Seasons of Absurdities

By Olumide Ohunayo

                                   Ms Stella Oduah, Aviation Minister

Since the DANA crash of June 3rd, 2012, the country and populace have been drawn into an unbelievable hysteria and anti-aviation campaign. The campaign has continued to run in all facets of the country despite assurance and support of the international community and organisations that have been steadfast and strongly believe in our system and processes. The government bowed to the hysterical pressure by quickly setting up a committee that was not necessary and whose report cannot be taken seriously beyond the realms of its initiator.

Thereafter the publicity seeking House Committee came up with their version of investigation by quickly suspending DANA’s licence and directing the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA to proceed on suspension. They went further to describe our aircraft as being too old and intend to initiate laws that will lower minimum age to fifteen years. The MD aircraft series were virtually labeled sick and old aircraft designed to kill Nigerians in spite of their safety records and statistics.

It should be known that the MD series used by DANA was the same aircraft that gave that airline the best on time airline in Nigeria over the years without disappointing their esteemed clients, who also voted the airline as the best customer friendly airline. Also, a version of that aircraft is parked on the tarmac of Abuja airport by UN to lift Nigerians and other troops for peace keeping missions up till this moment.  Air Burkina and Air Mali use the same aircraft to ferry Air France passengers going to points beyond Ouagadougou and Bamako. Yet Nigerian carriers with younger aircraft and certification have not been considered fit for code share agreements.

Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), the body saddled with the responsibility of investigating, reporting, updating and publishing incident or accident reports, but chose to make them look more like classified espionage reports, had to be pushed by industry activists to release the preliminary report of DANA accident and unbelievably in an anti-AIB speed released the report of the recent Arik Air incident at Jos Airport. Though it is a norm because it is from AIB, it is obviously a departure from the usual.

The aftermath of DANA accident also led to the regulatory and voluntary grounding of some carriers, while it is better not to go into details, it is really sad to see that the other airlines flying have cashed in on it by increasing fares phenomenally and annoyingly loading it, under fuel surcharge column, which makes it easy to fleece passengers and government agencies. Fuel surcharge is usually loaded on international fares based on sector length, while on the domestic fare the charge is minimal. Our carriers have reversed this rule in this season of absurdities.

Bomb detectors are meant to enhance safety and reduce to the barest minimum any incident that may arise using IEDs or related devices. FAAN has two detectors stationed at the entrance to their staff quarters, one stationed at the gate leading to the Corporate Head Office, while entry to GAT and other airports that generate the revenue used in purchasing the detectors are left bare.

Air Nigeria is going through a trying period and we must not forget that at conception, it was our national carrier. It was funded and managed by the privileged private placement heroes and a foreign technical partner. Today, the foreign partner has fled, while the private partners have ceded ownership and management. The airline is in crisis with aircraft being repossessed and airline staff who are Nigerians are being thrown out in droves.

Air Nigeria should not die, we must endeavour to get the airline back in the skies irrespective of the fury and annoyance towards the new owner. The absurdity here is for the first time the industry is willing and working assiduously to throw away the baby and bath water. It is simply unacceptable.

The NCAA recently reiterated the need to positively identify a passenger before boarding an aircraft, which is also a fall-out of the DANA manifest. Memos have not worked, and will not work if the appropriate sanctions and monitoring instituted are not elevated. I boarded a flight from Yola last week; my identification was not needed nor requested till I got on board. The comfort of flying was also tainted by our standing at the Abuja airport terminal for 1hr.45mins because Arik station manager was not empowered to purchase FAAN PSC tickets on our way to Yola while on our return a miserable N30 cake and ¼ glass of water  was offered  in this phenomenal fare regime.

Nigerians will travel and continue to travel. What is important is the share that comes to our carriers. How do we get our carriers positioned to partake in the feast? Is it fair for foreign carriers to keep increasing gauge, while we are left to collect tolls called BASA? Is it so bad, that Nigerians now fly to Dubai on Rwanda Airlines? I repeat, RWANDA AIRINES?

Olumide Ohunayo was former Chairman of National Association of Nigerian Cabin Crew