By Sade Williams
An Ethiopian airline flight operated by an all female crew, landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Saturday amidst heroic welcome by stakeholders.
This is just as the Federal government, through the Chairperson, House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, Hon. Nkeiru Onyejiocha, promised to support the airline in its expansion bid.
She challenged women both in and outside the aviation sector to always take their profession seriously, adding that women are capable of breaking grounds in an uncommon way.
“We give you our assurances that government will support you to expand your wings in Nigeria. Women are breaking grounds, we are upward looking, we must begin to encourage girls to take aviation courses in schools, this is also a call to all females across Nigeria to begin to look inwards to join any area of interest in the aviation profession”, she said.
Onyejiocha, who was quick to commend Ethiopian airline management for not closing shop in Nigeria during the recession, said the airline, rather than do that like some foreign carriers did, expanded its operation in the country and operated to Enugu and Kaduna, even when the Abuja airport was shut for repairs.
The B777-300 ER, commanded by Capt. Captain Amsale Gualu, landed at MMIA at about 1.15pm as it was welcomed by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) operated fire tenders with water shower.
The event attracted industry chiefs from FAAN, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, Idris Yakubu, managing director of Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCOaviance), the airline’s ground handler and officials, among others.
