Travel News

(Bloomberg) -- The Biden administration has moved to provide hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan migrants with work permits, meeting calls from New York and other cities strained by an influx of asylum seekers. 

The Department of Homeland Security estimated Wednesday that 472,000 Venezuelans who arrived before July 31 will be eligible to work under the fresh Temporary Protected Status designation. The move, which protects the migrants from deportation, is part of a series of policies aimed at managing the growing number of arrivals at the US-Mexico border and in urban centers. 

Democratic-led cities have sounded alarms for months about the cost of caring for migrants, many of whom arrive by buses dispatched from border states like Texas with no immediate prospects for legal work. 

In New York, which by law can’t turn away those who need housing, Mayor Eric Adams’s administration estimates 10,000 asylum seekers are arriving each month, an influx that may cost an estimated $12 billion over the next three fiscal years. Venezuelans account for 40% of the asylum seekers currently in New York’s care, by far the largest share of any country, according to the Adams administration.

Adams thanked Biden for “taking this important step that will bring hope to the thousands of Venezuelan asylum seekers currently in our care,” according to a statement.

“I am hoping that this is the start of looking at all of the countries that are coming into New York City and the other municipalities,” Adams said on WABC-TV Wednesday. “I don’t believe any city should have to carry this national problem.” 

Cities struggling to house new migrants who are overwhelming shelters, social services and already-stretched budgets have become a political issue for President Joe Biden. 

Republicans accuse the president of fueling a surge at the border with welcoming policies, while immigrant-rights advocates fault him for not putting enough political capital behind a push to overhaul the nation’s immigration laws earlier in his term. 

The latest move will affect Venezuelans who arrived in the US between March 8, 2021, and July of this year. Within 30 days, DHS is also aiming to approve work permits for immigrants who entered the country under a pair of humanitarian parole programs established earlier this year. However, the new policies fall short of recent calls for DHS to eliminate a months-long waiting period for all asylum seekers to work. The agency says only Congress can change that.

The administration is also expanding a program that allows border officials to swiftly deport some immigrant families who have crossed the border and lack a basis to stay in the US. It is also sending 800 new active-duty military personnel to the border to assist with logistics, the department announced.

Texas Turmoil

Eagle Pass, a Texas city of 30,000 along the Mexican border on the Rio Grande, has seen several thousand migrants arrive this week. It declared a state of emergency Sept. 19 “due to the severe undocumented immigrant surge into the city.” Officials said the declaration would pave the way for requesting extra financial resources to account for the additional services the migrants would require. 

US Customs and Border Protection shut down vehicle crossings at one of the main bridges with Mexico on Wednesday, saying it would remain closed indefinitely due to the influx of immigrants.

Many of the new arrivals are being quickly released into the US because border detention facilities are near capacity, the Washington Post reported, citing unidentified Homeland Security officials. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said Wednesday that federal officials had cut razor wire barriers in Eagle Pass intended to stop border crossings, but that he’d ordered the Texas National Guard to “repel illegal crossings” and install more razor wire.

Biden has defended his actions on immigration, saying he introduced legislation to address the issue on his first day in office. The administration says it is doing all it can to assist states and cities with the influx and puts the onus on Congress to fix the system. 

The president requested $4 billion from Congress for border security and migration mitigation in an emergency spending measure. But that package faces an uphill road to passage, with the Republican-led House girding for a clash with Democrats on their own border demands as part of a fight over how to avert a government shutdown on Oct. 1. 

--With assistance from Brendan Walsh.

(Updates with comment from Mayor Adams in sixth paragraph, state of emergency in Texas starting in 11th paragraph)

The US Department of State has advised Americans to reconsider travelling to Nigeria “due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, and armed gangs”. 

Following its travel advisory update done on Wednesday, the US noted that some areas “have increased risk”. 

It advised its citizens against travelling to Borno, Yobe, Kogi, and northern Adamawa states due to terrorism and kidnapping; Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara states due to kidnapping; Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, and Rivers states (with the exception of Port Harcourt) due to crime, kidnapping, and armed gangs. 

It further noted that “violent crime – such as armed robbery, assault, carjacking, kidnapping, hostage taking, roadside banditry, and rape – is common throughout the country”. 

It said, “Kidnappings for ransom occur frequently, often targeting dual national citizens who have returned to Nigeria for a visit, as well as U.S. citizens with perceived wealth. Kidnapping gangs have also stopped victims on interstate roads. 

“Terrorists continue plotting and carrying out attacks in Nigeria. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting shopping centers, malls, markets, hotels, places of worship, restaurants, bars, schools, government installations, transportation hubs, and other places where crowds gather. “Terrorists are known to work with local gangs to expand their reach. 

“There is civil unrest and armed gangs in parts of Southern Nigeria, especially in the Niger Delta and Southeast regions. Armed criminality and gangs, including kidnapping and assaults on Nigerian security services is also pervasive in this region. 

“Violence can flare up between communities of farmers and herders in rural areas. 

“The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in many areas of Nigeria due to security conditions.” 

It, however, advised citizens who still choose to travel to Nigeria to: “Carry proper identification, including a U.S. passport with a current Nigerian visa, if needed. 

“Use caution when walking or driving at night; Keep a low profile; Review travel routes and times to vary your predictability; Do not physically resist any robbery attempt; Be extra vigilant when visiting banks or ATMs. 

“Monitor local media for breaking events and be prepared to adjust your plans; Be aware of your surroundings; Stay alert in locations frequented by Westerners; Avoid demonstrations and large political gatherings; Review your personal security plans. 

“Have evacuation plans that do not rely on U.S. government assistance. Establish a “proof of life” protocol with your loved ones, so that if you are taken hostage, your loved ones know specific questions (and answers) to ask the hostage-takers to be sure that you are alive (and to rule out a hoax). 

Regarding Borno, Yobe, Kogi, and Northern Adamawa states, the US insists that the security situation in the states is “fluid and unpredictable due to widespread terrorist activity, inter-communal violence, and kidnapping. Security operations to counter these threats may occur without warning”. 

It said, “Terrorist groups based in the Northeast routinely target humanitarian camps, security forces, churches, schools, mosques, government installations, educational institutions, entertainment venues, and road travelers. 

“Approximately two million Nigerians have been displaced as a result of the violence in Northeast Nigeria.” 

As for Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, and Rivers states (with the exception of Port Harcourt), the US said crime “is rampant throughout Southern Nigeria, and there is a heightened risk of kidnapping, violent civil unrest, and armed gangs”.

By Ogaga Ariemu

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority says domestic airlines face formidable challenges due to the country’s harsh economic environment.

The Director General of NCAA, Capt. Musa Nuhua, disclosed this in a recent statement to journalists in Lagos.

According to him, high interest rates, exorbitant insurance premiums for aircraft and others are challenges airline operators grapple with in Nigeria.

He said 25 per cent interest rates, insurance and other operational costs are killing the country’s aviation sector.

Nuhu noted that the aviation agencies would try all within their power to reduce the burdens on the airlines by ensuring flexibility in their operations.

He explained that to ease the burden on the operating airlines, the apex aviation agency gave them a leeway of quarterly insurance premiums on aircraft but said it ensured the insurance cover was adequate for the risk.

“Nigerian airlines are operating in a challenging environment. An airline must collaborate with the economy it serves, and the Nigerian economy is in tough times. The cost of financing is 25 per cent. That is killing to start with. You take a loan and pay 25 per cent of whatever you make to the bank”, he stated

Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Muhammad Haruna Manta, has disclosed that some 500,000 Nigerians are classified as undocumented citizens in the country, while 8,900 are professionals and students.

He said Nigerians in South Africa are classified into three cadres: students, of which there are about 6,000; professionals (2,900) with footprints in medicals, education, entrepreneurship, among others; and about 500,000 who are currently classified as undocumented.

He spoke at the weekend at MTN’s Group Head Office in Johannesburg, South Africa, when some Nigerian journalists on a media tour (courtesy of the Media Innovation Programme, Cohort 2) visited the telecommunications firm.

The High Commissioner, who noted that the data was of 2021, said the commission is doing everything possible to ensure Nigerians are treated well, secure, and contribute positively to the South African economy.

Manta said everything is being done to ensure relationship between Nigeria and South Africa remains cordial, stressing that both countries have been power houses of the continent for years.

On Nigeria missing out on membership of the BRICS bloc, he clarified that the country has not applied officially.

BRICS consists of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – emerging economies – in alliance for common development. In August, South Africa hosted the 2023 BRICS meeting, where it officially invited Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Iran, Argentina, and Ethiopia to become new full-time members, subsequently expanding the group from five to 11 states. When the new states eventually join in 2024, the bloc will account for 37.3 per cent of the world’s GDP, which is expected to rise to 37.7 per cent in 2025 and 38.5 per cent in 2028.

According to the International Monetary Fund, BRICS’ population will also grow from its current 3.2 billion by, at least, 400 million, significantly higher than the G-7’s combined population of 800 million.

Many observers had queried the exemption of Nigeria, adjudged to be the largest economy in Africa.

But the High Commissioner explained: “Nigeria has never formally applied. The same thing happened this year. Though, there were efforts, but it has to be formal. Application has to come from the foreign ministry. And as of that time, there was no cabinet in place.

“The foreign affairs minister would need to submit an application to the foreign minister of the host country, which would subsequently be passed to the host president, who will then table it before the BRICS for deliberations.

“But when the 2023 meeting held, there was no cabinet, no foreign minister for Nigeria. So, application could not be made.”

By  Naziru Mikail Abubakar

Last week, I experienced one of the worst encounters in my 15 years of international travel. I was travelling from Abuja to the Swedish city of Gothenburg to attend the 2023 Global Investigative Journalism Conference (GIJC). As with many destinations, there was no direct flight from Nigeria to Sweden. In the world of national carriers, Nigeria has decided to take a backseat and remain there. Hadi Sirika’s “Nigeria Air” seems to have a rather exclusive preference for its owner’s favourite destination – Addis Ababa!

My best option was to go through Europe or at least the Middle East, depending on your perspective of Turkey’s geographical placement. I settled for Turkish Airlines. An 11-hour journey, however, became 32 hours for me as the airlines continuously changed the departure schedule, forcing me to opt for the next day’s connecting flight. As a result, I had to endure a 23-hour layover at the Istanbul airport without the opportunity to explore the city.

After arriving in Istanbul at 6.30 a.m. local time, I rushed to the Turkish Airlines ticketing desk to change my ticket to the next available flight to Gothenburg, but I was told the only flight for the day had already commenced boarding and that there was no space for me.

“I’m afraid you have to wait for tomorrow morning’s flight as contained in your boarding pass,” a lady at the desk told me politely.

After exhausting all available options to change the ticket without success, I decided to get an entry visitor’s e-visa. The system was so simple. You approach an ATM-like machine and pay $50 if you have UK, US or Schengen passports or a Nigerian passport with any of the three valid visas.

It’s a system I had used before and figured I could give it another shot to enter Istanbul – a city I know fairly well having been there on five different occasions. I had planned to meet and greet a couple of ex-BBC colleagues now working with the Turkish broadcaster, TRT.

Little did I know, similar to the constant decline of the naira in my account since Bola Tinubu’s presidency began, my green passport has been rapidly devaluing. It no longer allows me to obtain a Turkish e-visa and has forfeited numerous privileges that holders once enjoyed in various countries.

I watched in dismay as the security personnel at the gate permitted a group of South Africans to pass through and access the e-visa point, informing me that the “Nigerian passport is not eligible.”

I didn’t ask why but later found out from a friend that a passenger travelling to the US through Istanbul was recently denied the opportunity to enjoy a free hotel accommodation because of his “Nigerian passport”. I gathered that they only permitted individuals with US passports to proceed and was also informed that, “Nigerians tend to frequently overstay or disappear when granted entry.”

After all the wahala and spending the night at an expensive airport hotel, I woke up very refreshed and ready for my flight. I was at the boarding gate almost 1.30 minutes before the departure. After a couple of minutes’ wait, we were called for passport screening ahead of the boarding. Two gentlemen from the Turkish Airlines were in charge. Things were going smoothly until it reached my turn.

One of the flight attendants glanced at my passport and my visa. He requested that I lift my face to allow him to verify my identity as the legitimate passport holder. Of course, it was my photo and the visa was valid. But that was not enough.

“Do you have a return ticket?”

In his mind, I was embarking on a “Japa” mission.  Without hiding my displeasure, I simply told him to check their system to verify if I had a return ticket or not.

Then he started to sound apologetic, saying he just wanted my answer. “Sir, I only want you to say yes or no since I don’t have access to the computer now.”

The attendant moved over to a Filipino lady next to me. He asked her if she had a return ticket. She said yes and he moved on to the next person. At that moment, I was convinced that he had only asked her to demonstrate to me that he wasn’t profiling me.

While trying to avoid another round of profiling and passport issues, I refrained from going through the counter of the previous “racist” attendant. However, the second officer proved to be equally biased. As I approached him, he quietly confirmed from his colleague that he had already screened my passport in the local language, allowing me to board the 200-passenger plane, which had only three black passengers – I and two Somali immigrants with EU resident permits..

This annoying encounter at the Istanbul airport reminded me of another terrible incident that almost forced me to miss my return flight to New York from Tangia, Morocco. I was in Morocco in November 2019, to attend a Media Trust board retreat ahead of my resumption as editor-in-chief in January 2020. The Moroccan immigration officers allowed me to enter the country and stamped my passport knowing fully well that I was travelling from the US, only for them to ask me to wait for a few moments when I wanted to return to New York after four days of our retreat. I was left sitting in a small corner for nearly 30 minutes. Nobody asked any questions or demanded any documents or told me to do anything.

My thoughts swiftly gravitated towards the familiar culprits – my Nigerian passport and the upcoming journey to the US. After expressing my frustration to the airline staff and with the intervention of their supervisor, they extended their apologies and granted me permission to board and make my way back to New York.

I understand this isn’t a novel narrative, but why do the deeds of a handful of individuals persist in causing harm to everyone? The conduct and dispositions of Nigerians consistently cast a shadow over our nation’s reputation on a regular basis, and it appears that we have lost all hope of change.

It has led to visa bans in the UAE and restrictions in South Africa, Turkey and many other countries. The Japa syndrome has worsened the situation, but I strongly believe that we shouldn’t give up. In fact, this is the time to brace for change. The new Minister of Information and National Orientation should take the lead. It’s imperative that we restore our country’s tarnished reputation in the eyes of the world.

Naziru is the Group Executive Director, Digital & Editorial, Media Trust.

By Laura Gottesdiener, Ted Hesson, Mica Rosenberg and Daina Beth Solomon

There seems not be an end in sight for frequent bird strikes on aircraft at airports across the country as the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), seems overwhelmed by the challenge that cost airlines several millons of dollars yearly, YUSUF BABALOLA writes.

Written by Yusuf Babalola

One problem that has remained unresolved at the nation‘s airports over the years is incessant bird strike. Bird strike though, is a global challenge but it enjoyed little or no attention from regulators at the airports.

This has, however, put local airline operators in a dire strait situation as they lost multi-billion naira to this challenges yearly, thereby, affecting there bottom line and leading to delay and in extreme situation cancelation of flights by local airlines.

For instance, local operators in 2021, lost $60millon to birdstrike while 96 cases of bird strike were recorded in the first six months of 2022.

Giving details of the attack and the attendant loses recorded, Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), disclosed that they lost $60 million to bird strikes in 2021 with Air Peace recording 14 bird strikes in 2021 alone.

Also, in 2022, Nigerian airlines experienced a significant number of bird strike incidents, with 96 recorded incidents in the first 6 months of 2022. 54 of the recorded incidents for the January to June period were reported in the vicinity of Lagos Airport.

Also, during a webinar on ‘Repositioning the Aviation Sector for Revenue Generation and Growth: The Role of The Legislation,’ organised by Messrs Olisa Agbakoba Legal (OAL), the Air Peace Chairman, Allen Onyema, on Tuesday, lamented that since the beginning of 2023, the airline, suffered an average of five bird strikes every month, saying, the airline loses aircraft engines to most of the incidents.

Onyema, explained that in a situation where an engine is damaged beyond repair during a bird strike incident, the engine could cost about $2 million to $3 million, depending on the aircraft type.

“Air Peace had 26 bird strikes between February and June this year. In fact, on the average, we suffer about five bird strikes every month. There was a day we had two bird strikes. It is not the duty of the airlines to chase birds at the airports. If an engine is damaged in the process by the bird, that engine depending on the type of aircraft, repair of the aircraft can cause you between $2 million to $3 million. If it happened to a Boeing 777 aircraft for instance and damaged its engine, it could cost you about $10 million.

“However, bird strike may not damage the engine in total, it might damage some things that you need to change in the engine, but in all, the most important thing to take away from bird strike is the fact that it grounds your operations immediately because you are not certain if that aircraft is not affected,” he explained.

According to www.simpleflying.com, a US based aviation website, bird strikes can pose a significant threat to flight safety (though most don‘t), potentially resulting in diversions, emergency landings, and, in worst scenario, a water landing.

Also, the impact of hitting birds during key sequences like takeoff or landing can damage the engines, windscreen, and nose cone, usually forcing the plane to return.

The medium stated that 90% of bird strikes occur at or near an airport while a plane lands, takes off, or is at a low altitude. The amount of damage the bird does to the aircraft depends on the size, weight, and speed of the bird and aircraft. The heavier and faster the bird is, the more potential damage there likely will be to the aircraft.

However, aviation experts frowned at the increasing number of refuse dumps in Shasha, Akonwonjo, Onipelesi-Mangoro, Ejigbo and Ikeja, which are communities bordering the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

They argued that the refuse dumps attract birds, which are unwanted guests in an airport because of their damage to an aircraft.

They posited that if nothing is done to clear the refuse around the airport, bird strikes would be recurrent, thereby calling on FAAN to halt looming danger.

However, FAAN has blamed airline pilots for high rate of bird strike occurrences, claiming many potentially violated Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) instructions whilst trying to hasten departures.

Head of Unit, Bird Control at FAAN, Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, Adetunji Adetutu, said the problem of bird strike was not peculiar to Nigeria, disclosing that it was a global phenomenon, noting that no airline was immune from it.

Adetutu blamed some pilots for being in a hurry to depart and violate the instructions of Air Traffic Controllers (ATC).

“The final say on what happens to the aircraft lies with the pilots. Until the ATC gives clearance for pilots to depart or land, it is necessary for pilots to listen to their advice. Airline operators should have a change of culture in how we carry out our duties. It’s the suitability of the environment that bring birds to the airport environment. We have water, shelter and food around the airports. The runway should be free of activities at take-off and landing,“ he said.

Speaking to LEADERSHIP, the chief executive officer, Centurion Aviation Security and Safety Consult, Capt. John Ojikutu (rtd), disagree with FAAN and queried the Standing Safety Programmes developed by FAAN for the controls and management of birds at the airports.

He stated that FAAN use to have a department responsible for the control of birds at Lagos airport but are no more available in current dispensation.

„Bird strikes are caused by the nature of the environment and activities of birds in the environment, therefore, airports environments within and outside need regular control and management if possible with the local and state government. For instance, some of our airports have water streams, rivers or pools within or around them while others have abattoirs around them and all these have birds around them.

„ What are the standing Safety Programmes developed for their controls and management? These must be in the various Airports Safety Management Programmes and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) must ensure the oversight and enforcement of the programme if approved.

„About 20 years ago, FAAN had a Department in Lagos that is responsible for the the management of birds in MMA, the question is what happened to the department?“ Ojikutu, a former commandant of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos asked rhetorically.

On his own, the general secretary Aviation Round Table Initiative (ARTI), Olumide Ohunayo, said insurance should be brought back to the FAAN act so that the authority can pay for any service it was supposed to render and it didn‘t render and affected operators‘ investment.

Ohunayo, also stated that FAAN must double up, saying even though bird can‘t be eradicated at the airports, it should be minimised to the nearest minimum.

„The responsibility of clearing birds around the airports rest on FAAN and not on ministry of Aviation. so as we demand non interference agencies with dedicated responsibilities should live up to expectations.

„FAAN needs to buckle up, the process and insurance that is not inculcated into the airport authority‘s act is giving them some leeway to leave some things undone. I think the Insurance is important to come back into the act because when they start paying insurance for responsibilities not carried out people will sit up and I look forward that insurance is brought back into the FAAN act. Bird can‘t be eliminated from the airport but it can be reduced to its barest minimum especially area prone to the attack,“ he advised FAAN.

MONTREAL — Aviation companies are making the pitch to Ottawa that stricter rules designed to boost customer compensation and improve service could put passenger safety at risk — an argument consumer advocates reject as "ridiculous."

The push, made in regulatory submissions and meetings on Parliament Hill, comes on the heels of sweeping reforms to the passenger rights charter announced in April and currently being hashed out by Canada's transport regulator before going into effect next year.

The changes appear to scrap a loophole through which airlines have denied customers compensation for flight delays or cancellations when they were required for safety purposes. The sector wants that exemption restored, and says pilots shouldn't feel pressured to choose between flying defective planes and costing their employer money.

"We want our pilots to be entirely free from any financial consideration when they take a safety-related decision," WestJet chief executive Alexis von Hoensbroech said in a video chat from Ottawa this week, where he was meeting with federal ministers on the reforms. The Air Line Pilots Association raised similar concerns in a submission to the Canadian Transportation Agency.

"Regulation should never be punitive for safety decisions," the CEO said,adding that the would-be changes will drain carriers of cash after a financially devastating COVID-19 pandemic.

In the European Union, however, where rules and precedents comparable to the impending passenger rights charter are in place, flight safety remains uncompromised, advocates say.

“Did it make it less safe to fly in Europe? I don’t think so,” said Sylvie De Bellefeuille, a lawyer with the advocacy group Option consommateurs.

The EU code came into force nearly two decades ago, shored up by court rulings that require compensation even for trip disruptions caused by safety concerns, such as mechanical issues. No major accidents involving EU-registered planes have occurred in commercial aviation since 2015.

"It lays pretty ill in the mouth of the industry to say that if you ... take away that excuse, then we will therefore fly unsafe planes," said John Lawford, executive director of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre.

"I'm surprised that they would have the chutzpah to say that."

Air Passenger Rights advocacy group president Gabor Lukacs called the claim "ridiculous," and NDP transport critic Taylor Bachrach also slammed the argument.

“It’s quite alarming that the airlines would suggest that if the government holds them to a higher standard of customer care, there’s going to be a risk to passenger safety," Bachrach said in a phone interview from northwestern B.C.

Nonetheless, organizations from Nav Canada to the International Air Transport Association — as well as Canada's main pilots union — maintain that safety will be jeopardized unless delays due to malfunctions or mechanical issues are exempted from what the Atlantic Canada Airports Association called "punitive measures."

"It adds operational pressure on the pilots, who are already dealing with enough pressure," said Jeff Morrison, who heads the National Airlines Council, which represents carriers including Air Canada and WestJet.

Proposed changes under the Air Passenger Protection Regulations would not exempt flight disruptions that are caused by "normal ... technical problems" from cash compensation given to customers. However, big delays caused by "airport operational issues" or "hidden manufacturing defects" would be considered beyond the airline's responsibility — and thus exempt from compensation — under the would-be reforms, most of which are still months away from being finalized.

The first phase of the overhaul comes into effect on Saturday, kicking off a more streamlined complaints process that currently creaks under the weight of more than 57,000 complaints.

That backlog has continued to mount despite a slowdown in filings, which can take up to two years for the regulator to process. The new system will be managed by "complaint resolution officers" — 40 have been hired, with 60 more expected to be trained over the next year, according to the agency.

Among the provisions slated to kick in next year are fees imposed on airlines by the transport agency to recover some or all of the cost of handling those complaints. If a passenger files one due to a flight disruption or denial of boarding, the reformed rules put the onus on the airline to prove the move was for reasons outside it's control, such as bad weather.

Airlines, airports and local chambers of commerce make the case that regional routes would be pricier for customers — or simply cancelled outright — as slim profit margins would tip into red ink amid the higher costs from complaints and fees.

"There's always a trade-off," Morrison said.

The average profit on large airlines amounts to less than $10 per passenger, said WestJet's CEO.

"If we have to compensate a passenger, it's $1,000," von Hoensbroech said, citing the maximum amount. He noted that WestJet's average one-way ticket price hovers around $200. "You need many, many flights to recover."

In Europe, compensation for flights of less than 1,500 kilometres are capped at 250 euros per passenger, or about $359 — far below the ceiling in Canada, where the rules factor in airline size but not trip length. The $1,000 cap takes an outsize toll on regional markets "that are in large part served by shorter domestic flights," according to the Regional Community Airports of Canada.

Advocates Lawford and Lukacs characterized the groups' warnings about routes to smaller or far-flung communities as tantamount to "blackmail," while Bachrach framed the notion of pitting sturdier customer rights against regional flights as a "false choice."

Lukacs suggested subsidies to support regional trips, whose fares have shot up over the past four years even as ticket prices on busier routes fell.

Von Hoensbroech also said accountability for flight disruptions, including the cost burden, must be shared across the industry, not borne by airlines alone — an argument some advocates are receptive to, given the highly integrated nature global air travel that hinges on players ranging from baggage handlers to security and border agents to air traffic controllers.

The Canadian Transportation Agency is currently working on a draft of the new Air Passenger Protection Regulations, expected to be published this year before the new charter is implemented in 2024.

"The ultimate goal of air passenger protection shouldn't be to get compensation to passengers; it should be to incentivize airlines to treat passengers better," Bachrach said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 29, 2023.

Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press

By Abdullateef Aliyu

The just concluded Aviation Africa Summit 2023 hosted by Nigeria has exposed the wide gap in air travel in Africa despite the implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), one of the projects of the African Union to create a single market for air transport in Africa.

As of July, last year, 34 out of 55 countries in Africa have signed up for the SAATM as a platform to liberalise air transportation in Africa and increase aviation contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) of African countries.

Five years after SAATM was established in January 2018, there are concerns over the efficiency of the project as it is yet to add up by increasing access to air travels in Africa and by Africans.

Of particular concern is how SAATM can enhance intra-African travel which is almost zero as travels within Africa could be highly traumatic.

South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Transport, Mr Lisa Mangcu, spoke about how he first travelled to Europe to come to Nigeria from South Africa because there was no direct flight from South Africa to Abuja.

For years, many Africans travelling within Africa for businesses and leisure have faced untold hardship in getting to their destinations due to poor connectivity.

Secretary General of the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), Adefunke Adeyemi, at the summit, gave a vivid picture of the present situation in air travel in Africa. According to her, out of the 1.4bn population of Africans, only 100,000 fly by air. “It can take a day and half to get from Dakar to a part of Southern Africa,” she also observed.

BY  Derek Decloet, Bloomberg News

Paul Beaudry, deputy governor of the Bank of Canada, speaks at the Bank of Canada headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on Thursday, June 2, 2022. The Bank of Canada took another aggressive step in its hiking cycle, raising its policy interest rate by 50 basis points for a second straight time and warning that it may act "more forcefully" if needed to tackle inflation. , Bloomberg

(Bloomberg) -- Current home prices in Canada can’t be justified if medium-term interest rates stay elevated, a former Bank of Canada official said, underscoring the risk to one of the country’s most important sectors. 

Paul Beaudry, who spent four years on the central bank’s rate-setting committee, said the outlook for the housing market remains highly dependent not only on the policy rate, but on longer-term fixed rates. If they don’t come down, “then it becomes much more difficult to support these valuations,” he said on BNN Bloomberg Television. 

The benchmark price of a home in Canada was C$757,600 ($554,600) in August, up 40% in five years — with most parts of Ontario and Quebec seeing much larger price increases. Canadian homeowners, unlike their US counterparts, don’t have the option of locking in rates for 30 years. Most borrowers have rates that are fixed for five years or fewer, or they have floating-rate mortgages that rise and fall with the Bank of Canada rate. 

That has left many households stretched after rates jumped in the past 18 months. The five-year Canada government bond yield has risen nearly 150 basis points since hitting its 2023 low in March, putting significant upward pressure on mortgage rates. Royal Bank of Canada economists wrote last week the overall cost of home ownership in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and other cities is “still near all-time worst levels.”

Beaudry, who left the central bank in July, said his former colleagues will remain worried about core measures of inflation until they ease closer to the 2% target. “If they don’t come down, that really brings a danger that maybe there is a point where the Bank of Canada will need to tighten more,” he said.