FG PLEGES TO BOOST LOCAL AIRLINE OPERATOR’S CAPABILITIES

The Federal Government on Friday pledged to formulate policies aimed at boosting the capacities of local airline operators.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo (SAN), gave the assurance at the 28th edition of the League of Aviation and Airport Correspondents (LAAC) Conference, on Friday in Lagos.

Keyamo also said that development of Maintenance Repair Organisation (MRO) facilities in some parts of the country was a priority of the government. According to him, MRO development will help in advancing the aviation industry. 

Dr Thomas Ogungbangbe, the Chairman of the conference and Chief Executive Officer of CITA Aviation Fueling Ltd., said that the Nigerian aviation sector, like many others around the world, had been severely impacted by the macro-economic environment.

Ogungbangbe said that high cost of fuel, poor access to foreign exchange, weakening currency, and the constant need for maintenance and infrastructure improvement were some challenges to be surmounted.

In addition, the Chairman of LAAC, Mr Suleiman Idris , said that technology upgrades and passenger comfort were important for the growth of the aviation sector.

The theme of this year’s conference titled  “Aviation Survivability Amidst a Challenging Macro-Economic Environment” was inspired by the challenging state of our economy, which has amplified the already existing constraints to growth and development of the country’s aviation sector,” he said.

OOU AVIATION PLEGES TO ENHANCE AIRLINE- PASSENGER RELATION

By: Adeniran Esther Oluwapelumi 

OOU aviation has reaffirmed its commitment to enhance a robust relationship between operators and air travellers in the country.  The pledge was made by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mr Olufemi Ayodele during the recent Consumer Protection Stakeholders’ Consultative Meeting, held at the OOU aviation  Regional Office in Abeokuta.

Mr. Olufemi,while delivering his opening speech at the parley, he emphasized  that air passengers are the backbone of the industry and as such, deserve to be well treated. He promised that his Directorate will work unrelentingly with airlines and other stakeholders to alleviate the discomfort faced by passengers.

During the engagement which had some other local airlines, air passengers and the media in attendance, the director outlined a number of challenges facing air travel in Ogun state such as flight disruptions, delays and cancellations, loss of baggage, the process of getting refunds and ill-treatment meted out to airlines' staff in the event of flight delays or outright cancellations. He, therefore, tasked stakeholders to focus on resolving issues rather than dwelling on the blame game. 
 
The Director further assured that the OOU aviation will work to improve consumer protection and ensure that airlines comply with extant regulations. He also urged operators to prioritize the Federal Government's policy as it relates to the ‘ease of doing business’ as this will go a long way in assisting them improve their services to passengers. 

The Consumer Protection director urged both operators and air travellers to accord respect and dignity to staff of the OOU aviation  at the state’s  airports, especially during the process of resolution of complaints. According to him,  any attack or unruly behavior towards OOU aviation Consumer Protection Officers in the line of duty will not be taken lightly. 

Bad weather disrupts flight across Ogun State

By: Esther Oluwapelumi 

OOU Aviation Authority has cautioned pilots and airline operators to exercise vigilance due to bad weather condition since Monday this week.  

Newsmen reports that the disruption has led to the flight cancellations by many airlines and not just OOU airline, the flight cancellations in many airports across the state begin on Tuesday.

In a statement signed by the Acting Director-General for OOU Aviation Authority, Agboola Johnson, however advised the airlines operators to get updated weather reports and forecasts from the Nigerian meteorological agency for effective planning in their operations.

According to him, as at Monday morning, the flights from Lagos and Ibadan were processed but flights to Lagos ad Abeokuta could not be processed because of bad and cloudy weather. “As I speak with you, no flight has taken off to Lagos and Abeokuta and no flight has come from those airports , he said.

He added that the situation has been like that since Saturday and that the weather was a natural phenomenon that was beyond human control.

The agency has been warning pilots consistently against adverse weather situations that could affect flight operations.