Nigerian airlines are still very far from direct flight operations on the Nigeria-United States route in spite of resources and energy expended by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and repeated visits by American aviation officials on inspections to Lagos, BusinessDay can now reveal.
Reason: The Federal Government is yet to meet the vital requirements demanded by Washington before Nigerian airlines and Nigerian registered aircraft can operate direct flights to the United States.
One requirement the Americans are not willing to waive is the granting of autonomy to the NCAA by the ministry of aviation. Though a Civil Aviation Act was enacted in March 2006 where autonomy for the apex aviation regulatory agency was robustly provided, diplomatic sources told BussinessDay that successive aviation ministers have refused to let go the NCAA to perform its duties.
“The US has very strong view that the NCAA as it is now cannot be trusted with credible oversight functions as it is too tied to the aviation ministry, headed by a politician who knows next to nothing about aviation”, a diplomatic source told BusinessDay in Lagos. The Federal Government had earlier granted Virgin Nigeria Airways, Arik Airlines and Bellview Airlines approval to operate direct flights into the US with the hope that Washington will grant the American Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) category I to Nigeria.
In the approval, Arik Airline is to operate Lagos – New York, Virgin Nigeria Airways Lagos – Houston and Bellview Airlines Lagos – Newark.
Category I is achieved when a country’s civil aviation authority has been assessed by FAA inspectors and found to license and oversee air carriers in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) aviation safety standards.
The FAA assessment is a very detailed audit process that spans several visits by FAA teams to the country being assessed, according to a document seen by BusinessDay at the ministry aviation, Abuja. Though Nigeria is scheduled to achieved Category I by the fourth quarter of this year, “having completed at least 75 percent of the requirement for category”, interference in the affairs of the authority is putting spanners in the works, BusinessDay learnt.
Aviation minister, Babatunde Omotoba, declined to speak with BusinessDay on the fears being expressed in diplomatic circles.
The NCAA, as expected, is mute on it. An official of the authority told BusinessDay: “A child does not demand freedom from his father. At the appropriate time, things will fall in shape”
Beside the issue of autonomy for the NCAA, there is the twin problem of insecurity and infrastructure decay at the airports. Some of the infrastructure at the airport have been in commission for over 30 years.
The terminal building of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMA), Lagos has suffered so much decay that it has become a national disgrace.
Passengers’ complaints have fallen on deaf ears, while foreigners are at a loss as to why simple things like air conditioners and conveyor belts do not function.
Passengers have to manually fan themselves at the departure and arrival halls of the terminal, just as they wait endlessly for luggage because the conveyor belts are always malfunctioning. The minimum time a passenger spends on arrival at Lagos airport from other parts of the world is two hours to pick his luggage off-peak hours.
“On a bad day, with epileptic power supply, you can spend between three to four hours on arrival at this airport”, a frequent flier who does not want his name in print told BusinessDay.
Aside the Lagos airport, Port Harcourt, Kano and Abuja airports are in dire need of repairs as they all have suffered different degrees of decay. The perimeter fencing of the Port Harcourt airport is still a mirage.
Only last week, a disappointed Rivers State government made a passionate plea to the Federal Government to allow it to take over the airport, apparently for proper facelift befitting an international airport of its size and class.
On the airspace management, air traffic controllers working with the old radars have always complained as the radars frequently break down. Earlier in the year, it was reported that as a result of the poor state of the radars and other navigational equipment in the nation’s airports, pilots resorted to the use of GSM phones to communicate with air traffic controllers, a charge no one has denied till date.
However, there is a faint ray of hope on the horizon as the Total Rader Coverage of Nigeria (TRACON) project is said to be nearing-completion and should be commissioned this month.
Supo Atobatele, general manager, public affairs, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, confirmed this to BusinessDay. It had been reported severally before now that the TRACON project was ready but never got off the ground.
According to Atobatele, “TRACON has gone far in Lagos and Abuja. In fact it is now 100 percent completed and the two will be commissioned anytime from now. The calibration of the Lagos arm has been done and it was a success and it passed, making it serviceable for operation”.
Sam Akerele, member of the Paul Dike Taskforce on Aviation Reform, told BusinessDay that the full implementation of its report would have taken care of the infrastructural decay and ensure adequate safety in the nation’s skies and security at airports, particularly perimeter fencing, water hydrants and scanners, among others.
There are currently only five African countries that have attained category I status on the US route - Egypt, Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Morocco and Southrica.
culled from Businessday Nigeria
