The yellow fever headache: Yellow Fever Vaccinations Requirements in Africa

The yellow fever headache: Yellow Fever Vaccinations Requirements in Africa

For those who have been following news of late, you have probably seen the row between Nigeria and South Africa after some 150 Nigerians were deported from South Africa for allegedly carrying fake yellow fever certificates, an action that prompted retaliatory deportations of South Africans from Nigeria's Murtala Muhammad International Airport.

Yellow fever endemic areas in Africa: If you come from Africa's yellow fever belt, you will always need a yellow fever certificate to travel to almost every African country. Please review the list below for the various requirements on yellow fever vaccinations.

 Many countries still require travelers moving into their countries from countries with risks of transmission to carry yellow fever certificates.

 The countries in Africa considered to be high risk due to high incidences of yellow fever infections include Tanzania, Somalia and Sao Tome and Principe. If you have stayed overnight or longer in these countries, then a yellow fever vaccination will be mandatory as you travel to other countries. 
Vaccination certificates requirements of countries are published by the World Health Organization and it's important for all travellers to carefully review these requirements and get the necessary vaccinations to avoid getting stuck at the airport.  It's also important for travellers to get vaccinated at any of the WHO designated yellow fever vaccinating centres to avoid running into problems over "fake" yellow fever certificates. Sometimes, a naive traveller might decide to take a vaccine at their local hospital, while the vaccine might be valid, the centre and certificate are probably not recognized and designated by WHO and some immigration officials will not recognize such yellow fever certificates and many of them will not bear a stamp in such cases. Always ensure your yellow fever certificate is STAMPED by the authority administering the vaccination. A yellow fever certificate without a stamp will not be considered valid by many authorities and often results in deportations.

A stamped Yellow Fever Certificate

Once administered, a yellow fever vaccine is valid or 10 years! It will be a decade before you are required to take another vaccine so this is not really an inconvenience for travellers frequently hoping from one country to another. Th ey ellow fever jab is however not recommended for those  over the age of  65. So please take your yellow fever vaccines properly and avoid putting your governments at loggerheads :)

Some of the African countries where yellow fever certificates are required include:

• Angola: Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate Required for ALL travelers over 1 year old. It's also recommended for your own safety to take a Yellow Fever vaccine when visiting Angola as the country is still considered a yellow fever risk due to incidences of the disease in recent years.
• Algeria: Yellow Fever Vaccination required for all travelers over 1 year old arriving from countries with yellow fever infection. Algeria has no yellow fever risks and yellow fever vaccinations not recommended if you are coming from a country that's yellow fever free.
• Benin: A yellow fever certificate is required for ALL travelers over 1 year old. It's also highly recommended for travellers coming from the yellow fever free countries to take the vaccine due to risk of infection.
• Botswana:  A yellow fever vaccination is required for travelers over 1 year of age arriving from or having passed from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. Travelers from countries that are yellow fever are free do not have to worry as there is no risk for yellow fever transmission in Botswana.
• Burkina Faso: A yellow fever vaccination is required from ALL travelers over 1 year of age. There is also risk of yellow fever transmission in Burkina Faso so it's in the travelers' best interest to ensure they get a yellow a fever vaccine before traveling to Burkina Faso.
• Burundi: A Yellow fever vaccination is required for all travellers over 1 year of age. It's also highly recommended fr travellers to take an initiative to get the vaccine since Burundi is considered by the WHO as having a risk of yellow fever transmission.
• Cameroon: Yellow fever vaccinations required for all travellers over 1 year of age. It's also highly recommended for travellers entering Cameroon to get a yellow fever vaccination due to risk of transmission.
• Central African Republic: Yellow vaccination required for all travellers over 1 year of age. Highly recommended for travellers to ensure they take yellow fever vaccine due to risk of transmission in the country.
• Chad: A yellow fever vaccination is required from travellers arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. Highly recommended for travellers to get the vaccine due to risk of transmission in Chad.
• Cape Verde: A Yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. Travellers from countries with no risk of yellow fever transmission do not need yellow fever certificates.
• Comoros: No yellow fever vaccination requirements.
• Congo: Yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from all travellers. Highly recommended for travellers to ensure they take yellow fever vaccine due to risk of transmission in the country.
• Cote d'Ivoire: Yellow fever vaccination certificates required from all travellers over 1 year of age. Highly recommended for travellers to ensure they take yellow fever vaccine due to risk of transmission in the country.
• Yellow vaccine required from all travellers over 1 year of age. Yellow vaccine highly recommended for travellers over 9months old except under the following conditions: Generally, a yellow fever vaccine is not recommended for a traveller whose itinerary is limited the DR Congo's Katanga Province.
• Djibouti: A yellow fever vaccine is required from all travellers arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission.
• Egypt: A Yellow fever vaccination is required from travellers arriving from countries with high risk of yellow fever transmission. All arrivals from Sudan are required to possess either a vaccination certificate or a location certificate issued by a Sudanese official centre stating that they have not been in Sudan south of 15°N within the previous 6 days. Travellers from countries with no yellow fever risk do not have to worry about yellow fever vaccinations.
• Equitorial Guinea: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers arriving from countries wit risk of yellow fever transmission. Highly recommended for travellers to ensure they take yellow fever vaccine due to risk of transmission in the country.
• Eritrea: Country requirement: a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission.  Generally not recommended1 for travellers going to the following states: Anseba, Debub, Gash Barka, Mae Kel and Semenawi Keih Bahri.
  Not recommended for all other areas not listed above, including the islands of the Dahlak Archipelagos (Map). 
• Ethiopia: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over 1 year of age arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. Highly recommended for travellers aged 9 months and over  to ensure they take yellow fever vaccine due to risk of transmission in some areas of the country. Generally not recommended1 for travellers whose itineraries are limited to the Afar and Somali provinces (Map).
• Gabon: A yellow fever vaccination certificate  is required for all travellers over 1 year of age. Highly recommended for travellers aged 9 months and over  to ensure they take yellow fever vaccine due to risk of transmission in the country.
• Gambia: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from all passengers arriving from countries wit risk of yellow fever transmission. Highly recommended for travellers  to ensure they take yellow fever vaccine due to risk of transmission in some areas of the country.
• Ghana: A yellow fever vaccination is required from all travellers over 9 months of age. Highly recommended for travellers to ensure they take yellow fever vaccine due to risk of transmission in the country.
• Guinea: A yellow fever vaccination is required from all travellers over 1 year arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. Highly recommended for travellers to ensure they take yellow fever vaccine due to risk of transmission in the country.
• Guinea Bissau: A yellow fever vaccine is required from all travellers over 1 year of age. Highly recommended for travellers to ensure they take yellow fever vaccine due to risk of transmission in the country.
• Kenya: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from all travellers over 1 year of age arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. Highly recommended for travellers to ensure they take yellow fever vaccine due to risk of transmission in the country.
• Lesotho: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from all travellers over 1 year of age arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. Lesotho has low potential for exposure and a yellow fever vaccine is not recommended for travellers staying in the country. Travellers from countries with no risk of yellow fever transmission do not require yellow fever certificates.
• Liberia: A yellow fever vaccination is required from all travellers over 1 year of age. Highly recommended for travellers to ensure they take yellow fever vaccine due to risk of transmission in the country. Highly recommended for travellers to ensure they take yellow fever vaccine due to risk of transmission in the country.
• Libya:  A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. Libya has very low potential for exposure to yellow fever and a yellow fever vaccination is not recommended for travellers from countries with no risk of yellow fever transmission.
• Madagascar: A yellow fever vaccination is required from all travellers from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. Madagascar has low potential for infection and a yellow fever vaccination is not recommended for travellers staying in the country from regions with no risk of yellow fever transmission.
• Malawi: A yellow fever vaccination is required from all travellers from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. Malawi is another low potential country and a yellow fever vaccination is not recommended from travellers staying in the country from regions with no risk of yellow fever transmission.
• Maldives: Not really country in Africa but pretty close to the Africa Region. A yellow fever vaccination is required from all travellers from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. The vaccination is not recommended for visitors staying in the country as there is no risk of yellow fever transmission in the Maldives.
• Mali: A yellow fever vaccination is required from all travellers over 1 year of age. Recommended for all travellers aged 9 months and over going to the areas South of the Sahara Desert.
• Mauritania: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over 1 year of age arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. Recommended for all travellers aged 9 months or over travelling to areas south of the Sahara Desert (Map). Not recommended for travellers whose itineraries are limited to areas in the Sahara Desert (Map).
• Mauritius: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over 1 year of age arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. Not recommended for visitors from countries with no risk of yellow fever transmission as there's no risk of yellow fever transmission in Mauritius.
• Mayotte: Yellow fever vaccination certificate is not required.
• Morocco: Yellow fever vaccination certificate is not required. Yellow fever vaccination not recommended for travellers as there's no risk of transmission.
• Mozambique: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from all travellers arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. Yellow fever vaccination not recommended for travellers who do not pose a yellow fever risk  i.e. from countries with no risk of yellow fever vaccination.
• Namibia: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. The countries, or parts of countries, included in the endemic zones in Africa and South America are regarded as areas with risk of yellow fever transmission.
  Travellers who are on scheduled flights that originated outside the countries with risk of yellow fever transmission, but who have been in transit through these areas, are not required to possess a certificate provided that they remained at the scheduled airport or in the adjacent town during transit. All travellers whose flights originated in countries with risk of yellow fever transmission or who have been in transit through these countries on unscheduled flights are required to possess a certificate. The certificate is not insisted upon in the case of children under 1 year of age, but such infants may be subject to surveillance. Yellow fever vaccination not recommended for travellers who do not pose a yellow fever risk  i.e. from countries with no risk of yellow fever vaccination.
• Niger: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from all travellers over 1 year of age and recommended for travellers departing Niger. Recommended for all travellers aged 9 months or over travelling to areas south of the Sahara Desert (Map). Not recommended for travellers whose itineraries are limited to areas in the Sahara Desert (Map).
• Nigeria: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over 1 year of age arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. Highly recommended for travellers to ensure they take yellow fever vaccine due to risk of transmission in the country.
• Reunion: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over 1 year of age arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. Yellow fever vaccination not recommended for travellers who do not pose a yellow fever risk  i.e. from countries with no risk of yellow fever vaccination as Reunion has no risk of yellow fever transmission.
• Rwanda: Yellow fever vaccination required from all travellers over 1 year of age. Highly recommended for travellers to ensure they take yellow fever vaccine due to risk of transmission in the country.
• Sao Tome and Principe: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from all travellers over
  1 year of age.
• Senegal: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over 9 months of age arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. Highly recommended for travellers to ensure they take yellow fever vaccine due to risk of transmission in the country.
• Seychelles:  A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over 9 months of age arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. No yellow fever risk in the country so a vaccination is not recommended for those from countries not placed under the mandatory yellow vaccination requirement.
• Sierra Leone: A yellow fever vaccination is required from all travellers. Highly recommended for travellers to ensure they take yellow fever vaccine due to risk of transmission in the country.
• Somalia: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. Generally not recommended for travellers going to the following regions: Bakool, Banaadir, Bay, Gado, Galgadud, Hiran, Lower Juba, Middle Juba, Lower Shabelle and Middle Shabelle (Map). Not recommended for all other areas not listed above. 
• South Africa: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over 1 year of age arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. Generally not recommended for travellers from countries with no risk of transmission as South Africa is generally a very low risk(no risk) area for yellow  fever transmission. 
• Sudan: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over 9 months of age arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. A certificate may be required from travellers departing Sudan. Highly recommended for travellers to ensure they take yellow fever vaccine due to risk of transmission in the country.
• Swaziland: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. Like South Africa, Swaziland has no risk of yellow fever transmission hence a yellow fever vaccination is not recommended unless it's a mandatory requirement for your country.
• Tanzania: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over 1 year of age arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission.
  
• Togo: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from all travellers over 1 year of age. Highly recommended for travellers to ensure they take yellow fever vaccine due to risk of transmission in the country.
• Tunisia: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over 1 year of age arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. A yellow fever vaccination is not recommended unless it's a mandatory requirement for your country as Tunisia has no risk of transmission.
• Uganda: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over 1 year of age arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. Highly recommended for travellers to ensure they take yellow fever vaccine due to risk of transmission in the country.
• Zambia: Yellow fever vaccination certificate not required.
• Zimbabwe: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. Zimbabwe, like South Africa has no risk has no of yellow fever transmission and a vaccination is not recommended unless it's mandatory for your country.
  

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Nigerian National Airline: In whose Interest?

Nigerian National Airline: In whose Interest?

Nigerian Newspaper This Day Live examines the clamour for the establishment of a new National Airline:

Chinedu Eze examines the debate for and against the establishment of national carrier, the gains and its effect on existing domestic airlines.

The debate has been rife and involved those who vociferously wanted to have a national carrier and those who don’t wish to have it.

There are numerous gains for a country as large as Nigeria with the most viable air transport market in West Africa and second largest in Africa, after South Africa, to have its own airline and is identified as the country’s airline with all the accoutrements of government support.

The defunct Nigeria Airways

 One, it will be the face of Nigeria outside the country, just like South Africa Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, Air France, British Airways, Lufthansa of Germany, KLM of Netherlands, Egypt Air, Air Maroc of Morocco, Turkish Airline and many others. 

A national carrier will help Nigeria to have better negotiation of Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA), it will help develop a major Nigerian airport, like the Murtala Muhammed International Airport as a hub; it will also broaden the image of Nigeria in the comity of nations.

By its sheer size and its prolific air transport market, the CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, Tewolde Gebremariam, told THISDAY recently in Addis Ababa that Nigeria needs two national carriers because of its large travelling public and Nigerians arguably remain the most travelled people in Africa in search of business.

Last week, the special assistant (media) to the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, Joe Obi, told THISDAY that in spite of criticisms about floating a new national carrier in some quarters, majority of Nigerians are really clamouring for it because of its strategic importance in air transport.

But he said that government does not intend to put any money into the project; rather, the Aviation Ministry would come up with a template and criteria on how the national airline would be floated.

The template, he said, would include a framework on ownership structure, but emphasized that it would wholly be private sector driven, but government must have equity investment or stakeholding for the airline to be a national carrier.

“We want to have a national carrier. It is desirable and Nigerians are clamouring for it. Ministry will come up with the template, the criteria for establishing the airline with framework on ownership structure.”

Princes Stella Oduah was quoted to have said, "We’re working on a national carrier that will be publicly owned with limited financial contribution by the government. Government will act as a regulator and provide an enabling environment for this objective to be achieved.”

CEO of Belujane Konsult and former public affairs manager of the defunct Nigeria Airways Limited (NAL), Chris Aligbe looked at the gains of having a national carrier and said that first, Nigeria has to understand the concept on national carrier; that it must deviate from what a national carrier, like NAL used to be.

“It must be run as a private sector concern where government for emergency and grandfather rights reasons must be a stakeholder, but does not own more than 10 per cent equity so that the airline can be called to provide emergency services whenever possible and so that it will also enjoy government protection.”

Aligbe said that it must be private sector driven, but an international airline of repute must hold equity as core investor. This core investor and partner must nurse the airline until it becomes strong and would then be handed to Nigerians to manage; even at that, the core investor airline must retain certain stakeholding.

He gave example with Kenya Airways and KLM, the Dutch airline, which is a core investor of the East Africa national carrier.

“Government must not be involved in the running of the airline and the core investor must be an airline that does not operate in Nigeria presently, like Cathay Pacific Airways and Australian Qantas. There must be legal, regulatory and administrative framework, which will clearly define the mandate of the investors.”

Aligbe said that Nigeria really needs two national carriers that can compete with European airlines that have dominated Nigeria’s airspace, noting that with dominant national carriers capital flights of the nation’s resources would reduce and the threat of making Accra West African hub would be a thing of the past because if the Nigerian airlines take over the high percentage of passengers on international routes, European carrier’s threat of developing a another hub   from Lagos in West Africa would be impossible.

“Nigeria needs two national carriers which can compete with European airlines. This will reduce capital flight and the two airlines will rebuild the manpower needs of the country, which has depleted since the demise of NAL that trained majority of aviation personnel in the country today. Yu will be shocked if you know the number of expatriate personnel in the aviation industry today, especially in the technical area.”

Industry observer and former president of Nigeria Cabin Crew Association, Fidel Olu Ohunayo, in reaction to the report that government would establish a national carrier this year queried, “Is this coming on the heels of absence of Nigerian airlines in the aviation sector , or is it to recover the sold assets of Nigeria Airways or reinstate its workers who one way or another are already professionally engaged, including serving some of the 13/15 Nigerian flag carriers who strongly needed government support and understanding on every factor of operation, ranging from finance to fuel, to manpower, etc?”

He also warned, “We must be wary of any future attempt to favor the new national airline to the detriment of the existing flag carriers similar to the discriminatory treatment doled out by government to the defunct Virgin Nigeria Airways which threw the airline into early crisis that made its principal promoter, Richard Branson to eventually divest his interest.”

Also,  seasoned industry expert and senior official of one of the aviation parastatals spoke to THISDAY on Monday and wanted to know what format of national carrier government wants to establish.

“If you call it a national carrier it means that it is owned by government partly or wholly. If government wants to have interest it will not conform with the global trend and the global trend is that government is divesting from business and allow private investors to operate because they know how to run business better.”

The source observed that there are some countries that have successfully managed a national carrier, like Singapore but noted that the environment is different, emphasizing that a country’s environment and culture determines whether a national carrier could be run successfully or not.

In Nigeria, the source was not so optimistic. “Can government run business successfully in Nigeria? I am yet to see a business that government is running very well in this country. But probably the reason why government may want to have a national carrier is to maximize the benefit from the aviation sector, but can’t this be achieved with the privately owned airlines?

“Most Nigerian airlines are right now going through financial stress, so government should look at a way of boosting capacity of the existing carriers. Probably government believes that if it established a national carrier it will be calling the shots, but this is dicey because government may not be able to sustain a national carrier.”

Right now the owners of existing flag carriers in Nigeria under the aegis of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) seem to oppose the establishment of national carrier because from hindsight such establishment would threaten their existence. Past experience show that while the national carrier takes government attention and patronage, it largely does not have the capacity to provide all the needed air services in Nigeria; yet, the national carrier usually threaten to eclipse the private operators.

The source said that the fears of the airline owners are real.

“If you look back, their fear may  be unjustified. If you look at the time of Nigeria Airways, the airline could not maximize the potential that was on ground then and yet would not allow a private operator to explore the opportunities it could not maximise. Once an airline is called a national carrier it now begins to exert so much control and influence over the government and they would be seen as the only carrier and all other carriers would not be adequately protected and adequately catered for.”

On the issue of BASA, the source said the national carrier would claim ownership of BASA and would want to operate so many international routes which it may not have the capacity to operate, but would not be willing to allow the other operators to take over.

The source observed that all over the world the reason why airlines are kicking against the idea of national carrier was because the nation’s money is used to prop up an airline, which enjoys such unlimited patronage and at the same time it is competing with other local airlines that do have the financial trappings and protection in the same market. So that privately owned commercial airlines, which may have higher capacity are put at disadvantage.

“Also a government subsidized carrier can lower its fares and have undue advantage against the other airlines it is competing with. And this is what the airline owners are kicking against; unless government has a way of assuring other operators who are investing their money, that they would be protected.”

CEO of Sabre Network Incorporated, West Africa, Gabriel Gbenga Olowu, said that Nigeria presently has10- 13 flag carriers, including  Air Nigeria, Arik, Aero, Chachangi, Dana, IRS,KABO, etc. that are not government owned but established through private investors, noting that it is a commendable development.

Olowu however remarked, “Our airlines are weak in competition, highly indebted and needed sound and genuine government support for continued survival.”

He said that Nigerian airlines need financial bailout through debt forgiveness, observing that low cost intervention funds by government to service debts is not the way forward because such funds cannot address fuel needs ,fleet renewal ,insurance and other basic items.

“Cases abound world over where governments rose up to bail out its critical businesses among which aviation is paramount. Sept 11 and global economic meltdown US remedies remain very fresh. Our airlines need economic bail out. Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) which yields negative balance of trade must be reversed. Our airlines must cooperate for competitive advantage. Since it is unAfrican to merge , economic regulation should make this happen. Given 3-5 years ultimatum, airline with less than 50 airworthy aircraft in its fleet ceases to operate.”

Olowu said that this would force the airline coalesce  into 4-5 mega operators with obvious synergies of doing so, adding that Nigerian airlines must invest in modern aviation technology for distribution, engineering, revenue, crewing ,etc and depart from rule of the thumb approach of the past.

“One man one airline syndrome will lead an operator to disaster,” he emphasized.

Ohunayo queried, “Why is a national carrier needed? To absorb employees of failed major carriers by providing employment and assuages nerves of restive unions or to act as a means of providing additional fleet, capacity, and frequency in support of other registered carriers or to fill a vacuum and avert the monopolistic tendencies of surviving airlines.”

He argued that the first scenario has been overtaken by events while second and third are the crux of the present agitation for another national carrier, considering the present set of flag carriers have not done anything to reflect national ownership like their counterpart in the banking industry which naturally muster public support and protection.

“Also they are floundering with suffocating debts, with the international routes and frequencies that should be money spinners apparently controlled by foreign airlines. We also lack undiluted low cost carriers, adequate regional jets or props services, finance and a regulated consolidation regime that will bolster the critical mass of our carriers and improve passenger enplanement to the benefit of all stakeholders in general and the economy in particular.”

Ohunayo reasoned that “if we must have a national carrier, then we should ponder over the cost, risk and lessons from other climes, also we should dust the report of the International Finance Company that was contacted to work out modalities of a new carrier in the early days of the present democratic setting.”

But an enlightened Nigerian is stung with envy when he sees national carriers of European and African airlines come to feast on our passengers daily and consolidating their profits from the Nigerian passengers. It is really natural to feel that if Nigeria has a national airline it would benefit enormously from the growing Nigeria air travel market.

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Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority fines British Airways and Virgin Atlantic Airways USD235 for price fixing

Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority fines British Airways and Virgin Atlantic Airways USD235 for price fixing

Nigeria's tough aviation Minister Stella Oduah as finally cracked the whip. The authorities in Nigeria fined British Airways and Virgin Atlantic $235 million as the dispute over landing slots and ticket prices seemed to escalate last week. The dispute between the two countries began in October after Nigeria threatened to reduce British Airways' service between London and Lagos, after the UK Government failed to allocate slots to Arik Air at London Heathrow Airport.

Flights between Britain and Nigeria almost came to a halt last week but a last minute intervention by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown ensured a 7 day grace period was allowed while negotiations were going on. on Tuesday ensured British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Nigeria's flagship airline Arik Air continue to fly from London to Lagos and Abuja. 


There has been a dispute over ticket prices with Nigeria complaining of regional imbalance in air fare on BA whereby passengers traveling from Lagos/Abuja to UK pay higher fares compared to passengers traveling from Accra to the UK.
Following a series of high level negotiations the British Airways offered to reduce lowest Business Class fare between Nigeria and UK by 20%, an offer that was rejected by Nigeria. The Nigerian government considered this insufficient and was still complaining about the regional disparity in air fare. According to the Minister " We still strongly believe that this regional imbalance should be dismantled. In other words, BA should offer the same or similar fares from Nigeria to the UK as is the case in any other Equidistant destination within West Africa."


The big winner in the week had been Arik Air. Seven landing slots per week at Heathrow Airport was secured for the Nigerian airline during the negotiations.



A deal this week means all flights will continue until the end of the year when the Nigerian government wants something done about the high ticket costs on British airlines.

Nigeria's aviation ministry says British airlines charge far more to fly to Nigeria than to neighbouring Ghana, while it believes Arik Air should not have to pay high costs to land at Heathrow when Lagos airport doesn't charge those fees.

Britain has said that it can't control what private companies who control the airlines and airports charge but it is in constructive dialogue with the Nigerian government.


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Press Statement - Outcome of Negotiations between the Nigerian & British Authorities on BASA.

Press Statement - Outcome of Negotiations between the Nigerian & British Authorities on BASA.

The Nigerian government and the British Authorities held high-level negotiations yesterday and this morning. These discussions are still on-going. The outcome thus far are as follows:

With respect to the high fares charged by British Airways and the associated regional imbalance, the airline made an offer of a 20% reduction in the lowest Business class fare between Nigeria and the UK.

The Nigerian side considered this as insufficient, the Nigerian government is still very concerned about the regional price disparity. We still strongly believe that this regional imbalance should be dismantled. In otherwords, BA should offer the same or similar fares from Nigeria to the UK as is the case in any other Equidistant destination within West Africa.

The British Authorities requested to be given an opportunity to carry out an independent study of the regional pricing disparity in the UK/Nigerian aviation market. We expect the conclusion of this study by the end of the year to facilitate a conclusion on the subject.

With respect to slot at Heathrow airport, seven slots per week from Abuja have been secured for Arik Air at prevailing commercial rates.

As you are aware, FAAN is renovating and upgrading their airports. These efforts will require a review of current slot allocations and additional funding.

Towards this end, FAAN is considering applying commercial slot rates for slots into Murtala Mohammed International Airport in the spirit of Bilateral Air Service Agreement.

The Nigerian flying public is advised to make choices about which airlines they fly as regards the pricing of their tickets.

Finally, the Federal Ministry of Aviation assures Nigerians that their interests with regard safety, security, comfort, service and affordability will remain our priority.

Joe Obi,

SA (Media) to the Hon. Minister of Aviation.

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Nigerian Airlines issued 90 Day Ultimatum to Join IATA BSP

Nigerian Airlines issued 90 Day Ultimatum to Join IATA BSP

The Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Stella Oduah-Ogiemwonyi, earlier this week issued a 90-day ultimatum for Nigerian domestic airlines to join the International Air Transport Association’s(IATA) Billing Settlement Plan.

The deadline was contained in a statement issued by the Special Assistant to the Minister. The IATA BSP is the revenue clearing house for over 230 global airlines, representing about 94 per cent of the international air traffic. It is designed to facilitate and simplify the selling, reporting and remittance procedures of IATA accredited passenger sales agents, as well as improve financial control and cash flow of participating airlines in line with global practices in the aviation industry.

The statement read in part, “All local airlines must start issuing e-tickets to passengers for efficiency, integrity and good financial monitoring. The issuance of e-tickets will assist the passengers enjoy the endorsement of their tickets from one airline to another.

“IATA’s BSP will assist to support the domestic sector as necessary tool for interlining of domestic tickets, thereby developing the downstream aviation sector and sanitising the environment for passengers’ comfort.”

According to the statement, the minister has mandated the Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Dr. Harold Demuren, to ensure implementation and compliance with the directive within the stipulated time frame.

The minister added that the move would help passengers to enjoy value for their money, while also announcing that airport lounges would be opened to transit passengers on both international and local routes.

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Additional info adapted from The Punch Nigeria

Nigeria Aviation: Nigerian Aviation College has refurbished 22 Planes

Nigeria Aviation: Nigerian Aviation College has refurbished 22 Planes

The Rector, Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria, Capt. Adebayo Araba, has said that the college has rehabilitated 22 aeroplanes since 2007. Araba told the News Agency of Nigeria in Zaria, Kaduna State, on Friday that by 2007, the college had only one serviceable aeroplane.

“When I came in as rector in 2007, I met only one serviceable aeroplane and that resulted in non-availability of any training in this college.Before I came, only one pilot and one aeroplane were hired for the college when Isa Yuguda was Aviation Minister to enable the college to continue with pilot training.

“However, the college now has 23 aeroplanes. I didn’t buy them; neither did I come with them. These are things they had the in the store.

“But because of the lack of good orientation, they kept all of them in the store and went to hire aeroplanes from outside.”

The rector said that training was moving perfectly well in the college “and it is up to the expectations of the aviation industry.”

Araba, however, said that in spite of his efforts, many petitions had been written against him and attributed the situation to people, who hated change.

Source: The Punch Nigeria
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Nigeria fare Hike: Flying is for the rich in Nigeria

Nigeria fare Hike: Flying is for the rich in Nigeria

It seems there will be no reprieve soon for Nigeria's long suffering air travellers. Last month, airlines in Nigeria hiked fares to as much as $190 for a 1 hour flight due to the skyrocketing prices of aviation fuels that are said to be controlled by greedy cartels.

The domestic aviation sector, according to a report, continued its five-year journey of low profit margins, which rallied at an estimated five percent. It stated: “Aviation fuel alone accounted for an estimated 40-50 percent of airlines’ operating costs in 2010. Earnings were further stunted by huge debt burdens to regulators, service providers, suppliers and financial institutions.

Reports Nigerian News Services

"Air travellers are flying into trouble everyday, and this is not just about turbulence. By Tuesday, the average air fare had risen to N28,000($175) for one hour flight. Those travelling to popular destinations such as the well-known “triangle” – Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt – could be subjected to arbitrary increase in fares by the airlines. A passenger who purchased a ticket by noon for N28,000 may have saved N3,000($19), compared to another passenger who purchased a similar ticket to the same destination one hour later at N31,000.($200)

 

But despite the fact that many air travellers might have resorted to travelling by road, passengers still crowd the terminals of the major airports jostling for tickets, a situation that seemed to have sharpened the rapacity of the airlines, who are surprised they still record high load factor in spite of the fares."

Nigerian Passengers will continue losing their money and comfort as airlines continue to rip off passengers for poor services. Fares are expected to increase to $250 for 1 hour flight in the next three weeks. For now, road transport will be a very attractive mode of travel for most Nigerians.

Princess Stella Oduah: Nigeria's New Hands-On Aviation Minister

Princess Stella Oduah: Nigeria's New Hands-On Aviation Minister

She's techsavvy, business savvy and yes a powerful minister in Africa's most populous nation. Nigeria's new aviation Minister Princess Stella Oduah is a super woman, with a wealth of experience in the country's private sector. On her personal website, marketed via Google's adwords program, http://www.stellaoduah.com/ ,she is described as an "amazon of a woman" who has conquered the private sector in Nigeria and successfully established the conglomerate; SPG Group as an enviable group of companies with interest spanning Oil and Gas, Agriculture, Engineering, Logistics and Trading.



Nigerian Aviation Minister Stella Oduah



Princess Oduah was appointed as the country's aviation minister earlier this month and her personal and her style of management has already won her many admirers in a country used to poor service delivery and corruption amongst public officials coupled with a chronically underperforming and ailing aviation sector.

Her leadership style is open, hands-on and embracing of technology; on her Twitter(and she uses Tweetdeck) and Facebook profile , she updates followers and indeed many in the aviation sector on the various initiatives she's undertaking to rebuild Nigeria's aviation industry that has been dogged by countless problems from fuel shortages, financial crisis (that led to a government bailout), airlines suspending operations, delapidated aviation infrastructure and many more.

Just a few days ago, she ordered the collection of N2,500 as Passenger Service Charge (PSC) from air travellers in Nigeria to be stopped, a relief to many passengers!



Minister on an Airport Facilities Tour



Nigerian aviation sector needs a shot in the arm to live up to its full potential. Nigerians comprise the bulk of aviation passenger traffic in intra Africa routes and on routes to the Asian market yet Nigerian airlines are unable to service those routes. Instead, the vacuum has been filled by Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, South African Airways, Emirates and others. Airlines that are all on ambitious expansion programs. Kenya Airways for example, intends to service every African Capital city by 2013, an ambitious yet achievable target. Ethiopian is also on the march even although its plans have been disrupted by the delayed delivery of the B787 Dreamliners. Both South African Airways and Emirtaes are also planning ambitious African expansion programs in the next one year.

So, Madam has her work cut out for her in order to rescue Nigerian Aviation industry. On social media, she interacts with users and responds to their concerns on the industry:

"I accepted this assignment out of passion and the sheer conviction to transform the Aviation Industry and indeed, any sector of our national life that may possibly and positively impact on the greatness of our dear and beloved nation."

"I will be embarking on a fact finding tour of all our airports in the country starting from tomorrow, 11th of July, 2011. The initial phase of this will take me to the Kano, Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Enugu airports."

"My agenda is to make air transportation the preferred choice of travelling for Nigerians. We want to ensure safety, comfort and efficiency"

This open and practical approach must now be reinforced with solid investments in infrastructure and enforcement of aviation-friendly regulations to restructure and revive the industry. Madam must come up with short term and long term programs to ensure Nigeria's airlines survive the shocks of the last few months and that the industry is strong enough to march into into the near future, meeting the demands of passengers and airlines alike.

Arik Air Passengers Stranded in Senegal - Authority Grounds Plane Over Debts

Arik Air Passengers Stranded in Senegal - Authority Grounds Plane Over Debts

More than 100 Nigerian passengers scheduled to be airlifted home by Arik Air, are presently stranded at the Dakar Airport, Senegal, due to the inability of the Nigerian carrier to pay Senegalese authority airport charges


Daily Independent learnt that Arik Air was supposed to convey the passengers Nigeria since July 13, but that since the airline has failed to take them home, they are still stranded in the country.

A female passenger Chinwe Mezue, who called from Senegal, said that over 100 passengers have been abandoned by the airline, adding that they have been sleeping at the airport for the past one week.

She said that when the situation was becoming unbearable, 25 passengers approached the Nigerian Ambassador to Senegal to see if he could resolve the issue but all to no avail.

On why the passengers did not make their complaints known to the Arik Air Station Manager, Mezue said the Station Manager had abandoned his house following threat by stranded and angry passengers to deal with him if he fails to provide aircraft for them to return to Nigeria.

The angry passenger said that when the authority of the airport was contacted on the issue, it was alleged that Arik Air was grounded because it refused to pay airport charges.

She said that the greatest challenge the passengers are having now is that they have no money on them and that they have exhausted all what they have on them.

Attempt to reach the Media Officer of Arik Air , Mr Banji Ola proved abortive, as his mobile numbers were not available.

Airlines, oil marketers, ground handling companies and government agencies are indebted to aviation service providers and the regulator, a jumbo sum of N32.4 billion as at April 30 this year.

Top on the list of the debtors is Arik Airline whose debt profile in FAAN records indicate that it is owing N1,965,475,207.64 from its operations in and out of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos and N797,435,128.34 at the General Aviation Terminal(GAT), Ikeja, Lagos totalling N2.762 billion.

Air Nigeria Re-Establishing Long Haul Routes

Air Nigeria Re-Establishing Long Haul Routes

Air Nigeria is resuming long-haul operations after a nearly three-year hiatus, with A340-300 flights to London Gatwick commencing in Sep-2011. The carrier is also aiming to use its newly acquired A340-300 fleet to resume flights to Johannesburg and launch Washington Dulles with the latter designed to supplement its new codeshare service via Delta Air Lines to Atlanta and New York.


The Air Nigeria-Delta codeshare, which commenced last month, is an important step to ensure the continued growth of trade and travel between the US and Nigeria. Delta is now carrying Air Nigeria’s code on the New York-Accra-Abuja route and on its non-stop service to Lagos from Atlanta.

Continuing its international reach, Air Nigeria will re-launch service to London, which was dropped in 2009. This time the carrier will operate to London Gatwick rather than London Heathrow as it no longer has access to Virgin slots.

Air Nigeria was first established in 2004 under the name Virgin Nigeria after Nigeria’s government and Virgin Atlantic Airways signed a Memorandum of Mutual Understanding to create the carrier. Virgin Nigeria operated to London Heathrow and Johannesburg as its two flagship, long-haul destinations. In Jan-2009, while still operating as Virgin Nigeria, these routes were suspended due to high competition on the route.

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