- Pix caption : From left Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development,, Dr Emmanuel Meribole, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Devt;, Barr. Festus Keyamo, Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation ,Senator AbdulFatai Buhari and DGCA, Capt Musa Nuhu, at the Aviation Industry Stakeholders’ Forum held in Ikeja, Lagos today.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo has said the Federal Government will review all the Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASAs) Nigeria signed with other countries.
The decision to review the BASAs is coming on the heels of the numerous complaints by professionals and stakeholders in the aviation industry that some of the agreements were skewed to favour other countries to the detriment of Nigeria.
They further argued that most of the BASAs entered into by Nigeria with other countries were signed when Nigeria lacks the required aviation capacity to reciprocate and that they are long overdue for review.
The Minister spoke at a stakeholders meeting organised by the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development today in Lagos.
Keyamo said that all the BASAs Nigeria signed with other countries will be reviewed, calling on airlines and other stakeholders to exercise patience.
Nigeria has signed over 90 BASAs with other countries.
Also at the meeting, stakeholders and passengers complained about the flight delays experienced in the hands of airline appealing to the Minister to do something as the airline are beginning to do it without any sanction from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority(NCAA), who is the industry’s regulatory authority.
They cited a situation where flights are delayed for two or three hours without any reason from the airlines.
In view of the complaints, the Minister directed the Director General of Civil Aviation(DGCA),Capt. Musa
Nuhu to do a compilation of flight delays, the airline involve, how many hours it was delayed for, the cause, the route among other things .
He said that his phone is filled with messages sent to him by Nigerians about the issue, adding that it has reached a situation where the matter will be addressed.
According to him, “We should explain to Nigerians and let them know that we are making efforts to address the issues of flights delays by airlines operating in the country”
Also reacting, the Chairman of United Nigeria Airlines(UNA)and Spokesman for Airline Operators of Nigeria(AON),Obiora Okonkwo stated that yes there are delays but that flights delays are not peculiar to Nigeria, adding that in developed aviation clime such as the United States, there are also delays.
He, however opined that not all delays are caused by airline operators and that some are caused weather, bird strikes among others.
The AON Spokesman argued that it will be wrong to blame flight delays caused by nature on the airlines.
On the latest on the controversial national carrier, Nigeria Air, Keyamo, told Aviation Correspondents that future of Nigeria Air rests solely with the President, Bola Tunubu
In his words, “The final decision on Nigeria Air rest with Mr. President.”
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