االثنٌن 2018/8/ 27
صورة أرشٌفٌة
www.youm7.com
مصر للطٌران تسٌر الٌوم 14رحلة إلعادة أكثر من 3آالف حاج من األراضى المقدسة
كتب محمد طنطاوى تسٌر الشركة الوطنٌة مصر للطٌران ،الٌوم االثنٌن 14 ،رحلة جوٌة من جدة لنقل 3166 حاجا من حجاج وزارة التضامن ،بٌنما تبدأ عودة حجاج القرعة اعتبارا من الـ 29من أغسطس الجارى ،حتى نهاٌة الموسم فى 15سبتمبر القادم. ومن المقرر عودة 602حاج من حجاج ترانزٌت مٌالنو ولندن والسنغال ومالً وتونس على متن رحلتٌن تسٌرهما مصر للطٌران العادتهم وفق خطة الشركة ،حٌث ٌتم تسفٌرهم على متن عدة رحالت أخرى متجهة إلى بالدهم بعد استضافتهم بالمطار. وكانت الشركة الوطنٌة مصر للطٌران قد سٌرت أمس األحد 14رحلة جوٌة من األراضى المقدسة لنقل 4378حاجا بعد أدائهم لفرٌضة الحج ،بواقع 10رحالت إلى مطار القاهرة الدولى و 4رحالت إلى مطار برج العرب الدولً.
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www.elfagr.com
مصر للطٌران" :التنسٌق مع السلطات المصرٌة والسعودٌة لتسهٌل عودة الحجاج (فٌدٌو) ندى محمد قال شرٌف عزت ،رئٌس شركة مصر للطٌران ،إنه تم التنسٌق مع جمٌع السلطات السعودٌة وفً مطار القاهرة لسرعة إنهاء إجراءات وصول الحجاج إلى أرض الوطن وتذلٌل كافة العقبات لعودتهم بسهولة وٌسر. وأضاف فً مداخلة هاتفٌة على فضائٌة "" ،DMCالٌوم األحد ،أنه تم نقل 64ألف حاج فً مرحلة الذهاب على متن 337رحلة ومن المتوقع زٌادة هذا العدد فً رحالت العودة 4آالف حاج ،متابعا أن الرحالت ستنقسم إلى 158رحلة من مطار المدٌنة المنورة و 179رحلة من مطار جدة.
صورة أرشٌفٌة
www.vetogate.com
مطار برج العرب ٌستقبل 10رحالت حج بالورود والمصاحف (صور)
خالد األمٌر -محمد علً استقبل مطار برج العرب الدولً ،غرب اإلسكندرٌة 10 ،رحالت لحجاج بٌت هللا الحرام من الذٌن أدوا مناسك الحج لهذا العام.
وقام مسئولو المطار والجمارك ،باستقبال الحجاج بالورود وتقدٌم مصاحف هداٌا لهم ،والعمل على سرعة إنهاء إجراءات خروجهم من المطار. وأعلنت إدارة المطار حالة الطوارئ الستقبال الحجاج ،وتم منع اإلجازات ،وزٌادة عدد العاملٌن بصاالت الوصول الدولً ،وكذلك تم تشغٌل أجهزة فحص األمتعة والحقائب «X- «Rayوالحرص على تفتٌش الحقائب فً أضٌق الحدود تٌسٌرا على الحجاج من كبار السن ومنعا للتكدس.
صورة أرشٌفٌة
www.youm7.com
وصول 680حاجا إفرٌقٌا مطار القاهرة بعد تأدٌة فرٌضة الحج
كتب محمد طنطاوى وصل إلى مطار القاهرة الدولى الٌوم ،األحد ،وفى أول أٌام تشغٌل الجسر الجوى، والذى تسٌره الشركة الوطنٌة مصر للطٌران إلعادة حجاج بٌت هللا الحرام من األراضى المقدسة 680حاجا من حجاج دول إفرٌقٌا فى رحلة ترانزٌت عبر مطار القاهرة. ووصل الحجاج على متن طائرتٌن تابعتٌن لشركة مصر للطٌران حٌث وصل 212 حاجا من حجاج دولة مالى و 120من حجاج دولة نٌجٌرٌا وعدد آخر من حجاج تونس والسودان وجٌبوتى والسنغال. وقامت سلطات مطار القاهرة الدولى بتشكٌل فرٌقٌن من العالقات العامة بشركتى مٌناء القاهرة الجوى والشركة الوطنٌة مصر للطٌران الستقبال الحجاج األفارقة، حٌث تم تخصٌص إحدى صاالت الترانزٌت بالمطار لحٌن إقالع رحالتهم.
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www.dostor.org
ا أسطوال لبدء سفر العاملٌن مصدر" :مصر للطٌران" ُتجهز بالخارج محمود السعدى
صرح مصدر مسئول بالشركة القابضة لمصر للطٌران ،بأنه تم تجهٌز أسطول الطائرات ،تمهٌداا لبدء سفر المصرٌٌن المقٌمٌن بالخارج ،الف اتا إلى أنه تم اتخاذ اإلجراءات االحترازٌة والترتٌبات المتبعة فى تلك المناسبات والتى تشهد كثافة ركابٌة وجوٌة هائلة تزام انا مع بدء عودة ضٌوف الرحمن من األراضً المقدسة. وأضاف المصدر ،فً تصرٌحات لـ"الدستور" ،أنه تم إعداد جداول التشغٌل وأطقم الطائرات وعناصر الخدمات األرضٌة والجوٌة والمهندسٌٌن والفنٌٌن، باإلضافة إلى عناصر الشحن والتحمٌل والعالقات العامة للعمل مع بدء موسم عودة العاملٌن المصرٌٌن للخارج. وأشار المصدر ،إلً أنه فى ضوء توجهٌات وتعلٌمات الفرٌق طٌار ٌونس المصري ،وزٌر الطٌران المدنً ،والطٌار أحمد عادل ،رئٌس الشركة القابضة لمصر للطٌران ،بضرورة االستعدادات المبكرة لبدء عودة العاملٌن المصرٌٌن فى الخارج ،عبر تقدٌم الخدمات والتسهٌالت والتٌسٌرات الالزمة لهم من خالل سرعة إنهاء إجراءات السفر بجمٌع المطارات الرئٌسٌة واإلقلٌمٌة التابعة لوزارة الطٌران المدنً.
صورة أرشٌفٌة
/www.dostor.org
مطار القاهرة ٌستقبل 185رحلة جوٌة
محمود السعدى استقبلت صاالت الوصول الدولٌة بمطار القاهرة ،الٌوم 185 ،رحلة جوٌة ،نقلت عبرهم أكثر من فوجا. 4آالف راكب من مختلف الجنسٌات ضمن 88ا وشملت جنسٌات األفواج 44جنسٌة من دول التشٌك وأمرٌكا وإسبانٌا وإٌطالٌا وألمانٌا والوالٌات المتحدة األمرٌكٌة والٌابان وكرواتٌا وإندونسٌا والمملكة المتحدة وتاٌوان وبٌرو السعودٌة والعراق والكوٌت واإلمارات.
صورة أرشٌفٌة
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انطالق 246رحلة دولٌة وداخلٌة من مطار القاهرة لنقل أكثر من 20ألف راكب
كتب محمد طنطاوى شهد مطار القاهرة الدولى خالل الـ 24ساعة الماضٌة انطالق 246رحلة دولٌة وداخلٌة تابعة لشركة مصر للطٌران والشركات األجنبٌة والعربٌة العاملة بالمطار لتقل جمٌعها 20 ألف و 681راكبا من مختلف الجنسٌات. وأفاد مصدر مالحى أن الشركة الوطنٌة مصر للطٌران سٌرت منفردة 114رحلة دولٌة إلى المطارات والمدن والعواصم العربٌة والعالمٌة ،وشهدت معظم رحالت مصر للطٌران التى أقلعت بداٌة من الدقٌقة األولى لٌوم أمس األحد انتظاما فى مواعٌد اإلقالع حسب جدول التشغٌل المقرر ،ولم تسجل الشركة أى إلغاءات للرحالت المقررة.
صورة أرشٌفٌة
www.youm7.com
"مصر الطٌران" تطرح تخفٌضا %15على رحالت لندن
كتب أحمد مصطفى أعلنت شركة مصر للطٌران ،الٌوم األحد ،عن تقدٌم %15تخفٌض على خطها من القاهرة إلى العاصمة اإلنجلٌزٌة لندن على أن ٌتم حجز التذكر حتى 10سبتمبر والسفر خالل الفترة من 17سبتمبر وحتى 16أكتوبر للعام الجارى. وتسٌر شركة مصر للطٌران ،رحلتٌن ٌومٌا تقلع من مطار القاهرة الدولى متجهة إلى مطار لندن هٌثرو ،بإجمالى غرفة 14رحلة أسبوعٌا إلى لندن.
صورة أرشٌفٌة
akhbarelyom.com
«مصر للطٌران» تعلن تخفٌضات على رحالت خطوط «القاهرة لندن»
إنجً خلٌفة طرحت الشركة الوطنٌة «مصر للطٌران» تخفٌضا وصلت نسبته %15على الرحالت الجوٌة لخط «القاهرة لندن» ،وذلك فً إطار الحرص على تلبٌة رغبات العمالء. وقالت مصادر مطلعة «إن ذلك التخفٌض من المقرر أن ٌستمر حتى 10سبتمبر ،وذلك للسفر بداٌة من رحالت 17سبتمبر وحتى 16أكتوبر».
صورة أرشٌفٌة
arabic.sputniknews.com
سفٌر موسكو فً القاهرة :الرحالت الجوٌة السٌاحٌة بٌن مصر وروسٌا تعود بعد حل أمور فنٌة قال سفٌر روسٌا لدى القاهرة ،سٌرغً كٌربٌتشٌنكو ،إن الرحالت الجوٌة السٌاحٌة "شارتر" بٌن مصر وروسٌا سوف تعود ،بعد حل بعض األمور الفنٌة. القاهرة — سبوتنٌك .وأوضح كٌربٌتشٌنكو ،فً مقابلة نشرتها وكالة أنباء الشرق األوسط، الٌوم األحد" ،هناك بعض األمور الفنٌة التً تحتاج إلى إٌجاد حلول لها الستئناف رحالت طٌران شارتر لنقل السائحٌن الروس إلى المنتجعات السٌاحٌة فً مصر". ولفت كٌربٌتشٌنكو إلى أنه جرى استئناف رحالت الطٌران المنتظمة والمباشرة بٌن القاهرة وموسكو فً أبرٌل /نٌسان الماضً ،بعد رفع مستوى اإلجراءات األمنٌة. وكانت رحالت الطٌران المباشرة توقفت بٌن البلدٌن بقرار روسً فً خرٌف ،2015عقب سقوط طائرة ركاب روسٌة فً صحراء سٌناء ،ومصرع ركابها وطاقمها ،وهو ما اعتبر عمال إرهابٌا ،فٌما لم تنته التحقٌقات الرسمٌة حتى اآلن. وأدى توقف رحالت الطٌران بٌن البلدٌن إلى تضرر قطاع السٌاحة فً مصر بشكل ملحوظ، خاصة مع إجراءات مماثلة من عدة دول تعتبر من الروافد الرئٌسٌة للسٌاحة فً مصر. وكان عدد السٌاح الروس فً مصر عام 2014بلغ 3.1ملٌون شخص ،بزٌادة 700ألف شخص عن عام ،2013فٌما وصل 100ألف سائح روسً فقط إلى مصر فً ،2017بحسب تصرٌحات مسؤولٌن مصرٌٌن. وتعمل مصر ،بعد كارثة تحطم الطائرة الروسٌة "إٌرباص "321-التابعة لشركة "كوغالٌم آفٌا" على رفع مستوٌات األمن فً المطارات وخصوصا شرم الشٌخ والغردقة والقاهرة ،فٌما تستمر المفاوضات بشكل مواز مع روسٌا من أجل استئناف الرحالت الجوٌة السٌاحٌة.
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www.albayan.ae
طٌران اإلمارات واالتحاد من أفضل 20ناقلة صدٌقة للعائلة فً العالم
حلت طٌران اإلمارات فً المركز الثانً على قائمة أفضل 20ناقلة جوٌة صدٌقة للعائلة على مستوى العالم ،بٌنما حلت االتحاد للطٌران فً المركز الثامن على نفس القائمة. وصدرت هذه الدراسة عن شركة «بالي الٌك موم» البرٌطانٌة المتخصصة فً إنتاج ألعاب األطفال. واعتمدت فً تصنٌفها للناقالت الجوٌة على عدد من المعاٌٌر ،ومن أهمها المعاملة التفضٌلٌة التً تمنحها الناقلة للمسافرٌن الصغار كمنحهم أولوٌة إنهاء إجراءات السفر والصعود إلى الطائرة ،ومنح األطفال وجبات مجانٌة أثناء الرحالت ،وتوفٌر ألعاب ووسائل ترفٌه وتسلٌة لهم فً األجواء. وأشارت الدراسة إلى أن الخطوط الجوٌة البرٌطانٌة ،التً حصلت على المركز األول فً القائمة ،وطٌران اإلمارات هما الناقلتان الوحٌدتان اللتان أوفتا بكافة المعاٌٌر.
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www.albawaba.com
دبً تسعى المتالك أكبر مجمع مطارات فً العالم
ذكر موقع إٌر ترانسبورت وورلد الشبكً األمٌركً ،أن دبً تمضً قدما ا نحو امتالك أكبر مطار فً العالم من حٌث المساحة والطاقة االستٌعابٌة لعدد المسافرٌن ،وهو مطار آل مكتوم الدولً فً دبً وورلد سنترال. ونشر الموقع المتخصص فً شؤون الطٌران والنقل الجوي حول العالم تقرٌراً ،أمس ،عن دبً وورلد سنترال ،وذكر أنه حالٌا ً فً طور التشغٌل ،ومن المقرر حال اكتماله قبٌل معرض إكسبو دبً 2020أن ٌتضمن أكبر مجمع مطارات فً العالم. وأوضح التقرٌر ،أنه بإنشاء دبً وورلد سنترال ،صارت دبً تبسط زراعٌن للنقل الجوي، وهما مطار دبً الدولً ،والذي ٌعد أكثر مطار فً العالم ازدحاما ً من حٌث عدد المسافرٌن الدولٌٌن؛ ومطار آل مكتوم الدولً. وأضاف التقرٌر ،أن دبً وورلد سنترال سٌكون بمثابة دعامة جدٌدة وقوٌة لنمو دبً.
صورة أرشٌفٌة
www.skynewsarabia.com
لماذا تتعمد خطوط الطٌران إطالة "زمن رحالتها"؟
كشف تقرٌر أن شركات طٌران عالمٌة كبرى تقوم بزٌادة وقت الرحالت فً جداولها ،فً محاولة لتجنب دفع تعوٌضات للمسافرٌن فً حال تأخرها عن الوصول إلى وجهاتها فً الموعد المحدد. وذكر التقرٌر ،الذي رصد حركة الطٌران على مدار سنوات ،أن شركات الطٌران تضٌف ما ٌصل إلى 30دقٌقة لزمن الرحالت ،مما ٌقلل من احتمال دفع تعوٌضات عن التأخٌر ،وفق ما ذكرت صحٌفة "غاردٌان" البرٌطانٌة ،االثنٌن. وخالل السنوات العشر الماضٌة استغرقت غالبٌة الرحالت الجوٌة وقتا أطول مقارنة مع العقد الذي سبقه ،وذلك لخلق االنطباع بأن المسافرٌن ٌصلون إلى وجهاتهم فً الوقت المحدد تماما. وأشار التقرٌر إلى أن غالبٌة شركات الطٌران الكبرى أعادت ترتٌب جداولها للتأكد من أنها تحافظ على االلتزام بالمواعٌد ،رغم التطور التكنولوجً الكبٌر فً مجال الطٌران خالل السنوات القلٌلة الماضٌة. ورصد الباحثون متوسط زمن الرحالت فً 125مسارا تدٌرها شركات الطٌران الكبرى عام ،2009وقارنوها مع العام الماضً ،فوجدوا أن 76مسارا تستغرق وقتا أطول اآلن. وذكر التقرٌر ،على سبٌل المثال ،أنه تم تمدٌد رحالت الخطوط الجوٌة البرٌطانٌة من مطار هٌثرو فً لندن إلى مطار بانكوك فً تاٌالند ونٌوٌورك وسنغافورة لمدة 20دقٌقة. وبٌنما تعتقد شركات الطٌران أن إضافة 10أو 20أو 30دقٌقة إلى الرحالت سٌحسن االلتزام بالمواعٌد ،فإن ذلك سٌكون محط سخط المسافرٌن الذٌن ٌبحثون دائما عن ساعات سفر أقل.
صورة أرشٌفٌة
https://allafrica.com
Kenyan Regulator Plans Freeze On New Airlines The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) is considering a freeze on new operators at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta and Wilson Airports due to pressure on the existing infrastructure. KCAA director-general Gilbert Kibe said the board was planning the expansion of the airports before taking on new airlines. "Wilson Airport is seriously congested, JKIA is also becoming congested. We need new airport development to add taxiways and parking bays. There is no point of having so many operators coming in when our airport infrastructure cannot handle them efficiently," he told the Modern Airports International Conference in Nairobi this week. "We should consider perhaps a moratorium on licensing of air services until the airport infrastructure can handle the increased traffic." Air operators however said a freeze would slow down the growth of the aviation industry, give unfair advantage to some operators and increase the cost of air transport. Kenya Association of Air Operators chief executive Eutychus Waithaka, while noting that the move would disadvantage operators, welcomed it, saying "the airline industry is built on safety." Full capacity He said that Wilson Airport is in bad shape, congested and in need of expansion. The airport handles 182,500 landings, takeoffs and training flights annually. Last year, JKIA recorded 207,831 domestic landings and takeoffs.
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2 Data shows that JKIA is operating at full capacity, handling 7.5 million passengers annually, hence the need for new terminals. The airport is still attracting global airlines raising fears of further congestion. There are 41 carriers operating to and from JKIA, all using a single runway. This has been blamed for delays in takeoffs and landing. Parking stands have been increased to accommodate 43 aircraft, up from 23. Wilson airport has nine designated parking bays. There are also other bays spread in the 33 aircraft hangars. The airport has 350 aircraft movements per day and over 200 air operators. KAA's head of corporate planning Henry Ogoye said diversion of funds is to blame for the poor development of the aviation industry. "The problem is politics. Members of Parliament want an airstrip in their neighbourhood and that is where the problem starts. A critical facility is denied resources just to suit the political class," said Mr Ogoye. "We have engaged the government on a policy on expansion of facilities." Every year, the government allocates $10 million for expanding aviation facilities.
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https://allafrica.com
East Africa: Air Tanzania Losses Down As It Starts East Africa Flights Air Tanzania, which is gearing up for its international debut flight as part of efforts to expand operations, narrowed its losses to $1.9 million in 2017, from $6.2 million the previous year. Chief executive Ladislaus Matindi attributed its improved performance to intensive marketing and government support. "Our revenue has grown sixfold from $305,660 in 2016 to $1.9 million last year, while our market share has increased to 24 per cent from 2.5 per cent when we relaunched," he said. The airline is expected to fly to India in September, with a possible European touchdown in 2022. The carrier also plans to start direct flights from its Dar es Salaam hub to Entebbe next week, with a possible stopover at Kilimanjaro International Airport in Arusha. Air Tanzania, which bought a Boeing 787 Dreamliner in July, expects a second one in early 2020, for deployment on the European route, with a possible first stop in London. The national carrier also said it is expecting delivery of two A220300s from Airbus towards the end of the year, to bolster its regional routes and launch new African destinations.
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2 "We are making these potential routes a priority due to low competition, but we are aware of the potential of European destinations. However, we are also alive to the dangers of the aviation business and especially establishing new routes, so we are cautious. We hope to breakeven in the next five years," said Mr Matindi. The airline is expected to start its second regional route after Comoros, with flights to Entebbe and Bujumbura, bringing competition to the doorstep of the Kenyan and Rwandan national carriers, which have over the years dominated these routes via their respective hubs in Nairobi and Kigali. Its first Dreamliner, which has been plying the Mwanza, Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salaam routes, is expected to be deployed on the regional routes before its September flight to India. The airline plans to start flights to Guangzhou in China in December.
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http://www.monitor.co.ug
Uganda Airlines ready to take-off Christmas is coming early. That is if a report carried by Aviation24.be, a website that focusses on news in the aviation industry and comments by the Minister of Works, Ms Monica Azuba, are anything to go by. Four jets that government ordered from Bombardier and Airbus will take to the skies in December. If it happens, QU – the defunct airline’s flight code – will be returning to the skies 17 years and seven months after Uganda Airlines was liquidated and more than 18 years since the last of its jets was sighted. The last plane, a 44-seater Fokker Friendship (F27), was sold to Avtrade on October 13, 2000. Rationale The National Development Plan (NDPII) listed revival of a national airliner as third on a list of six public investment projects lined up for implementation in the air transport sector in the period between 2015/16 – 2019/20. The argument was that it would ―facilitate the development of Entebbe International Airport into a hub‖. The NPA, which undertook an in-house study and developed a feasibility study initially put the required capital outlay at $400 million (Shs1.5 trillion). On June 23, 2016, as Mr Museveni made his maiden speech to the Cabinet he formed after winning a fifth term in office, he made the airline one of his priorities, saying lack of one was taking a toll on travelling Ugandans.
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2 ―Ugandan travellers are suffering because of, apparently, not having a national airline… I did not care much about a national airline. I thought that our brothers in Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, and others having airlines would serve all of us. That, however, is apparently not the case,‖ he said then. At the time, Mr Museveni believed that Ugandans annually spend $420 million (Shs1.6 trillion) on travel, the bulk of which was going to foreign operators. This, he said, was a foreign exchange hemorrhage that a national carrier could stop. Other considerations included, among others, the promotion of tourism, branding and marketing Uganda as an investment destination, stimulating economic growth by creating jobs and revenue for government, promoting export trade and reducing domination of the airline trade by foreign operators. Expensive tickets The outgoing chairman of the East African Business Council, Mr Mwinerugangura Kabeho, argues that lack of a national carrier has opened up Ugandan travellers to exploitation. ―The price of tickets here is the highest in the World. It is cheaper to fly to Dubai than to Burundi. A flight from Entebbe to Dar-e-salaam costs as much as one from Entebbe to Johannesburg,‖ he says. As of Wednesday, the cheapest tickets on offer from Kenya Airways were ranging between €218 (Shs951,285) and €414.61 (Shs1.8m) for a return flight from Entebbe to Nairobi booked over a one week period, while Rwanda Air was charging between €347.41 (Shs1.5m) and €518.60 (Shs2.2m.)
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3 With Fly Dubai Airline charging between €542.16 (Shs2.3m) and €698.53 (Shs3m), Kenya Airways charging between €517.07 (about Shs2.2m) and €641.15 (Shs2.8m) Ethiopia Airways charging €556 (Shs2.4m) and Oman Air €651 (about Shs2.8m) for a flight from Entebbe to Dubai, it is evident that travellers doing the trip to Dubai sometimes pay either the same amount for the 3,730km journey as those travelling to Nairobi, a distance of 521kms. At the same time, Kenya Airways was charging between €423.40 (Shs1.8m) and €544.40 (Shs2.3m) for tickets for flights between Entebbe and Bujumbura, while Rwanda Air was charging €509.89 (Shs2.2m). Kenya Airways was charging between €235.76 (Shs1m) and €294.76 (Shs1.3m) for a flight ticket for Entebbe-Johannesburg, which shows that it is much cheaper to travel to Johannesburg, a distance of about 2,940kms, than it is to travel to Bujumbura or Nairobi, which are 514kms and 521.26Kms away. Impact on Aviation Industry Capt Francis Babu, a former Uganda Airlines pilot, says the aviation industry always has a snowball effect on entire economies. ―Aviation is a high profile industry and it is also a very strategic one. It has capacity to impact on a country in so many ways. It creates direct employment and enhances other industries. Every discipline has a place in the aviation industry,‖ he says. He thinks once the airline is back, it has capacity to create hundreds of jobs in direct and indirect employment, while other operations such as cargo and ground handling services and inflight catering services are also expected to have a multiplier effect on the economy.
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4 Action so far ―In these five years, Uganda will encourage the setting up of a national airline,‖ Mr Museveni told his new Cabinet in June 2016. That sparked off a flurry of activity. On August 1, 2017, Mr Museveni named a taskforce composed of technocrats from the ministry of Works, aviation experts and pilots and charged them with developing a business plan and roadmap. According to the brief that minister Azuba gave the media last month, the team was also charged with, among others, undertaking an economic and risk assessment, identifying a business and operational model. On December 22 last year, Cabinet approved a detailed business and implementation plan and gave the team the nod to embark on the process that would actualise the plan. This occasioned engagement with various aircraft manufacturers, presentation of submissions to the government contracts committee, among others. In March, government signed Memorandums of Understanding with the suppliers and paid commitment fees amounting to $400,000 (Shs1.5 trillion) to Bombardier and $800,000 (Shs3 trillion) to Airbus Industries to start the manufacturing process. ―Payment of the commitment fees was followed by preparation of detailed bid documents, which were shared with the two firms. Negotiation of purchase agreement for (four) Regional Aircrafts with Bombardier has been concluded and the agreement signed thus paving way for payment of the pre-delivery money. The one with Airbus is yet to be concluded,‖ minister Azuba told the media last month.
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5 Planned routes According to a copy of the National Airline Business and Implementation Plan, an analysis of the 2016 traffic showed the biggest number of Ugandans travelling in Africa visited Nairobi, followed by Kigali, Johannesburg and Juba. It is to those destinations that flights have been planned with the CRJ900 aircrafts. The plan, however, points at the possibility of opening up routes, to among others, Mombasa, Khartoum, Mogadishu, Kinsasha, Lubambashi and Goma. An analysis of intercontinental travel revealed that the top 10 destinations were Dubai [United Arab Emirates], London [United Kingdom], Mumbai [India] and Guangzhou [China], which accounted for about 60 per cent of the traffic. ―The initial long-haul network for the airline is, therefore, based on flights to these key points, with the market size being used to determine the aircraft capacity required. As already discussed above, these routes will be launched using the Airbus A330800Neo aircraft, configured in a three class lay-out as per market requirements with feed from the short-haul intra-Africa regional network,‖ the plan document reads in parts. However, in order to develop other routes, government will sign several Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASAs) or Air Transport Agreements (ATAs) and also enter code sharing agreements in order to grow the business. BASAs and ATAs are agreements in which two nations allow international commercial air transport services between their territories. Once signed, they are registered with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and entered into the Database of Aeronautical Agreements and Arrangements (DAGMAR).
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6 The BASA/ATA spells out the conditions under which airlines are granted economic rights to fly between two countries by detailing things such as frequency of travel, tax issues and types of crafts to be operated. Code sharing agreements allow two or more airlines to share information on one flight. If, say Uganda Airlines and Kenya Airways have such an agreement in place, Kenya Airways would be in a position to sell a seat on a Uganda Airlines flights and vice versa. If that were to happen, a ticket from Uganda Airlines on a Kenya Airways flight is likely to show the words, ―operated by Uganda Airlines‖. Kenya Airways already has code sharing agreements with several airlines, including the Air France-KLM group, Oman Air and Air Mauritania. One of the targeted markets for the airline are government officials. The problem is government is not a good debtor. That is why many companies and individuals who have done business with it are bankrupt. It was the same with the defunct Uganda Airlines, which was owed billions of shillings by government in unpaid for tickets. So while optimism is very high that the flag carrier will soon be back in the skies, so are fears that the vampires that sucked the blood out of Uganda Airlines are lurking in the dark waiting to pounce again.
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7 UNEASE IN CABINET Noise of manufacturer. However, sections of the public have been questioning government’s decision to buy Bombardier and Airbus aircrafts instead of going for Boeing. Earlier in the year, Mr David Basobokwe, who had put in 30 years of work in Uganda Airlines and Das Air Cargo before moving to England, had accused government officials of going about the rebirth of the airline the wrong way. ―They have decided to buy four Bombardier CRJ aircrafts to do internal and external flights. Those aircrafts are too many for the job. Two planes can fly in a day and finish (sic) South Africa and East Africa so you don’t need four. Secondly, I don’t understand what informed them to buy four Bombardiers and two airbuses,‖ Mr Busobokwe said in an interview that was carried in the Sunday Monitor. His concerns spread to Cabinet, which tasked minister Azuba to explain why Boeing had been ditched; why the Airbus A330-800 series were chosen and why government opted to purchase instead of leasing the planes. According to Ms Azuba, those matters were put to bed on July 9.
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http://thenationonlineng.net
Will domestic airlines benefit from Single African market? Is Nigeria ready for the competition that will arise from the Single African Air Transport Market? Though indigenous operators are opposed to it, the government and some stakeholders believe that domestic carriers will be better positioned to reap from the market. MUYIWA LUCAS reports. It was the gathering of African leaders in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for the 30th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU). Among the burning issues determined at the meeting, which held early last January, was the inauguration of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM). With one voice, the gathering launched the liberalisation of the continent’s airspace for airlines registered in Africa, thereby liberalising aviation rules and regulations among the member countries. The policy, which literarily translates to open skies operation for African airlines within the continent, was aimed at creating a free market environment for airlines registered in the continent. Under the AU Agenda 2063, SAATM is a flagship project targeted at establishing a single unified and liberalised air transport market on the continent. It was adopted by the AU Assembly in 2015 as a way of implementing the Yamoussoukro Decision of 1999 that provides for full liberalisation in terms of market access between African states, the free exercise of traffic rights, the elimination of restrictions on ownership and the full liberalisation of frequencies, fares and capacities.
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2 According to the AU, the commencement of SAATM will create opportunities among countries on the continent to promote trade and cross-border investments both in the production and service industries, tourism inclusive. By extension, it would lead to the creation of more 300,000 direct and two million indirect jobs. Eleven AU member-states, including Nigeria, championed the Declaration by signing the Solemn Commitment to actualise the Yamoussoukro Decision creating the single market. Signatories to the agreement have increased to 23 countries. In May 2016, the AU also sought a further commitment of signatories and wrote to states that had signed the commitment to highlight a number of measures they should take as soon as possible to initiate operationalisation of the single air transport market on the continent. Among the measures was that each country should officially publish in accordance with its national regulations or gazette that they are committed to the immediate implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision under the terms of the Declaration of Solemn Commitment in line with the AU Agenda 2063. Nigeria was a signatory to this. As at the last count, 22 other member-nations have penned the document. They include Benin, Burkina Faso, Botswana, Cape Verde, Republic of Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Gabon. Others are Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Togo, and Zimbabwe. A simple analysis of the signed up countries that have ratified the policy had a combined population of about 670 million. Besides, as at 2015, this figure amounted to a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $15 billion, which was over 65 per cent of the continent’s average $1888 per capita.
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3 Euphoria For the international community and critical stakeholders in the aviation industry, this presents a new dawn for air transport business in the continent. According to ―Flying Doctors Nigeria,‖a member of the British Safety Council that specialises in providing medical solutions such as air ambulance and medical evacuation, among others, Africa is home to 12 per cent of the world’s population, but it accounts for less than one per cent of the global air service market. The body, citing a World Bank study, argued that part of the reasons for Africa’s under-served status is that many African countries restrict their air services markets to protect local, stateowned air carriers. However, many of these state-owned airlines lack efficiency resulting in inflated fares, sub-optimal service and poor safety. It noted further that Air travel choices in Africa remains constrained by sub-optimal travel conditions such as long layovers, high fares, safety issues, uncertain flight schedules and poor quality of services, underscoring the challenges facing air carriers trying to attract passengers and at the same time make profits. For instance, Flying Doctors noted that Cape Verde is just four hours away from Lagos and holds massive potential as a destination for Nigerian holiday makers. However, in order to get to Sal, Cape Verde, a passenger must first fly to Morocco which is four to five hours from Lagos. Then, after a stopover of up to 12 hours in Casablanca, the traveller will proceed on another three hours flight to Cape Verde. But with SAATM, the cumbersomeness of trips like this will be eradicated.
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4 Such positivity remains the driving force for other bodies like the International Air Transport Association (IATA), whose belief in the initiative is buoyed by the multiplier effect the enhanced connectivity would stimulate. The global body is convinced that SAATM will enhance travel demand, improve the competitiveness of the African airline industry, and make air travel more accessible. In turn, IATA is hopeful that it would enable higher volumes of trade, expanded tourism and growing commerce between African nations and with the rest of the world. ‖The SAATM has the potential for remarkable transformation that will build prosperity while connecting the African continent. Every open air service arrangement has boosted traffic, lifted economies and created jobs. And we expect no less in Africa on the back of the SAATM agreement. An IATA survey suggests that if just 12 key African countries opened their markets and increased connectivity, an extra 155,000 jobs and $1.3 billion in yearly GDP would be created in those countries. It is an important step forward. But the benefits of a connected continent will only be realised through effective implementation of SAATM—firstly, by the countries already committed, and also by the remaining 32 AUmember-nations still to come on board,‖ IATA’s Vice President for Africa, Raphael Kuuchi, said. While Kuuchi sees SAATM as a decisive step towards greater intraAfrican connectivity, as greater connectivity will lead to greater prosperity of both operators and government, there is palpable fear and discontent in the domestic industry. Among many industry players, the belief is that SAATM would make it difficult for member-countries that have adopted the policy to resist the temptation to protect their own airlines, accept uniform tariff for aviation charges, and open their airspace benevolently to other airlines in Africa.
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5 Short-comings For airline operators in the country, the signing up of SAATM may be noble on paper, but there is a need for the government to thread with caution, especially because of the dangers of the direct impact of the decision on the local industry, the airlines and the economy as a whole. Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) Chairman, Captain Nogie Meggison, said the domestic airlines are aversed to this policy because of the timing, which it says is not right. This is because there are numerous unresolved issues and challenges being faced by Nigerian aviation that will, ultimately, undermine the perceived gains of this treaty. Meggison highlighted some of the problems that has put the country at a disadvantage of competing favourably in the open skies treaty to include the requirement of visas to 34 African countries from Nigerians who are supposed to be travelling within Africa under the open sky treaty require as a prerequisite; for now, only travels within West Africa are Nigerians allowed free movements with visa issued at entry points. Besides, he said other African airlines that would be in competition with Nigerian carriers are largely government-owned and heavily subsidised. For instance, the AON boss explained that South African Airways got, on the average, about $350 million yearly in the past decade; Kenya Airways got about $600 million in 2016, while RwandAir has never published its financial results for over a decade.
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6 ―Nigerian airlines have a high bank interest rates of 28 per cent compared to access to cheap funds provided and guaranteed by the government of most African carriers at a maximum of two per cent,‖ Meggison lamented. He added that while domestic airlines pay VAT to the government, most African carriers do not pay VAT both in their various countries as well as here in Nigeria. This, he explained, was already a deficit of five per cent on a small margin industry from the start for the airlines. Other challenges, he noted, to include that the taxes/charges around Africa are not uniform across board. ―African governments should first ensure all the taxes are uniform among countries before the implementation of the open skies treaty. For instance, when airlines fly to some African countries they charge the operators heavy landing fees in excess of $5,000 – $6,000, whereas the same African countries subsidise their local operators who pay $200 for the same service. But when they fly into Nigeria, they pay a mere $500, the same as our local carriers,‖ Meggison noted. He warned that a full implementation of SAATM would lead to massive capital flight, huge loss of jobs for youths and a mortgaging of their future, as well as a further collapse of the already failing aviation system. ―Nigeria is simply not ready to handle the level of unfair competition the full implementation of SAATM will bring upon the country,‖ Meggison submitted.
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7 A step in the right direction But while the AON holds this position, the policy has gained support from other stakeholders. The Managing Partner, Belujane Konzult, Mr. Chris Aligbe, said rather than the AON complaining, they should have been proactive and keyed into the policy. He revealed that the SAATM was signed in 2014, and only being implemented this year. ―Our domestic operators did not react positively to this policy. They (AON) had four years to prepare and key into it. You cannot stop a moving train,‖ Aligbe said. He advised AON to do the right thing instead of blaming the government for their misfortune. He is convinced that if domestic carriers got their acts together, SAATM can be exploited to Nigeria’s advantage. ―AON should be proactive. They are kicking against everything including the planned Nigeria Air. They should act fast because it is not Nigeria Air that will fight them but airlines like Ethiopian Airline, which flies into five destinations in the country; Ghana Air, among others. Other domestic carriers should be happy that the policy benefits of Nigeria Air will rub off on them,‖ he said. Aligbe, a former Public Relations manager in the defunct Nigeria Airways, explained that SAATM will be extremely beneficial to the country and her domestic industry if ―we wake up and key into it.‖ He said the birthing of Nigeria Air was appropriate because that is the only way Nigeria can benefit from SAATM. ―If Nigeria Air is properly run as being touted, then we will benefit alot from SAATM,‖ he said.
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8 Aligbe, however, cautioned on the choice of partner for the Nigeria Air, warning that on no account should it be made to partner with Ethiopian Airline (ET). His reasons: ―Look at what ET has done. In 2017, ET carried 203, 000 passengers out of Nigeria, well ahead of British Airways that lifted 123, 000 passengers and Emirates’ 103, 000. Besides, ET’s subsidiary, A-Sky operates six to seven flights into Nigeria weekly; ET has invested in Rwanda Air and Air Namibia. Very soon, ET will become an octopus taking over the market. That is why Nigeria Air must not be made to partner with the East African carrier,‖ Aligbe warned. Already, Overland Airways, a Nigerian carrier, is taking advantage of the policy. The airline recently began flight operations into Lome, Togo. Other airlines, such as Aero contractors and Medview, are expected to spread their wings to more African countries in the coming days. African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) Secretary-General, Mrs. Iyabo Sosina, also admonished Nigerian airlines to prepare themselves to compete; otherwise, they would be overtaken by the new policy, which is projected to boost the economy of the continent. However, she said AFCAC was talking to those countries to review downwards their charges and open up their processes to allow the single market policy to work. Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Director-General, Captain Muhtar Usman, said SAATM would create more jobs in the aviation and tourism sectors of the continent, increase member states’ yearly GDP and revolutionise interconnectivity within the continent,
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9 among others. The Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, speaking in an earlier interview with reporters, said Nigeria, with a market of over 173 million people, half of the size of West Africa, will be the greatest beneficiary of this treaty. He explained that at the time the country was pushing for this, Nigeria Airways was in existence, hence the country would have taken advantage of it. ―So, I believe that we are on the right course. I believe that the national carrier, which would be driven by the private sector, once established, will become a dominant carrier in Africa. This is because Nigeria is the market. Nigeria’s centrality to Africa by its location is equidistant from the farthest point in Africa and with the population of 173 million people, we have the market in the continent, and this is coupled with the fact that Nigerians are very mobile. We are great travellers. We almost travel for nothing. So, Nigeria is in a very vantage position to benefit hugely from SAATM,‖ Sirika said. The minister revealed that the Nigerian carriers were at the forefront of the campaign to respect and to implement the Yamoussoukro Decision at the time they felt the treaty would be to their advantage. According to him, ―Nigerian airlines have refused to grow and their challenges are not caused by government. They are responsible for those challenges. I boldly invite them to come and very soon there will be stakeholders meeting where the airlines will be present. We will dialogue about their situations. My advice to them is to get their acts together to focus, to reorganise, to re-engineer and take advantage of this opportunity offered by SAATM and be futuristic rather than to sit here while the train is moving and begin to whine’’.
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https://allafrica.com
Rwandair Banking On New Aircraft, Cargo for Growth RwandAir is banking on new aircraft and competitive airfreight charges to boost its belly cargo business as it seeks to diversify earnings that are under pressure from high operational costs. Next year, RwandAir expects four aircraft as it takes on new routes to the US, Asia, Europe and deeper into Africa. Chief executive Yvonne Makolo said two Airbus A330 New Engine Option and two Boeing 737 MAX 8-narrow body aeroplanes are expected in July 2019. Though the aircraft are passenger-configured, aviation experts say they have significant belly capacity for cargo. The airlines cargo space sales have remained low, though the business picked up last year. Airfreight grew from 8,000 tonnes in 2016 to 13,000 tonnes in the 12 months ending December 2017, driven by RwandAir's growing network and fleet. The volume of air cargo at Kigali International Airport is expected to grow by 30 per cent -- reaching 16,900 tonnes by December 2018. "RwandAir longhaul aircraft, which fly to and from Europe, Asia, the Middle East and African airports and the planned US and China routes are expected to drive the growth," the airline said. RwandAir is betting on affordable airfreight charges to drive demand for its belly space, as it aims to generate nine per cent of revenues from cargo.
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2 Aviation experts recommend that passenger airlines generate that percentage of revenue from cargo if they are to be profitable. With the subsidies from the government, the freight costs per kilo have dropped by 62 per cent, to as low as $0.95/kg, whereas their regional peers forked out less than $1.5/kg. Basa deals RwandAir could soon start flying to Rome after the Italian and Rwandan government last week signed bilateral air services agreements that paves the way for airlines from the two countries to pick and drop both cargo and passengers in each other's airports. Rwanda's Infrastructure Minister Claver Gatete and Italy's ambassador to Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi Domenico Fornara signed the deal in Kigali. This is the 32nd such agreement Rwanda has signed with a country outside Africa, indicating Kigali's increasing interest in opening up business opportunities for its national carrier. The carrier is at an advanced stage of starting direct flights to the US. It will become the fourth African airline to fly directly to New York, after Kenya Airways, South African Airways and Ethiopian Airlines. RwandAir has received the nod from Washington, allowing it to operate through a code-share agreement. The airline is also expected to start flying to Guangzhou, China after new deliveries.
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3 But analysts are sceptical about RwandAir's expansion, at a time airlines' business is becoming increasingly competitive, raising fears it will struggle on some routes. For example, KLM is giving RwandAir a run for its money on the Kigali- Amsterdam route on which Rwanda's horticulture products are flown from. But government officials say revamping the airline is a long-term investment with spillover effects on the economy. "We see it as an opportunity because on our side we are more interested in RwandAir businesses; the competition is also good for the sector to grow," said the head of Aviation Travel and Logistics Holding Ltd Jean Ndenga. The airline's grant allocation from the government was reduced to $47 million last year, from $53.8 million in 2016 and $56.2 million in 2015. RwandAir posted a $1.01 million loss in 2016, from an operating profit of $2.8 million. International Air Transport Association (IATA) experts say while the African continent offers growth potential, challenges remain, with the region's contribution to the global airline business remaining weak over the past four years. "Break-even load factors are relatively low, as yields are higher than average and costs are lower. However, few airlines in the region are able to achieve adequate load factors, which average the lowest globally at 61.5 per cent in 2018. Performance is improving, but only slowly," notes IATA in its half-year Economic Performance report on the airline industry.
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