by admin | Apr 3, 2025 | airline industry, aviation, civil aviation, flights, sports
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has warned international carriers about the rising number of grievances from travelers who are flown partway to their destinations before being sent back to Nigeria.
The NCAA criticized the practice, highlighting that it has caused significant anguish among travelers and harmed the standing of Nigeria’s aviation sector.
Michael Achimugu, who serves as the NCAA’s Director of Consumer Protection and Public Affairs, made this announcement in a statement on Thursday.
“These actions, which involve the refusal of boarding or denial of entry at intermediate or transit stops due to visa and travel restrictions, are completely unacceptable,” he said.
The NCAA emphasized that airlines must notify passengers about any possible barriers to their entry prior to the start of their travel.
“Passengers must not find themselves in a situation where they are refused entry or sent back to Nigeria solely upon reaching transit points,” Achimugu emphasized.
According to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023 (Section 19.21.1.1), the NCAA has emphasized that both airlines and their representatives must ensure passengers are made aware of any possible entry limitations prior to leaving for their destination.
“Airlines are required to implement suitable procedures for screening and should furnish passengers with precise, current details about their travel documents and visa prerequisites prior to selling tickets or permitting them to board,” he emphasized.
He mentioned that due to these problems, the NCAA has declared urgent compliance actions.
“Starting now, any airline caught participating in these practices will be subject to regulatory measures, which may include financial penalties, temporary suspensions of their flying privileges, or other suitable consequences,” Achimugu cautioned.
“The NCAA looks forward to the collaboration from all airlines in upholding the standards and professionalism within the aviation sector, along with safeguarding the welfare of Nigerian travelers,” he stated.
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by admin | Apr 2, 2025 | air travel, aviation, civil aviation, flights, flying
Ryanair is seeking £5 million in damages from Britain’s air traffic control authority following disruptions affecting approximately 700,000 passengers. The incident occurred because an off-site engineer was unable to log in due to forgetting his password.
The technician tried for over an hour to access the system remotely and resolve a malfunction at the National Air Traffic Service.
He found it difficult to log in from afar as the system had malfunctioned, thus refusing to acknowledge his password.
The specialist finally got into his vehicle and started driving toward the Southampton headquarters during the August 2023 bank holiday weekend.
However, due to traffic jams, his trip lasted for 95 minutes, by which point flights were being canceled across the nation.
Ryanair claims NATS
It took three hours for the company to be notified about the issue.
resulting in 1,000 of its flights being delayed or canceled.
The airline based in Ireland has charged NATS with neglect and is demanding approximately £4.52 million as compensation, along with covering legal expenses and interest on damages.
The Sun reported
.
The CEO of Ryanair, Michael O’Leary, criticized NATS engineers during a discussion at the time, saying they were lounging ‘in their pajamas at home’ over one of the most hectic holiday periods of the year.
He characterized the managers at NATS as ‘numpties,’ stating that they were responsible for the ‘breakdown’ of the system and had neglected to provide adequate warnings to airlines.
Last year, a report issued by the Civil Aviation Authority urged technicians to operate from the headquarters indefinitely.
As numerous vacationers found themselves stranded at airports or aboard planes, experts turned to a remote senior engineer for guidance. However, this individual also struggled to comprehend the root cause of the systemic failure.
Ultimately, four hours following the original incident, a call was made to Frequentis Comsoft, the system’s German manufacturer, leading to the identification of the problem.
Once resolved, the backlog had grown so large that numerous passengers didn’t board their flights for several days afterward, resulting in vacations being shortened or canceled entirely.
The investigation revealed that the NATS system failed when attempting to
devise an unconventional flight path from Los Angeles to Paris that includes entering British airspace.
.
This occurred due to two ‘waypoints’ on the route — Devil’s Lake in North Dakota and Deauville in France — having identical three-letter codes.
The system got perplexed as the initial flight plan seemed to indicate it would exit UK airspace for Deauville even before arriving.
In just 20 seconds after getting the plan, both the primary processor and its backup shut down as they were unable to resolve what seemed like an impossible path.
The flight plan processing subsequently switched back to a manual system, which led to a decrease in the hourly handled flights from 800 to only 60.
The investigation report stated: “The repercussions of the failure were significant. The CAA approximated that more than 700,000 travelers and individuals faced disruptions due to the issue, which persisted for multiple days, leading to substantial financial and emotional impacts.”
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by admin | Mar 27, 2025 | aviation, civil aviation, government, infrastructure, transportation
The Transportation Secretary, Vince Dizon, has mandated various modifications at Siargao Airport aimed at improving the aviation journey for travelers heading to one of the nation’s premier vacation spots.
Dizon, who conducted an inspection of crucial airport improvement initiatives in Mindanao during the weekend, ordered a modular extension at Siargao Airport to boost seating capacity and tackle overcrowding issues. Additionally, he mandated the dismantling of the VIP lounge along with surplus X-ray equipment to streamline the security screening procedure.
According to videos uploaded by Joseph Morong of GMA Integrated News on X (previously known as Twitter), Dizon appeared unhappy with the troubles faced by travelers at an airport processing about 17 daily flights.
“Extreme is the difficulty our countrymen and tourists face here. It’s incredibly cramped and hot! I removed this VIP lounge as it wasn’t necessary; instead, we can use this area to create more space for passengers even just a little bit,” Dizon stated.
(The local travelers and tourists here are struggling. The airport is extremely congested and stuffy! I instructed that this VIP lounge should be taken down as it is unnecessary and could provide more space for the passengers.)
As per the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Siargao Airport was among the provincial airports examined by the Secretary during inspections conducted on March 22-23, together with Zamboanga International Airport and Camiguin Airport.
“Seeing the immediate need for more spaces inside the terminal building for the passengers, Sec. Dizon instructed CAAP to immediately implement expansion works for the terminal building that will effectively triple the current seating capacity of the airport,” the agency said.
“He also ordered the Office for Transportation Security to eliminate the initial passenger security screenings immediately following a thorough security risk evaluation,” the statement continued.
The Department of Transportation announced that the expansion project for Siargao Airport is scheduled to finish by May 2025, providing advantages for residents as well as visitors.
Dizon further emphasized the DOTr’s objective to transform Siargao Airport into an international gateway over the long term and instructed CAAP to expedite the planning process for lengthening the runway as well as constructing a modern and top-tier passenger terminal.
“We will prioritize the development and promotion of the Siargao Airport as an international gateway highlighting the significant importance of Siargao Island, which is considered one of the top tourist destinations in the entire country,” the DOTr chief further stated.
(We will focus on the expansion and enhancement of Siargao Airport as an international gateway that shows the growing importance of Siargao Island which is considered one of the top tourist destinations in the country.)
— Giselle Ombay/RSJ, GMA Integrated News
This article
DOTr’s Dizon calls for enhancements at Siargao Airport
was originally published in
GMA News Online
.
by admin | Mar 25, 2025 | air travel, air travel safety, aviation, civil aviation, safety
Starting April 7th, passengers traveling with domestic carriers will no longer be allowed to use power banks for charging electronic devices mid-flight, as per new rules issued by the Civil Aviation Department (CAD) on Monday.
[F]rom April 7 onwards, local carriers must ensure that their passengers do not utilize power banks for charging portable electronics or for recharging themselves during flights,” stated the CAD in a press release issued on Monday. “Additionally, storing power banks in overhead bins will be strictly forbidden as of this same date.
This follows a fire that erupted at an
An Air Busan aircraft experienced an incident during takeoff on January 28.
At South Korea’s Gimhae International Airport, the aircraft was about to take off for Hong Kong when everyone onboard was safely disembarked. Seven people sustained injuries during this process. Preliminary inquiries indicate that a portable power bank might have detonated inside an overhead storage bin.
For many years, airlines have prohibited lithium-ion batteries from being checked as baggage. Some carriers have recently extended this ban to include these batteries even when carried onboard or stored in overhead compartments.
“For all inquiries, travelers are encouraged to verify with the respective airlines regarding the most recent regulations prior to their departure,” the CAD stated on Monday.
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by admin | Mar 25, 2025 | airline industry, business, civil aviation, flying, government
Airlines operating internationally within Nigeria have complied with the request from Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, instructing them to use local catering services for meal provisions during their flights.
Starting from October 2024, the Federal Government has urged international carriers to use local catering services; however, these airlines have not heeded this request.
Subsequently, Keyamo warned that he would dismiss the summer schedules of international carriers which decline to use local catering services for their external meals. These airlines agree to adhere to this schedule every quarter to maintain their operational rights within the nation.
As of 2023, the in-flight catering market has been estimated at $17.8 billion and is forecasted to grow to approximately $30.2 billion by the year 2033, based on an analysis conducted by Fact.MR.
Although industry players welcomed the government’s decision, departing travelers voiced complaints regarding the in-flight cuisine, with most dishes being international specialties.
Several major airlines already possess catering units where they have established their reliability over time.
This hesitation from these airlines to utilize Nigerian catering services has excluded the country from accessing the $17.8 billion market opportunity.
Nevertheless, during a stakeholders meeting last month, Keyamo announced that entry into and departure from Nigeria would hinge upon accords made with a domestic catering service.
He stated that foreign airlines had the option to cease operations in Nigeria if they believed they couldn’t support local caterers.
He stated, “I won’t endorse the summer timetable for international carriers unless they present an accord demonstrating collaboration with our domestic food service providers.”
You can cease your flights to Nigeria if you refuse to support local catering services here, and airlines like Air Peace will handle these routes instead.
On Monday, the catering staff at Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos informed our correspondent that following the minister’s firm warning in February, international airlines began to favor their services.
Abimbola Olatunde, who requested that her business name remain confidential, expressed surprise at being contacted by two global airlines regarding their passenger meal services.
I couldn’t fathom the airlines agreeing with the minister since this is something we’ve demanded for ages, yet nobody seemed to hear our pleas.
“Two international airlines have approached me alone but I have only started with one. As a matter of fact, they also ask that I handle their drinks. I am happy and I must appreciate the minister for his foresight and resolve to also help boost Nigeria’s economy through aviation and its components,”she said.
The President of the Association of Foreign Airlines Representatives in Nigeria, Dr Kingsley Nwokoma, in a telephone conversation with our correspondent confirmed that the foreign airlines had started obeying the directive of the government.
He mentioned further that the minister’s instruction emphasized the importance of boosting support for local food vendors and traditional Nigerian cuisine aboard.
“As I converse with you, I traveled from Lagos to New York on Virgin Atlantic, and during the flight, they served Nigerian jollof rice along with some snacks. This experience only strengthens my belief. It shows that airlines have realized Nigeria should not stand idle when its caterers can also profit from this sector. That’s definitely a positive step taken by the minister,” he stated.
Upon being reached out to, Keyamo praised the airlines’ significant adherence to regulations, stating that he would release a list shortly illustrating the degree of their compliance.
“My brother. Indeed, the adherence has been quite remarkable. The majority have begun submitting their confirmations with our local food suppliers. We’ll gather the information shortly and keep you informed,” he said.
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by admin | Mar 24, 2025 | air travel, air travel in india, airline industry, civil aviation, government
New Delhi [India], March 24 (ANI): Following
airline
s refused to share airfare
data
with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (
DGCA
On Monday, the aviation authority stated that they are reviewing the issue.
In discussions with ANI, a high-ranking official
DGCA
The officials mentioned they are in contact.
airline
officials regarding the issue.
We aim to examine the trend of airfare pricing after receiving numerous public complaints regarding elevated costs during busy periods. Notably, these issues came up prominently during the recent Mahakumbh festival. As the digital service provider for this event, Tata Consultancy Services has…
DGCA
“has been assigned to analyze the situation,” the official stated.
In December, the
DGCA
asked
airline
s to submit
data
For each passenger, details like the fare imposed at the time of booking, including the base fare and the total number of passengers on the flight, are considered. During the initial week of January, the inaugural meeting took place.
DGCA
and the FIA event was postponed
data
sharing.
On March 3,
DGCA
held another meeting with
airline
Sure, asking them to share the cost.
data
In reply, the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), representing its members,
airline
The airlines (Air India, IndiGO, and SpiceJet) voiced reservations regarding the proposal.
We should emphasize that the sharing of unprocessed or detailed data is crucial.
data
presents significant risks to
airline
Confidentiality, operational feasibility, and market competitiveness. Considering the intensely competitive landscape of the aerospace sector, any prospective
data
A breach or improper handling might lead to significant business consequences. Revealing confidential information could cause substantial issues.
data
Involving numerous external entities, such as consultants and third parties, increases the likelihood of data breaches, strategic manipulation, and financial losses.
airline
“, stated the FIA in a communication to
DGCA
.
“Our member
airline
shall function adhering strictly to Section 135 of The Aircraft Rules, 1937, within the framework of the current airfare regulations permitted
airline
To operate sustainably while keeping accessibility and high service quality for passengers intact is essential. It’s important to acknowledge that
airline
They called for flexible pricing to adjust for seasonal demand changes, fluctuating fuel prices, and varying market conditions in order to remain economically viable, as stated in the letter.
The Civil Aviation Ministry has stepped in to tackle the issue of high flight fares, especially for trips to Prayagraj during the 2025 Mahakumbh Mela. (ANI)
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