This week’s update

Short updates:

• Air Nigeria’s pilots and engineers are on strike since Friday, 1 June. The employees are aggrieved over ‘delayed [payment of] salaries of both local and foreign staff, pension deduction not remitted for over seven months, tax refund and tax clearance issues, co-operative deductions not yet remitted, staff travel unresolved and engineering tier system still pending’. The strike disrupted the airline’s domestic and regional operations.
• Aero resumed flights from Abuja and Lagos to Enugu (schedule).
• The US has donated a set of body scanners to Lagos Airport.

Abuja Airport to get a second runway

The Federal Government has decided to construct a second runway at Abuja Airport. The Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, declared that the expansion of Abuja Airport is part of the ongoing renovation of airports across Nigeria. In 2010, a contract for the construction of a new runway awarded to Julius Berger for $423 million was revoked because of the high cost. Oduah listed her achievements and plans at a meeting marking the first anniversary of President Jonathan’s administration. The Aviation Minister is also criticised for the way her transformation agenda is being financed.

New facade for Kano Airport terminal as part of the ongoing remodelling exercise

Renovation work at Enugu Airport is far from complete, despite the airport being open again. Images of construction work at Port Harcourt Airport and Calabar Airport.

Update:

The Federal Government and Chinese investors have reached an agreement for the latter to build state-of-the-art terminals at four major airports in Nigeria, including Lagos, Kano, Abuja and Port Harcourt.

Enugu Airport re-opens on 16 May 2012

Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, will be open again for commercial operations on 16 May 2012. The airport was shut down for almost eight weeks during which new runway lighting was installed. The airport was closed for almost a year in 2010 as the runway was completely refurbished.

Enugu Airport runway

This week’s update

Short updates:

• An interesting analysis of the aviation markets in Nigeria and Ghana. This is also a good commentary on the state of Nigerian aviation.
• The Nigerian Senate has ordered Lufthansa to pay N2.19 billion, being the amount of royalty accrued to the Federal Government from its flight operations from 2009 to October 2011.
• The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has called for an investigation by the EFCC into FAAN’s financial management.
• The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN)  may request assistance from the EFCC to recover about N22 billion in debts, owed by past and present domestic airlines.
• Harold Demuren has been reappointed as Director General of the NCAA.
• There were bomb scares at Lagos and Abuja Airports this week.
• Lagos State Government has commenced work on the development on the Lekki-Epe International Airport.
• Bayelsa State inaugurated an Airport Development Committee to speed up the construction of an airport in the state.
• The governor of Taraba State, Danbaba Suntai, allegedly acquired a helicopter for himself. The governor already owns two light aircraft and plans to a construct an airstrip near his home village. Meanwhile, the Taraba State Government will soon launch a commercial airline, Air Taraba will have Jalingo Airport as its home base.
• SkyBird Air – a Dornier 328Jet operator – is still awaiting its AOC to commence operations. The airline is apparently owned by a former governor, Ali Modu Sheriff, of Borno State.
• A Dana Air aircraft (5N-SRI) coming from Uyo made an emergency landing at Lagos Airport on 10 May 2012,  following ‘loss of hydraulic pressure’.
• The Air Expo organised by the Nigerian Air Force to mark its 48th anniversary will start next week, 15 May 2012, at Kaduna Air Force Base.
• The Nigerian Navy plans to establish a Naval Aviation Training School in Ilorin Airport, Kwara State.

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.

This week’s update

Short updates:

• Arik Air will suspend its Abuja-London service again per 25 March. Apparently the slot issue at London Heathrow has not been resolved.
• Arik Air has ferried one of its CRJ900 aircraft (5N-JEC) to Arkansas for maintenance recently.
• SkyBird Air will soon take delivery of its first Dornier 328Jet (5N-BMH).
• DANA will also accept a new Dornier 328 aircraft (5N-DOW / ex-D-CASI) soon, after selling some of its aircraft last year.
• Air Taraba’s EMB145 has received its livery (without titles yet) at Bournemouth; the aircraft will be registered 5N-BOZ.
• A police helicopter (a Bell 427 that joined the fleet last year; 5N-POL) crashed near Jos on 14 March. The Airwing of the Nigerian Police also acquired a Cessna Citation XLS (5N-HAR) new last year.
• Shell has given Caverton Helicopters a loan of $85 million to upgrade its fleet with six AW139s. Caverton will from next month expand its operations to Cameroon, signing a five-year contract with the Cameroon Oil Transportation Company.
• Air France will resume flights from Lagos to Abuja from June 2012. It will be the airline’s third destination in Nigeria.
• Enugu Airport will be closed for traffic for three weeks from 18 March (now postponed to April), to enable the installation of runway lighting.
• Bauchi Airport has re-opened after a year of renovation works.
• Kano State Government has appealed to KLM to shelve plans to suspend operations at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport.
• FirstNation Airways have commenced a daily Abuja-Port Harcourt service from 14 March.
• Allied Air Cargo continues to lease two MD11Fs from World Airways along its own four B727Fs.
• Associated Aviation still operates an ERJ-145 (5N-BJM) leased from the Bauchi State government.
• MaxAir has acquired a Embraer Legacy 600 (M-ANGA) for its charter operations. The airline also operates a Learjet 45.

SkyBird Air - Dornier 328Jet

New Arik Air Route: Kano-Enugu

Arik Air announced a three weekly direct Kano-Enugu service starting on 1 April 2011. Flights are operated on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays with a B737-700.

• W3405 KAN-ENU 14:35-15:55
• W3406 ENU-KAN 16:25-17:45

Air Nigeria Cancels Abuja-Enugu Route

Air Nigeria has cancelled its service from Abuja to Enugu. Several other minor changes were made to the airline’s schedule too.

Aero To Enugu From 7 February 2011

Aero announced it will resume a daily Lagos-Enugu service per 7 February 2011. The airline will join Arik Air and Air Nigeria, which already have daily flights to Enugu Airport from Lagos and Abuja. Schedule:

• AJ305 LOS-ENU 08:00-09:15
• AJ306 ENU-LOS 09:45-11:00

The 'refurbished' Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu

Aero - B737-400 - 5N-BIZ (Copyright José Ramón Valero)

Air Nigeria To Enugu From Lagos And Abuja

Air Nigeria started daily flights from Lagos and Abuja to Enugu on the 20th of December, 2010. Here is the schedule:

• LOS-ENU VK111 07:15-08:35
• ENU-LOS VK110 12:00-13:20
• ENU-ABV VK111 09:10-10:00
• ABV-ENU VK110 10:35-11:25

The airline also adopted the National Mirror as an in-flight newspaper onboard all its flights.

Arik Air Recommences Enugu Service

Arik Air will re-start operations to Enugu Airport per 17th of December, 2010. The daily Lagos-Enugu-Abuja-Enugu-Lagos flight will be operated with a B737-700, according to the following schedule:

• LOS-ENU W3231 07:10-08:20
• ENU-LOS W3234 11:50-13:00
• ABV-ENU W3233 10:30-11:20
• ENU-ABV W3232 08:50-09:50

FAAN: Enugu Airport Reopens On December 16, 2010

Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, will be re-opened for daylight operations on December 16th, 2010. The first phase of the rehabilitation project is completed, it involved the asphalting, expansion and extension of the runway length from 2,400 to 3,000 metres and the extension of the width from 45 to 60 metres. The second phase of the project includes the construction of a new taxiway, the extension of the existing apron, and the installation of Category II airfield lighting system (AFL), and will be completed by mid-2011.

Update: Arik Air is the first airline to announce a resumption of flights to Enugu.

Enugu Airport May Open in December

Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, will reopen for limited daylight operations in December 2010. The airport was closed in February for extensive renovation and upgrade of the runway and facilities.

The Nigerian government also awarded a contract for the renovation and replacement of Air Traffic Control (ATC) consoles and Very High Frequency (VHF) radios in 13 ATC towers.

Update: the airport manager said that the airport will be re-opened by mid-December. No final decision has been taken though.

Nigeria To Refurbish Five Major Airports

Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Fidelia Njeze, said the Federal Government has approved the remodelling of five major airports to international standards. The project will cost about N90 billion. The remodelling will involve the construction of new runways and the total upgrade of all the terminal buildings at Abuja, Enugu, Kano, Lagos and Port Harcourt. The Akanu Ibiam Airport, Enugu, is already closed since February 2010 for a complete renovation.

Airport News

The new Asaba Airport will open its doors for commercial operations in May 2010, according to the deputy governor of Delta State.

The construction of a second runway at Abuja Airport has been halted by the House of Representatives, after complaints about the way the contract was awarded to Julius Berger and the contract cost of N63 billion.

The Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and  Agriculture (ECCIMA) requested the Federal Government to construct a second runway at Enugu Airport rather than to close the whole airport for a year in order to renovate the old runway.

Arik And Aero Increase Frequencies To Owerri

Due to the closure of Enugu Airport, as of tomorrow, 10 February 2010, Arik Air and Aero Contractors will increase the number of flights from Lagos and Abuja to Owerri, Imo Airport.

Arik Air will serve Owerri thrice daily from Lagos and twice daily from Abuja.

Aero will serve Owerri twice daily from Lagos and daily from Abuja. The airline also added flights between Port Harcourt International and Lagos, now operating this route four times a day.

Enugu Airport Closed From February 10, 2010

Akanu Ibiam Airport, Enugu, will be closed to air traffic as from February 10, 2010. The renovation of the airport and extension of the runway by PW Nigeria Ltd. will last about a year.

Flights will be diverted to Imo Airport, Owerri, and helicopter services to Enugu will be put in place.

From The Olden Days: Zenith Air, Triax Airlines and Sosoliso Airlines

Nigerian airlines mostly have their maintenance base in Abuja, Kano or Lagos, the major airports in the country. Exceptions in the past were Okada Air that was based in Benin City and Oriental Airlines in Owerri. City Link Airlines (1993-1996) was the only airline to operate from Port Harcourt with an EMB-110 Bandeirante. Kaduna is still the home base of Chanchangi Airlines, although the airline plans to build a new hangar at Abuja.

Some of the airlines that were established in the early nineties, after the airline deregulation in Nigeria, Zenith Air (1992), Triax Airlines (1992), and Sosoliso Airlines (1994) had Enugu Airport as home base. Zenith Air was a short-lived carrier and operated two DC-9s. The former director of Zenith Air is now the CEO of the announced low-cost carrier Red 1 Xpress. Triax Airlines operated three B727s until the late nineties, while Sosoliso Airlines commenced scheduled operations in 2000 with a B727 wet-leased from JAT Airways. The airline subsequently flew with two DC-9s and two MD-80s. The last airline was grounded in December 2005, after a crash landing at Port Harcourt in which 110 passengers and crew were killed.

Enugu Airport Closure Update

Akanu Ibiam Airport, Enugu, will be closed in January 2010 for repairs. The runway will be extended to 3000m and broadened to 60m. The project should be completed in 12 months.

The Minister of Aviation, Babatunde Omotoba, denied that Enugu Airport was granted an international status. Only Abuja, Kano, Lagos, and Port Harcourt enjoy the international airport status in Nigeria.

Traffic will be diverted to Sam Mbakwe Airport, Owerri.