On board Arik Air’s cockpits

World Air Routes uploaded three videos on board Arik Air’s A345 to London, B737NG to Benin, and Dash 8 to Asaba.

 

This week’s update

Short updates:

• Air Nigeria will use an A330-200 (24/244 configuration) for its three weekly service to London Gatwick and Johannesburg in May. Service to London will become daily in June after the arrival of a second aircraft. The schedules are now available and flights can be booked online.
• CAPA made an analysis of the available seats from Lagos to London and Johannesburg.
• Maintenance Centre Malta now offers EASA line maintenance capabilities for Bombardier, Dornier, and Cessna products at Lagos Airport with its partner Evergreen Apple (EAN).
• AeroMechanical Services has signed a contract with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority to provide a Safety Management System Dashboard.The SMS Dashboard will expand the current tracking and real-time alerts for the NCAA to monitor all Nigerian registered aircraft equipped with satellite based tracking solutions and data collection hardware.
• Benin Airport recorded 348,906 passengers in 2010 and 323,545 passengers in 2011. The number of aircraft movements also fell from 7,081 to 6,791 in this period, after Air Nigeria cancelled its flights to Benin and Associated Aviation and Aero decreased their frequencies.
• British Airways and Virgin Atlantic were questioned by the Nigerian House of Representatives about the ‘regional price disparity‘ and alleged tax evasion. The Punch had an excellent commentary on the ‘Controversy over foreign airlines’ excessive charges‘.
• The Airlines Operators of Nigeria have asked the Federal Government to investigate how aviation agencies spent their Internally Generated Revenue. They argue that the various airport taxes being charged at the local and international airports are not justifiable and that the charges are high compared to the services the agencies are offering.
• The Saab 340 (N340SS) previously operated for Fresh Air and Overland Airways is now stored at Rand Airport.
• Enugu Airport is currently closed for reparation works.

FAAN to temporarily close Enugu and Benin airports in April

Contrary to earlier reports, the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has not yet closed Enugu Airport for maintenance work. However, Enugu Airport and Benin Airport will probably be closed in April 2012 for runway renovation.

The FAAN also announced it will undertake a public auction of the old abandoned aircraft at the various national airports.

Arik Air: Four Years In The Skies

On the occasion of Arik Air’s fourth year anniversary, the following announcements were made:

• The airline has up to date carried 5.8million passengers and has over 40 per cent of the traffic share in Nigeria.
• The airline has invested over $6.1 billion in acquisitions and orders in the past four years.
• The airline is awaiting approval from the Federal Government to develop the GAT terminal that will be owned by government and operated by FAAN (Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria).
• The airline promoted Chris Ndulue from acting Managing Director to MD.
• The airline will provide charter services for Christian pilgrims to Israel.

The following routes will be introduced/cancelled this month:

• Re-introduction of Garden City Express (daily Lagos-Port Harcourt NAF Base-Abuja flights) per 1 November.
• Re-Introduction of daily Lagos-Uyo-Abuja flights per 15 November.
• Akure and Ilorin are dropped as destinations.
• Arik Air intends to start a three weekly service between Port Harcourt NAF Base and Benin (Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays) later this month.
• Upcoming are also new regional routes to Abidjan, Bamako and Ouagadougou.

From The Olden Days: Bac 1-11s in Nigeria

After the Nigerian aviation market was liberalised in the early 1990s, many private airlines emerged and the Bac 1-11 became one of their favourite aircraft. Kabo Air and Okada Air were the largest operators and served many airports for relatively low fares. In 2002 the Bac 1-11 was banned in Nigeria after a couple of ghastly accidents in which the aircraft was involved. Many of the airlines went down and the Bac 1-11s were stored at airports around the country. Most notably in Benin, where derelict aircraft can still be seen around the old Okada Air hangar.

A comprehensive list of Bac 1-11 operators in Nigeria can be found here. All of them were second-hand aircraft, although in 1970 a Bac 1-11 was painted in Nigeria Airways colours for demonstration flights. The national carrier never ordered the aircraft.

Bac 1-11 in Nigerian Airways colours for demo flights in 1970 (Copyright www.bac1-11jet.co.uk)

Air Nigeria Adds Benin Per July 1

Air Nigeria will commence daily flights from Lagos to Benin City on the 1st of July 2010. Schedule:

• LOS-BNI VK103 14:40-15:50 (Weekdays)
• LOS-BNI VK101 08:00-09:10 (Saturdays)
• LOS-BNI VK103 15:20-16:30 (Sundays)

• BNI-LOS VK103 16:25-17:40 (Weekdays)
• BNI-LOS VK101 09:45-11:00 (Saturdays)
• BNI-LOS VK103 17:05-18:20 (Sundays)

Air Nigeria - B737-300 - 5N-VND

The new web address of Air Nigeria will be http://www.myairnigeria.com.

Air Nigeria Returns To Benin And Owerri

Air Nigeria announced to resume flights to Benin and Owerri in July 2010.

This Week’s Update

A few updates:

• Arik Air silently accepted a new A330-200 (5N-EIA) this week, but the introduction of the aircraft on the LOS-JNB route is delayed till June 7.
• Virgin Nigeria/Nigerian Eagle Airlines will increase its daily number of flights between Lagos to Abuja from four to seven, effective June 14. One of its three B733s (5N-VND) was ferried to Shannon, perhaps for a new coat of paint.
• Shell Nigeria signed a $630 million aviation logistics deal with Caverton Helicopters, partly because of the new Nigerian Content Development Act. Caverton and its technical partner DanCopter from Denmark will replace Bristow Helicopters.
• The Central Bank of Nigeria extended a N500 billion fund meant to stimulate credit to the power and manufacturing sectors to support the aviation industry. Airlines can now partake from the fund and those that are indebted to banks can refinance their loans and amortise them over a period of ten to fifteen years.
• Delta Air Lines will commence its seasonal direct Abuja – New York JFK service on the 3rd of June, substituting the flights via Dakar. The three weekly flights will be operated with a B763. This means direct competition for Arik Air’s three weekly Lagos – New York JFK service.
• Delta Air Lines and Virgin Nigeria are still working on a codeshare agreement.
• The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is set to award a contract for the expansion of both the arrival and departure halls of Benin Airport.
• The opening of the new Asaba Airport is delayed till December 2010.

From The Olden Days: Okada Air

There is a picture of a Shorts SH-330 (5N-AOX) in the Okada Air colours, with additional ‘Niger Express’ titles. I cannot recall any sighting of this aircraft in Nigeria – just as of this DC-10 (5N-OGI) in Okada Air colours.

Okada Air - Shorts SH-330 - 5N-AOX (Copyright Michael coulson)

Okada Air was the biggest privately owned airline in Nigeria so far. It popularised air travel in the late eighties and early nineties of the 20th century, operating a huge fleet of BAC 1-11s and B727s. Most of the aircraft are still stored at Benin Airport today. Its owner wrote a short history about the airline.