Nigeria’s aviation sector recorded 16, 880 scheduled flight delays through the domestic airlines between January and June this year according to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
This is coming as 2,443 flight delays through the international airline operations in the country within the same period. This is just as five airlines, many flight crews and aircraft engineers were sanctioned for violating safety regulations.
The data was released at a stakeholders forum organized by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) through its Consumer Protection Directorate (CPD), put the number of flights cancelled by the domestic airlines at 253 while foreign airlines cancelled 95 on the international scene.
Within the same period, the sector also recorded 17,893 cases of delay in arrival or missing baggage through the international airlines operations. Speaking on the achievements recorded in the first six months of the year by the NCAA through its Director General, Captain Usman Mukhtar at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, the authority declared that within the period, two international airports, the
Murtala Muhammed Airport and the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja were certified while many African countries within Africa were assisted by the NCAA to meet up the safety and security oversight standards as stipulated by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Within the same period, 36 pilots were issued their licenses, 20 aircraft registered for commercial air transport with ten registered for General Aviation Operations. While ten aircraft were de-registered for various logistics reasons, 12 were re-registered just as 30 certificates of airworthiness were issued with 85 renewed.
From right, Director General, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA), Capt. Usman Murthar, General Manager, Public Affairs, Mr. Sam Adurogboye and Director of Finance & Account, Hajia Bilikisu Sani during the D/G’s Parley with Information Managers in Aviation with Aviation Journalists at NCAA Annex, Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos on 26/09/2018. Equally, 242 cabin crew members had their licenses issued just as 206 cabin crew had their medical license renewed with 68 aircraft maintenance engineers’ certificates issued.
At the end of the forum, it was unanimously agreed that because aviation is a business that there must be a controlling centre for timely and coherent release of data/information by concerned agencies. Participants also called for an improved dissemination of information particularly during incidence and near mishaps.Woleshadare.net
Pix: Nigeria Aviation Minister, Senator, Hadi Sirika
