Posted by Sade Williams
The Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Musa Nuhu has said that the aviation restart plan will be submitted to the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 by Wednesday.
Captain Nuhu said this at a forum with stakeholders at the weekend.
In his words: “We are yet to get there but we are pretty close. The plan is that by Wednesday, we will submit our report to PTF. I reiterate, we are pretty close.”
Also speaking, the Chairman of the NCAA Covid-19 Committee, Engr. Godwin Balang enumerated the guidelines control measures employed by NCAA to work towards the restart of the industry, saying: ‘We have to develop the guidelines on uncharted ground which is to: issue regulations in compliance with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Standard and Recommended Practices (SARPs); Issue guidelines to aviation industry and approve restart of aviation industry (in totality or at individual level).
“Restart and recovery guidelines are based on 10 key principles which are to: protect people in harmonized but flexible measures; work as one aviation team and show solidarity; ensure essential connectivity; actively manage safety, security and health related risks; make aviation public health measures work with aviation safety and security systems; strengthen public confidence; distinguish restart from recovery; support financial relief strategies to help the aviation industry; ensure sustainability and learn lessons to improve resilience.”
Engr. Balang also gave the level readiness by components of the industry such as airlines, air navigation provider, ground handlers and meteorologists and other.
According to him, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) is 80% ready; Airlines (domestic) are 70% ready; NIMET is also ready and domestic airports at 57%.
The NCAA helmsman said the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is carrying bulk of the pressure and a lot of drastic efforts are being made, “I can tell you that, because I know how hard they working. We have done well, we just have few efforts to make. Airports are the most critical parts of the value-chain.
“On the part of the NCAA, no CAA is set-up to deal with a system that needs to shut down and restart. We need to get it done well. We are doing a mini-audit of the whole ecosystem at the same time. We do not need to have all the airlines, airports or the ground handlers ready before we restart the system. We are almost there.”
The immediate past National President of the National Association Nigerian of Travel Agents (NANTA), Mr. Bernard Bankole pointed out that there ‘is need to have on the spot check in form of a dry-run. All the kiosks at the terminals need to be rid of. We need to reduce the numbers of personnel at the terminals and we need to know what the ‘New Normal’ will look like. There should be a template. He also said the concession of the airports is necessary while we are going through the restart process”.
In his response, Capt. Nuhu said: “Simulation at the airport will be decided in a couple of days.” On concesssion of the airports, “It is ongoing and it will be done.”
The current NANTA President, Mrs. Susan Akporiaye in her submission said NCAA should consider real time or animated video of the simulation of the new normal will look like.
The chairman of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Captain Nogie Meggison and Captain Ufom demanded a restart date for planning sake.
But the NCAA DG said: “Your lack of operations put NCAA in a difficult situation. Our revenue is down by 90 to 95 per cent. We are almost ready. Like I said earlier, not all the airlines and airports have to be necessarily ready before the restart. If anything goes wrong, NCAA will be held responsible. Sometimes this week, the proposed restart date will be made known. If the airports get it right, the airlines job will be made easier. The airlines that have disinfected their aircraft should show proof to NCAA. On the middle seats, we need to listen to the health authority, even though I do not support the middle seat regime. We are liasing with the health authority to get the best for the airlines. It is our interest that airlines start flying yesterday.”
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Managing Director, Capt. Rabiu Yadudu pleaded with the stakeholders and said the preparedness of the airports bother mostly on safety and security.
“Pease bear with us. It is primarily on safety and security issues. We need to improve on what we have. That is why we started training our personnel. On procurement, there are things you do not get on time. We will get drastic pace from (21st June, 2020)tomorrow. With the public enlightenment, we are working with NCAA.”
Also speaking, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Area Manager for West Africa, Dr. Samson Fatokun after appreciating the NCAA DG on his transparency style announced free support training to FAAN.
“IATA has offered to support FAAN free of charge. This is so we can share with them best practices”. On middle seats regime, Dr. Fatokun said: “The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Council Aviation Recovery Taskforce (CART) report says when the flight is not full, you can space passengers. The CART does not say you have to make the middle seats empty. It does not solve the problem and not based on science. It is economically unviable”
Yadudu, while responding to IATA’s gesture and said “We have accepted their help and we are so grateful. We are even going to sign an agreement with IATA soon. This is timely”
On the question on when the regional and internal operation will start after the restart for domestic operations, NCAA DG said: “The health authority will have a say on the international and the regional operations.
The DG, NCAA concluded by pleading with the stakeholders, saying ‘I want to plead with the airlines and others that we should exercise just little patience.”
