Aviation B6
Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, November 22, 2017
NAMA boss charges ANSPs on SMS The Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Capt. Fola Akinkuotu has charged Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) in the African and Indian Ocean Region (AFI Region) to freely embrace and implement the International Civil Aviation (ICAO) Council Resolution on the formation of peer groups by ANSPs for the periodic review of their Safety Management Systems (SMS) implementation levels. Giving this charge at the opening of a two-day peer review meeting of AFI ANSP Peer Review Team 3, which held at the agency’s headquarters in Lagos, Akinkuotu said only an effective peer review of safety systems and procedures among ANSPs in the region could enable Africa to build upon its rising safety profile and the make the continent more competitive in the global aviation industry. Akinkuotu, who was represented by the Director of Safety Electronics and Engineering Services, Engr. Farouk Umar said the time had come for African ANSPs to harmonize and synergize their safety systems and procedures by bringing members up to speed with industry best practices with the ultimate goal of achieving a single African sky. The NAMA boss assured members of the peer review team that “NAMA as a state ANSP shares the same concerns with ICAO and its allies, including the Civil Air Navigation Service Organization (CANSO) and International Air Transport Association (IATA); and is also committed to ensuring the envisaged benefits of the peer review programme are fully actualized.” He called on members to “feel free to criticize the agency’s SMS implementation strengths and weaknesses, as this exercise would serve as a learning curve in our quest to step up our SMS effective implementation level.” Earlier in her remarks, the Director of African Affairs, Civil Air Navigation Services Organization (CANSO), Ms. Boni Dibante noted that the objective of the peer review mechanism among ANSPs was to address some of the challenges ANSPs in the AFI region are facing stressing that, “effective implementation would enable us to standardize our safety management systems and all the other areas of operations which have been identified by ICAO; and the result of this, we are hoping, will bring us to maturity level.”
Alhaji Sanni, Airport Manager, Abuja
Fola-Akinkuotu
Experts put minimum fleet for AOC issuance at 20 aircraft
Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo
For efficiency, safety and optimum standards, aviation professionals in the country have called for regulatory consolidation process that increases the minimum fleet for AOC issuance for scheduled passenger airline operations from 2 aircraft to 20 aircraft. With such proposal, airline operators intending to commence scheduled operations are expected to first of all provide an aircraft fleet size of 20 aircraft before getting approval for their operational certificates. The experts, comprising of members of the Aviation Round Table (ART), made the observation in a communique issued at the end of Aviation Round Table Conference 2017, held at Golfview Hotel & Suites, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos, recently. According to the document signed by the group’s president, Mr. Olumide Ohunayo, there should also be a culture of corporate governance and transparency in the business of managing the aviation sector, such that government and other parties
in infrastructure-related commercial agreements in the industry should respect the terms of such agreements if the industry is to move forward. It stated that existing concession/ agreements that have developed into controversies affecting the entire industry should be resolved immediately in the interest of the industry, while taking cognizance of initial capital invested, just as they advised that political interference should be avoided in the sector’s regulatory activities. ART further stated that there is a need for the establishment of an Inter-governmental Agency Stakeholder Group, led by the regulator for the administration and management of Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASA) funds and for implementing “our aviation development plans.” “Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASAs), Multilateral Air Service Agreements (MASAs) and International Routes are the nation’s infrastructure and assets, while air traffic rights are like oil blocks and therefore, should not be treated with levity in administration or by unilateral
exploitation. Therefore, BASA funds should be used for critical-safety infrastructure development as provided for in the Civil Aviation Act 2006”, the statement said. The aviation professionals equally noted that there is a need to have surveillance cameras in and around every airport in Nigeria to be complimented with the establishment of Aviation Industry Cybersecurity Emergency Response Team (CERT) to enhance Aviation Security. “Additionally, we need to enhance the airport perimeter fenceing where there are no security fences to sufficiently comply with Annex 17. With the increasing importance of Information Technology for massive levels of efficiency, effectiveness and profitability in air transport, an integrated aviation communication infrastructure should be established. “With increase in traffic and number of aircraft in the Nigerian airspace over the years, the existing CNS/ATM systems need to be optimized; while improvements should be made to match capacity at the airports with the adoption of satel-
lite and digital technologies. There is a need to ensure the provision of regular public power supply at the airports and all en-route stations nationwide, which will naturally facilitate the continuous provision of safety - critical services”, it said. To ART, there is a need for local airlines to pull resources together and establish a local maintenance hangar as a way of minimizing their aircraft maintenance cost. It also observed that, for Nigerian airlines to attract funding facilities from financiers and institutions that are predominantly based outside Nigeria, adding that, “our airlines must be within these parameters; viability, capacity and the potentials to earn more revenue from commercial agreements in view of the weakness of the local currency. “The observed huge human capital deficiency in the industry needs to be rapidly addressed by establishing Human Capital Development Plans, Succession Planning and mentoring programme across the industry and organisations, with huge investments.
Medview partners travel agents, pledges seamless services to Dubai Medview Airline has announced their entrance into Abidjan, Conakry and Dakar routes to all the travel agencies operating in Abuja and Kano states in the country, with a view to offering robust incentives to clients. The airline disclosed the new routes, including Dubai at a trade partnership forum organised for travel agents in Abuja and Kano recently. Introducing the new routes which started on the 27th of October, 2017, management of Medview Airline stated that the initiative will strengthen trade and also make movement of goods and people easy
within the West Coast. Speaking at the Abuja forum held at Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja, the airline Executive Director Business Development and Commercials, Mr. Isiaq Na’Allah said that they called the travel agents together to rub minds because the airline believes they can do it better collectively. Na’Allah said the Airline knows the importance of carrying travel agents along, noting that they always carry them along whenever they is new products like this. “The key index of meeting you today is to request for your support because we cannot do it alone. Travel agents is a critical component of our
business. They take a high percentage of our sales. This is the local content that we are providing for you. I advise Nigerians to patronize the local carriers. We are here to give you these services as much as you can afford”. Noting that most foreign airlines operate with zero commission to the agencies, Na’Allah stated the local airlines offer quality services with minimal cost and also offer commissions to the agents. He however, urged the trade partners to open their minds and discuss issues that would enable both parties forge ahead. Explaining the dynamics of
the new routes, Country Manager, United Arab Emirates, Ndukodon Phineas Bongi said that Medview can now operate to Liberia, Senegal, Conakry, Abidjan, Sierra Leone an Accra, adding that the Dubai route will commence December 7, 2017. According to Bongi, there are lots of incentives attached to the Dubai destination, which include a robust holiday package with wide range of products. Some of these incentives, as announced by the country manager include family holiday honeymoon, weddings car racing, cooking classes amongst others. Family time, such as family oriented packages, large and multifamily
special offers, special moments are part of Medview holiday packages. All these packages, Bongi said, are equally complimented with affordable air ticket, hotel accommodations, visa services, land transportation, sight-seeing and tours and others. In his submission, President of National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies NANTA Mr Bernard Bankole commended Medview Airline for their giant strides in the industry. The president who was represented by the first Deputy President of NANTA, Susan Akporiaye advised Nigerians and all travel agents to support Medview Airline.