US Gives Waiver to 3 Nigerian Carriers

[Flying Touareg]

"The United States has approved three Nigerian carriers: Arik Air, Bellview Airline and Virgin Nigeria, to fly to different cities in America.
The Federal Government and the United States signed open skies agreement when former US President, Bill Clinton visited Nigeria in 2001, but the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and the airlines had to meet stringent conditions given by America’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The approval was given at the time a four-member team from FAA arrived Nigeria to begin technical audit of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority today. The approved airlines are expected to wet- lease aircraft from United States carriers that will have Nigeria carriers’ colour and fly Nigeria ’s flag.
Informed sources said the approval was given because of NCAA excellent performance at last year’s International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) audit.
The FAA team, while in the country for one week, is expected to audit the NCAA, including its safety, maintenance and standard records. The team will also visit the airlines for inspection on their maintenance structures and administrative set up, to ensure they are in line with NCAA’s records.
The one week audit opens up an exercise meant to last for the next eight months, but the team that visited is expected to leave on July 20. At the end of the assessment, Nigeria would have been qualified for the category one status, which places its safety records at par with what obtains in the US and other European countries. two day mock test with the NCAA."

http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=83795

[Rani]

Virgin Nigeria is poised to wet-lease North American's 767-300ER and use it on LOS-JFK-BWI route... I think they mentioned the start date as Sept. 2007This is pending Cat.1 certification of NCAA and Nigerian carriers, when VK would introduce its own aircraft on the route.:ok:

[AVSEC]

Well done ALML of Virgin Nigeria,Pathfinders International of Arik Air and Checkport of Bellview Airlines.
These Nigeria based aviation security providers have proven that Nigeria aviation security are category 1 standard.
Well done Nigerian aviation industry.We hope this is the begining of not just a west african hub,but a major aviation hub for Africa.

[spacedaddy]

CRAP AND POLITICS! wANNA ARGUE WITH ME?

[NaijaNinja]

If you are a jealous South African, no one wants to argue with you or even read your partisan opinion!

If you have valid arguments or know anything the world don't have a clue about, bring them to the fore and lets read them.

[jagunmolu]

POLITICS OR NO POLITICS AS LONG AS THE AVERAGE NIGERIAN DOES NOT HAVE TO JUNKET TO EUROPE AND PAY THE HIGHEST FARES IN THE WORLD TO EUROPEAN CARRIERS DOGLEGGING TO THE U.S.LET ALL AMERICAN FLAGGED CARRIERS FLY TO NIGERIA/=FOR LESSER FARES ,:rolleyes:SO WE DONT HAVE TO CONDONE ILLTREATMENT BY RASCIST EUROPEAN CARRIERS WHO TREAT US LIKE **** BUT TAKE OUR MONIES,NCAA/FAA PLEASE SAVE US.GIVE IT ANYNAME BUT LET US FLY DIRECT TO THE USA.THEN NIGERIANS WILL SEE WHETHER AIRFARES TO EUROPE WILL NOT FIND THIER NORMAL LEVELS.:confused::eek:

[surely not]

aww come off it Jagonmolu, what a rubbish rant, and one that ignores so many of the facts of life of operating to/from Nigeria!!

Maybe the European carriers find they need to pay additional hidden costs :} to operate to/from Nigeria that they don't have to pay in Europe? Plus most of the passengers on the route take far more baggage than on European flights, then they argue endlessly about paying excess baggage, etc etc.

Supply and demand doesn't have anything to do with racism. Whilst the flights operate full in all classes there is no need for the airlines to reduce their yield, and that rule my friend applies everywhere in the world and has diddly squat to do with racism.

I am sure that the flights to the USA will affect load factors over Europe, and as demand falls the suppliers of capacity will no doubt adjust their fares........economics rule ok.