Aviation
African carriers growth down as global cargo tons up 4%
JOHANNESBURG – Global Freight Ton per Kilometre (FTK) grew 4 percent in October 2013, with growth across all regions recording slight improvement except Africa, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said.
The gradual expansion continues a trend that began in the third quarter as air freight markets have responded to better economic confidence and improved consumer demand.
Tony Tyler, IATA director-general, noted however that performance varied significantly by region.
According to him, Middle East carriers reported the most impressive growth at 12.3 percent, while European and North American airlines reported growth of 4.4 percent and 3.7 percent, respectively, which is below the long-term cargo growth trend of 5 percent to 6 percent.
Asia-Pacific carriers grew by a marginal but significant 2 percent, finally countering the decline over most of 2013.
“Since mid-year, we have seen modest but sustained growth in cargo fed by stronger business confidence and improving trade flows. Air cargo is still a very tough business. Matching capacity to demand has been difficult in an environment where passenger traffic is growing more robustly. There is some evidence that the fall in load factors has stabilised, but yields remain under pressure,” he said.
The average load factor for October was 46.4 percent, which is an improvement on the year-to-date load factor of 44.8 percent. This is still several percentage points below 2010, when they peaked at over 50 percent.
All regions but Africa grew in October 2013 compared with a year ago. The strongest growth was in the Middle East, but Europe also showed healthy improvement. Europe and the Middle East combined have carried three quarters of the cargo increase over the past six months.
Asia-Pacific carriers’ traffic grew 2 percent, with capacity up 4.1 percent. Asian cargo volumes benefited from resurgence in trade across the region, fuelled by a stronger Chinese economy where manufacturing activity hit a seven-month-high.
Tyler disclosed that European airlines expanded FTKs by 4.4 percent, maintaining the steady improvement in recent months, as the continent continued to emerge from recession, saying the recovery remained fragile, however, with growth in Q3 slowing to 0.1 percent from 0.3 percent in Q2.
“African carriers experienced the only decline in October compared to October of last year (-2.7%). Growth in air freight carried by African airlines has seen a slow decline for several months. Although trade volumes for the region continue to increase, competition on important trade routes is strong and lack of adequate infrastructure and political stability continue to hinder growth potential. Weak demand coupled with continued capacity expansion has placed load factors under further pressure, falling 3.5 percentage points compared to a year ago,” he said.
– BUSINESS DAY
An Abuja-Accra flight experienced technical difficulties mid-air on Friday, forcing it to return to Abuja, shortly after departure.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Board (NSIB) made the disclosure in a statement, adding that it has launched investigation into what it described as a serious accident.
Director, Public Affairs and Family Assistance, NSIB, Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji stated that preliminary investigations revealed the aircraft experienced an engine number two indication issue.
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It was gathered that the aircraft, with registration number 5NKAL which was operating a flight from the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja (DNAA), to Kotoka International Airport, Accra (DGAA).
She explained that four persons were onboard when the incident occurred. The crew immediately requested for a diversion back to Abuja due to the engine indication.
Oladeji added that the crew managed to safely land the aircraft at Abuja Airport at 18:16 UTC.
There were no injuries reported, and all individuals on board are safe.
Nigeria has acquired 12 pre-owned Alpha Jets from the French Air Force as part of efforts to enhance the operational capacity of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).
The deal, facilitated through SOFEMA, a French military and aeronautics company, was announced by Olusegun Dada, Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on via X on Thursday.
He said, “All the 12 aircraft are ready for shipping.”
The Alpha Jet, a product of Franco-German collaboration, is a versatile military aircraft designed for light attack and advanced training missions.
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Equipped to carry bombs, rockets, and missiles, the aircraft also features a gun pod for close air support.
The NAF already operates 11 Alpha Jets, but this latest procurement signals a significant boost to its fleet.
Dada also confirmed that the Air Force is expecting 24 M-346FA light attack aircraft, ordered during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The first batch of these Italian-made aircraft is expected to arrive early next year.
Air Chief Marshal Hasan Abubakar, the Chief of Air Staff, described the acquisitions as a testament to President Tinubu’s commitment to bolstering the armed forces.
“This renewal of our aircraft fleet reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of Nigerians,” Abubakar said.
The announcement comes on the heels of President Tinubu’s three-day state visit to France, where he met with French President Emmanuel Macron.
The visit, which took place from November 27 to November 30, highlighted deepening ties between the two nations.
To ensure the sustainability of its expanding fleet, the Air Force has proposed establishing a local maintenance hub.
Speaking in October, Abubakar noted that six units of the M-346FA aircraft were already in production, with the initial batch of three expected to be delivered in early 2025. The full fleet is projected to arrive by 2026.
“These developments underscore the importance of creating a domestic support system for the long-term upkeep of our aircraft,” Abubakar added.
As the holiday season draws near, Aero Contractors has introduced a minimum ticket price of N80,000 for all local flights.
The move, which will last until January 2024, aims to ease the financial burden on Nigerians amid the high cost of living.
Ado Sanusi, Managing Director of Aero Contractors, made the announcement on Tuesday during a press briefing, describing the fare reduction as a gesture to help Nigerians celebrate Christmas and the New Year without the stress of steep ticket prices.
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Sanusi said, “We understand the economic hardship Nigerians are facing, especially with high ticket prices, and we know the holiday season is nearby.
“In the spirit of Christmas, Aero Contractors has introduced what we call pocket-friendly Christmas prices. These fares, starting at N80,000, will apply to all our destinations, allowing Nigerians to travel without excessive costs.”
As of Tuesday afternoon, an economy class ticket from Lagos to Abuja was priced at N99,643, while business class tickets were being sold for N189,167.
Sanusi further explained that the initiative was designed to make it easier for families to reunite during the holidays.
“This is a way for us, as an organization with a long history of serving Nigerians, to give back to our loyal customers. We want to make it possible for families to meet their loved ones during this festive season without worrying about exorbitant travel costs,” he added.
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