.

Spokesperson for the airline, Banji Ola disclosed this in a release stating that the new air travel insurance will enable passengers to enjoy a customized domestic travel insurance on Arik Air with only N1, 000.00.

"All a passenger needs do is to buy an Arik Air ticket to any destination in Nigeria online at www.arikair.com, then buy an air travel insurance for just N1,000.00 using Verve Card, MasterCard or Visa Card.

"The insurance policy provides cover against personal accident (up to N1, 000,000.00) resulting in death, permanent disability or bodily injury within 90 days of the occurrence of the accident. The cover is from airport to airport whilst aboard Arik Air.

"The benefits also include: flight cancellation or delays of more than eight hours, N20,000.00; emergency medical expenses, up to N50,000.00; mishandled/missing baggage (inconvenience), up to N20,000.00; and damage to baggage, up to N20,000.00 per passenger.

"This insurance is not the same as the normal cover guaranteed for all passengers in case of air crash as provided for by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regulation," the statement reads.

"The air travel insurance is provided by Old Mutual Insurance Company in partnership with Risk Analyst Insurance Brokers," it said.

Commenting on the air travel insurance, Arik Air’s Managing Director, Mr. Chris Ndulue said:

“We want to take the passengers’ flying experience to a new level and that informs the decision to introduce the air travel insurance. The interests covered by the policy is quite unique and totally different from the customary cover provided for all passengers in case of an air crash”v

Arik Air increases frequency on Lagos, Douala route

SAHCOL to provide Ground Handling Services as South Africa Airways intoduces Abuja entry point

SAHCOL to provide Ground Handling Services as South Africa Airways intoduces Abuja entry point

Zainab Junaid Elesho

The Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL), has been named by South African Airways as a preferred Ground Handler in its Abuja operations.

BASIL AGBOARUMI, General Manager,Corporate Communications,for SAHCOL disclosed this adding that this award kicks off the beginning of another long standing relationship between SAHCOL and South African Airways (SAA), in providing seamless services to the airline.

By this contract, Mr. Agboarumi said the company would again have the privilege of providing fast and expedient ground handling services to the SAA operations in Abuja, in the areas of Passenger, Ramp and Cargo Handling services.

South African Airways (SAA), had on Monday, October 19, announced the introduction of a second entry point to Nigeria in its quest to enable trade and unlock mobility, which will considerably add to business travel options in the West African region.

"Adding a second gateway in Nigeria to SAA’s existing daily service to Lagos materially strengthens SAA’s position in West Africa where it plays a significant role in enabling the movement of goods and people between Southern Africa and West Africa thereby enhancing the growing trade and cultural exchanges between these two regions.

“A second entry point in Nigeria forms part of our Long-Term Turnaround Strategy, which identified growth on the African continent as one of its key objectives. Nigeria is one of the fastest growing air travel markets in Sub-Saharan Africa and will be well served with our additional services to Abuja.

“Introducing Abuja as a second entry point in Nigeria will add more travel options, especially for the business community, and will enhance our footprint on the continent,” says Sylvain Bosc, SAA Chief Commercial Officer.

“Enhancing air travel links with Nigeria speaks to the growth in bilateral relations between South Africa and Nigeria. The two countries historically have had strong economic, diplomatic, social and fraternal ties. These are the two economic powerhouses of Africa, with much more to offer and share,” says Aaron Munetsi, SAA Regional General Manager for Africa.

Abuja flights have been scheduled for seamless connectivity into SAA’s inter-continental route network to destinations such as Perth, Hong Kong and Sao Paulo. These connections will make it easy for regional traders, leisure travellers, travellers visiting friends and relatives, diplomatic communities, and international organisations from the northern and central parts of Nigeria to seamlessly connect through O.R Tambo International airport onwards to the airline’s inter-continental and regional route network," Aaron said.

Stakeholders calls for Organisational synergy in the sector

Stakeholders calls for Organisational Synergy in the Aviation Sector

Zainab Junaid Elesho

THE Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation, Hajia Bello Binta has affirmed that there is need for synergy of all organizations and stakeholders in the industry in order to achieve a “win-win situation” for the sector.

Hajia Bello made this remark in Lagos during the 21 st Annual Seminar of the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) which held at the NCAA Annex, MMIA Lagos, adding that in recognition of the need for a win-win situation in aviation, the stakeholder needs to carry everybody along in policy decisions by the regulations, so as “to ensure that diverse interests are aggregated and equitably catered for.”

Also speaking at the seminar, Capt. Muhtar Usman, Director General, NIGERIAN Civil Aviation Authority who said the year's seminar coincided with the resuscitation of the Nigeria’s first newspaper IWE IROYIN after 140 years of its demise, stated that this year’s seminar has an historic bent to it. "Your seminar is a celebration of journalism in Nigeria," he said.

Capt. Usman went further by highlighting the state of the industry and also proposing a way forward for aviation in the country in consonance with global aviation.

According to him, to have a win-win situation, the sector really needs to move in line with the Convention on International Civil Aviation (the Chicago Convention) which was originally established in 1944. "It states that signatories should collectively work to harmonise and standardise the use of airspace for safety, efficiency and regularity of air transport."

" At present, a lot of foreign airlines are finding Nigeria an investor’s basket. A total nos of 15 (Fifteen) countries have so far indicated their preparedness to sign Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) with our country. While 13 others on the threshold waiting for renegotiation of their existing BASAs. From January to July this year, the total amount of ticket sold on the domestic routes is 2,352,011,595.17 naira. While the international operators sold 8,176,919,415.10 naira, within the same period. The total volume of passengers airlifted from January – July 2015 by the domestic operators is 6,061,740 passengers while their foreign counterpart freighted 2,341,748 in similar period.

"The Regulatory Authority is determined to put in the past the hydra- headed problem of dearth of technical staff. We now have a preponderance of Aviation Safety Inspectors (ASI) and the requisite technical manpower.

"We have interviewed and employed a lot of engineers who are presently undergoing training at the Nigerian c College of Aviation Technology, (NCAT), Zaria. Against this background, it is pertinent to note that the future of aviation is now on passenger experience and aviation technology. Enhancing the customer experience is the most important driver for airline operators to embrace next generation “connected” technology, according to an Aviation CIO Outlook 2015.

"A survey was conducted by Terrapinn Connect with hundreds of airlines and airports from around the world as respondents. Reportedly, 82% of the respondents cite customer experience as one of their top three (3) drivers, followed by operational efficiency (69%) and derivable revenue (55%). In other words, airlines operational efficiency should begin to gravitate towards customer centric services. If we all agree that passengers are the revenue base of all operations, there is therefore an implicit need to review our services at the airports and on board the aircraft. This will in turn provide value for money for passengers.

"To provide good and efficient services however, it can only be done with technological development. Our airlines need to join other global players and begin to strive to purchase newer aircraft and invest heavily in technology.

"We need to connect technology in line with global trends with enterprise mobility and provide Wi-Fi infrastructure at our airports.

"I am also aware that Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos and Murtala Mohammed Airport 2 have Wi-Fi facility but more airports need to be connected for customers’ comfort and seamless communication. Airline staff can deliver personalised and efficient services to passengers. Targeted marketing offerings need to be intensified to capture the much needed additional revenue from travellers. We can go further by providing automation and self service for passengers at our various airports. Technology and systems integration into our operations are bound to be expensive and could afflict our budget.However, when we achieve this, it will cause a triple win of improving experience, efficiency and generating the much needed revenue. On the Regulatory part, NCAA will continue to strengthen the Directorate of Consumer Protection (DCP).We will increase our speed in concluding the automation of our customer complaints portal. This will enable us resolve aggrieved passengers complaints in real time. When complaints are resolved in real time, the teeming passengers will look forward to another travel experience. This is the new aviation thinking and reinforced with technological development," he maintained.

Arik Air to go public in May 2016 Read more at: http://www.cityvoiceng.com/arik-air-to-go-public-in-may-2016/

trong indications have emerged that Arik Air would become a public enterprise by May 2016, as it concludes preparations to open doors for partnership from investors. The Chief Executive Officer of the airline, Chief Arumemi Ikhide Johnson, confirmed this statement at a breakfast meeting organised by Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI) in Lagos, Wednesday. Arumemi said the airline has already raised 1 billion dollars and more people are still showing interest in an ongoing private offer. According to him, the airline will go public by May 2016.

Read more at: http://www.cityvoiceng.com/arik-air-to-go-public-in-may-2016/

Funding, Ownership as bane of Nigeria ‘s aviation industry Read more at: http://www.cityvoiceng.com/funding-ownership-as-bane-of-nigeria-s-aviation-industry/

Regrettably, it has become a culture in the industry for Nigerian airlines to start businesses with billions and before the travelling public gets to enjoy their services, the airlines ran out of business. Reasons behind this anomaly vary, but this has continued to seriously shake the industry. Some of the airlines either folded up or suspend operations due to air mishaps; financial distress, or corporate policy mismanagement. Three airlines currently operate uninterrupted scheduled flights, while others engage in complementary flight operations. The three that are operating daily are Arik Air, Aero Contractors, and Med-View Airline. Overland Airways does complementary flights. Although many aviation analysts have tried to proffer solutions to the above problem, but the solutions seems not be enough to address the anomaly. The Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRI) again seeks to redress these shortcomings as it held another breakfast meeting with all aviation stakeholders in Lagos on Wednesday. OBSERVATIONS Elder Gbenga Olowo, President ASRI, lamented that the mortality rate of Nigeria carriers, which falls between 10-15 years is worrisome. “The Advancement of Aviation Sector in Nigeria has been retarded for the past 45 years (1970 to date), one wonders where the sector will be by 2050,” he said. “Just one Nigeria Airways, 45 years ago, was stronger, healthier and more efficient than 6-10 private schedule airlines economically lying in state today. Mortality rate of 10-15 years is just too high. Model, ownership, funding & sustainability remain a huge question. “Traffic and Demand for Air Travel has increased by more than 500%, in the face of acute infrastructural deficit. Government / Private ownership, policy summersault remain the bane. MMA, the number one Nigeria gateway, has only D&E fingers since 1978 (37 years) ago. Harka and Emirate Airlines recently collided on the Taxiway, in the face of other instances of near collisions and air misses in the sky. “Our airports have no car park, so to say. Approach to all the airports is like arriving into a local uncivilized market rather than a serene, clean, lush, good to behold environment as we see it globally. Passenger Processing is most cumbersome and detestable world over. Personnel lacked Training, Attitude is quite negative and latent with Corruption from desk to desk,” he said Also speaking, Chief Arumemi Ikhide Johnson, Chief Executive Officer of Arik Air, denied the fact that Nigerian airlines are weak to meet up challenges with foreign carriers but argued that the carriers are rather faced with civil servant challenges. Sir Johnson said airlines are currently battling with the ministry, as their foreign counterparts are more favoured. “Majority of those appointed in the aviation ministry satisfy their personal interest against we local carriers and there is no sufficient ‘government will’ for the domestic carriers. We are not given same opportunities in area of interlining like the foreign carriers that operates our local routes and this pose serious danger to the airlines. Foreign carriers are more favoured,” he said. He identified Jet A1 (Aviation fuel) as another bone of contention to the carriers. According to him, “Fuel is easier, cheaper and better to acquire outside the country in areas like Ghana and Dubai than buying in Nigeria, cost effective. Sir Arumemi argued that with the hurdles in the industry the airline has continue to keep head above water, yet some set in the sector condemns the airline claiming it owes huge debts. He said: “Arik Air does not owe, but we’ll be glad to see documents that back the claimed debts.” Bismarck. J Rewane, CEO, Financial Derivatives Company Limited, affirmed that when revenue is 62 percent lower than expected, there is need to be extremely objective in managing the limited resources. He said, “Aviation sector presently contributes less than 1 % of Nigeria GDP (meager 0.4%) when a small economy such as Spain contributes up to 5%. This depicts a grossly underperforming sector. All Air Services Agreement has delivered negative balance of trade between Nigeria and its trade partners throwing National Income into deficit through huge capital flight. The challenge of unstoppable African single open sky policy continues to stare us on the face.” RECOMMENDATIONS Elder Olowo affirmed that Nigeria should adopt best model. “US alone controls upwards of 45% world air traffic and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the only agency of government for Aviation in the department of Transport (DOT),” he said. “Transport ministry should engage in the task of evolving complete primordial system for Nigeria where there is seamless backward and forward transportation integration between Air, Road,Rail, Sea, etc; This will evolve a strong and autonomous Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA); Eliminate duplication of powers and incessant political interference in internationally regulatory functions of the agency. Episode of the last administration where DG was changed daily like underwear remain very fresh; DG position should be globally advertised and best professional given the mandate; Reduction in the cost of governance because funds will be used for other more pressing social needs in the economy. “A more objective driven Civil Aviation Administration with policy on measurable deliverables for every sector on short to medium and long term plan is earnestly the necessary and sufficient condition for a healthy Nigeria Aviation Sector.” Although, Arumemi welcomes the national carrier idea, he said there is need for forensic audit to be carried out by the Federal Government before settling for the flag carrier model.

Read more at: http://www.cityvoiceng.com/funding-ownership-as-bane-of-nigeria-s-aviation-industry/