Travel News

BY  Chinedu Eze 

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has announced that over one million passengers were processed through the international and domestic terminals of the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMIA), Lagos between January and March this year.

Statistics made available by the agency indicated that the airport recorded a total of 323,751 passengers out of which 149,557 passengers and 174,194 passengers respectively arrived and departed through the international wing during the period.

At the domestic wing, 402,519 arrived while departure recorded 337,041, bringing the total number of passengers on the domestic routes to 739,560 between January and March 2021.

Also, in terms of aircraft movement, a total of 17, 286 aircraft were recorded at the airport during the first quarter of the year with records showing domestic aircraft movements 12,744 while international aircraft movement was 4,542.

Commenting on the statistics, the Airport Manager, South-west, Mrs. Victoria Shin-Aba said there was no significant drop as Lagos remained the business nerve centre of the country as most flights terminate at the airport.

Shin-Aba explained that there was a gradual reawakening from the COVID-19 lockdown, noting that despite fears of second wave of the pandemic, air travellers are not discouraged to travel.

“It is like a gradual reawakening, a gradual restart away from the COVID-19 issue, there came the second wave but that did not discourage people from travelling so, it is growing gradually.” On COVID-19 protocols, the Airport Manager stated, “As soon as you get into the airport environment the COVID-19 protocol is activated.

“You can get to town everywhere, you don’t see people obeying it but as soon as you get to the airport, we enforce it, people would not want to cooperate but we are enforcing it both for staff and passengers, people are cooperating.

“If you don’t put on your mask we wouldn’t allow you into the terminal building and even if you are in the terminal building and you remove it we have some task force going around correcting people, asking you to please mask up, so there has been a lot of cooperation from the passengers as well as other airport users” She, however, condemned the number of family members that follow travellers to the airport, saying this has constituted a challenger in managing human movement at the airport.

“We have been having some challenges along that area. You know our culture the way we do things, one person is travelling, ten people will follow him, but we still try as much as possible to discourage people,” she said.

Nine years after closing shop, Chanchangi Airlines Nigeria Limited is set to return to the  airspace.

With its head office in the Chanchangi Office Complex in Kaduna, the airline had operated scheduled domestic passenger services.

The Director-General (DG), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt Musa Nuhu, made this known.

He explained that the high demand for air travels in the country, saying: “Chanchangi wants to come back and they want to use ATR.They are planning to come back. The demand is there.”

Capt Nuhu observed a new trend in airline operations where operators are  shifting to smaller aircraft against the bigger ones.

The DG said: “You mentioned the issue of not using the right fleet. Yes, but with the new trend, I see people going for Embraer, CRJ, ATR42. So, there is a paradigm shift. People are beginning to realise you can’t use 737 for short flights. I can see Air Peace had got an E2195, he is got two and he said on the long term, he is going to replace all its 737. United Nigeria is using Embraer 145. Green Africa is using ATR 42, 72.

“There is one that has started processing its documents. He wants to use Embraer 145. The thinking is changing because this 737 business is not working for us. It is going to take a while. The economics is forcing the change. It is a positive change in the industry.”

Also, Capt Nuhu noted that the issue of Azman Air was being settled.

He added that the NCAA will not release anybody until they are satisfied.

Nuhu also added that recent responses from Azman had been very encouraging.

“They are taking what we have explained to them. Now they understand it is even better for them to improve their business model,” Nuhu stated.

• Increased by 0.10 per cent in March

By John Ofikhenua, Abuja

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Monday said average passenger airfare paid for specified route single journey increased by 18.71per cent year -on -year.

It made the disclosure in its document entitled: “Transport Fare Watch – March 2021”.

The document added that the average airfare rose to N36,495.41 in March 2021 from N36,458.11 in February 2021.

NBS said: “Average fare paid by air passengers for specified routes single journey increased by 0.10 per cent month-on-month and by 18.71 per cent year-on-year to N36,495.41 in March 2021 from N36,458.11 in February 2021”.

The document also revealed that states with highest air fare were Anambra/Lagos (N38,600), Delta/Jigawa (N38,500), Bauchi (N38,450) while states with lowest air fare were Akwa Ibom (N32,700), Sokoto (N33,200), and Katsina (N35,150).

According to the Bureau, average fare paid by commuters for bus journey within the city increased by 4.42 per cent month-on-month and by 82.50 per cent year-on-year to N377.27 in March 2021 from N361.31 in February 2021.

States with highest bus journey fare within city were Zamfara (N618.23), Bauchi (N597.14) and Ekiti (N500.15) while states with lowest bus journey fare within city were Oyo (N197.55), Abia (N209.87) and Borno (N258.14).

It further said  average fare paid by commuters for bus journey intercity increased by 1.62 per cent month-on-month and by 42.58 per cent year-on-year to N2,411.29 in March 2021 from N2,372.87 in February 2021. States with highest bus journey fare intercity were Abuja FCT (N4,576.28), Lagos (N3,425.18) and Sokoto (N3,380.20) while States with lowest bus journey fare within city were Bayelsa (N1,700.19), Enugu (N1,720.45) and Bauchi (N1,725.35).

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The NBS explained that the “Transport fare Watch report for March 2021 covers the following categories namely bus journey  within the city per drop constant route; bus journey intercity, state route, charge per person; air fare charge for specified routes single journey; journey by motorcycle (Okada) per drop; and water way passenger transport”.

Continuing, the document noted that average fare paid by commuters for journey by motorcycle per drop increased by 1.76 per cent month-on-month and by 102.46 per cent year-on-year to N271.44 in March 2021 from N266.74 in February 2021.

States with highest journey fare by motorcycle, according to NBS, per drop were Rivers (N420.35), Taraba (N420.15) and Yobe (N420.10) while states with lowest journey fare by motorcycle per drop were Adamawa (N90.43), Katsina (N147.64) and Niger (N159.20).

On water way transport, the data revealed that average fare paid by passengers for water way passenger transport increased by 1.81 per cent month-on-month and by 43.52 per cent year-on-year to N808.38 in March 2021 from N794.02 in February 2021.

It said States with highest fare by water way passenger transport were Bayelsa (N2,300.80), Delta (N2,300.60) and Rivers (N2,285.67) while states with lowest fare by water way passenger transport were Borno (N250.30), Gombe (N320.15) and Abuja FCT (N350.79).

The security team at the Murtala Muhammed Airport has been commended for tracing and returning N2.3million belonging to a passenger on Ibom Air, Mr. George Etuk.

Etuk, an Uyo-bound passenger, commended the Aviation Security (AVSEC) personnel at MM2, operated by Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) after receiving his lost baggage containing the sum of N2, 350, 000 and other vital documents. According to BASL AVSEC manager, Mr. Olatubosun Okeowo, the event occurred recently while the passenger who just returned from the United States of America was at the terminal to link up with an Uyo-bound airline. It was gathered that the passenger was at the Ibom Air check-in counter alongside other intending passengers and along the line, he got carried away and lost concentration on his bag.

During the CCTV investigation by BASL AVSEC team, it was discovered that the bag was accidentally picked up by a fellow passenger. According to Okeowo, “during our CCTV investigation, it was discovered that the bag belonging to George Etuk was accidentally picked up by another intending passenger with the same airline. They were not aware at all. But after the flight was delayed, and the passengers had to find means to relax ahead of the rescheduled time, the anomaly came to the fore.

“The other passenger who took the baggage unknowingly, too, had disappeared. On receiving the prompt message, our AVSEC team immediately swung into action to unravel what went wrong. With the aid of the CCTV, we were able to identify what happened and my duty supervisor and his team quickly went after the man who picked the bag.

BY Adelani Adepegba

The Comptroller-General of Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede, has said 1,579,773 persons passed through the nation’s borders in 2020.

The CG said passenger movement across the air borders was 1,256,652, while the land borders recorded 109,854, and the seaport, 213,161.

About 106 stowaways were intercepted during the period.

A statement on Tuesday by the NIS spokesman, Sunday James, said Babandede noted that the service has put in place strategies to effectively “strike the nexus between trade and people facilitation, human rights and right of countries to protect its sovereignty and security, economic development and risk to life and prosperity of the nation, ensuring that it maintains active presence across the land, air and blue border lines of the country.’’

It noted that the NIS operatives were active in the 72 border patrol bases, six international airports, 11 sea/marine borders patrolling the nation’s 415 nautical miles (853 km), coastal areas and the Gulf of Guinea in the south.

The statement said, “’The CG promised that the Nigeria Immigration Service will continue to play the lead role in border management, migration management and control of human mobility through the deployment of human capital and technology, collaborations for safer migration through bilateral, multilateral cooperation, inter-agency collaborations and partnerships, training and retraining of its workforce to ensure safe border and safe nation.’’

…State deflates alleged non-issuance of international licence by FG as misleading

…Said airport’s 5.7km long, 60m wide runway largest in Africa

…Yet to provide cost of project

Ben Eguzozie, in Port Harcourt

Anambra’s new cargo/passenger airport which is in its completion phase, is expected to achieve its major milestone with the first commercial plane scheduled to land at the terminal on April 30, to test-run the facilities at the airport. 

The airplane is from the fleet of Air Peace airlines, owned and operated by Allen Onyema, who to date, operates the only Nigerian indigenous international air carrier. 

Anambra airport, by far the newest in the country, has a 5.7 km runway, a control tower sitting on an 11-storey building, the tallest in Nigeria. The state government says the airport is coming as the “most-modern in Nigeria,” designed to revolutionize particularly export and import business in Nigeria. 

Meanwhile, C. Don Adinuba, commissioner for information and public enlightenment, has deflated a report that the federal government through the ministry of aviation, has refused to give the Anambra government a licence to operate an international airport, but has rather offered it a licence to run a domestic airport. 

“The report is misleading and mischievous as it fails to state when the minister announced the alleged decision, how and to whom,” Adinuba said. 

He said, on the contrary, the minister of aviation Hadi Sirika has been exceptional in his support for the airport; adding that the State government and the people could not have asked for better cooperation from the minister and relevant agencies under his supervision like the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) which approved the quality of the job done, and the commitment of the state political leadership. 

He said the state government was compelled to refute the report because of the anxiety it has created in millions of Nigerians, particularly Anambra people across the world who wait anxiously to make use of the airport.

Adinuba stated that Anambra cargo/passenger airport remains an international airport, which will be commissioned this year. “Like any other airport in the world, it will start with local operations, add regional operations later and finally international flights.” 

He listed that the airport’s facilities are strong and built to global standards, big enough to accommodate the biggest aircraft in the world. 

“The runway is 5.7 kilometres in length and 60 metres in width, the longest and the largest throughout Africa. Its facilities are the most modern in the whole country, and such pieces of equipment as the fire trucks rank among the most modern in the world. It is the only airport in Nigeria with satellite landing instruments. The implication is that planes can land there any time of the day or night,” the information and public enlightenment commissioner said.

Anambra cargo/passenger airport is the fifth airport to be built by any Nigerian state government. Others are: Sam Mbakwe Airport, Owerri built by Imo State; Ibom Airport, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State; Asaba Airport, Delta State; Bayelsa Airport, among other. 

But Anambra government said its airport is the only one conceived and built for international operations. It is the only Airport built in just one year three months, the state said. 

The government equally said it is completing the airport in record time without the authorities borrowing from any bank anywhere in the world, even at a time of acute global economic crisis which has seen the United Kingdom, for instance, in its worst recession in 300 years.

Till date, the state government has yet to come out with the cost of the airport. But said, it was up to date in meeting its contractual obligations to all the local and multinational firms involved in the project, despite the declining value of the naira against international currencies. 

The Willie Obiano government in Anambra finished its second and last tenure in November, with a state governorship election due for November 6. The outgoing governor noted that the state must always provide a glimmer of hope in governance in Nigeria.

Emirates has commenced trials of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Travel Pass– a mobile app to help passengers easily and securely manage their travel in line with any government requirements for COVID-19 testing or vaccine information.

The first passengers travelling from Dubai to Barcelona on EK 185 recently trialed the ‘digital passport,’ to verify and share their pre-travel COVID-19 test status with Emirates.

The trials are a step towards making travel more convenient, enabling travellers to manage COVID-19 related documentation digitally, safely and seamlessly throughout the travel experience. In the future, travellers will also be able to share vaccination certificates with authorities and airlines to facilitate travel.

Emirates’ Chief Operating Officer, Adel Al Redha, said: “The ability to process passengers’ COVID-19 relevant data for travel digitally will be the way forward. We are pleased to have been pioneers and partner with IATA in trialing this initiative in real time and soon will be launching other initiatives to further enhance our customer experience.”

The trial is being done on selected Emirates flights from Dubai to Barcelona and London Heathrow to Dubai; and will soon be expanded to include other routes. Eligible passengers are being personally invited to download the app and enroll for the digital travel pass ahead of their travels.

Air Peace has announced plan to launch scheduled commercial flights into Gombe from Abuja. Similarly, the airline has also revealed plans to resume its Yola flight services.

The Chief Operating Officer of the airline, Oluwatoyin Olajide, disclosed this in a statement. Olajide stated that the decision to commence the Abuja-Gombe-Abuja route was a reflection of Air Peace’s resolve to open up the North East as the region is currently underserved.

“As part of our strategic route expansion drive and the determination to provide key connections addressing the air travel needs of Nigerians while fostering economic development and unity, we are set to kick off Gombe operations and resume our Yola flight services very soon”, she said.

According to Olajide, the airline has already set up the Gombe station and is calling on residents of the state to apply to the airline, as there are roles to be filled in the station. Commenting on aircraft maintenance, she said, “We have 17 aircraft undergoing varying levels of maintenance overseas and once they start returning, we shall launch more routes and resume others that we

United Nigeria Airlines yesterday commenced regular scheduled flight operations to the Domestic Wing of Port Harcourt International Airport.

The inaugural flight to Port Harcourt, according to Head, Corporate Communications for the airline, Achilleus-Chud Uchegbu, was expected to depart the Murtala Mohammed Airport terminal two (MM2) in Ikeja, Lagos at 1.30pm.

Regular flights from Port Harcourt to the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja was also expected to depart at 3:00pm daily while flights from Abuja to Port Harcourt would depart at 4:30pm every day.

United Nigeria would also operate regular flights from Port Harcourt to Lagos every day at 6:00pm.

“The above will remain a regular schedule of United Nigeria Airlines on the Port Harcourt route”, he said. The Chief Operating officer (COO) of the airline, Osita Okonkwo said its operations, customer service and destinations have been organised to ensure excellence.

“We are also trying to cope with them and being open with our passengers, our customers, our suppliers, our vendors for them to know where we are coming from and how we intend to cope,” he added.

By Wole Oyebade

•Air Peace, Arik, Dana expand operations

Despite the operational hiccups facing the sector, local airlines have recorded a marginal rebound in business, recording improved passenger patronage across networks.

And in response to the uptake, some of the carriers are opening new routes and reactivating old ones to increase nationwide connectivity.

The Guardian recently reported that the liquidity crisis in the economy was eating deeper into the daily operations of the local airlines, causing airlines’ capacity to dwindle and airfares hitting the rooftop.

The situation has not improved, but business appears to be looking upon the traffic end of the industry.

The Lagos hub of the local aviation sector, for instance, recorded over a million passenger traffic in the last four months. Estimates by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) showed that the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos, in the first quarter of 2021 alone recorded a total of 739,560.

A breakdown of the figure showed that the international terminal recorded 323,751 while local terminals had 402,519 passengers.

A total of 17,286 aircraft were recorded at the airport. Domestic aircraft movement was 12,744 while international wing recorded 4,542.

The Manager of the Lagos Airport, Victoria Shin-Aba, said there was no significant drop in the traffic, as Lagos remains the business nerve centre of the country with most flights terminating at the airport.

Shin-Aba noted that passengers were gradually recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic slur, with more people getting emboldened to fly.

“It is like a gradual reawakening; a gradual restart away from the COVID-19. Then came the second wave but that did not discourage people from travelling. So, business is growing gradually.”

Operators said they were responding to the improvement by deepening route operations to serve customers better.

West and Central Africa’s largest carrier, Air Peace, said it would be launching scheduled commercial flights into Gombe from Abuja, and also resume Yola flight services soon.

Chief Operating Officer of the airline, Oluwatoyin Olajide, said the decision to commence the Abuja-Gombe-Abuja route was a reflection of Air Peace’s resolve to open up the North East as the region is currently underserved.

Olajide said the airline had already set up the Gombe station, calling on residents of the state to apply to the airline as there are roles to be filled in the station.

On aircraft maintenance, she said: “We have 17 aircraft undergoing varying levels of maintenance overseas and once they start returning, we shall launch more routes and resume others that we temporarily suspend.”

She added that the two brand new 124-seat capacity E195-E2 jets, recently received from Embraer, would soon be deployed to boost domestic and regional flight connectivity.

New entrant, United Nigeria Airlines is adding to its network, with the commencement of regularly scheduled flight operations to the domestic wing of Port Harcourt International Airport. The inaugural flight from Lagos is scheduled for Thursday, April 22, 2021.

Similarly, Arik Air is resuming direct flights from Lagos to Kano effective Tuesday, April 27, 2021. The three weekly flights will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Arik said the decision to reintroduce direct flights between Lagos and Kano was informed by the importance of both cities as centres of commerce.

Head, Corporate Communications, Achilleus-Chud Uchegbu, said regular flights from Port Harcourt to the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja would depart at 3 pm daily while flights from Abuja to Port Harcourt will depart at 4:30 pm every day.

Dana Air is investing more in human capacity development, decorating new captains on its Boeing 737 aircraft among others.

Decorating Captain Shina Agbelese and Captain Ademola Akinyemi in Lagos, the Chief Operating Officer of Dana Air, Obi Mbanuzuo, said it was exciting to see young Nigerian Pilots performing excellently, and doing amazingly well.

Mbanuzuo said: “It takes a lot to train pilots and with over 80 per cent of our pilots trained by Dana Air, we would continue to be a trailblazer in building capacity for homegrown pilots. We are glad to be making a huge impact in this regard and contributing our quota to the growth and stability of the industry.”