Travel News
Jet blast damages aircraft at Lagos airport
United Nigeria Airlines has confirmed that one of its aircraft was damaged in a ground incident at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, following a jet blast from a nearby aircraft.
The airline disclosed this in a travel advisory issued on Sunday, stating that the incident involved one of its operating aircraft parked at the airport’s domestic terminal.
According to the statement, the aircraft, an Embraer 190, had arrived from Akanu Ibiam International Airport on Flight UN0503 and was preparing for another scheduled trip when the incident occurred.
“United Nigeria Airlines wishes to inform its valued passengers and the general public of a ground incident involving one of its operating aircraft at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MM2), Lagos,” the statement read.
The airline explained that the aircraft was parked in an open bay between two other planes when multiple ground movements took place simultaneously.
“While preparations were ongoing to board passengers for another scheduled flight, a nearby aircraft, having completed its own boarding process, commenced taxiing. At the same time, another aircraft was executing a pushback onto the taxi line,” it stated.
The airline noted that the combined movements led to a powerful jet blast within the ramp area.
“During these simultaneous ground movements, the taxiing aircraft manoeuvred in a manner that generated significant jet blast within the ramp area,” the statement added.
It said the force of the jet blast displaced ground equipment, which then struck the aircraft.
“The force of the jet blast displaced a baggage trolley belonging to a ground handling company, which subsequently made contact with the United Nigeria Airlines aircraft,” it said.
The affected aircraft was scheduled to operate Flight UN0500 at noon.
Providing details of the damage, the airline said critical external components of the aircraft were impacted.
“The impact resulted in damage to external components, including the antenna and the forward fuselage area near the nose landing gear,” the statement noted.
Following the incident, the airline said it had taken immediate safety measures by grounding the aircraft for further checks.
“In adherence to our strict and uncompromising safety standards, the affected aircraft has been withdrawn from service for comprehensive inspection before returning to operations,” it stated.
The airline reassured passengers of its commitment to safety and operational standards, while acknowledging the inconvenience caused by the disruption.
“United Nigeria Airlines remains committed to upholding the highest safety standards. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this unforeseen development may cause to your travel plans,” the statement added.
It further assured affected passengers that efforts were ongoing to minimise disruption and provide necessary support.
48-hour curfew imposed after attack on bar in Nigerian city - BBC
BY Chris EwokorBBC Africa, Reporting fromAbuja
A 48-hour curfew has been imposed in parts of the central Nigerian city of Jos, after gunmen opened fire at an open-air bar, leading to deadly revenge attacks, local reports say.
The police have confirmed that 26 people were killed. It is not clear how many died in the initial attack and how many during the retaliation.
Announcing the curfew, Plateau state governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang said an investigation had been opened and those responsible for the killings would be brought to justice.
The state has long been considered one of the most volatile parts of Nigeria.
Paul Mancha, chairperson of the youth council in Plateau state, suggested that the true number of casualties could be even higher.
"People were here in the evening and unfortunately, wicked terrorists came and attacked our people,'' he told Reuters news agency. "We have counted scores of people who are now dead and then so many others are also in the hospital receiving treatment."
In a statement announcing the curfew, the Plateau state governor condemned the killings as "barbaric and unprovoked," and said security agencies had been directed to pursue those responsible and bring them to justice.
Local residents said threats had been posted on social media before the attack.
The curfew, which began at midnight local time, is due to remain in force until 1 April. Residents have been ordered to stay indoors as security personnel intensify patrols and maintain a visible presence across the affected areas.
Security forces were deployed swiftly after the shooting, with troops and other personnel moving to secure the area and restore calm.
Plateau state lies in central Nigeria, where there is often violence between different communities, especially mainly Muslim herders and largely Christian farmers over access to land and water points.
Nigeria faces multiple security challenges across different region - from an Islamist insurgency in the north-east to banditry and kidnappings in the north-west and central areas.
Security watchers say these overlapping pressures have stretched security resources and complicated response efforts.
Sunday's attack highlights the persistent fragility of local security arrangements and the ease with which violence can disrupt daily life.
While authorities insist the situation is under control, the imposition of a curfew underscores the seriousness of the threat and the urgency of preventing further escalation.
Airport delays improving now TSA agents are being paid - INDEPENDENT
The hellish long lines at major U.S. airports began to show signs of improvement Monday after weeks of travel chaos caused the government shutdown and security workers going without paychecks.
Most Transportation Security Administration officers started to receive pay for the first time in more than a month after President Donald Trump signed an executive order last week as a “temporary fix” amid the ongoing partial government shutdown, which has now exceeded 40 days.
However, experts warned that the ordeal is not done, given that more than 500 agents have quit their jobs.
“I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this TSA fiasco isn’t over just yet; it’s actually about to get worse,” former TSA officer Caleb Harmon-Marshall wrote on his travel Substack, Gate Access. “Travelers should remain cautious of long wait times at airports across the country for the next couple of weeks, as TSA officers are still financially strained due to extremely low paychecks.”
Aaron Barker, an Atlanta TSA officer and president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 554, told CNN that he believed more agents would quit in the coming weeks due to multiple missed paychecks.
“I do think that there’s going to be a mass exodus of officers,” Barker told the network. “Officers have gone into debt. Credit has been shot. Officers have been evicted. Cars have been repossessed.”
Johnny Jones, secretary-treasurer of the union’s TSA Council 100, said back pay “is not going to address systemic issues” and it would be difficult for agents to recover from the shutdown, which is the longest in the agency’s nearly 25-year history.
Travel Agents Decry Foreign Airlines’ Ticket Sale In Dollars - LEADERSHIP
The National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) has expressed strong displeasure over the growing practice by foreign airlines to sell air tickets exclusively in United States dollars, describing the trend as disrespectful to Nigeria’s legal tender and harmful to the local travel industry.
Speaking with journalists, NANTA President, Yinka Folami, condemned the exclusion of the naira from international travel transactions, insisting that it violates the spirit of Nigeria’s monetary regulations and places undue burden on local travellers.
Folami noted that while Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASA) provide frameworks for international airline operations, they were never intended to justify the outright rejection of the naira in ticket sales.
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According to him, the insistence on dollar-denominated transactions has created significant barriers for Nigerian travellers, weakened the domestic financial system, and heightened tensions between global carriers and local stakeholders.
“It is disrespectful when you exclude the naira from transactions. What we are complaining about are those airlines that insist on selling tickets only in U.S. dollars. It is wrong,” he said.
He further lamented that the situation is compounded by tightening visa restrictions, rising airline debit memos, and declining cross-border trade, all of which are threatening the survival of travel agencies and allied businesses.
Folami also raised concerns over what he described as anti-competitive practices, misinterpretation of tax policies, and their adverse impact on NANTA members, warning that these challenges could erode confidence in Nigeria’s travel ecosystem.
Despite these concerns, the NANTA president stressed that the association is committed to restoring professionalism and improving the global perception of Nigeria’s travel industry.
“We are not fraudsters. We are stepping forward as unofficial diplomats of Nigeria. We will use our platform to correct negative narratives and restore confidence,” he said.
He disclosed that NANTA is strengthening internal structures by fully dissociating from illegal practices and elevating professional standards through the establishment of a registered training institute for travel professionals.
According to him, the move is aimed at promoting discipline, enhancing capacity, and ensuring that practitioners in the sector operate with global best practices.
“The best way to protect our members and the industry is to raise standards and enforce professionalism.
While we play our part, we call on the government to deploy effective regulations to protect our market, travellers, and small businesses,” Folami added.
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