Saw this great editorial in Vanguard


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/10/frightening-revelations-planes-may-keep-dropping-skies/

What this means is that there appears to be a fundamental problem in the system that has not been addressed, and that has to do with policies enunciated for the industry by government. There is a suggestion that no matter the volume of safety audit conducted on airlines, safety would remain elusive as long as the operating environment created for airlines remained harsh.

Neither would re-modelling of airports reverse this trend. The mortality rate of airlines in Nigeria isnhigh due to what observers describe as a very harsh operating environment. Bellview, ADC, Sosoliso, Spaceworld, EAS, Harka, Okada, Oriental, Concord, Flash, Air Nigeria are some of the airlines that have exited the airspace in the last 10 years.

This is frightening. Some others may yet follow.

[b]Firstly, the tax regime introduced by government for airlines in the country creates a near asphyxiating ambience for operators. [/b]Airlines pay all sorts of charges which stifle them.

Consequently, this is the reason most airlines find it difficult to meet their financial obligations to suppliers, service providers and staff. Even the payment of salaries and aircraft maintenance, when due, becomes a Herculean task. Airlines in Nigeria pay some of the most outrageous charges in the world.

These come in form of ground rent, landing and take off, day and overnight parking charges as well as navigational fees; and these are exclusive of other multiple taxes imposed by government. Overnight parking charges range from between N25,000 and N30, 000 per aircraft. Airlines in Nigeria also pay government taxes as high as 18 per cent of sales, including Value Added Tax, VAT, Passenger Service Charge, PSC and NCAA’s TSC. These taxes and charges, to say the least, are stringent for the airlines to operate safely and profitably. And an airline that cannot operate safely and profitably is an accident waiting to happen.


Another reason air safety would remain a challenge in Nigeria, no matter the frequency of audit, is the cut-throat price of aviation fuel, otherwise known as JET-A1. At present, this product sells for between N170 and N200 litre, depending on which part of the country it is being sourced. And because up to 40-45 per cent operational cost of airlines revolves around aviation fuel, the product is a huge cost component of their operations in the country. Over time, fuel suppliers have insisted on dispensing their products on a cash and carry basis because of the inability of airlines to settle accumulated debts arising from previous purchases.

This has largely been responsible for some of the delays and flight cancellations experienced by passengers at airports across the country.

Currently, there is no sign to indicate that government is addressing the problem. Most foreign airlines do their re-fuelling in neighbouring countries because of the high cost of aviation fuel in Nigeria but the local airlines have nowhere to go.

I agree with this premise. anyone who has booked a flight online in the past few years will see that FG & Aviation agency taxes make up more than 50% of the ticket price (sometimes, much more) and the high price of aviation fuel is well known (shameful for an oil producing nation).
With marginal profitability, the airlines have to cut corners, sometimes compromising safety.

This is not to say the airlines are not culpable. Safety MUST NEVER be compromised, doing so is just plain criminal. But one has to imagine that the FG needs to make the business climate much less hostile to the carriers.

A sensible thing to do will be to provide significant tax breaks for carriers that can demonstrate a world-class level of safety. That way, the money that will be spent on stringent safety checks will not be seen as an unnecessary burden.

The Agbero in the air is tougher than what we are used to in motor park

The Agbero in the air is clearly larger than what we are used to in motor park.

The person to blame is: Femi Fani Kayode, a k a FFK, or FFKer.

You can't blame FG... I thought Madam said the mishap was an "Act of God".

You can't blame an "Act of God" on the FG nau.

And what is my business with the aviation sector ryt nw
Instead of you guys going on a forty days dry fastin and prayer for ASUU to end the strike,you are here disputin bout hu is to be blamed....




No me my fault say i dey vex jare,but me no dey enta plane ....na 'SO LE' sure pass..

This is on the front page nd no sensible comment already?
I give up.

>>APC<<





abeg no quote me oo

We the people are to blame: we deserve the government we get.

BEFORE WHO DO YOU WANT US TO BLAME?

For Naija; ghost jam pesin, bicycle jam danfo, car jam aero plane, aero plane jam cow, witchcraft jam aircraft, just last week aero plane jam aero plane. Una no dey taya Naija pple ehn. Na only una all the time Ehn.

Uyi Iredia: We the people are to blame: we deserve the government we get.

psycho

I love ds sensible write

L.M Ayedun..:
You can't blame FG... I thought Madam said the mishap was an "Act of God".

You can't blame an "Act of God" on the FG nau.

hmmmmm "Act of God" that means the FG does not deserve blame , so wew shd blame God that allow it to come to pass

Why blame FG, am thinking the pilots are not properly skilled. Well plane crashes happen everywhere, the other day poland lost her top politicians in a crash, but isn't it happening too often in nigeria?

Of course yes,FG is to blame. An experience person is expected to be in charge of the ministry,then other things follow. The minister is expected to oversee the works of all agencies attached to the ministry. Having said that,any of its affiliated agencies are expected to scrutinize the employment of the pilots,the crew etc in other to ensure that perfect hands are at work. Yes,plane mishaps happen everywhere in the world but it is becoming to often in Nigeria.

Uyi Iredia: We the people are to blame: we deserve the government we get.

From your point of view, u lack moralitism of viewing a government as cause a lot of stupidity on accumulation to your knowledge of understanding. Are you telling us that we deserve what we want when we all believe that GEJ we bring us out of charcoal of bad governance? You're a great mumulistic who grow up under acrobatically hot environment.

Noooo! Stella BMW should be blamed. . .

L.M Ayedun..:
You can't blame FG... I thought Madam said the mishap was an "Act of God".

You can't blame an "Act of God" on the FG nau.

I'm tired of hearing this, gaddemit, google "act-of-god" to know the meaning. Didn't u do a bit of literature in school?

WIKIPEDIA = "Act of God is a legal term for events outside human control, such as sudden floods or other natural disasters, for which no one can be held responsible." http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Act_of_God

In simple words, Act of God meant no could have prevented the crash,.

Promhize:

I'm tired of hearing this, gaddemit, google "act-of-god" to know the meaning. Didn't u do a bit of literature in school?

WIKIPEDIA = "Act of Godis a legal term [ 1 ]for events outside human control, such as sudden floodsor other natural disasters, for which no one can be held responsible."

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Act_of_God

oh come on. Nigerians don't like that term simple.

Akinmail:

oh come on. Nigerians don't like that term simple.

Yeah I know, its not right that she used it, but people need to stop making it seem like what its not.

When is olamide's album coming out

Na Ghana fault!

Responsible government should be able to maneuver things to make the aviation sector safe and make it profitable to the airline operators.

Baba_Eleko: For Naija; ghost jam pesin, bicycle jam danfo, car jam aero plane, aero plane jam cow, witchcraft jam aircraft, just last week aero plane jam aero plane. Una no dey taya Naija pple ehn. Na only una all the time Ehn.

Point of correction mr man cow jam plane fact, you can carry on don't make that mistake again.

Baba_Eleko: For Naija; ghost jam pesin, bicycle jam danfo, car jam aero plane, aero plane jam cow, witchcraft jam aircraft, just last week aero plane jam aero plane. Una no dey taya Naija pple ehn. Na only una all the time Ehn.

I no fit shout oo..

Akinmail: When is olamide's album coming out

200 people dead in two years from air mishaps in Nigeria. At least 3 Lucky escapes recorded in the past 4 months that could have added another 100 minimum to that toll. Someone wrote a thought-provoking article on one of the root causes of this rubbish and all you can do is to type this crap?

Smh

[quote author=dridowu]I love ds sensible write
hmmmmm "Act of God" that means the FG does not deserve blame , so wew shd blame God that allow it to come to pass[/quo
I just had that a plane almost crashed in Enugu I don't know how true it is. For those who believe that if a plane crash it's an act of God re foolish na God say make we they use old outdated planes re GOD say make we maintain our planes na God say make them no revive the aviation sector na God say make she buy car of 255 million even with the car when death come knocking her car would not save her funny woman

The road in the air is poorly maintained that's why plane crash

Aromas:

From your point of view, u lack moralitism of viewing a government as cause a lot of stupidity on accumulation to your knowledge of understanding. Are you telling us that we deserve what we want when we all believe that GEJ we bring us out of charcoal of bad governance? You're a great mumulistic who grow up under acrobatically hot environment.

And Jesus wept.

Ask Gej...