oleh admin | Apr 3, 2025 | airport security, aviation, government, safety, security
Yet for the God of Sallah, who ordained a holiday at the start of the week, Nigerians might have been faced with further flight disruptions at our airports come Monday.
Flight personnel have now warned that they will shut down airports across the country beginning March 31st unless the customs official involved in assaulting the FAAN aviation security chief is dismissed.
The National Union of Air Transport Employees, represented by Ocheme Aba; the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, represented by Frances Akinjole; and the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals, represented by Abdul Rasaq Saidu, jointly issued a statement condemning the recurring physical attacks on Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria staff. They declared their refusal to accept further occurrences of these incidents.
The unions additionally requested the government to promptly decrease the count of customs personnel working in civil aviation, aligning with international norms.
Recently, the Nigerian aviation industry has seen an alarming pattern emerge: ongoing disputes and competition between various security organizations working within the nation’s airport facilities.
Fresh mangos could play a key role in lowering the chances of developing diabetes and obesity. The Abuja Law School is suitable for all university-educated individuals aiming to study law. Preventing drug misuse is consistently more effective than treating it afterwards.
Not only has this issue weakened the impact of security measures, but it has also endangered the well-being and peace of mind of travelers.
The competition between various security organizations such as the Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigerian Customs Service, Nigerian Police Force, and AVSEC staff has resulted in redundant tasks, contradictory instructions, and an overall climate of mistrust.
This has led to unnecessary disputes, hold-ups, harassment of travelers, and an adverse effect on the entire journey experience.
How do we get out of this deadlock?
Initially, there is a critical requirement for defining the roles and duties clearly amongst the different security organizations functioning within the airports. Achieving this involves conducting an extensive evaluation of current safety measures along with setting up a distinct hierarchy of authority.
Secondly, improving cooperation and communication between agencies is essential.
This can be achieved via frequent gatherings, shared training drills, and setting up a combined operations hub.
Through collaboration, security agencies can exchange information, synchronize their actions, and address security threats with greater efficiency.
Thirdly, the Nigerian authorities should allocate resources for the education and skill enhancement of law enforcement officers. This step is essential for improving their expertise, understanding, and professional standards.
Efficient security staff are well-prepared to manage intricate security scenarios, deliver outstanding client support, and foster a favorable national impression.
Ultimately, there is a requirement for robust supervision and tracking of security measures at the airports.
This objective can be met by setting up an autonomous oversight body capable of offering immediate input on security measures, pinpointing regions needing enhancement, and suggesting remedial steps.
The competition between security agencies at Nigerian airports acts as a ticking time bomb that needs urgent consideration.
Through clarifying duties and obligations, fostering better cooperation between agencies, allocating resources for education and skill enhancement, and ensuring robust monitoring, we can unify security efforts, create safer surroundings, and improve the entire journey process.
It’s time to take action immediately.
FURTHER READING FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
Stay updated with live news from Tribune Online! Connect with us via WhatsApp for immediate news alerts, special reports, and behind-the-scenes conversations. Subscribe to our WhatsApp channel today!
Provided by Syndigate Media Inc. (
Syndigate.info
).
oleh admin | Apr 2, 2025 | aviation, flying, international news, international relations, kenya
LAGOS
– Mr. William Ruto, the President of Kenya, will deliver a speech to attendees at next month’s International Air Transport Ground Handling Conference (IGHC) taking place in Nairobi.
In addition to Ruto, Mr. Willie Walsh, the Director-General of IATA, along with Mr. Allan Kilavuka, CEO of Kenya Airways, have been chosen as prominent speakers for this event scheduled from May 13 to 15, 2025.
According to an announcement from IATA, the 37th IGHC will emphasize the necessity of updating operational procedures, investing in employee training, and enhancing cooperation and collaboration to boost efficiency.
Ruto highlighted that aviation provides vast prospects for economic and social advancement, further noting that its primary strength lies in significantly enhancing the well-being of individuals across Africa.
“Embracing and backing the IGHC in Kenya underscores the significance Kenya attributes to the aviation industry and our aspirations for it as a key driver of growth not only within Kenya but also throughout Africa,” he further stated.
Walsh commented that proper ground handling was essential for ensuring the safety, efficiency, and resilience of the overall aviation sector.
As stated by IATA, the central theme of this year’s IGHC will concentrate on “elevate,” indicating that the organization aims to identify methods for enhancing overall efficiency within the ground handling industry.
He stated, “This involves updating processes, investing in staff development, and enhancing cooperation and coordination to ensure that ground handling can better facilitate expansion.”
Kilavuka also remarked that being Africa’s leading airline, Kenya Airways felt privileged to initiate this significant milestone.
He highlighted that organizing the event aligns with the IGHC’s mission to promote innovation, build collaborations, and demonstrate Africa’s preparedness to influence the future of international aviation.
“By hosting IGHC 2025 in Kenya, we demonstrate our dedication to progressing the sector—not just within the country but across the entire continent—with the aim of fostering growth and connection,” stated Kilavuka.
The conference, organized by Kenya Airways, is taking place in Africa for the very first time.
The IATA announced that the conference will include plenary sessions, specialized tracks, and workshops focusing on areas such as ground operations, baggage handling, collaborative efforts, and innovative practices.
IATA announced that hosting IGHC 2025 in Nairobi highlights their dedication to fostering aviation development across the continent, aligning with their wider initiatives through the Focus Africa program.
Provided by Syndigate Media Inc. (
Syndigate.info
).
oleh 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.”
Read more
oleh admin | Mar 30, 2025 | airline industry, aviation, flying, news, resignations
-
Todd Sampson declares his intention to leave on July 31
Long-standing
Qantas
Todd Sampson, who serves as director, has declared his exit from the airline’s board.
Mr Sampson will resign on July 31, coinciding with the nearing completion of the fleet renewal process under chairman John Mullen.
The ex-advertising executive initially became part of the board in 2015.
In 2023, when he faced off against shareholders, approximately 36 percent of the votes were cast against his reappointment to the board.
At the time, critics were skeptical about whether the company director and TV personality could make it through his upcoming three-year term.
Read more
oleh admin | Mar 29, 2025 | aviation, happiness, Travel, wellness, world
The nation acclaimed as the planet’s most joyful community, which typically sees very few visitors, is poised to unveil a massive global airport.
Bhutan, a landlocked nation situated between
India
and
China
will unveil a new airport featuring relaxation areas equipped with yoga studios and sound bathing spaces.
The Gelephu International Airport will feature expansive gardens along with an outdoor forest known as the Forest Spine. This area will divide the domestic from the international terminals.
It will include designated areas for yoga sessions, open-air relaxation zones, as well as spots for meditation and enjoying sound baths.
The airport design features a sequence of wooden diamond-shaped structures, mimicking a mountainous terrain.
Although this will mark the nation’s second international airport, there are presently no non-stop flights connecting the UK to Bhutan—thus, this development could facilitate an increase in British visitors.
The airport will be capable of handling up to 123 flights each day, with an annual passenger limit of 1.3 million.
A lofty aspiration for a nation attracting approximately 316,000 visitors annually.
The majority of long-haul flights arrive at Paro International Airport located near the city of Thimphu, which serves as the nation’s capital.
However, due to its proximity to a mountain range, only a limited number of flights can touch down each day, with most being short-distance journeys.
Located in southern Bhutan close to the Indian border, Gelephu is easier to reach.
The architectural company known as Bjarke Ingels Group was responsible for designing the airport. They stated that it has been crafted to embody Bhutan’s concept of ‘gross national happiness,’ using the inhabitants’ wellbeing as an indicator of living standards.
The Founder and Creative Director, Bjarke Ingels, stated: “When visiting a location, your initial and final impression often comes from the airport.”
‘To capture the essence of both the nation’s natural beauty and cultural heritage for the Gelephu International Airport, we aimed to integrate the concept of the Mindfulness City.’
The woodlands enveloping the elevated regions are permitted to extend from the entrance square across the airstrip up to the runway.
Bhutan is
regarded as the ‘planet’s most joyful nation’ due to its Gross National Happiness Index.
This index evaluates collective happiness among the populace by considering factors such as mental wellness, physical health, educational attainment, quality of governance, environmental sustainability, time management, cultural richness, economic prosperity, and social cohesion.
The expense for the airport remains unofficial, yet it might reach up to £178 million, with plans to launch operations by 2029.
Even though its location is quite intricate, numerous members of the royal family have traveled to Bhutan. This includes King Charles who made his visit in 1998, followed by the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall in 2016.
Bhutan also boasts a royal family with King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck as the monarch and Queen Jetsun Pema, often compared to Kate Middleton.
Frequently celebrated as ‘the most beautiful royal pair globally,’ Queen Jetsun Pema and King Jigme Khesar are parents to three youngsters: Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, Prince Jigme Ugyen Wangchuck, and Princess Sonam Yangden Wangchuck.
Read more
oleh 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
.
