…Condemns UNA For Suspending Dispatcher Of Flight NUA 0504
…Says It Is Total Disregard Of Aviation Law
As the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) tries to unravel the mystery surrounding the diversion of United Nigeria Airlines (UNA) Abuja bound flight to Asaba Airport, the Flight Dispatchers Association of Nigeria (FLIDAN) has called on the regulatory body to beam its search light on the Operations Control of the airline which has seized Operational Control from the Flight Dispatcher
FLIDAN is the umbrella body of the Flight Dispatchers in Nigeria
FLIDAN’s call is contained in a statement titled,”FLIDAN Reacts To United Nigeria Airlines Diversion Of Lagos –Abuja flight To Asaba” and singed by the Secretary General , Mrs. Victoria Adegbe for the association and made available to aviation journalists in Lagos
The association in its reaction condemned the suspension of the Flight Dispatcher, who dispatched the diverted flight by the airline who, according to FLIDAN, upheld the licence issued by the NCAA and carried out his job as required by law.
The airline’s action, the group said shows absolute disregard for Aviation Law
FLIDAN said that it decided to react following the event that occurred on Sunday, November 26, 2023, involving a United Airlines Flight NUA 0504 departing Lagos to Abuja in which the said flight landed in Asaba.
In the statement, the association made the following points:
1, That the Flight Dispatcher followed the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations, Part 8-Operations; by filing a flight plan with Aeronautical Information Service, AIS which was transmitted to the Control Tower.
Departure-Lagos. Destination- Abuja, First Alternate- Enugu, Second Alternate- Port Harcourt
Time of flight: 13:00 Flight Duration: 55mins Endurance: 6 hours
2, The weather folder given showed Abuja weather was ok
3, The Pilot called the Air Traffic Control (Tower) for clearance to depart to Asaba
4, The Tower granted the request against the legal flight plan submitted by the Flight Dispatcher
5, Both the Pilot and The ATC seem not to follow what was filed which by implication, meant that they disregarded “Operational Control ” of the Flight Dispatcher which empowers a 50% Joint and Equal Responsibility of the Safety of the flight to the Flight Dispatcher.
6, The Airlines’ Operational control which allowed a pilot to generate his own Operational Flight Plan, OFP, thereby taking the full responsibility of the Dispatch Release is an outright breach of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations, NCAR Part 8
7, The Airlines’ Operations Control further contravened the NCAR which states that an airline pilot shall take to the destination airport a copy of the Flight Plan, Dispatch Release and Load Manifest. By implication, if the pilot had the flight plan on him, he would have gotten his destination right, the Dispatch Release if it was with him summarises the departure and destination which was clearly disregarded.
8, The ATC should not have granted a scheduled flight clearance to depart to a destination that was not as filed by the Flight Dispatcher
9, The Airline in a show of absolute disregard for Aviation Law went ahead to suspend the Flight Dispatcher who upheld the Licence issued by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority and carried out his job as required by law.
10, We call on the NCAA to beam a search light on the Operations Control of the Airline which has seized Operational Control from the Flight Dispatcher.
11, The ATC might want to look into the regulations that govern granting clearances contrary to filed flight plan.
Recall that on Sunday the United Nigeria Airlines Lagos-Abuja Flight NUA 0504 was diverted to Asaba Airport due to poor weather conditions according to the airline.
Fight NUA 0504, which took off on Sunday from the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2) and was headed for the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport (NAA), Abuja before being diverted to Asaba Airport.
However, the plane later landed in Asaba but on landing in Asaba the cabin crew made the wrong announcement that the aircraft landed in Abuja and this caused some confusion among the passengers.
The summoning of the aviation chiefs may also be coming on the heels of three runway excursions in two airports in two weeks.
About The Author
