Emirates Restores Services to Nigeria
DUBAI, UAE 2 DECEMBER 2021: Emirates will resume its passenger operations between Dubai and Nigeria from 5 December 2021, offering customers enhanced connectivity to and through Dubai.
The world’s largest international airline will operate to and from its Nigerian gateways with daily flights, providing travellers from Nigeria convenient access to Dubai, which remains a highly popular holiday and business destination. It’ll also enable travellers to safely connect via Dubai to the Emirates network of over 120 global destinations.
Emirates will operate to Abuja with EK 785 and 786. EK 785 will depart Dubai at 1100hrs, arriving in Abuja at 1540hrs. The return flight, EK 786 will take off from Abuja at 1900, arriving in Dubai at 0435hrs the next day.
Emirates flight EK 783 to Lagos will depart Dubai at 1030hrs, arriving in Lagos at 1540hrs. The return flight EK 784 will depart Lagos at 1810hrs, arriving in Dubai at 0415hrs the next day. All flights can be booked on emirates.com, with OTAs and via travel agents.
Throughout the pandemic, Emirates has been helping its customers travel safely and confidently, implementing industry-leading health and safety measures at every point of the travel journey, helping communities reconnect faster and facilitating economic recovery. The airline has also been working hard to provide up to date, comprehensive travel information to its customers, as well as speeding up processes on the ground through digital verification for Covid-19 via the IATA Travel Pass, as well as touchless check-in and biometrics processing.
Ensuring the safety of travellers, visitors, and the community, Covid-19 PCR tests are mandatory for all inbound passengers arriving to Dubai, including UAE citizens, residents and tourists, irrespective of the country they are coming from. Travellers coming from Nigeria must hold a negative Covid-19 PCR test certificate for a test taken no more than 72 hours before departure. Additionally, the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has specified designated laboratories for passengers departing Nigeria and travellers must obtain their certificate from one of the labs listed here to be accepted on the flight. Travellers coming from Nigeria will also need to take another Covid-19 PCR test on arrival at Dubai International Airport.
Passengers flying to Nigeria have to meet the requirements of their destination. Read more
Nigerian Ambassador Praises United Airlines Resuming US-Nigeria Flight
Five years after it suspended Houston-Lagos operations, United Airlines inaugurated flights between Washington D.C.’s Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport (LOS) on Monday.
”This new flight from Lagos reinforces our ongoing commitment to growing our network in Africa and providing more convenient service to the destinations our customers want to fly to most,” said United Airlines’ Senior Vice President for International Network Planning and Alliances, Patrick Quayle.
The American airline will be flying a Boeing 787-8, Dreamliner aircraft, featuring United’s award-winning United Polaris business class cabin and United Premium Plus premium economy seats. The route is expected to provide its service three times a week after its inaugural flight arrived in Lagos on Wednesday, November 30.
“Today’s event lay credence and indeed is a testament to the recognition of the dynamic relation between Nigeria and the United States of America,” said Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States, Dr Uzoma Emenike, as she flagged off the inaugural flight. “Our partnership is a strategic one. Obviously, Tourism is in that mix as today’s event captures and reflects that.”
“This highly anticipated service will provide a key gateway between Lagos and Washington D.C., as well as easy one-stop connections to almost 80 destinations across the Americas, including Houston and Chicago,” concurred Mary Beth Leonard, U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria.
The airlines halted its service after facing challenges in repatriating its revenue at the peak of Nigeria’s economic recession in 2016. The airline used to fly the Houston-Lagos route five times weekly.
Omicron: CDC Demands Airlines Identify Flyers Who Visited Southern Africa
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has ordered airlines to provide the names of passengers arriving in the U.S. who have traveled to southern Africa in recent days as it assesses the potential spread of the omicron variant of the coronavirus.
The CDC told carriers that they must provide the information to allow for contact tracing in a letter sent Tuesday, the agency said in a press release. The airlines had been told to collect potential contact-tracing data in an order last October but weren’t required to submit it to the agency.
“CDC is issuing this directive to prevent the importation and spread of a communicable disease of public health importance,” it said in the release.
While scientists are still assessing the potential dangers of the omicron variant, there are fears that its multiple mutations might make it more transmissible or able to sidestep protections from vaccinations.
The omicron variant was first discovered in southern Africa, but evidence has since emerged that it was present in Europe in the days before the first reported cases. Omicron cases have been identified in more than 20 nations, including in Europe, Canada and Australia.
President Joe Biden imposed travel restrictions on nations in southern Africa on Friday. The restrictions on visitors from South Africa and seven other nations don’t apply to U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
The contact-tracing order applies to the same countries, which include Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi. The order applies to passengers, including U.S. citizens and permanent residents, who have traveled to those nations within 14 days of their flight to the U.S., the CDC said.
As part of a group of measures designed to allow more open international travel that went into place on Nov. 8, the CDC in October issued rules requiring airlines to keep passenger data in the event it was needed for contact tracing. Read more
FAAN Training School Hosts First ICAO-sponsored Aviation Security Instructors Certification Course
The training school of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has played host to the first ever International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Aviation Security Instructors Certification Course in English.
The five-day training which was held at the FAAN Aviation Security Training Centre (ASTC) in Lagos between November 22 and 26, 2021, brought together aviation security officers from six African countries including, The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Togo and Tanzania.
In his closing remarks, the FAAN Director of Commercial and Business Development, Sadiku Rafindadi, who represented the managing director, Captain Rabiu Hamisu Yadudu, congratulated participants for their involvement in the historic training while also noting that the Authority’s training school was ready to host more training.
In her remarks, acting General Manager, FAAN Training School, Obi -Arumgbo Ifechukwu, expressed her appreciation to participants and everyone involved in the successful hosting of the training.
The 14 participants were issued their certificates by FAAN DCBD.
A Nigerian representative, Igbinoba Morenike, was also issued an individual award by an instructor as the best individual trainee.
National Carrier Draws Flak From Industry Group
President, Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI) Dr. Gabriel Olowo has faulted plans to set up a national carrier with three wet-leased aircraft, describing it as undeserving for the country where there are bigger operators on ground.
Dr. Olowo, who made this known in Lagos yesterday, faulted the position of aviation minister, Hadi Sirika that the national carrier would create 70,000 jobs.
Olowo however, disagreed with Sirika that a wet lease cannot create jobs for the carrier as it is a leasing agreement where the owner of an equipment supplies the aircraft and crew as well as maintain operational control of all flights.
Accordingly, Olowo decried that government has under its portfolio, airlines like Aero Contractors and Arik lying in state, suggesting that the wet leased aircraft could be added to their fleet, all branded Nigeria Air as a stop gap and later offered to the public.
He said: “A national carrier with startup aircraft of three on wet lease (No single Nigerian crew) is undeserving for Nigeria where there are bigger operators on ground. Arik and Aero are already on government portfolios lying in state.
Besides, he said the equity should be spread among airlines which could be put in pool under mutually beneficial codeshare/block seat agreement to build a mega carrier, stressing that the Nigeria Air project can be used as a consolidator of sorts.
He explained:” My first reaction to the five percent government equity in Nigeria Air is that it should do the same with 22 private airlines on ground if the government is that liquid in order to level the playing field and give equal support concessions for concessions, tax relief for tax relief, exchange rate regime for exchange rate regime, handling, over flyer charges, lot and terminal allocation. The nomenclature should be flag carriers.
“ Discriminatory or preferential treatment in any form will be a violation of global anti-trust competition rules. Then on second thought, the carrier should be modeled a consolidator to harness and pull resources of willing and discerning operators together under a mutually beneficial codeshare/block seat agreement and build a united, strong and competitive mega carrier to be known as national carrier rather than a government preferred private carrier. These are more tenable nationalistic options.”
Omicron Variant: Why FG Should Be More Proactive
It is no longer news that another COVID-19 variant, named Omicron or B.1.1.529, has again reared its head while the world is still grappling with the Delta variant.
With the latest discovery, the entire global community has again been confronted with fears and anxiety with each country swinging into actions trying to find ways to subdue the additional trauma Omicron may unleash on its citizens and economy.
Coming at a time when economies around the world are gradually picking up and when movements of people and cargo through air transport are bouncing back, the COVID-19 variant has obviously created tensions and worries around the world.
What makes Omicron more dangerous, according to experts, is because of its high mutations and transmissibilities with a total of 126 genomes of the variant so far identified.
Sadly, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Omicron variant has been traced to South Africa, which makes all attention to shift to the country and neighbouring countries.
As usual, in order not to be caught napping, countries around the world have wasted no time in suspending movements not only between them and South Africa but some countries sharing borders with it to prevent the importation of the deadly virus into their territories.
Again, as expected, most of the decisions taken to prevent the spread of Omicron will be targeted at air travel mode of transport, being the fastest means through which the virus can be distributed.
This is what makes the emergence of the new COVID variant very pathetic as it is coming at a critical period air travel is coming up after the disaster COVID-19 earlier dealt to airline business.
While many airlines around the world are still battling for survival, surprisingly, Nigerian airlines have done well in the areas of recovery with even many new others joining the business as attested to at the recent Dubai Air show where some Nigerian carriers had placed orders for a variety of aircraft.
As these positive vibes continue, the presidential committee on COVID-19 team with other relevant authorities have been up and doing in ensuring Nigerians continue to adhere to all the COVID protocols across airports and other borders. Read more
United Airlines Flies Passengers With 100% Sustainable Fuel
United Airlines will on Wednesday operate an unprecedented flight that would serve as a turning point in the aviation industry’s effort to combat climate change.
According to the carrier, for the first time in aviation history a commercial carrier would fly an aircraft full of passengers using 100 per cent Sustainable Aviation Fuel.
The demonstration flight would depart with more than 100 passengers from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and land at Washington, D.C.’s Reagan National Airport, using a new United 737 MAX 8 with 500 gallons of SAF in one engine and the same amount of conventional jet fuel in the other engine to further prove there are no operational differences between the two and to set the stage for more scalable uses of SAF by all airlines in the future.
United Also announced the second round of corporate participants in its Eco-Skies Alliance Programme to collectively contribute to the purchase of SAF.
The airline made these known in a statement on Wednesday.
SAF is an alternative fuel made with non-petroleum feedstock and according to United Airlines, the fuel can deliver the performance of petroleum-based jet fuel with lower carbon emissions.
The Chief Executive Officer, United Airlines, Scott Kirby, was quoted as saying, “United continues to lead from the front when it comes to climate change action. Today’s SAF flight is not only a significant milestone for efforts to decarbonise our industry, but when combined with the surge in commitments to produce and purchase alternative fuels, we are demonstrating the scalable and impactful way companies can join together and play a role in addressing the biggest challenge of our lifetimes.”
United would operate the flight in partnership with Boeing, CFM International. United’s Kirby would be joined by executives from each of the companies with other business leaders, government officials, NGOs and members of the media.
Meanwhile, United Airlines had on Tuesday inaugurated a nonstop service between its hub at Washington Dulles International Airport, United States and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, Nigeria.
The first flight from Washington DC, which was operated with a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, arrived Lagos on Tuesday.
The company added that with three weekly flights, the carrier is the only airline serving the Washington, DC-Lagos route, nonstop.
United’s Senior Vice President International Network Planning and Alliances, Patrick Quayle, had said, “This new flight from Lagos reinforces our ongoing commitment to growing our network in Africa and providing more convenient service to the destinations our customers want to fly to most.”
Sources: Tribune, Emirates.com, Punch Newspaper,