new flights to Lagos and Botswana

The thrice weekly flights will operate on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays in partnership with Air Botswana.

Kenya Airways will launch flights to Botswana in September this year. This will help locals and tourists connect from Gaborone to the rest of Africa, Europe, Far East and the Middle East via Nairobi.

Kenya Airway's Boeing 737 and 700 will touch down at Sir Seretese Khama International Airport, offering sixteen Premier World Business class seats and economy cabins of 100 and 129 respectively.

Gaborone becomes the 35th African destination in the KQ network with recent additions being Libreville, Gabon and Congo Brazzaville. In addition to this, Kenya Airways has revamped its schedule to provide greater flexibility to its traveler. Johannesburg currently enjoys three frequencies per day, while Lusaka, Lagos and Accra boasting daily frequencies.

New cheap flights to Lagos and west central Africa

Lufthansa air is adding another new destination to its network, expanding its services in west and central Africa. Beginning July 15, 2009, the airline will fly five times per week from Frankfurt via Accra, Ghana to Libreville, the capital of Gabon. The route will be operated by Airbus A340 and A330 aircraft with a first-, business-, and economy-class cabin.

“With the latest addition of Libreville, Lufthansa now offers customers flights to 16 destinations across Africa,” said Karl-Ulrich Garnadt, executive vice president of Lufthansa Passenger Airlines. “We are thus continuing to pursue our strategy of integrating all the key growth markets in Africa into our network.”

Gabon has extensive petroleum and manganese reserves and is an important exporter of timber. Through its trade in raw materials with companies in the United States, China, and Europe, the country has an above-average GDP. Gabon lies on the Atlantic coast of central Africa and straddles the equator. The capital, Libreville, a port city with a population of more than half a million, is the country’s economic and political center.

“Our route network is growing steadily, particularly in west and central Africa,” Karl Ulrich Garnadt explained. “Only last year, we added two new destinations – Malabo in Equatorial Guinea and the Angolan capital Luanda – to our schedule. A few weeks ago, we increased our frequencies to Angola to two flights per week.”

In addition, from July 1, 2009, Lufthansa will be serving Accra five times a week non-stop, rather than with a stopover in Lagos, Nigeria. Including the SWISS destinations Douala and Yaounde (both in Cameroon), Lufthansa customers have a choice of 31 flights per week to eight destinations in this dynamic economic region in west and central Africa.

Tourism potentials source of foreign earnings

The MD Virgin Nigeria, Capt Dapo Olumide, has expressed the belief that tapping into the nation’s huge tourism potentials could be a major source of foreign earnings to the nation.

Olumide spoke today (10th June) in Lagos while receiving the Chairman, Tourism and Culture Committee of the House of Representatives, Hon. Kanayo G.B. Oguakwa.

According to him, “I believe that tourism can be a huge revenue earner in addition to oil, but that can only happen if well exploited. In the next ten years, with the price of oil falling steadily, I foresee tourism taking center stage in revenue earning projections.”

He noted in particular that the nation’s dependence on oil revenue earning, could be given a much needed boost if adequate energy and resources are plunged into exploiting the tourism sector.

Capt Olumide explained that a strong synergy exists between tourism and the aviation sector, explaining that available statistics show an inter-relationship in the support of travel destinations, as one aviation personnel promotes 10 jobs in the hotel sub sector of tourism.

“Nigeria tourism is a gold mine, from the Obudu Cattle Ranch to the Coal mines and slave trade routes across the country. We seriously need to develop the sector. Virgin Nigeria had on the onset of the Calabar Festival supported it, as well as the Argungu Fishing Festival; our flights helped develop that festival as a travel destination.

Hon. Oguakwu had earlier stressed the need for an improved synergy between air transport and tourism, agreeing that Virgin Nigeria had in the past four years integrated the various domestic and international tourism opportunities. He called for greater private and public sector collaboration in driving the message of the huge potential in the tourism sector.

Hon. Oguakwu also noted that the certification of Virgin Nigeria on the IOSA listing in just two years of its operation was a demonstration of the fact that it is a top of the range airline.

He further remarked that the de-branding of the Airline in the coming months would afford the airline and Nigerians the opportunity to reflect the proudly Nigerian track record of the company.

Johannesburg - Lagos flights

The Managing Director, of the Arik airline, Mr. Mike McTighe, said at a press conference in Lagos that it had secured all approvals necessary for the commencement of the flights.

On Monday, said it would commence a non-stop daily flights between Lagos, Nigeria and Johannesburg, South Africa, its second long haul international destination, by June 1.

He said, “This is a particularly exciting development for all travellers between Lagos and Johannesburg. Our service will be operated with a newly acquired Airbus A340-500 aircraft. This allows us to offer our on-board guests the very highest levels of in-flight service.

“The airline’s first A340-500 is proving popular on its daily service between Lagos and London Heathrow. This second new airbus is configured in the same spacious layout with 36 seats in premier class and 201 seats in economy class.”

According to him, the flights will depart from the Murtala Muhammed International, Airport, Lagos, at 21.35pm local time and arrive Oliver Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, at 04.50am the following morning.

McTighe said that the return flight would depart Johannesburg at 1.45pm local time, and arrive Lagos at 7.00pm local time on the same day.

“With our attractive on-board product, Arik is very proud to be able to now offer our service to customers wishing to travel between Lagos and Johannesburg.

“Guests in premier class will enjoy luxurious leather-upholstered seats that convert into fully flat 75-inch long beds, a state-of-the-art personal video- and audio-on-demand entertainment system and a wide 17-inch personal TV screen. Guests will also have their own in-flight bar area in which to relax,” he stated.

McTighe said its economy cabin’s seat-back entertainment, which comes in a 2-4-2 seat layout provides each guest with up to 50 per cent more legroom than competitors, saying, no passenger would be more than one seat away from the aisle.

The Arik boss also exuded confidence that the airline’s schedule would prove popular with its future customers in South Africa .

Arik will be competing against Bellview and South Africa Airways currently operating on the route. Virgin Nigeria suspended flights on the route early this year, citing economic reasons.

renting out flights to foreign carrier

Kingfisher Airlines going to rent out at least two of its five long-haul A330-223 aircraft to Nigerian carrier Arik Air Ltd for two years from the third quarter of 2009.

This indicates that the Mumbai-based carrier’s expansion plans into Europe and the US remain uncertain. It sold two of its long-haul, Airbus SAS-made A340s to Arik Air late last year when it was scheduled to take deliveries of 10 other aircraft to start international operations.

Kingfisher Airlines, India’s largest private carrier by passengers, launched only a few international flights with five of the A330s deliveries it accepted.

“All it says is that Kingfisher will not expand in the long-haul sector for at least two years,” a London-based analyst said on condition of anonymity. “It will continue to expand in the region and I expect flights to start to Singapore, Bangkok, Kathmandu and the Middle East in the next 18 months.”

The Arik Air lease will start almost a year after the two A330s, valued at list prices of $180.9 million (Rs862 crore) each, have been grounded.

Rival domestic carrier Jet Airways (India) Ltd has given nine wide-body aircraft on lease to West Asian carriers but for much shorter time.

The analyst added that the leases were an indication that Kingfisher may expand regionally unless there are drastic changes in the international market.

This year, Kingfisher has started flights to Colombo and Dhaka using its domestic fleet of ATR planes. It also has government approval to fly to Chittagong, Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok and plans to start an all-economy service between Bangalore and Dubai from 25 June using an Airbus A320.

On the back of a slowing economy, India’s airline firms have been facing tough times and on 13 May reported a drop of around 15% in passenger traffic in April from the year ago, showing that a contraction in air travel that began end-2007 is nowhere near ending.

At least 2,500 airline employees are expected to lose their jobs in the next four-six months from domestic carriers that are set to post a combined loss of $2 billion in 2008-09, according to airline executives and analysts, Mint reported on 3 May. This is about 8% of the total workforce employed by private carriers.

Lagos-headquartered Arik Air, which began operations in 2006, started its first intercontinental flights between London and Lagos in December using the two A340s it bought from Kingfisher. The airline is yet to make up its mind whether to buy another of Kingfisher A340s but said it would rent the A330s.

“At present we are confirmed taking two of the Kingfisher A340s. We are still considering (buying) the third aircraft,” an Arik Air spokesperson said by email.

Typically, an airline earns $2-2.2 million a month on leasing a wide-body aircraft on wet lease. A wet lease is an arrangement where one airline provides an aircraft, complete crew, maintenance and insurance to another airline, which pays by hours operated. The latter provides fuel, covers airport fees and any other duties and taxes.

If a deal is a dry lease, usually for 18-24 months, the rent is typically $1-1.2 million a month.

The wet lease will mean that Kingfisher-trained pilots and cabin crew, in conjunction with Arik Air cabin crew, will help run the new flights that will be launched by the Nigerian carrier, the Arik Air spokesperson said.

Economic Meltdown effects

The brand management industry has been touched by current world economic recession in Nigeria on a positive note. This was the view of brand experts at a press conference held by Orange Academy recently in Lagos to mark the second anniversary of the organization.

Orange Academy, the first practically oriented advertising school in Nigeria, was established in 2007 by some advertising experts in the country to train university and polytechnic graduates in areas of copy writing, graphic design, strategic media planning among others. The academy, with foreign and local industry collaboration, has graduated more than 400 students and given a sizable number of awards to corporate organizations in Nigeria since its inception.

Speaking to journalists, the Chief Imagination Officer of the academy, Mr.Kenny Badmus noted that the economic meltdown has made brand managers across the globe recognize that advertising is not the only means of marketing communication. " The economic meltdown has brought us to the point where brand mangers have begun to notice that advertising is not the only solution to brand communication. As a result of the economic meltdown, companies' budgets are becoming smaller. And because budget is small, brand managers have been forced to think more creatively and inwardly to generate results," Badmus said.

The managing director of the academy, Mrs. Chinwe Badmus, however, noted that the recent re-branding project of the Minister of Information and Communications, Prof.Dora Akunyili is a good initiative that would not only change the way Nigerians are viewed abroad, but also encourage more foreign investment into the country. She called on the federal government to involve experts from the private sector in implementing the re-branding strategy.

The registrar of the academy, Mr. Chisom Ohuaka observed that brand management has contributed to national development in the country. He argued that apart from employing thousands of Nigerians in the industry, the brand sub-sector of the economy has changed the consumption pattern of many Nigerians for the better. To this end, he noted that the academy would continue to train local experts in the field of brand advertising to avoid capital flights that resulted during bank recapitalization period as most of the experts that designed the communication strategy then were foreigners.

swine flu drug Nigeria

Twelve people have reportedly died of the disease in Mexico, while the death of a 23-month-old child was recorded in the US on Thursday.

“The Federal Government has begun the process of emergency procurement of additional doses and stockpile in case we have human cases.We are anticipating to have two million doses of the drug (Tamiflu),” Ojuolape, who answered initial enquiries by email, said. Later when our correspondent requested for further clarifications by telephone, he confirmed that government had indeed placed an order for the drug, saying, “Yes, we have placed an order for it.” He, however, did not give the cost of the drug.

He said Nigeria only had about 100,000 doses of the drug at the moment. According to him, government does not envisage that the outbreak of the disease will be massive, if it gets to Nigeria..He said, ”In countries that the disease has occurred, the total number of cases that have been recorded has not exceeded 500.”

The Federal Government has placed an order for 2million doses of a drug that will be used to tackle the rampaging swine flu pathogen in the event that it enters Nigeria, Saturday Punch has learnt. The disclosure was made exclusively to Saturday Punch after the paper made specific enquiries about Nigeria’s preparednes at the Federal Ministry of Health on Friday. The Minister of Health, Professor Babatunde Osotimehin, who spoke through his Special Assistant on Communication, Mr Niyi Ojuolape, also reiterated that there was no case of the flu in Nigeria. As of Friday, about 500 confirmed cases of the flu had been recorded in the United States; Mexico; Canada; New Zealand; Spain; United Kingdom; Germany; Israel; Austria; Costa Rica; Peru; Switzerland and The Netherlands.

Ojuolape said the country’s present stock of Tamiflu was procured last year for treating the bird flu, which recorded only one human victim in the country.

”The drugs are already in the states, but if there is any state requiring additional stocks, we have machinery with which we can get the drug to such a state.” According to him, Tamiflu, which is manufactured by a Swiss pharmaceutical company, Roche, has been distributed to 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. He added that the drugs were stored at federal and states‘ ministries of health stores as well as some hospitals in all the states.

When asked how many people could be treated with 100,000 doses of the drug, the minister stated, ”We should remember that for Avian Flu, we had only one confirmed human case so far. We think from the past experience and lessons learnt from other outbreaks, we will not have a lot of cases.”

According to him, if a lot of cases are recorded, more procurement will be made within a very short time.

Meanwhile, as governments all over the world rush to equip their airports with thermal scanners, the Federal Government is yet to do so.

This situation is contrary to government‘s promise, at the beginning of the week, that scanners would be installed at all entry points to screen people coming into the country. Saturday Punch‘s findings showed that, rather than the sophisticated scanners, health officials are using unrealiable disposable thermometers.

Our correspondent, who paid a visit to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Thursday, did not see any thermal scanner at the arrival lounge of the country‘s foremost airport.

The thermal scanners are special scanners that screen passengers as they disembark from an aircraft, showing their body temperatures on screens monitored by health officials.

For example, some of the thermal scanners deployed in some Asian countries are configured in such a way that passengers with temperature above 37C are quickly identified and isolated.

Since high bodily temperature is one of the symptoms of the swine flu the thermal scanner is considered as one of the important first line preventive measures of stemming the spread of the flu.

Experts say that the non-deployment of the scanners could defeat the strenuous efforts that the Minister of Health, Professor Babatunde Osotimehin, has made in the last days to combat the flu. However, the minister tried to play down the importance of scanners insisting that government‘s efforts were adequate. ”There are no machines with which you can scan and identify viruses at the ports. If such scanners exist, the United States and Mexico would have installed them. It will take laboratory tests for us to identify and isolate viruses.

”What was meant was the fact that we are going to mount surveillance, through our officials at the airports so that we can detect as soon as possible the entry of anybody with the virus. Note that it is carried by humans and not necessarily airborne per se. Further to this, government has directed that all aircraft arriving the country be checked and cleaned up to ensure that both passengers and luggage have no trace of the influenza in them. Also, starting from today (Friday), port health authorities are to board planes arriving to try to identify anyone with flu with a view to clinically testing them in order to track down the entry of the flu by anyone.”

Aviation and medical experts have said that Nigeria would have to be vigilant since its people travel a lot and is a country that is visited by people from different countries. The Head, Public Affairs, Murtala Muhammed International Airport , Lagos, of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria , Mr. Ola Ogundolapo, said that there were flights coming into the country from the various countries the flu had affected, on a daily basis. There are seven weekly flights from United Stated of America into Nigeria through Delta Airlines. There are about 60 weekly flights from various parts of Europe to Nigeria through British Airways, Air France, KLM, Turkish Airline, Lufthansa and others. However, he said that all agencies working at the airport had been put on alert by the Federal Ministry of Health through the Public Health Department‘s Port Health Services at the Lagos and Abuja airports, and that masks, gloves and thermometer had been made available to them.

Officials of Port Heath Services at the Lagos airport, who refused to speak on record, confirmed to our correspondent that the equipment had not been installed but that they were presently using disposable thermometers to measure passengers‘ temperature. They also said that no case had been discovered yet. Experts have, however, said that using thermometers to measure passengers‘ temperatures may lead to a situation where impatient health staff may overlook those that ought to be checked. Our correspondent observed that due to the volume of passengers, it is difficult for PHS workers to test every passenger with the disposable thermometer.

The Port Health Services, which had issued an alert on the swine flu to airport managers and immigration, now has two stands located ahead of the immigration desk arrival hall, an arrangement that makes them passengers‘ first contact point.

Apply To ICF and Thomson Reuters Foundation Training Course in Zambia

The Investment Climate Facility (ICF) for Africa and the Thomson Reuters Foundation have today launched a call for applications to their groundbreaking business journalism training course being held in Zambia next month. Participants have until Tuesday 19 May to apply for the Zambian course that will be delivered in English in Lusaka from 25 – 29 May 2009.

Media organisations are invited to recommend applicants, or journalists can apply themselves, for the intensive five-day workshop which will be delivered by the Thomson Reuters Foundation. The course will broaden reporting focus and skills, as well as deepen understanding of economic and business issues of relevance to the continent and internationally.

Participants will have the opportunity to put theory into practice through numerous practical exercises and timed writing tasks. Detailed briefings, expert guest speakers, group discussions and a field reporting trip are core elements of each course. There will also be the opportunity for a select number of participants who demonstrate high potential in the introductory courses to attend an advanced two week course at a later date in either London, Paris or Lisbon.

This second of six training courses is part of Africa’s most ambitious journalist training programme, which aims to improve business, financial and investment journalism across the continent. Both ICF and the Thomson Reuters Foundation believe that greater scrutiny of investment and business issues, more timely and accurate reporting and a culture of delivering impartial news will help increase investor confidence across the continent.

ICF’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Omari Issa, explains: “This is the third course in an important project that will increase domestic and foreign confidence and ensure more of the continent’s financial and business reporting is ‘by Africa for Africa’. The journalists who attended the first two courses have since told us that their reporting has benefitted from what they learnt and they were able to put their learnings into practice immediately after the course. We hope that business journalists from across East Africa will apply for this course. “

Lenny Njau, journalist for Kenya’s The People Daily Newspaper, who participated in the inaugural training course in Nairobi, explains: “The course was a brilliant idea and the timing could not have been much better. At a time when the world is engulfed in financial crises, nothing is more important than giving people the most accurate information. As a budding journalist, I feel much more knowledgeable and open minded in making judgements having taken part in ICF and the Thomson Reuters Foundation’s inaugural course.”

Application forms are downloadable from: www.icfafrica.org and http://www.reuterslink.org and must be received by 19 May 2009. ICF will fund all training programme fees and accommodation and media organisations will be required to cover the costs of journalists’ flights and allowances. The selection of suitable journalists will be conducted by the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Applications will also be considered for further training sessions which will be held in Lagos Nigeria, June 22-26; Abidjan, Ivory Coast, July 27-31; and Maputo, Mozambique, August 24-28.

Dana Air is the best for 2009

Dana Air has been declared the best ICT-driven airline of the year at the National ICT Merit Award (NIMA) held in Lagos.
NIMA is an annual ICT award organised by Technology Africa in recognition of individuals and organisations at the forefront of technology deployment and adoption in the country.

Managing Consultant of Technology Africa, Mr Don Pedro Aganbi, said the airline was chosen because of its early deployment of ICT solutions.He said: “Dana Air was chosen as the recipient of the Best ICT Driven Airline award, despite being a new entrant in the aviation industry, because of its early deployment of ICT solutions.

“The introduction of e-booking and payment services by the airline is proof of the airline’s commitment to passenger convenience and comfort, and deserves to be complimented.”

Dana Air had its inaugural Africa flights on October 10, 2008 and the recent award coincides with the completion of its 150 days of scheduled flight operations. The airline currently operates 10 flights daily on the Lagos-Abuja-Lagos flights and is set to commence operations on the Lagos-Enugu-Lagos flights.

Chief Executive Officer of Dana Air, Mr. Jacky Hathiramani, acknowledged the award as ‘humbling, especially being a new airline in the country.’ He re-iterated the airline’s commitment to the provision of world-class air transport services to Nigerians and assured that the airline would continue to explore new and exciting ways of making its passengers’ flying experience more pleasurable, deploying the latest technologies.

Plans are also in top gear to extend operations to the cities of Kano and Port-Harcourt.
A subsidiary of Dana Group of Companies, Dana Airlines is Nigeria’s first new world carrier, offering premium services at an affordable rate.

Lufthansa expands into West Africa

Lufthansa Cargo has signed an interline deal with Kenyan freight carrier Astral Aviation, which will allow the German operator access to seven new African destinations via Nairobi.

The contract comes shortly after Etihad Crystal Cargo finalised a similar arrangement with Astral, which provides services to Bujumbura (Burundi), Dar Es Salaam, Mwanza, Zanzibar (all Tanzania), Juba (Sudan) and Kigali and Entebbe (both Uganda).

Lufthansa MD-11 freighters will fly to Nairobi, where Astral will then forward freight onto the other destinations. Astral, which has been operating since 2001, has a fleet of DC-9, Fokker 27 freighters, An-12 and Cessna Caravan aircraft.

Jade Cargo International, the Lufthansa Cargo and Shenzhen Airlines joint venture, is also concentrating on Africa. Twice-weekly flights from Shanghai using a B747-400ERF are routed through Shenzhen to Chennai and then via Sharjah to Lagos, the Nigerian capital.

The move comes as several Gulf airlines have recently followed a trend of committing additional resources to the African continent.

Qatar Airways Increases Flights to Lagos

Qatar Airways has expanded its operations in Nigeria by boosting the number of flights to daily services and upgrading aircraft on the Doha – Lagos flights to three-class Airbus A340-600s.

The new daily service replaces the two-class Airbus A330-200s on the route. The state-of-the-art A340-600s feature eight First Class seats in a 1–2–1 configuration, together with First Class lounges for premium passengers to relax and unwind.

In addition, there are 42 Business Class seats in a 2–2–2 seat layout, together with 216 Economy Class seats in a 2–4–2 configuration. With a fuselage length of 75 metres, the A340 is the world’s longest passenger jet, a full three metres longer than the Airbus A380 superjumbo.

By increasing capacity from five flights a week to daily, the extra services on the route will provide passengers with more choice and increased connectivity to a number of key business and leisure destinations via the airline’s Doha hub to Qatar Airways’ extensive route network across Europe, Middle East, South Asia, Far East and North America.

The three-class configured A340 aircraft also offer passengers with an enhanced in-flight experience. For the first time on the Lagos flights, passengers will have the choice of flying in Qatar Airways’ First Class premium seats converting into fully flat 180 degree beds every day of the week.

Cargo capacity on the Airbus A340-600 offers an additional 40% more capacity over the previously used A330-200s operating the route.

Focus turns to African market opportunity

Nigerian carrier Arik Air is on the lookout for more long-haul aircraft as it presses ahead with its international development unswayed by the economic crisis enveloping the globe.

The carrier's optimism is based on the growth opportunity it sees within Nigeriaand Africa, potential which has also caught the eye of other carriers keen to deploy capacity in a region relatively unscathed by the financial crisis.

"Nigeria has not been insulated [from the crisis]," explains Arik Air International managing director Michael Arumemi-Ikhide, "It's a cash economy, so we haven't felt the exacerbated feeling like the credit-dependent economies, but we haven't been excluded from it."

He says Arik'sdomestic and regional operations have not seen any weakening and its first international service, linking flights to Lagos to London Heathrow, is performing ahead of its expectations.

Arik began London flights in December, launching an ambitious international development plan which will see it add flights to Johannesburg and New York JFK flights in the second and third quarters respectively and serve 11 international points within five years. The new routes will come on line when it takes its second and third of three Airbus A340-500s,sourced opportunistically by taking over a former Kingfisher Airlines order last year. Arik is also looking to lease two A330s and is again linked to Kingfisher, which is looking to lease out two A330s.

"We are still going ahead with our growth," says Arumemi-Ikhide. "The opportunity is very different from what is out there [today]. In Nigeria you have a position where the passengers are under-served, which is different from say the transatlantic market where there is overcapacity. It is a perfect scenario for growth."

The potential has not escaped the attention of other carriers, notably from the Middle East where many have been ramping up their presence. In Nigeria alone, Emirates doubled its Lagos service to twice-daily in February Qatar Airways is increasing to daily and deploying larger A340s on its Lagos flights, while Etihad is planning to add both Lagos and Abuja this year.

"Africa is very important for us," says Emirates senior vice-president for Africa, Salem Obaidalla. While noting Africa is not untouched by the financial crisis, he says: "We are starting to see some recovery and improvement in the bookings."

Increased Middle East carrier competition, aided by the granting of new fifth and sixth freedom rights, was cited by Virgin Nigeria as one of the factors in its decision to suspend its long-haul operations earlier this year. It had been operating on the Lagos-London Gatwick route, but will focus on domestic and regional routes until it can secure more modern long-haul aircraft to enable it to better compete at the front end.

Lufthansa starts freighter services to Hyderabad

Lufthansa Cargo AG, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lufthansa German Airlines, has started a weekly two-way freighter flight to Hyderabad from Frankfurt. The new flight augments the capacities already available on Lufthansa passenger flights.

According to Lufthansa Cargo regional manager (India and Middle East), Carsten Hernig, the German airline is the first to offer freighter service to Hyderabad. "With the new connections we can offer our customers very special routings to other fast growing markets," he said.

Though Lufthansa Cargo had been affected by the current recession, Hernig said its Indian operations were not impacted by “major adjustments of our flight schedules.”

Stating that India was still one of the most dynamic markets with high growth potential, he said Lufthansa's Chinese joint venture, Jade Cargo International, would also begin regular freighter services for the first time between China, India and Africa from April 15. The twice weekly flights from Shanghai would be routed through Shenzhen to Chennai and then via Sharjah to Lagos in Nigeria.

“With a lot of pharmaceutical products moving into the African continent, the new connection will benefit Hyderabad,” Hernig said at an event organised here to celebrate the launch of freighter service.

Chief executive officer of GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL), PS Nair, said another international airline, Cathay Pacific, was also keen on starting freighter flights to the Rajiv Gandhi airport. “We can see a quantum jump in cargo handling in a couple of years,” he said, adding cargo movement from the Hyderabad international airport was expected to go up to 75,000 tonnes in 2009-10 from 53,000 tonnes in 2008-09.

Of the 53,000 tonnes of cargo handled last year, 30,000 tonnes were exported. The exports mostly comprised pharmaceuticals, solar panels and machinery.

High costs may force airlines to merge flights

Local airlines are already looking into signing interlining agreements with one another as hard time and competition are hitting the sector heavily.

The Assistant General Secretary, Airlines Operators of Nigeria, Alhaji Muhammed Tukur, in an interview with newsmen in Lagos, on Monday, said that three airlines, which were not receiving good patronage, were considering the option in order to mitigate the skyrocketing cost of operations.

Interlining is a voluntary commercial agreement between individual airlines to handle passengers travelling on itineraries that require multiple airlines.

This means that when a ticket is issued for an interline itinerary, one of the carriers marketing flights in that itinerary will be selected by the ticketing agent as the “plating carrier.”

According to Tukur, the global financial crisis; devaluation of the naira; and low traffic as well as high cost of operation among other challenges facing the carriers had made such an option necessary.

He said, “Airlines are really suffering. Some of them are closing routes and they are trying to interline. We are planning interlining with each other to survive.”

He explained that the interlining agreement would help airlines to overcome the problem of having to operate to a destination with less than 20 passengers.

Three airlines for instance, he said could combine 20 passengers each in one aircraft for the trip, rather than picking 20 passengers each to the same destination.

The system was said to have been first introduced in the late the early 1990s between EAS and Bellview Airlines could not work for long for reasons unknown.

Analysts say that ego by airline operators may not allow such method to hold ground in the sector.

London to Lagos flights price comparison

London to Lagos flights price comparison

Flights to Lagos from London are very expensive because demand almost always outstrips supply. There are currently four airlines operating direct flights from London to Lagos -- British Airways, Arik Air, Virgin Atlantic and Bellview Airlines.

There is also a small range of connecting flight options via African and European hubs such as Amsterdam (KLM), Madrid (Iberia), Frankfurt (Lufthansa) and Tripoli (Afriqiyah Airways). We selected three different types of flight for our comparison; a last minute booking (leaving February 13, returning February 20), a mid-week trip (Tuesday March 17 to Thursday March 19) and an advanced fare (Saturday October 17 to Saturday October 24). The prices for flights to Lagos listed below are per person in economy class including taxes, charges and card fees.

Flights to Lagos from London February 13 to February 20

• Arik Air – £481.16
• British Airways – £1229.50
• Virgin Atlantic – Not available
• Cheapest connecting flight - £383 KLM via Amsterdam

Flights from London to Lagos March 17 to March 19

• Arik Air - £463.16
• British Airways - £1246.50
• Virgin Atlantic - £1330.20
• Cheapest connecting flight - £325 Afriqiyah Airways flights via Tripoli

Flights to Lagos from London October 17 to October 24

• Arik Air - £556.16
• British Airways - £601
• Virgin Atlantic - £670.70
• Cheapest connecting flight - £389 Iberia via Madrid
  
  

Our research shows that the new boy on the block, Arik Air, consistently offers lower fares on direct flights to Lagos than perennial rivals British Airways (BA) or Virgin Atlantic. Unfortunately Bellview’s antiquated website made it impossible to find any prices without having to input a whole load of personal information first – a big no no in our book.

We have to admit that we have never flown with Arik Air, so cannot compare their customer service levels with the other airlines offering flights to Lagos. We have used BA and Virgin on countless occasions, including BA flights to Lagos, and they both offer a very similar in-flight experience. Choosing between these two simply comes down to price and whether you prefer to fly overnight (Virgin) or during the day (BA).

Not surprisingly, huge savings can be made if you don’t mind taking connecting flights. This is great if your priority is getting a cheap flight, but it will add a minimum of four hours on to your journey time.

Next week we pitch five of the major online travel agents (Ebookers, Expedia, Lastminute, Opodo and Netflights) against each other to compare which one has the lowest average prices.

High costs may force airlines to merge flights

Local airlines are already looking into signing interlining agreements with one another as hard time and competition are hitting the sector heavily.

The Assistant General Secretary, Airlines Operators of Nigeria, Alhaji Muhammed Tukur, in an interview with newsmen in Lagos, on Monday, said that three airlines, which were not receiving good patronage, were considering the option in order to mitigate the skyrocketing cost of operations.

Interlining is a voluntary commercial agreement between individual airlines to handle passengers travelling on itineraries that require multiple airlines.

This means that when a ticket is issued for an interline itinerary, one of the carriers marketing flights in that itinerary will be selected by the ticketing agent as the “plating carrier.”

According to Tukur, the global financial crisis; devaluation of the naira; and low traffic as well as high cost of operation among other challenges facing the carriers had made such an option necessary.

He said, “Airlines are really suffering. Some of them are closing routes and they are trying to interline. We are planning interlining with each other to survive.”

He explained that the interlining agreement would help airlines to overcome the problem of having to operate to a destination with less than 20 passengers.

Three airlines for instance, he said could combine 20 passengers each in one aircraft for the trip, rather than picking 20 passengers each to the same destination.

The system was said to have been first introduced in the late the early 1990s between EAS and Bellview Airlines could not work for long for reasons unknown.

Analysts say that ego by airline operators may not allow such method to hold ground in the sector.

Life returns to Lagos

CALL it Isale Eko! Name it Eko! Still, it is Lagos Island! The premier Central Business District (CBD) Nigeria ever knew. It is the home of the legendary Balogun Market and the Lagos monarch. It hosted the colonial and post- independence administrations. In fact, Nigeria's financial nerves grew from here with over six million people moving in for business daily.

In the '60s and early '70s, the environment was a beauty to behold and more like a tourist attraction with organized formal and informal markets. It hosted the headquarters of most corporate organisations in the country.

But all of a sudden, the beauty of the area was overtaken by societal nuisance that turned the city of Lagos to a jungle.

Traffic was no longer moving, commercial activities took over the roads, hoodlums, armed robbery and other criminal activities overwhelmed orderliness and decency as governance and security flew from Lagos Island.

Corporate organisations took their flight one after the other while commercial bus operators converted available spaces to parks.

Carter Bridge, which serves as major link between the Mainland and Island, was turned to market with the collaboration of hoodlums and council officials.

But today, it is a different story. The state government, as part of its determination to rid the metropolis of all traffic and commercial hindrances, recently extended its arms of sanity to Lagos Island.

Last Thursday, when an octogenarian, Pa Simeon Olatubosun visited his old-time friend who resides on the Island, he was surprised at what he saw.

For the past 20 years, he had identified the area with a high rate of crime, frustrating traffic jam caused by commercial drivers and the menace of hoodlums, popularly known as area boys.

He was amazed with the level of sanity and orderliness he saw on Carter Bridge, which used to be a haven for hoodlums, traders and commercial drivers.

On both sides of the bridge, pedestrians walked through the walkways and there was no commercial activity on the bridge.

He was also surprised that the long queue of commercial buses and the officials of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) as well as touts were no longer visible on the bridge.

He did not see any trader or hawker on the bridge. Traffic was free, streets were neatly swept while commercial buses formed a single lane on queue.

The old man was further baffled when he peeped out of his car and was able to catch a glimpse of the Eyo Cenotaph and Clock Tower at Idumagbo, including activities going on at Idumota, right from the bridge.

"This is wonderful. Lagos Island has really changed from what it used to be in the past," he said.

Another Lagosian, Mr. Dare Ogudeko, a businessman who had made it a matter of policy to forfeit anything that would take him to Lagos Island due to the traffic nuisance and activities of hoodlums, could not contain his emotion after witnessing the level of sanity on the Island.

He told The Guardian, "Lagos Island was an abode for criminals and centre of lawlessness. With what the state government achieved in Oshodi,I deliberately drove to Lagos Island to see things after a long visit to the area.

"As a matter of fact, I lost hope of sanity returning to Lagos Island. Carter Bridge was turned to market and motor park while hoodlums and NURTW officials took charge. Heavy commercial activities went on in the middle of the road at Idumota, Bamgbose, Balogun, John Street, Nnamdi Azikwe streets among others. Motorists no longer had passage.

"The worst was the spate of organised crime and armed robbery that frequently occurred. All the walkways were converted to shops while street fights and parties further compounded the problems in the area. It got to such an extent that most corporate bodies relocated from Lagos Island.

"Monuments of significant importance were turned to criminals' abode. All hope of sanity was lost.

The few corporate organizations that stayed behind also collaborated with the informal sector to debase the area.

For instance, some of them deliberately placed their generating sets on walkways, extending their activities to the road while using part of the road as car parks.

But today, the story is different. It is possible to drive through Iddo to Carter Bridge, ascend Idumota Bridge, then proceed to Nnamdi Azikwe Street, which links Broad Street with Victoria Island without any obstruction."

Another Lagosian, Ifeanyi Ode, also noticed that the usual long traffic jam at Idumagbo Roundabout was no longer there. He also observed that the Clock Tower Monument built over 74 years ago and the Eyo Quadrangle are now renovated and manned by the CBD security agents.

Similarly, Adeniji Adele Foreshore, one of the main entrances to the CBD, that was previously occupied by shanties up to the monarch's palace, has also been cleared.

A resident, Fatai Oladele, told The Guardian that Adeniji Adele Foreshore used to be one of the most dangerous parts of Lagos Island.

The Special Adviser to Governor on CBD, Mr. Oyinlomo Danmole told The Guardian that government could not afford to allow traders and hoodlums to rubbish over N22 billion it spent on upgrading the CBD to what it is at present.

According to him, "The office has taken decisive steps to ensure that the nation's foremost business enclave inched towards becoming an acceptable international shoppers' and investors' delight. We have gone beyond improving on the precarious traffic and sanitation situation as it was in the past years, to serving as government's eye in protecting lives and property within the area".

He noted the drastic traffic reduction in petty traders along the roads and organized crime such as pickpockets, bag snatching, extortion of shoppers, and traders, bank robbery and frequent street fights among youths in the area.

Most of the ring leaders are positively engaged by CBD or routed by security forces while illegal structures and shanties used as hideout for planning and executions of crime were demolished"

He added that several streets, which Lagosians hardly knew were in existence, due to commercial activities, are now opened up for motorists. They include: Ereko; Idumagbo; John Street; Alakoro Ebute Ero ; Ejalonibu, from Obun Eko to Dosunmu by Clock Tower and from Adeniji Adele Foreshore to Ejalonibu.

"The usual traffic logjam under Apongbon Bridge has reduced. Traffic flow on Inner and Outer Marina has been enhanced with constant patrol by the CBD patrol riders and traffic officers who are stationed at major interjections, especially on Inner Marina".

However, an Estate Planner, Musthapa Abiodun, commended the state for freeing the CBD area but lamented that government still has a lot of work to do.

He also chided some corporate organizations for parking their vehicles indiscriminately along the roads.

A commercial bus driver Martins Oforie, who plies Mushin to Idumota, also commended the recent development on Lagos Island.

The Commandant General of CBD, Mr. Raimi Asunramu said the level of compliance by the informal sector was commendable.

He, however, noted that the officials of the formal sectors should endeavor to abide by the rules and regulations guiding the CBD area.

"Meanwhile not less than 16 offenders have been arrested and arraigned for environmental default ranging from street trading, indiscriminate disposal of refuse among others.

The Managing Director, Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Mr. Ola Oresanya also added that the agency had made special arrangement for effective evacuation of refuse within the CBD arena to ensure it is clean all the time.

According to him, "LAWMA has provided over 30 static compactors for all markets within the CBD".

Nightlife in Lagos

The centre of Lagos comes alive in the evenings with buskers and street entertainers, and the nightlife in Lagos can compete with any holiday resort in the Algarve, with several energetic dance clubs and character-filled bars strewn through the main part of town. Of the bars most popular are Bar Amuras at the marina, the Red Eye Bar on the Rue Candido dos Reis, and Zanzibar on the Rua 25 de Abril. Most have music, darts, pool tables and Sky TV sports channels.

shopping and enjoy your holidays in Lagos

Besides an ongoing flea market that sprawls through the streets, Lagos boasts numerous fascinating shops and boutiques, especially in the pedestrianised old city. Browsing is as pleasurable as buying in the well-stocked shops that are bristling with attractive local wares, from wickerwork to filigree jewellery, copperware and leather goods to wine and pastries.

There is little need to do anything more to enjoy your holiday other than sprawl on the sandy beach with an occasional dip in the ocean, but those who need more activity can choose between dozens of pursuits like sailing, wind-surfing, fishing, para-sailing, microlight flights and scuba diving. Golf is a major attraction here as it is throughout the Algarve, with the Palmares and Alto courses nearby, offering a round with sea views. There is also the challenge of the Penina Championship Course, site of many a Portuguese Open. Those who hire a car will be well-rewarded in exploring the adjacent coastline and seeking out unspoilt villages and beaches. There are also a few sightseeing opportunities in the town, including an interesting museum.

Restaurants in Lagos

Eating out is part of the pleasure of a holiday on the Algarve, and Lagos offers the best of the best choices of establishments in which to indulge. Seafood lovers will be ecstatic, but no one, even vegetarians, will be disappointed or go hungry. A good choice at the marina is the Do Cais Bistro, which serves waterfront breakfasts, lunches and dinners seven days a week. For creative international cuisine in the town centre (including vegetarian dishes) Duquesa Restaurante is hard to beat. Truly gourmet local specialities like pork chops with figs, savoury shrimp and succulent shellfish, are enjoyed at the Don Sebastiao tavern in the old town pedestrian area. This restaurant also has the best wine cellar in town.