Overland Airways to open Abuja-Bauchi route

Overland Airways announced it will commence an Abuja-Bauchi-Abuja service on weekdays per 23 May 2012. Bauchi Airport was recently re-opened after renovation works. Overland mainly flies from Abuja and Lagos to minor domestic airports, such as Ilorin, Ibadan and Asaba.

Schedule (flights operate on weekdays):

• OJ1193 ABV-BCU 10:00-11:00
• OJ1194 BCU-ABV 11:30-12:30

Asaba airport ‘ready’ for night operations

Asaba Airport is now ready for night operations according to state media, as the state governor switched on the runway lights. The airport opened in July 2011 and is currently served by Overland Airways and Arik Air.

Asaba Airport

First Aircraft Lands At Asaba Airport

The first aircraft ever landed at Asaba Airport on 23 March 2011. Overland Airways’ ATR42 (5N-BND) was chartered by the Delta State Government for the flight and carried the governor and other state officials. The visit to the airport was an election stunt. The airport terminal building is still far from complete and it will take at least a couple of months before commercial operations can commence at Asaba Airport.

Overland Airways - ATR42 (5N-BND) - Asaba Airport

Overland Drops Jos, Katsina and Minna

Overland Airways cancelled its flights from Abuja and Lagos to Jos, Katsina and Minna. It appears these routes are not profitable, even when operated with small propellor aircraft (ATR42 and Beech 1900).

The airline retains a five weekly service (Monday-Friday) between Abuja, Ilorin, Ibadan and Lagos.

This Week’s Update

A few short updates:

• Overland Airways accepted a third ATR 42-300 (5N-BND) this week.
• NAHCON contracted Alwafeer Air to carry Hajj pilgrims from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia (presumably for Meridian Airlines).
• An Aero B735 suffered an incident at Lagos Airport on 24 October 2010, as mist developed in the cabin prior landing.
• Air Nigeria published its new schedules, including the new service to Kano that starts next week. The airline is desperately in need of a new website though.
• Click here to see the future website of FirstNation Airways featuring its logo. The airline is recruiting flight crew and mechanics for A320 and B763ER aircraft.

Overland Airways To Get A Third ATR 42-300

Overland Airways will soon accept a third ATR 42-300 (5N-BND). The aircraft (ex-Precision Air; ex-F-WKVD) is painted in the airline’s colours and awaiting delivery in Toulouse, France.

This Week’s Update

• Air Nigeria settled the old Virgin Nigeria debt of $237 million with UBA. The airline has now cleared all its outstanding debts.
• Aero re-introduced a fuel surcharge of N500 on all its tickets. The surcharge is now approved by the NCAA.
• Aero announced the introduction of the first mobile web and SMS ticketing service in Africa. The service enables passengers to book and pay for their flight tickets using their mobile phones, and is aimed at empowering more passengers to travel by air regularly.
• Arik Air received the first Air Operator Certificate (AOC) under the new Federal Government mandatory recertification order.
• Two of Arik Air’s four B737s currently abroad for maintenance will return this week. The airline hopes that this will end the disruptions to its flight schedule. The airline is yet to pay its employees for last month though.
• Overland Airways’ ATR42 (5N-BCS) was ferried back to Nigeria after an overhaul at Dinard (France).
• The Federal Government will seek fresh bids for the construction of a second runway at Abuja’s airport after canceling a contract earlier awarded for the project.
• According to rumours the management of Bellview Airlines is trying to make a restart as ‘Nation Airways’ or ‘First Nation Airlines’, operating a fleet of A320s.

Overland Airways’ New Schedule

Overland Airways made some changes to its flight schedule:

• The Jos-Kano service has been dropped; Abuja-Jos-Abuja reduced to two weekly flights;
• Frequencies from Abuja to Katsina and Minna and from Lagos to Minna reduced from five to three weekly flights;
• New hub at Ilorin with five weekly flights to Abuja, Ibadan, Lagos and Minna.

This small airline seems to be stable and doing well compared to other Nigerian carriers.

Overland Airways' ATR-42 (5N-BCR) At Ilorin Airport (Copyright C.H.W.)

This Week’s Round-Up

Just a few minor reports:

Chanchangi Airlines reduced its daily flights between Lagos and Abuja from five to three. The schedule on their website has not been updated however. Reportedly, the airline has serious financial problems.

Bellview Airlines has postponed the re-start of its Lagos-London service to 1 March, 2010. Again, the airline has sold tickets without being able to provide any flights.

An EMB-170 (PT-TQE) destined for Nigerian Eagle Airlines as 5N-VNJ has been ferried from Brazil to Casablanca. It’s unlikely Nigerian Eagle Airlines will take delivery of the aircraft though, as it wil reportedly be leased to Gulf Air.

Nigerian Eagle Airlines introduced special onboard envelopes on flights across its route network this week to raise funds to support the ongoing humanitarian and rescue activities in Haiti.

The governor of Gombe State announced that a second airline will start daily services to Gombe Airport this year. Arik Air currently has a four weekly service from Abuja to Gombe.

The World Bank financed ten fire trucks for Port Harcourt Airport, but overall the Nigerian agencies are slow in implementing other aviation infrastructure projects.

The new Asaba Airport, Delta State, will be ready for operations in April 2010.

Jos Airport was closed this week due to civil unrest. Aero, Arik Air and Overland Airways cancelled their flights to the airport.

New Routes for Overland Airways

Overland Airways opened new routes to Jos, Kano, Katsina and Minna this week.

Overland now operates the following routes daily on weekdays:

• Abuja-Ibadan-Abuja
• Abuja-Ilorin-Abuja
• Abuja-Katsina-Abuja
• Abuja-Minna-Abuja
• Abuja-Jos-Abuja
• Jos-Kano-Jos
• Lagos-Ibadan-Lagos
• Lagos-Ilorin-Lagos
• Lagos-Minna-Lagos

Overland Airways operates two ATR 42-500s, two or three B1900Ds, and a Saab 340.