ACI CONFERENCE: Unenviable Absence of Nigerian Operators

Our dear country, hosted delegates and other invited guests to the 19th annual conference and exhibition of airport council international (ACI) Africa region, from Sunday, 12th to Saturday, 19th September 2010. On Thursday, the 16th, the conference was opened to the public and formally declared open by the Honourable Minister for Aviation, with the usual Nigerian protocol of having too many welcome and opening remarks by different individuals on the high table. The conference kicked off two hours and thirty minutes behind schedule due to the late arrival of the Minister which culminated in time reduction for speakers and robbed participants the beauty of interaction through questions and answers. This was corrected the next day because they started on schedule without waiting for ceremonial remarks.

The conference attracted speakers from reputable international bodies and organisations with translation made easy courtesy of the facilities provided by the International Conference Centre. Mr. N. Fadugba fired the first salvo with a warning that without airlines, airports will not exist; he reiterated the need for African airlines to start a consolidation process to keep them alive and competitive. Deon Coete, GM Cape Town International Airport, took delegates through the process that prepared South African airports for the last World Cup. He said coordination of all stakeholders, partners and relevant agencies was the driving force, while airport management and administration personnel were redeployed to operational areas to reduce the use of casual staff and improve professionalism. Also, cranes for aircraft recovery and asphalt plants were placed on stand-by at the designated airports with staff wearing bold name badges not floppy tags or pass at all times for easy identification and communication.

IATA and SITA continued preaching their passenger facilitation homily, which is simplifying the travel or business process, using designated pillars and strategy, with the usual ambitious targets based on survey conducted within the industry which very often does not take cognisance of technological and infrastructural hindrance in Africa. The new orientation is having airport agents or handlers sell airline products not taking care of passengers who are now expected to check themselves in using the self service kiosk. To achieve this objective, equipment is being developed to facilitate the process with emphasis on the use of mobile phones.

ICAO as usual gave us frightening news, starting with Africa’s poor safety record embellished with our unenviable lead in air accidents when compared to other regions. It was observed that runway excursion was the highest contributor and a Runway Excursion Risk Reduction (RERR) kit is being introduced to mitigate this. The gap analysis, which is an evaluation that compares existing situation to the desired one, was performed in 47 African states. Not surprisingly, most member states lack the capability and the resources to recertify authorisation holders and have been unable to establish structures or framework necessary for effective and sustainable safety and oversight system.

The United States sponsored Safe Skies for Africa (SSFA) initiative team was also in Abuja. They will send air traffic/navigation experts to some African countries to complement officials of NTSB, FAA, TSA and related agencies stationed in the region for SSFA initiative. They are also considering moving from the FAA category certification process to the universally acceptable ICAO standard and recommended practices. It is good news that Americans are now thinking in global terms, while NAMA should endeavour to key into the navigation programme, since it is a win-win situation.

The American FAA introduced some safety equipment such as Tarsier camera and Qunetic Q which is used for detecting foreign object debris (FOD). When we remember the last Air France Concorde crash, we will appreciate the importance of this equipment. Also, new fire fighting equipment and techniques were on hand. A device made from crushable concrete and other materials, which stops aircraft from overshooting the runway, thereby reducing injuries and fatalities, called the Engineered Material Arresting System (EMAS) was shown to participants. It is very expensive, but very effective considering that it saved a loaded 747 cargo flight of Folar Air Cargo and some other aircraft from going off the runway.

ACI in their presentation is looking forward to a regional standardization of training programmes and policies. The training expert working group has been saddled with this responsibility. They hope to improve professionalism at the airports with a positive succession and replacement policy. They corroborated the earlier assertion of ICAO and IATA on runway safety, that 70% of African states have not implemented runway safety programme while 62% have no established organizational structures for certification and surveillance of the aerodrome. It was also generally observed that airlines are investing in cost reduction processes, while airport investment is in safety and security. This must have compelled the board of ACI to ask members to invest in infrastructure, rather than new airports.

The DG NCAA provided a graphic description of the movement of the underwear bomber, Mr. Abdul-Muttallab showing the effectiveness of our safety equipment, processes and plans put in place by FAAN, before, during and after the botched bombing. He was able to beautify MMIA beyond the usual bad media blitz, same with FAAN MD and Director Aviation Security, in their respective presentation.

Boeing did not hide its de-marketing of the A380 aircraft, while eulogizing the new B747-800, which will be competing with the A380. The NCAA and some other African countries have given approval for the aircraft to come to selected airports. Lufthansa, the German airline that was given a waiver from paying commercial royalties and equally happily saddled with the task of developing Abuja as a hub by the former Aviation Minister, will be the first airline to operate that aircraft into Nigeria by November this year. Whose hub are they developing? Is it for German or Nigerian airlines? The MD, FAAN further advertised Lufthansa at the expense of local carriers in his presentation when he showed a Lufthansa refurbished check-in counter at the MMIA. I honestly hope that was not the intention.

Participants were made to understand that airport certification is not enough to say an airport is safe, if the owners do not monitor regularly for unsafe items and movement, while ensuring that safety policies are made known to users with appropriate signs and colours. Mr. Anga, founder and president of Aviation Law Society ended the paper presentation with a warning to all government agencies to ensure they are conversant with the laws guarding the establishment of the Due Process Unit, Bureau of Public Procurement and Infrastructure Concession & Regulatory Commission, so they do not get caught on the wrong side of the law. He was empathic that the government should urgently come up with a new policy thrust for our airports.

Our carriers were completely absent at the conference and exhibition, while important players like Bi-Courtney, SAHCOL, LANDOVER etc, did not take a stand at the exhibition. Surprisingly, LANDOVER was part of the organizers. Sister aviation agencies, NTDC, foreign airlines and organizations, and other Nigerian companies should be commended for supporting FAAN before and during the conference, while Maevis sent their first eleven to the conference, which was complemented with an excellent stand during the exhibition. It may have necessitated the new rapprochement with SITA, an indirect rival in the past. The maxim no permanent enemy but permanent interest is real after all. I will also not forget the eventful Gala night sponsored by the NCAA; it was good compensation for the lunch served earlier that day.

Miss Temitope Coker, winner of the maiden National Travel Essay competition organized by Travel & Business News, got a standing ovation from the delegates for her closing speech which was really touchy. It is commendable that FAAN successfully hosted a conference that was bungled by Zimbabwe last year; FAAN delegates were also mainly operational staff, for whom the conference was relevant. For the Nigerian companies that missed the programme, I have this African proverb for them, ‘If you will not pick the mangoes that fall on the ground, then you should be strong enough to pluck those on the tree.’ We therefore expect them to be in Cairo in 2011 for the next ACI conference.