Showing posts with label Airlines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Airlines. Show all posts

Tuesday, 16 September 2014

By Chika Goodluck-Ogazi

THE global air transport report has revealed that African airlines have recorded a growth of 4.9 per cent, which reversed the year-on-year contraction experienced in June, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

However, with the capacity rising up to 4.5 per cent, the load factor improved slightly to 70.2 per cent.

Currently, the biggest factor impacting international traffic demand in July was the slowdown of the South African economy, coupled with the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, which intensified towards the end of July, the impact of which may likely be seen in August.

Also, with the released data for global airfreight markets have showed a strong increase in air cargo in July. Compared to July 2013, freight tonne kilometers (FTKs) that rose to 5.8 per cent.

To IATA, it was acceleration in growth from June when cargo demand grew at less than half that rate of 2.4 per cent.

The strong growth mirrors positive developments in some key regional economies. After a slowdown at the start of the year, global business confidence and trade are showing signs of improvement again, especially in Asia-Pacific.

Global air cargo volumes have now surpassed their previous July peak, in 2010, and look set to continue to increase.

European airfreight, however, grew just 1.8 per cent. This was reflected on the effects of the Russia-Ukraine crisis (including the impact of mounting economic sanctions), which has added to economic weakness in the Eurozone.

"Overall, July saw growth accelerate. That's good news and it reflects the continued strengthening of business confidence at a global level. But the air cargo industry is moving at two speeds with a sharp divide in regional performance. European carriers reported anemic growth of just 1.8 per cent while all other regions reported solid gains of 5 per cent or more on the previous year.

"In particular, the 7.1 per cent growth reported by airlines in Asia-Pacific is encouraging as it demonstrates a recovery in trade and a positive response to China's economic stimulus measures," said the Director General and Chief Executive Officer, IATA, Tony Tyler.

IATA has also stated that the global passenger traffic results for July have showed demand growth of 5.3 per cent over the previous July. Capacity expanded exactly in tandem with demand with 5.3 per cent, resulting in a global load factor of 82.3 per cent, unchanged from last year.

Tyler added: "July was another strong month of growth for air travel. People are connecting by air in ever-greater numbers. That's true across all regions. Despite the various economic challenges, the outlook for passenger travel remains broadly positive. The overall sluggishness at the beginning of the year appears to be behind us with growth in China and other emerging economies offsetting recent deterioration in the Eurozone".

According to the body, the July international passenger demand rose by 5.5 per cent compared to the same month in 2013. This was outstripped by a capacity expansion of 6.2 per cent, which resulted in a slight weakening of the load factor to 81.9 per cent.

European carriers reported growth of 5.3 per cent in July compared to a year ago. Capacity expanded slightly more aggressively at 5.6 per cent, but the region still reported a very high load factor of 85.1 per cent. While this was a robust performance, latest indicators showed a weakening in key European economies such as Germany reflecting the impact of sanctions associated with the deepening Russia-Ukraine crisis.

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Nigeria: African Airlines, Others Record Growth in Cargo, Passenger Traffic

By Chika Goodluck-Ogazi THE global air transport report has revealed that African airlines have recorded a growth of 4.9 per cent, which rev...

Monday, 15 September 2014

By Chinedu Eze

Aviation industry experts have expressed fears that Nigeria may witness more air accidents, as some airlines now compromise scheduled maintenance of their aircraft due to paucity of funds.

THISDAY learnt that some of the new airlines that recently obtained Air Operator Certificates (AOCs) have started compromising compulsory aircraft checks, schedule dates for pilot and cabin crew training, owing to lack of funds. It was also learnt that due to huge indebtedness, some new entrants in the aviation industry have been unable to pay workers' salaries and could also not meet their financial obligations to companies that provide services to them.

Worried about the situation, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) last week directed the airlines to offset their debts and pay their workers, failing which they would be grounded.

Aviation experts noted that the remote cause of the last two air crashes in Nigeria was poor maintenance of operational aircraft. Dana Air flight 992 crashed in Lagos on June 2, 2012, killing 153 people. The aircraft crashed into a furniture works and printing press building in the Iju-Ishaga neighbourhood of Lagos after the aircraft's two engines failed.

Also, on October 3, 2013 Associated Aviation Flight 361 was on a domestic charter flight service when it crashed on takeoff at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, on its way to Akure Airport, Ondo State.

Industry experts are worried that the same ugly signs have started showing up again, noting that one of such signs is the seeming indifference on the part of the NCAA when airlines are unable to maintain their aircraft.

The regulatory role of NCAA involves the monitoring of financial operation of airlines and to know when they are unable to meet minimum requirements. Any airline that is unable to meet financial obligations is immediately grounded by the NCAA.

Investigations revealed that one of the newly registered airlines has not paid its staff for over eight months, but it is still operating. Sources in the industry said the meeting convened by NCAA last week was belated because the regulatory body ought to have sanctioned the affected airlines before now.

A senior NCAA source acknowledged that the Authority is not enforcing the economic regulation of the airlines, and admitted that airlines start cutting corners when they suffer economic crunch. He also admitted that lack of funds hinders the airlines from carrying out effective maintenance of their aircraft.

"I know that some airlines owe their staff salaries. They are violating economic regulation. Some people want to start an airline but they don't know what it entails. It is not all about getting the AOC. It is true that NCAA is not enforcing economic regulation of the airlines because if it does, almost all the domestic airlines will be grounded," the NCAA source said.

The General Manager, Public Affairs, NCAA, Fan Ndubuoke confirmed that NCAA met with airlines last week and directed them to meet all their financial obligations with their workers or they would be grounded.

"Director of Air Transport Regulation, Justice Wariya met with the airlines last week and warned them to abide by the rules and also gave them a deadline in which they must offset their debts and pay their workers their salary and if they fail to do that at the given time they would be grounded," Ndubuoke said.

 

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Nigeria: Fund Crunch Hits Airlines, As Experts Fear More Air Disasters

Nigeria: Fund Crunch Hits Airlines, As Experts Fear More Air Disasters

By Chinedu Eze Aviation industry experts have expressed fears that Nigeria may witness more air accidents, as some airlines now compromise s...

 

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