OCTOBER 16, 2020

The Sharjah Airport Authority (SAA) has completed the East Expansion project, which extended to over an area of 4,000 square meters. It included new passenger, duty free, F&B and security facilities.

The project cost 40 million dirhams ($11m) and will raise the airport’s capacity from around 13 million to 20 million passengers a year by 2025.In addition to new services and additions, a number of the airport’s current facilities have also been renovated and modernised.

“The completion of the East Expansion Project represents a qualitative addition within the comprehensive expansion plan to enhance the position of the Emirate of Sharjah on the global travel map,” said, Chairman of the Sharjah Airport Authority, Ali Salim Al Midfa.

“The East Expansion project will contribute to making the aspirations of the aviation sector and sustainable development a reality on the ground, by increasing the capacity and flow of movement, adopting the finest technologies and systems to enhance cooperation with strategic partners and airlines, and meeting customer expectations, ensuring their trip through Sharjah Airport is a distinctive experience.”

The East Expansion project is an integrated building that includes four new gates and two floors equipped with new travel technologies and facilities to aid the, “comfort and happiness of travelers”, he said.

It includes food and beverage outlets, which are open 24 hours as well as a duty free shop. Other facilities include nine waiting areas, security scanning equipment and rooms and facilities for people with people with limited mobility.

OCTOBER 16, 2020

LAGOS, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria has resumed yellow fever vaccination with safety measures against COVID-19, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

While combating multiple public health challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the Nigerian government, with the support of the WHO and other partners, has re-launched mass yellow fever vaccination campaigns, the United Nations health agency said in a statement made available to Xinhua on Friday.

"To enable safe implementation in the COVID-19 context, personal protective equipment (PPE) and enhanced infection prevention control measures have been assured by some partners," said the statement, from the WHO regional office for Africa.

According to the statement, the phase-four yellow fever campaigns will target more than 30 million people in seven states in Nigeria, and the pending phase-three campaign will be completed in Anambra, a state in southern Nigeria.

This will be followed by further vaccination efforts between 2021-2022 targeting more than 95 million persons in the most populous African country.

According to the statement, the 10-day yellow fever campaign in Anambra is scheduled to kick off on Friday while the phase-four campaigns are scheduled to start on Nov. 20.

"These campaigns are to be implemented by the WHO guidelines for the implementation of mass campaigns in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic with the use of PPEs and infection prevention control strategies as recommended," it said.

The 2020 campaigns represent an acceleration of the phased preventive mass vaccination campaigns aimed to protect the country against yellow fever outbreaks, the statement said.

Nigeria is one of the priority countries for the global strategy to Eliminate Yellow Fever Epidemics (EYE) by 2026.

Nigeria has updated its strategic elimination plan with the accelerated EYE strategic plan, aimed at completing nationwide vaccination by 2023, improving yellow fever diagnosis capacity, routine childhood immunization coverage and overall population immunity in all states.

Yellow fever is a viral infection transmitted by infected mosquitoes. The infection can cause serious disease, including fever and jaundice, and can even lead to death. Enditem

OCTOBER 16, 2020

By Chinedu Eze

As part of its safety regulations, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has started an audit of aviation fuel marketers, known as Jet A1, in order to ensure that contaminated product is not fed into the aircraft.

This became critical when the regulatory authority discovered during checks that some aircraft took in water in their fuel tanks when they were stored during the COVID-19 lockdown and ensured that every airline carried out maintenance check to ensure that the aircraft fuel tanks were not contaminated.

THISDAY gathered that contaminated fuel could cause significant damage to the aircraft and engine and such damage could range from fuel system corrosion, clogging of fuel filtration components, failure of aircraft fuel system instrumentation, and even stopping the fuel supply to the engine during flight.

THISDAY also learnt that NCAA has intensified the inspection of the marketers to ensure that they abide by safety rules to ensure that the fuel they sell to airlines meet standard specifications.

The audit was confirmed by the General Manager, Public Affairs, NCAA, Sam Adurogboye, who disclosed that the regulatory authority would shut down any marketing company that does not meet the high standard specified by the agency.

Adurogboye told THISDAY that the NCAA engaged the services of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) for the audit of the marketers, noting that DPR has the expertise and the equipment to efficiently scrutinise the operations of the marketers.

"DPR is the appropriate agency to efficiently audit the marketers so we engage their services; just as the National Hajj Commission rely on us to ensure that they have airworthy aircraft for Hajj operations, so we rely on DPR when it comes to the auditing of the oil marketers. There are peripheral checks we can do on our own, but we rely on DPR for comprehensive audit of the marketing companies that supply aviation fuel to the airlines.

"We collaborate in all of this. If we found out that any of the marketers did not meet our given standards, we close the facility down and you know, any violation goes with sanctions," Adurogboye said.

He disclosed that NCAA closed the facility of one of the marketers recently because of suspected compromise of the quality of the product and report would be submitted on it soon after investigation. It was further gathered that some of the marketers do not have depots but use other people's depot so DPR cannot audit such companies because they do not have facilities to audit.

They only have bowsers, which they use to obtain the product when any airline or aircraft owner requests for fuel but they do not have storage facility of their own. So when they collect the product from a depot they pay the owner of the facility.

"Some of the marketers do not have storage facility of their own so DPR do not audit them. When their customers want fuel they will go to the marketers that have depot and collect fuel with the bowsers," an inside source told THISDAY.

THISDAY also spoke to the CEO of Cleanserve Energy, Chris Ndulue who said that the company has elaborate checking process to ensure that contaminated fuel is not fed into the aircraft.

"We have laboratory in all the locations where we operate, which include Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kaduna. We carry out quality check on the fuel at the point of taking the product at Apapa, we conduct another one at our own depot and we conduct another one in our bowser at the foot of the aircraft before we dispense into the aircraft. This is to ensure that there are no contaminants because the product can be contaminated at any point. So we make sure our product meet standard specifications," Ndulue said.

On the side of the airlines, the Chief Executive Officer of Aero Contractors, Captain Ado Sanusi told THISDAY that the airline has quality assurance department that checks on the quality of aviation fuel it buys. The personnel in this department scrutinise the company that serves fuel to the airline and carries out investigation on the quality of the product it supplies to the company.

"We have intensified the check for contaminants. We do regular checks on the bowsers. Our quality assurance team checks the company that is selling to us and despite the fact that we have the rule before; we have made it mandatory for the Captains to test the product before it is dispensed into the aircraft. We always carry out checks on water and other contaminants," Sanusi told THISDAY.

OCTOBER 17, 2020

By Dayo Mustapha

The Federal Government has granted 7 star Global hanger license to operate the first African premium airline.

With the Airline Transport License (ATL), the first private independent aircraft Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) firm in West Africa said it was prepared to operate fixed and rotary wings.

Its Managing Director, Isaac Balami, told reporters on Friday at the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Lagos the airline will deliver world class aviation services with customer satisfaction as its selling point.

The former President of the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) said: “The Airline is established to bring perfection into the aviation industry as we target zero incident and zero accident.

“We understand there is no parking space in the air, therefore safety is our watch word.

“We aspire to be the safest airline the in the world providing excellent service.

“At 7 Star Global Airlines, we promote teamwork, culture and dignity within our diverse workforce.”

Balami said the birth of the airline in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic was remarkable.

He said the airline will operate five helicopters and 10 E-145 jets.

While the five helicopters are at the company’s hangar in Lagos, he informed the company will take delivery 3 E-145 jets in few weeks to start business.

Before the issuance of the ATL, 7Star global hangar had hangar situated at MM2 domestic wing with ample space to accommodate 15 aircrafts.

Balami explained: “The airline will enjoy the services of the Maintenance, repair and overall (MRO).

“7 Star global hangar is fully equipped to do aircraft line and heavy maintenance, including aircraft wheels and brakes, upholstery and general fixed operations (FBO) services.”

OCTOBER 17, 2020

BY  Jesusegun Alagbe

His last assignment at over 30,000 feet above sea level was in March – shortly before the shutdown of airports due to the coronavirus pandemic.

As he flew the plane from Lagos to Abuja, he did not know it would be the last flight to his sacking, after close to a decade of flying.

“I knew the pandemic would have devastating effects on us in the aviation industry, particularly pilots. What I did not know was that I would be among those who would lose their jobs,” a former pilot with one of the airlines in Nigeria, simply identified as Captain Lawal, told Saturday PUNCH.

Lawal, who lives in Abuja with his family, said it would not be easy to cater for his family in the long run if he didn’t get another flying job soon.

He said, “For the past seven months since I lost my job, I have had to dip my hands into my savings to cater for my family. I have a wife and three children. The only thing that has reduced my expenses is that my children are not resuming school this year. I will wait till the next session in January. My wife, in particular, is still a bit worried about their risk of exposure to COVID-19 should they start going out.

“So what it means is that by next year, if I have not got another job, things may be a bit tight. I have a few investments but they have yet to yield good returns. And I don’t know of another job that I can do apart from flying.”

Another pilot, Captain Femi Abdullahi, was among those currently unemployed, particularly due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abdullahi, who flew Embraer planes while he worked with one of the airlines in Nigeria, said sitting at home for the past seven months without flying was one of the worst experiences of his life.

“In the past 12 or so years of flying, I flew at least 20 hours in a week, within Nigeria and sometimes between Nigeria and other West African countries particularly Ghana. Being redundant is killing me right now,” he said.

Abdullahi, a Kwara State indigene who is in his 40s, said what had made him sadder was the fact that he just relocated his family abroad when he was sacked.

He said, “I just relocated my wife and children to Canada when I lost my job. My wife is still schooling in Canada, and we planned she would look for a job when she finished when I was sacked. I thought I would be able to take care of all of them. But right now, it’s been a bit difficult,” he told our correspondent.

“I’m still grateful, though. Thankfully, when I was still flying, I was able to save some money and also invested some. I would have probably been more devastated. But even at that, the fact that I’m not flying currently is killing me,” he said.

Popularly called “Captain K” by his colleagues, another pilot, simply identified as Kunle, flew Airbus jets with one of the foreign carriers operating in Nigeria until he was sacked in June.

Kunle, who said his employer said the layoff of pilots was to adapt to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, told Saturday PUNCH that since he was relieved of his job, he had felt depressed, as he had lost the “joy and special feeling” of being airborne.

Describing his joy of flying, he said, “As a pilot, I used to get amazing views. For instance, in the summer when the weather was clear, I could see up to several kilometres away, something a normal passenger could not see. Even if it was burning hot on the ground, life in the skies was lovely. I could see seas, cities, lakes, and mountains, and they were all beautiful scenes.

“In the winter, I got to pierce clouds. Many times, I got to see the shadow of the plane I was flying on top of the clouds. When the air was smooth and I was flying a bit low, I could see tiny vehicles or houses passing below me as I flew over them. In the skies, I did not ever think of life’s problems. I used to get astonished and marvelled at God’s works on every flight. In all, I enjoyed the cockpit life.”

Obviously, Kunle said he “deeply” missed flying and it was what was making him feel unhappy every day he stayed at home.

“I just wish to go return to every day, because for me, I’m not sad about the income I’m not making because I’m out of job. It’s not experiencing what I used to experience that makes me sad,” he said.

Also, after working as a pilot for about 13 years, a Lagos-based pilot who once worked with a foreign carrier, Jackson Onunaiju, lost his job in June when the COVID-19 pandemic affected his employer’s finances.

He also reminisced on his joy of flying and said he wished he could return to the skies soon.

He said, “I can’t stop thinking about pre-job loss moments. Speaking of nesting and others, they were fun moments for me. (Nesting is said to be the first thing every pilot does in the cockpit, and it basically means setting up the items they will need for the flight. They stash away their luggage and unpack the essential items from their flight bag, including a headset for talking to air traffic control, and electronic flight charts.)

“Sometimes I sit down and also think about prepping the plane, entering flight data into the computer system, running through checklists, and taxiing out.

“During takeoff, I got to hand-fly the plane until we got up to cruise. (Hand-flying means flying the plane manually, an experience many pilots describe as fun.)

“It was so exhilarating to feel the plane peeling away from the earth and to watch the ground become smaller beneath me. Once I reached a certain elevation, I could turn on autopilot, but if it was a clear and sunny day, I could hand-fly the plane a little longer. (The autopilot is a computer system that maintains all the controls on the plane like speed, altitude, course, and engine power, and so on.)

“When I turned on the autopilot, I would still be monitoring the controls and communicating with ATC to make sure the route ahead was clear. If there was bad weather or another plane in the way, ATC would re-route us to a different course.

“I love the cockpit experience. The seats are ergonomically designed for comfort, which is a big upgrade from the passenger seats. Also, because every airplane pilots fly on will be super-drying, I used to drink a ton of water to stay hydrated. It helped me to never get jet lag.”

Particularly during international flights, Onunaiju said he used to get “micro-vacations,” and he always ensured to do something special while in a foreign city, such as tasting the local cuisine or sightseeing.

“So now, when I think about it, I never felt stressed while flying even though it’s a stressful job. I miss this joy and I can’t wait to return to flying,” he told Saturday PUNCH.

Another pilot who lost his job, Yomi Animasahun, said staying without flying was causing him some sort of worry.

The 29-year-old said he lost his job due to the pandemic and even though the aviation industry was gradually picking up, he was unsure he would get another job anytime soon.

He said, “I am not losing hope but I really wish I could get another job soon, because staying redundant as a pilot is costly. You have to keep ‘fit’, in the sense that you may lose your licence if you don’t keep flying. So right now, even if I got another job, but it is unrelated to flying a plane, I could lose my licence.

“This gives me anxiety every day and I wish to be back in the cockpit soon. Also, not making any income is killing me. I can’t remember when last I couldn’t travel to any country I wanted to with my wife and two kids. But right now, the situation is a bit bad.”

Losing jobs

To say the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a downturn in the global economy is to state the obvious. The pandemic’s effects have cut across industries, with millions said to have lost their jobs worldwide.

Obviously, one of the industries’ most affected by the pandemic – which has infected millions and killed thousands of people – is aviation.

According to Bloomberg, in response to the massive slump in demand for air travel, many jobs have been lost and more jobs could be lost in the months ahead in response to the pandemic.

Analysis by Bloomberg as of July showed that globally, about 400,000 airline workers had already been made redundant, furloughed or have been put on notice of losing their jobs.

Aviation experts at Bloomberg said the data, gathered from official airline press releases, as well as a number of other news sources, might only be the tip of the iceberg as many airlines had not publicly reported job losses or declined to disclose the exact numbers of workers who had been laid off.

For instance, in Europe, British Airways has said as many as 12,000 employees or around a third of its total workforce could lose their jobs as the airline prepares for what it has described as “the biggest structural change” the aviation industry has ever witnessed.

Also, in just a single day in June, one of the largest airlines in the Middle East, Emirates, reportedly laid off several pilots and cabin crew, blaming the recession for the action. During that period, hundreds of pilots also reportedly lost their jobs at Middle East carriers, Qatar Airways and Etihad.

Apart from being sacked, several pilots worldwide were also forced to take pay cuts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Nigeria, the situation was not different as some airlines reportedly sacked some pilots due to the pandemic.

However, at the time the sacking was announced, the aviation minister and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers intervened and urged the concerned airlines to recall the sacked pilots because of the likely economic burden on the workers.

Fear of redundancy

Apart from not making income due to joblessness, one of the issues some of the laid-off pilots said was causing them pain was redundancy, which in literal terms means a pilot not able to get flying hours.

Even when the economy rebounds and the aviation sector also reboots, the pilots said they would need to be up to speed – meaning they would not just polish their suits and shoes but would also need to brush up on their flight-deck skills and ensure they keep within the boundaries of aviation’s stringent safety regulations.

For instance, Onunaiju said he had been supervising his clothing business since he was out of a job but had to keep spending his earnings to keep his licence updated.

He said, “When I talk about keeping my licence updated, I am speaking of medical, insurance, multi-engine instrument rating, and so on. Keeping the licence updated is a huge expense, particularly when you are not flying. But you still have to do it or else when a job offer comes, you can’t go for it.

“I’m still holding on and I won’t give up. My wife too has been helpful in terms of emotional support, because I tell you, if an out-of-job pilot does not have a good support system, they can be depressed.

“So as an out-of-job pilot who still wants to fly and not retire, frequent training and recency are required. (According to Brian Strutton of the British Airline Pilots Association, recency means complying with regulations that stipulate a pilot must have successfully carried out three takeoffs and landings, one of which using the cockpit’s autoland facility, within the previous 90 days.)

According to Strutton, simulators are also important to help pilots keep their skills sharp. But while much could be practised using computer games such as the Microsoft Flight Simulator, he said there was no substitute when it comes to ratings, training and certifications – saying pilots needed to access real, full-scale flight simulators.

“Expense is an issue too. Simulator time costs around $300 (N114,000) to $400 (N152,000) an hour and that’s without the necessarily associated personnel. It’s all an enormous undertaking,” he added.

Speaking with our correspondent, an aviation analyst, Mr Olumide Ohunayo, said many pilots might remain redundant in the next two or three years as the economy had yet to rebound and airlines were not flying their aircraft at full capacity.

He said, “The pandemic decimated the industry. Airlines were forced to park their aircraft and return leases. For some airlines, the frequency of flight was reduced because they did not have enough passengers. When you look at these, they affected the whole value chain in the aviation industry, where we have pilots, engineers, cabin crew, dispatchers, flying instructors, and others.

“It did not happen only in Nigeria. Even in the United States, aviation workers have been laid off.’’

Ohunayo said the lay-offs in Nigeria, and elsewhere, would definitely affect their proficiency, adding that there was no hope they would get another job until the global economy improved.

He added, “As some have lost their jobs, they have also lost their recency or proficiency. And when they don’t have proficiency, they are automatically grounded. The reason is that many pilots cannot travel out of the country right now.

“I think it’s only pilots who fly common airplanes like Boeing 737 who can afford to retain their proficiency as they can go to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for retraining. For pilots who fly other planes, they cannot train within Africa and this can prolong their redundancy.”

Ohunayo stated that as it was, pilots and airlines did not have the powers to prevent job loss, saying this could only be determined by governments and the economy.

He said, “Governments worldwide must tackle the pandemic and get the travellers’ confidence back. It is when people begin to travel again that the airlines will begin to thrive, and when they do, jobs will return to the industry.

“However, what the industry has lost cannot be recovered in the next two or three years. Most of the airlines cannot get to their full capacity until 2022 or 2023. What this means is that most of the unemployed pilots will remain so until 2023. But by that time, the question is: will they still be competent to fly?”

The aviation analyst urged the Federal Government to make it easy for airlines to access palliatives, as this would prevent further job losses.

He said, “I think the government has provided palliatives for the industry, but there are issues. They are too low, the conditions to access them are too stringent, and they did not come on time.

“Also, the government recently gave the conditions to key into the palliatives, whereas in other countries, their governments are already giving the second rounds of palliatives.

“Here, some of the palliatives cannot be accessed until next year. And the question is: is it when the pilots and others are dead that they will be able to access the palliatives?”

No govt palliatives yet for us —Pilots’ union

Speaking on the issue, President, National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers, Abednego Galadima, said they had yet to be provided palliatives by the government several months after.

He added that as a union, they had appealed to many airlines to reduce the rate of pilot redundancy for them to survive the current harsh economy.

He said, “On our part, we have come to terms with the effects of the pandemic, but we still have to intervene in a manner that everybody goes home happy. We have asked the government for palliatives, which have yet to come, so that pilots and other aviation workers can retain their jobs.

“During the lockdown, we made several presentations with other unions to the Senate Committee on Aviation regarding help for the industry. But the palliatives have yet to come.

“We have also intervened by way of social dialogue with most of the airlines, except one or two, to see that their businesses survive this pandemic and bounce back strong.”

Abednego said as more people were gradually starting to travel, the aviation industry would improve and jobs would be returned.

How unemployed pilots can cope — Aviation psychologists

As flight crew, including pilots, around the world are currently facing unemployment as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, some specialist aviation psychologists have offered coping tips for such aviation workers.

In an article, the co-founders of the Centre for Aviation Psychology, based in the United Kingdom, Prof Rob Bor and Aedrian Bekker, said pilots were arguably more affected than most other aviation workers by the impact of COVID-19 on the air travel industry.

Bor and Bekker – as well two other experts Dr Gill Green, a clinical and aviation psychologist, and Captain Laurie Ling, a retired British Airways pilot – therefore recommended some coping mechanisms for out-of-job pilots.

The experts wrote on centreforaviationpsychology.com, “It’s okay not to feel okay but it’s not okay to lock away your feelings. Fear of loss of career can lead to experiencing a wide range of emotions and eventually, you’ll reach a stage of adaptation. Don’t go it alone – get help navigating the grief-like feelings and help to create a plan to move forward. If your sadness/anxiety explodes into full-blown depression, be sure to seek professional help immediately.

“Don’t engage in self-defeat: Avoid behaviours that will keep you in a cycle of negativity. Keep a routine. Don’t isolate yourself–get outside, seek adventures, and fresh air. Make a conscious effort to surround yourself with people who support and inspire you– avoid those who are angry.

“Make a realistic assessment of your financial situation: If you think that you may be out of work, set out all your necessary expenses and exactly what you need to survive. Talk to lenders to re-negotiate deals and be brutal about cutting out ‘discretionary spending.’ Involve your family in this process and brainstorm ideas.”

They also mentioned rewriting CVs to prepare for any flying opportunities and having cover letters for any non-flying jobs.  According to them, paperwork such as documents, licences, logbooks, and medical are also essential for job hunting.

OCTOBER 17, 2020

By Tamanna 

As the Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation established a separate bilateral air bubble agreement with Ukraine for the operation of the special international passenger flights between the two nations, Indians can now travel to more than 13 countries.

The “Air travel agreement” or “Transport Bubbles” are temporary arrangements between two countries that aim to restart commercial passenger services when regular international flights are suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. They are essentially reciprocal in nature, which means that airlines from the two countries enjoy similar benefits.

Who can travel from India to Ukraine?

• Excluding Russia, Citizens/residents of CIS countries can travel.
• Any Indian national holding a valid Ukrainian visa, including diplomatic and official passport holders, whose destination is the CIS countries (except Russia). 
• Concerned airlines should ensure that Indian nationals have no travel restrictions on entering countries concerned with specific visa categories before issuing air tickets/boarding passes to Indian passengers.

Travel From Ukraine to India:

• Indian nationals from CIS countries (excluding Russia).
• All Overseas Indian Citizens cardholders holding a Ukrainian issued passport can travel.

So far, India has formed such arrangements with 16 countries (Canada, France, Afghanistan, Oman, Bahrain, Nigeria, the UAE, Qatar, the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, Iraq, Japan, Maldives, Kenya, and Bhutan).

Who can travel to these 16 countries?

1. Canada

Canada and Indian carriers provide operational services between Canada and India and carry the following categories of personnel on such flights:

Travel from India to Canada

• Stranded Canadian residents/ nationals and foreigners who hold a valid Canadian visa and are eligible to enter Canada.
• Seafarers of foreign nationality; seafarers holding Indian passports will be allowed to obtain permission from the Ministry of Shipping.
• Indian nationals holding a valid visa are eligible to enter Canada. 
• The airline concerned should ensure that Indian nationals do not have travel restrictions to enter Canada before issuing air tickets/boarding passes to Indian passengers

Travel From Canada to India

• All Overseas Indian Citizens cardholders holding Canadian passports are allowed to travel.
• Stranded Indian nationals can travel.
• According to the guidelines revised by the MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) on June 30, 2020, foreigners (including diplomats) are eligible to enter India.

2. France

Airlines of France and India have been providing services between France and India, and carry the following categories of people on such flights.

From India to France

• Indian citizens are allowed to travel abroad and Europe according to the MHA guidelines issued on January 7, 2020.
• Seafarers of foreign nationality; seafarers holding Indian passports will be allowed to obtain permits from the Ministry of Shipping.
• Stranded EU citizens/residents, foreign nationals traveling to Europe and transiting through France or their spouses, whether accompanying or not can travel.

From France to India

• Stranded citizens of India are permitted to travel.
• According to the guidelines revised by the MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) on June 30, 2020, foreigners (including OCI cardholders and diplomats) are eligible to enter India.

3. Afghanistan From India to Afghanistan

• Any Indian national who holds any type of valid visa obtained from Afghanistan and is only destined to Afghanistan can travel.
• Pertinent airlines should ensure that before issuing air tickets/boarding passes to Indian passengers, there are no travel restrictions for Indian nationals to enter Afghanistan under special visa categories.
• Afghan residents/ nationals and foreign citizens holding a valid Afghan visa (if required), can travel.

From Afghanistan to India

• Stranded Indian nationals in Afghanistan are permitted to travel.
• All Indian Overseas Citizens cardholders holding an Afghan passport can travel.
• Foreigners, including diplomats, who hold valid visas issued by the Indian delegation under any category are covered by the guidelines of the MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) as 30.06.2020 (revised from time to time)are permitted to travel.

4. Oman

From India to Oman:

• Omani nationals/residents can travel.
• Any Indian national who holds a valid residence permit in Oman and is only destined for Oman. 
• The concerned airlines should ensure that Indian nationals are eligible to enter Oman without any restrictions before issuing air tickets/boarding passes to Indian passengers.

From Oman to India

• Stranded Indian nationals/residents in Oman.
• All Overseas Indian Citizens cardholders holding Oman passports can travel.
• Omani nationals (including diplomats) who hold a valid visa issued by the Indian delegation, (subject to any category) on dated June 30, 2020, by the Ministry of Home Affairs guidelines (as amended from time to time).

5. Bahrain

From India to Bahrain

• Nationals/residents of Bahraini.
• Only Indian nationals who hold any type of valid visa from the Kingdom of Bahrain and are destined to Bahrain.
• The airline concerned should ensure that Indian nationals have no travel restrictions to enter Bahrain with specific visa categories before issuing boarding passes to Indian passengers.

From Bahrain to India

• Stranded Indian nationals in Bahrain.
• All OCI cardholders holding Bahraini passports can travel.
• For Bahraini nationals (including diplomats) who hold a valid visa issued by the Indian delegation, in any category covered by the guidelines of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) as of 30.06.2020 (amended from time to time).

6. Nigeria

Nigerian and Indian airlines operate flights between Nigeria and India carry the following categories of people on such flights:

From India to Nigeria

• Stranded Nigerian citizens/residents, foreigners traveling to Africa, and transiting through Nigeria or their spouses, whether accompanying or not.
• Any Indian national who holds any type of valid Nigeria visa and travels to any country in Africa. 
• The airline concerned should ensure that there are no travel restrictions for Indian nationals to enter the destination before issuing air tickets/boarding passes to Indian passengers.
• Seafarers of foreign nationality; seafarers holding Indian passports will be allowed to obtain permits from the Ministry of Transport.

From Nigeria to India

• Stranded Indian nationals in any country in Africa.
• All OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) cardholders holding Nigerian passports.
• The OCI cardholders hold passports issued by any country in Africa that is eligible to enter India in accordance with the MHA guidelines issued on June 30, 2020 (as amended from time to time).
• Foreigners (including diplomats) holding a valid visa issued by the Indian delegation belong to any category covered under the MHA guidelines dated 30.06.2020 (revised from time to time).

7. UAE (United Arab Emirates) From India to UAE

• UAE nationals.
• ICA approved only UAE residents traveling to the UAE.
• Any Indian national who holds a valid UAE visa of any type and is only issued to the UAE. The airlines concerned should ensure that there are no travel restrictions on Indian nationals entering the UAE under certain visa categories before boarding passes/issuing air tickets to Indian passengers.

From UAE to India

• Indian nationals Stranded in UAE.
• All OCI cardholders who hold UAE passports.
• For UAE nationals (including diplomats) who hold a valid visa issued by the Indian delegation in any category covered by the MHA guidelines issued on June 30, 2020 (as amended from time to time).

8. Qatar

From India to Qatar

• Nationals of Qatar
• Any Indian national who holds a valid Qatar visa of any type and is only destined to Qatar. 
• The airlines concerned should ensure that before issuing air boarding passes/tickets to Indian passengers, there are no travel restrictions for Indian nationals to enter Qatar under a special visa category.

From Qatar to India

• Stranded Indian nationals are in Qatar.
• All Overseas Indian cardholders holding a Qatar passport.
• For Qatari nationals (including diplomats) who hold a valid visa issued by the Indian delegation in any class covered by the guidelines of the MHA on June 30, 2020 (revised from time to time).

9. United Kingdom

From India to the UK

• Stranded British nationals/residents, foreign nationals transiting through the UK, or their spouses, whether accompanying or not, can travel.
• Any Indian national who holds a valid UK visa of any type and is only destined to the UK. The concerned airlines should ensure that Indian nationals have no travel restrictions to enter the UK with specific visa categories before issuing boarding passes/air tickets to Indian passengers.
• Seafarers of foreign nationality; seafarers holding Indian passports will be allowed to obtain permission from the Ministry of Transport.

From the UK to India

• Stranded Indian nationals can travel.
• All OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) cardholders holding British passports can travel.
• According to the guidelines revised by the Ministry of Home Affairs on June 30, 2020, foreigners (including diplomats) who are eligible can enter India.

10. United States of America 

From India to the USA

• U.S. citizens, foreign citizens, and lawful permanent residents holding a valid U.S. visa.
• Any Indian national holding any type of valid U.S. visa. Concerned airlines should ensure that there are no entry restrictions for Indian nationals for special visa categories before issuing boarding passes/ air tickets to Indian passengers.
• Seafarers of foreign nationality; seafarers holding Indian passports will be allowed to obtain permission from the Ministry of Shipping.

From America to India

• Stranded Indian nationals.
• All OCI cardholders who hold a US passport.
• According to the revised guidelines by the Ministry of the Interior (MHA) on June 30, 2020, foreigners (including diplomats) who are eligible to enter India can travel.
• Foreigners (including diplomats), who are eligible to enter India as per the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) guidelines dated 30.06.2020 as amended from time to time.

11. Kenya

From India to Kenya

• Residents of any country in Africa can travel.
• Any Indian national who holds any type of valid visa from Kenya and destined for any country in Africa.
• The airlines concerned should ensure that there are no travel restrictions for Indian nationals to enter destinations with specific visa categories before issuing boarding passes/ air tickets to Indian passengers.

From Kenya to India

• Stranded Indian residents in any country in Africa.
• All OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) cardholders holding passports of Kenya can travel.
• Indian Overseas Citizens cardholders hold passports issued by any African country, is eligible to enter India in accordance with the MHA guidelines on June 30, 2020 (as amended from time to time).

12. Germany 

Airlines of Germany and India are also allowed to operate services between Germany and India and carry the following categories of personnel on such flights.

From India to Germany

• Indian nationals approved to travel to Europe according to the MHA guidelines on January 7, 2020.
• Stranded EU citizens/residents, foreign nationals traveling to Europe, and transiting through Germany or their spouses (whether accompanying or not).
• Seafarers of foreign nationality; seafarers holding Indian passports will be allowed to obtain permits from the Ministry of Shipping.

From Germany to India

• Indian nationals stranded in Germany.
• According to the revised guidelines by the MHA on June 30, 2020, foreigners (including diplomats and OCI card holders) are eligible to enter India.

13. Iraq & Bhutan

Indian, Iraqi & Bhutanese airlines are allowed to operate services between India, Iraq, and Bhutan and carry the following categories of persons on such flights.

From India to Iraq & Bhutan

• Any Indian national.
• Nationals/residents of Bhutan& Iraq and foreign nationals holding valid visas Iraq & Bhutan, if required.
• The airlines concerned should ensure that there are no travel restrictions for Indian nationals to enter destinations with specific visa categories before issuing boarding passes/ air tickets to Indian passengers.

From Iraq & Bhutan to India

• Stranded Indian nationals in Iraq & Bhutan.
• All overseas citizen of India cardholders who hold passports of Bhutan & Iraq.
• Iraqi & Bhutanese residents (including diplomats) and foreigners (including diplomats) holding valid visas issued by an Indian Mission in any category covered under Ministry of Home Affairs guidelines dated 30.06.2020, as amended from time to time.

14. Japan

Japanese and  Indian airlines carry the subsequent categories of people on such flights.

From India to Japan

• Japanese residents/nationals stranded holding a valid Japanese visa and foreign nationals holding a valid Japanese visa are subject to the border measures and travel restrictions imposed by the Japanese government while traveling.
• Indian nationals holding any type of valid visa from Japan must comply with the border measures and travel restrictions of the Japanese government while traveling.
• Relevant airlines should ensure that there are no entry restrictions for Indian nationals having special visa categories before issuing boarding passes/air tickets to Indian passengers.

From Japan to India

• • Indian nationals stranded.
  • All OCI cardholders holding passports of Japan.
  • Foreigners (including diplomats) holding a valid visa issued by the Indian delegation in any category following revised guidelines by the Ministry of the Home Affairs on June 30, 2020 (as amended from time to time).

15. Maldives

 Maldivian and Indian carriers operate flights between Maldives and India and carry the subsequent categories of people on such flights:

From India to Maldives:

• Maldivian residents/nationals and foreign nationals holding valid Maldivian visas.
• Any Indian national. 
• Relevant airlines should ensure that Indian nationals do not have travel restrictions to enter the Maldives before issuing boarding passes/ air tickets to Indian passengers.

From Maldives to India:

• Indian nationals.
• All overseas Indian (OCI) cardholders holding Maldivian passports.
• Foreigners (including diplomats) holding a valid visa issued by the Indian delegation belong to any category of the Ministry of the Interior (MHA) guidelines dated 30.06.2020 (revised from time to time).

It is worth noting that due to the coronavirus pandemic, scheduled international flights have been suspended in India since March 23. However, since May, with the support of the Vande Bharat Mission, bilateral bubble arrangements have been formed between India and other countries since July, and special international passenger flights have been operating in India.

OCTOBER 18, 2020

An airline in China has been accused of denying boarding to a passenger because she had depression.

 Provided by The Independent

The woman, surnamed Bi, was travelling with her boyfriend from Weihai to Nanjing when Spring Airlines turned her away from the flight.

The low-cost domestic carrier claimed she was “emotionally unstable”, reports The Paper.

“We made the regretful decision based on public safety concerns, as the medical condition of the passenger was not clear, they could not be calmed down emotionally and there was no medical advice on their situation,” an airline spokesperson told the Global Times.

They added that Bi’s hands were shaking furiously during the security check and said that she became emotional and her boyfriend got angry and started shouting when staff questioned her medical background.

They claimed the decision not to let her board the plane was motivated by concerns about her emotional and mental state, and not because she had depression.

The woman’s boyfriend, identified as Yu, accused the airline of “discriminating against patients with depression” on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, which is similar to Twitter.

He claimed that the only symptom his girlfriend exhibited was shaking hands, a side-effect of the lithium carbonate tablets she takes.

Yu accused gate agents of “interrogating” her in front of other passengers, and questioned whether it was “reasonable” to ask customers about private medical conditions in a public setting.

He said the pair had been travelling to Nanjing so that she could attend a hospital appointment with a specialist, which had been difficult to arrange.

They were forced to take the overnight train instead in order to make the appointment, with Yu claiming his girlfriend “cried all the way” there.

The airline said the couple had been refunded in full for the flights.

According to an investigation by The Paper, when a staff member rang Spring Airlines and posed as a customer, they were told by a customer service rep that the carrier doesn’t recommend that people with depression should fly.

The story follows an incident on an Air China flight in September, when a passenger died by suicide in the aircraft toilet.

OCTOBER 18, 2020

BY  Matt Oliver For The Daily Mail

Top luxury brands including Ted Baker and Fortnum & Mason have warned the Chancellor that axing duty-free sales during the Covid-19 pandemic will put thousands of retail jobs further at risk. 

In an open letter to Rishi Sunak, 16 firms said removing VAT refunds for international visitors to shops would deliver a hammer blow to the fashion industry 'at a time when it can ill afford it'. 

Their warning comes after research laid bare the devastation retailers face this year, with a record 11,120 chain stores closing in the first six months. 

© Provided by This Is Money Warning: Ted Baker and Fortnum & Mason are among 16 firms to lobby Chancellor Rishi Sunak

Under the changes on January 1, visitors from outside the EU will no longer be able to claim VAT refunds for goods such as perfume, clothing and electronics bought at shops. UK holidaymakers travelling outside the bloc will also lose tax relief. 

The Treasury claims the shakeup will save the public purse £1billion. But it faces a chorus of opposition from businesses, including Boots, Dixons Carphone, Heathrow Airport, Marks & Spencer and 600 West End firms, who say it will further hurt sales at a time of pandemic. In their letter, bosses of the luxury brands, which also include Chrissie Rucker's White Company, Paul Smith, Charles Tyrwhitt and Superdry, urged the Chancellor to reverse course. 

They said: 'This will be a hammer blow for the British fashion industry. Tourists spend billions of pounds in towns and cities across the country, sustaining our vibrant fashion and tourism industries, and helping our arts and culture sectors to thrive. 

'Removing an incentive for international shoppers to come here will affect jobs and livelihoods.' Duty-free shopping has already been hit this year by international travel restrictions. 

Luxury brands have also warned that travellers are 'extremely price sensitive' and that ending VAT refunds will only 'encourage them to spend their money in Paris, Milan or Madrid'. 

They fear the UK will become the only country in the developed world not to offer tax-free shopping to travellers – putting it at a major disadvantage. 

Sales of luxury products can account for as much as 75 per cent of total sales in airports. However, the Treasury said its decision was taken 'following concerns that the tax-concession is not always passed on to consumers in airports', while the in-shop VAT refund scheme was 'costly'. 

Yesterday a spokesman added: 'We're investing billions to support business across the country through our plan for jobs. Less than 10 per cent of non-EU visitors to the UK use the VAT refund shopping scheme and extending this to EU visitors could cost up to £1.4billion a year.

'Overseas visitors can still buy items VAT free in-store and have them sent directly to their overseas addresses.'

OCTOBER 19, 2020

By Daren Fonda

You may be more likely to catch Covid-19 from someone at home than sitting on a packed, 12-hour flight with strangers.

That’s one takeaway from a new study on transmission of the virus on planes, sponsored by the Defense Department, in conjunction with Boeing (ticker: BA), and United Airlines Holdings (UAL).

Airlines have tried for months to convince consumers that the risk of catching Covid on a flight is extremely low. And very few cases of in-flight transmission have been documented—just 44 this year, out of 1.2 billion passenger trips, according to the International Air Transport Association. (Some of those trips occurred before the pandemic.)

The study supports the notion that people aren’t likely to catch Covid on a plane, at least from the small aerosol droplets that face masks don’t filter out. Yet even if consumers buy in, the industry faces a long road to recovery.

Researchers simulated virus-particle transmissions on Boeing 777 and 767 wide-body planes over eight days of testing, both in flight and on the ground. The planes were equipped with High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters, which are now commonly used on commercial flights. Researchers conducted more than 300 aerosol tests, releasing 180 million “fluorescent tracer particles” into the air, and used sensors and mannequins to estimate exposure and transmission without using the actual virus.

The results were encouraging. HEPA filters, high rates of air exchange, and downward ventilation systems all combined to scrub the virus particles almost entirely out of cabin air. Researchers found a 99.7% reduction in particles circulated to passengers seated directly next to the source of transmission, and a 99.9% reduction in more than 40 “breathing zones” in each section of the aircraft.

Catching Covid would be “extremely unlikely” on a 12-hour flight, the researchers concluded. Indeed, a passenger in economy class would need to sit next to a contagious passenger for 54 straight hours to be infected, according to theoretical models. And it would take more than 100 hours of flight time for passengers elsewhere on the plane to be infected.

As one might expect, transmission risk was highest in the same row as a contagious passenger, along with the rows in front and behind. But there was no measurable difference between window, middle, or aisle seats. Overhead air vents, on or off, didn’t make a difference.

Researchers also studied the jetway with the aircraft door open, checking to see if the virus was transmitted from a mannequin in row 33. They found that 99.99% of virus particles were eliminated in that scenario.

The study implies that a packed flight would actually be safer than staying home with a contagious person. Aerosol droplets on a plane decay or disperse in about five minutes, versus 1.5 hours in a suburban house, the study found. And because time of exposure is critical, the cumulative exposure on a plane was 10 times less because of the rapid air recirculation, filtration and downward ventilation.

The research had a few limits. The mannequins were kept seated, facing forward. Researchers didn’t evaluate movement in the plane, jetway, or airport lounges. They also didn’t assess the impact of conversation, which could change the direction of particles. They assumed that passengers wore masks the entire time. And they only focused on the smallest, aerosol droplets, assuming masks would filter out larger droplets resulting from talking, coughing, or sneezing. Virus particles could also land on surfaces and infect people.

Still, even if airlines succeed in convincing the public that flying is safe, the industry faces broader obstacles to a recovery. A second wave of cases is building in the U.S. and Europe, approaching the summer peaks, and countries such as France are reimposing some lockdown measures. Carriers don’t expect a big rebound in air traffic without a vaccine and overall easing of the pandemic.

The full-service network carriers, such as United, are likely to face the longest recovery, since their networks and route structures rely more heavily on international and business fares (compared to leisure-focused domestic carriers). United, for instance, says it expects fourth-quarter revenue to be down 67%, compared to 2019 levels, with capacity down 55%. That implies capacity in the first quarter of 2021 would be at least 50% below 2019 levels, according to UBS analyst Myles Walton.

United’s guidance, he wrote, was “further confirmation of the lack of coiled spring recovery on 2021, and the need for material consensus negative revisions to earnings/cash (on all US airlines).”

Without much sign of demand rebounding, Walton maintained a Neutral rating on the stock. He cut his target for the stock price to $33 from $36.

Write to Daren Fonda at [email protected]

OCTOBER 19, 2020

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has blamed Somali pirates for the incessant attacks on the nation’s waterways.

The agency said that a maritime intelligence unit established by NIMASA to nip maritime crimes in the bud through identification of early warning signs had revealed a relationship between crimes in the Nigerian maritime domain and the Somali pirates.
The Director-General of NIMASA, Bashir Jamoh, disclosed this when he received the new Consul-General of the Korean Embassy, Kang Haenggu, and Ambassador Designate of Belgium, Daniel Bertrand, who visited the agency’s headquarters in Lagos, recently.

Jamoh said  that Somali pirates are now active in Nigerian waters and the Gulf of Guinea.
NIMASA in a statement by its spokesman, Philip Kyanet, quoted Jamoh, as saying that the pirates often navigated through Nigeria’s maritime boundaries, and sometimes came through the land borders.

“We discovered a correlation between crimes in our waters and the activities of the Somali pirates.
 â€œThey have a means of navigating from the coast of Somalia to Nigeria, through the waters of our West African neighbours. In some cases, they enter through the land borders and commission boats to carry out their activities,” he said.

Jamoh called for South Korean and Belgian investments in the Nigerian maritime industry, particularly in the areas of wreck removal and shipbuilding, as well as assistance in the training and certification of Nigerian seafarers.
Earlier, the envoys separately acknowledged the security challenges in the Gulf of Guinea and promised to support Nigeria’s efforts to improve security and enhance trade in the Nigerian maritime domain.