‘Aviation: Nigeria Bares Her Fangs’

As the year 2011 rolls to an end, one message authorities in the Nigeria aviation industry have no doubt sent out is that, apart from barking, it can also bite.

Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, in her handling of the slot sharing saga at international airports, which pitted Nigerian private carrier, Arik Air against UK’s British Airways (BA) and Virgin Atlantic— under the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA)— drew home the message .

Arik Air had lodged a complaint with the Minister that BA had reduced its landing slots to Heathrow Airport , London, from the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, to five instead of seven a week, thus affecting its flight schedule.

It came as BA continued to enjoy 14 flight schedules to Abuja and Lagos on a weekly basis , which caused an outcry by Arik on the ground that the development was at variance with the BASA agreement they entered into, aside making it to lose huge resources.

The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Aviation, not minding the long standing bilateral relations between Nigeria and Britain, also reduced the slots of British Airways to Lagos from seven to three, while that of Abuja remained seven.

This development compelled the British Government, owners of BA to reverse its stand on the slot slash, increasing Arik Air’s slots from five to seven.

Britain no doubt got the message sent by the Nigerian action, spearheaded by Oduah, on a route in which the British Airways made about N32 billion in 2010 in ticket sales.

Oduah drew applause from many Nigerians, including the Senate President, David Mark, who commended her for standing up to defend the nation’s aviation sector from being ripped off, saying that the National Assembly was solidly behind her.

Unionists in the industry also queued solidly behind Oduah.

The Air Transport Services Senior Staff of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) President, Ben Okewu, described the Nigerian government stance in the issue as a development that would protect the aviation industry under BASA.

The General Secretary, Nigeria Aviation Professionals Association, Mr Abdulrasaq Saidu , also commended the Federal Government over the decision, though saying it should have been handled more cautiously.

Another hallmark of the aviation sector in 2011 was the announcement by Oduah that the government had decided to go for a national carrier once again—an issue that was dumped with the liquidation of the former carrier, Nigeria Airways—in 2003

Oduah said that the carrier was projected to come on board by 2012, a decision which stakeholders in the industry also lauded.

“ All countries have their own national carriers, so, Nigeria should have its and not be an island to itself,’’ Saidu said of the decision.

He said the airline should be operated under the Public Private Partnership (PPP ) arrangement, for efficiency and profitability.

The President, National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE),Alhaji Sefiano Mohammed, said the national carrier would enhance development in the industry.

He cited countries like Germany, Kenya , Britain and Ethiopia, as some nations with their own thriving national carriers, which were contributing to their economies.

Perhaps the strides the industry witnessed stem from the wind of change which blew away helmsmen of some key agencies in the sector.

During the year, a shake-up in the industry brought fresh blood as the ministry disengaged three chief executive officers (CEOs).

The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr Richard Aisuebeogun, his counterpart at the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Alhaji Ibrahim Auyo, and the Rector, Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) , Zaria, Capt. Adebayo Araba, were swept away.

Mr George Uriesi of FAAN, Mr Nnamdi Udoh of NAMA and Capt. Chinyere Kalu , respectively, were named their successors in a move which the government hinged on its Transformation Agenda .

Only the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), which is autonomous, was spared the changes whichelicited mixed reactions from stakeholders and aviation watchers.

While some lauded the introduction of fresh blood, others said it was merely a ritual which the industry had gone through over and over again.

A retired pilot and President of Aviation Roundtable, Capt. Dele Ore, said that rather than changing heads of aviation agencies over and over again, the government should go for a maximum of two terms of five years each for the helmsmen.

He said that changing the headship of the agencies arbitrarily would not allow for consistency in policy articulation and implementation.

The retired pilot described the present arrangement of changing heads of aviation agencies as an ad-hoc planning, adding that the sector required long-term planning before it could impact positively on the public.

Beyond the changes, 2011 seemed to set the tone for a more “friendly’’ environment at the nation’s airports as Oduah promised that ongoing construction works at Kano and Kaduna airports would be inaugurated by January 2012.

She said that those going on in Lagos and those of 11 other airports, would be inaugurated in February 2012.

Oduah said it was in line with the government’s plan to ensure that air travel remained the cheapest, safest and fastest means of transportation within Nigeria.

Uriesi, the FAAN boss assured that 2011 started laying the foundation for transformation across the nation’s 22 airports with the remodelling of the terminal buildings of 11 of the airports.

The re-modelling project is designed to expand the existing infrastructure in the terminals of the airports, especially passenger areas in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Kaduna, while work would begin soon at the remaining airports.

Many airport users in Nigeria have been calling for them to be functional in providing efficient services to them, through good restaurants and air-conditioned arrival and departure halls.

These group of travellers, and they are in the majority, are eagerly waiting for the promised airports that would compare favourably with others anywhere in the world.

Mrs Ijeoma Friday, a frequent flyer, said that finding decent food to eat while waiting for flights, especially at the Lagos airport, was problematic and many who left their homes early, due to the chaotic traffic on Lagos roads had to contend with the problem often.

She expressed hope that the problem would be taken care of by the expansion.

Mr John Adebayo, another airport user, complained about the air conditioners not working to maximum level, saying it was embarrassing and urging those in charge to do something about it.

Alhaji Abubakar Umar, another traveller, expressed dissatisfaction at the long hours it was taking to clear cargo at the Lagos airport, in spite of it being outsourced, noting that it did not augur well for the airport managers.

They all cannot wait for 2012 to see what the remodelling will bring.

2011 also saw the emergence of a new domestic carrier, First Nation Airways, which on its inaugural flight, swelled the airlines on the Lagos-Abuja route.

Other local airlines also expanded their frontiers across the country with the increase in routes, while international airlines also continued their foray into the nation’s airspace.

The Director –General, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr Harold Demuren, told foreign airline operators— during the inaugural flight of Continental Airline from Houston, USA to Nigeria— that the nation’s airspace remained available for exploration, but not for exploitation.

Dada writes for News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Peter Dada