Tag: Nigerian Aviation

“Nigeria Air to begin operations in October” – Ethiopian Airlines CEO

Aminu Imam

The new national carrier, Nigerian Air, will begin operations by October this year, according to reports from Bloomberg. According to the CEO of Ethiopian Airlines that owns a 49% stake in the airline, Mesfin Tasew, revealed in an interview with Bloomberg TV, yesterday, that the firm is eager to see Nigeria Air start flying local and international routes. Recall that Ethiopian Airlines, in 2022 won the bid to handle operations of the proposed Nigeria Air in controversial circumstances, after local players complained the company was handed an advantage during the…

Read More

Foreign Airlines’ trapped funds hit $812m – IATA

Aminu Imam

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), foreign airlines are finding it increasingly difficult to retrieve their earnings from Nigeria, with blocked funds totaling $812.2 million. This situation is part of a growing global concern about frozen funds, which threatens global airline connectivity and economic activity.  According to IATA, global blocked funds increased by 47% in April 2023 to $2.27 billion, up from $1.55 billion in April 2022. In its most recent estimates, five countries, including Nigeria, account for an alarming 68.0% of total blocked funds. Nigeria ($812.2 million), Bangladesh…

Read More

Concerns grow, as Nigeria Air is flown into Abuja on ‘borrowed’ Ethiopian Airlines

Aminu Imam

Stakeholders in the aviation sector have expressed concerns over controversies surrounding the acquisition of aircraft used to float the national carrier, Nigeria Air. Findings have revealed that the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, had contacted Ethiopian airlines few days ago, to provide an aircraft that would be presented to Nigerians as an aircraft belonging to Nigeria Air. Ethiopian airline obliged by repainting and rebranding one of its Boeing 737-860 Max aircraft. Investigations show that the Boeing 737-860 Max has registration Number ET-APL, Mode S Q4005C, and serial number: 40965/4075. It…

Read More

Air Passengers to get a refund on delayed flights – NCAA

Aminu Imam

The Director-General of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA), Musa Nuhu, has said that Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs) 2015 which is being amended guarantees that passengers get full refunds when their flights are delayed or cancelled. Nuhu, who waded into the two-day warning strike and pleaded with labour unions to suspend the action explained that airfares refund during flight delays or cancellations have been factored into the ongoing amendment of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs) 2015. The DG, who disclosed this during an interview during a television programme on Tuesday,…

Read More

Air transport workers call off strike

Aminu Imam

Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) yesterday ended the industrial action against Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) over the sacking of 34 members of the union without due process. According to the deputy general secretary of the union, Frances Akinjole, yesterday, “The strike that was embarked upon on 1st November against the Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited has been called-off pursuant to the acceptance by the company to recall the laid-off members of our union and an undertaking to pay their salaries”. The face-off affected passengers as several…

Read More

Ethiopian Airlines’ stake in Nigeria Air, an existential threat to aviation sector –Aviation Stakeholders

Aminu Imam

As the Federal Government wraps up plans to flag-off the national carrier, Nigeria Air, stakeholders in the aviation sector have expressed concerns over the choice of Ethiopian Airlines as a core investor in the airline. Recall that a month ago, the federal government, through the Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika, announced Ethiopian Airlines as a core investor for the proposed national carrier, Nigeria Air, following a successful bid. Sirika said the airlines will have 49 percent equity while Nigerian private investors (SAHCO, MRS and other institutional investors) have 46 percent and…

Read More

Embattled Nigeria Air: Ethiopian Airlines selected as technical partner, core investor – Report

Aminu Imam

The Federal Government has reportedly picked Ethiopian Airlines as a technical partner and core investor for the planned national carrier, Nigeria Air. According to a source at the ministry of aviation who spoke to newsmen yesterday, said that representatives of the ministry had travelled to Addis-Ababa to finalise the agreements, adding that the selection will be announced soon “Yes, we have selected Ethiopian Airlines. We have agreed to work with the airline, and we are hoping to make the announcement soon”, the source was quoted as saying. The source further…

Read More

Over $85m trapped revenue: Emirates suspends all flights from Nigeria Sept. 1

Aminu Imam

Emirates Airlines has announced the suspension of its flight operations to Nigeria, starting September 1, 2022, over its $85 million revenue awaiting repatriation from Nigeria. This was announced in a statement by the airline on Thursday, the airline stated that the suspension is due to its inability to repatriate its earnings in foreign exchange from Nigeria. The $85m is the airline’s revenue awaiting repatriation from Nigeria as of July 2022. The United Arab Emirates (UAE)’s flag carrier noted that the suspension will help in curtailing further losses and reduce the…

Read More

Aviation fuel rises to N900 per litre as Lagos-Abuja ticket sells above N100, 000

Aminu Imam

The price of aviation fuel has risen from N800 per litre some weeks ago to N900 per litre in some States, forcing airlines to raise fares to as high as N100, 000 and more for one-way economy-class tickets. The aviation fuel crisis, which began in late February this year, and deteriorated further through the months of March to May, has further worsened and is currently threatening the ability of airlines to continue operations with the price of Jet-A1, rising from N200 in December 2021 to over N400 per litre in…

Read More

Flight tickets from Lagos to Abuja surge to N100, 000 upwards

Aminu Imam

Nigeria airlines have increased fares for domestic flights from Lagos to Abuja ranging from N100, 000 to N130, 000 over the rising cost of aviation fuel and foreign exchange crisis. It was gathered that Air Peace economy ticket for Sunday at 10:40 a.m. and 7:50 p.m. was priced at N100, 000, while seats on Max Air flights scheduled for 8:30 a.m. and 9:10 a.m. were priced at N125, 000 and N130, 000, respectively. Also, prices for economy tickets in Arik ranged between N80,595 and N93,452, with Ibom Air’s only available…

Read More