Airlines across Africa recorded a five per cent demand increase in 2019, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), has said. According to IATA, the airlines recorded a capacity increase of 4.5 per cent while load factor went up by 0.3 percentage point to 71.3 per cent. The association stated in its full-year global passenger traffic results for 2019 that Africa …
Read More »New rules for Schengen Visa go into effect in February
The revised Schengen Visa Code includes an increase in application fee, lengthier visa validity, extended application period, sanction for citizens of countries that refuse to readmit their citizens, among others.
Read More »Lagos airport tightens security as it records higher passenger traffic
The Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos handled 187.49 million kg of cargo and 7.319 million passengers last year, figures obtained by the national newspaper PUNCH from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria have shown. The Manager, South-West Airports, FAAN, Mrs Victoria Shina-Aba, who reportedly gave the figures, said the MMIA witnessed increased growth in passenger, cargo and aircraft movement in …
Read More »Nigeria commences visa-on-arrival policy for African nationals
Nigeria has begun issuing visas on arrival to African nationals arriving. These exclude citizens of the ECOWAS member countries who do not need visa to visit the country. This means that the affected African visitors do not need to have been issued a visa prior to arriving at any point of entry to Nigeria According to a report of the …
Read More »The world’s 10 most powerful passports for 2020 – new report
The annual Henley Passport Index has just been released. It ranks passports according to the number of countries their holders can travel to visa-free. The latest ranking named Japan as the country with the most powerful passport in the world followed by Singapore while Germany and South Korea tie for third place Holders of the Japanese passport can travel visa-free …
Read More »Akon signs deal for the construction of futuristic city in Senegal
Senegalese-American artist and businessman Alioune Badara Thiam alias Akon has signed an agreement with the Senegalese government for the construction of a “futuristic city” in Mbodiene, near Mbour. The “Dakar Sustainable City” project, a technological marvel of a city that will run on futuristic tech such as cryptocurrency and renewable energy, is to support tourism in Senegal by attracting visitors …
Read More »Year of Return is big win for Ghana – President Akufo Addo
When Ghana declared 2019 the Year of Return, marking the 400th year that the first slave ship arrived in America with African captives, it expected a positive response. However, the resonance of the initiative has far surpassed the country’s expectations as thousands of African-Americans, including celebrities, have made the pilgrimage to Ghana bringing various benefits to the country. Our correspondent …
Read More »Enugu Airport: Aviation Minister announces Reopening Date
Minister Hadi Sirika further stated that apart from the runway and terminal building, where work is also ongoing, critical equipment such as Instrument Landing Systems ( ILS), Air Field Lighting (AFL), approach lights, taxi lights, aerodrome markings and other facilities would be completed before the reopening date.
Read More »Why Lufthansa dropped dramatically on global aviation safety ranking
The safest airline in the world in 2019 was Emirates, according to the latest edition of the JACDEC Safety Index. With a risk index of 95.48 percent, it ended up only slightly ahead of another gulf airline, Etihad Airways (95.21 percent). Third place finisher was Spain’s Air Europa. This was the result of the annual safety ranking conducted by the …
Read More »Brussels Airlines launches new Premium Economy Class to sub-Saharan destinations
Brussels Airlines gradually introduces its brand new Premium Economy class on its African routes. With 84 weekly flights and 17 destinations in sub-Saharan Africa, the African continent remains Brussels Airlines’ most important market. Improved offer on African routes In 2019, the Belgian carrier announced the retrofitting of its fleet with the concept of a Boutique Hotel above the clouds. On …
Read More »Don’t come to airport with friends and relatives when travelling – FAAN
To reduce the crowds at its airports and enhance the security and comfort of passengers, the government has issued a directive calling on both private and official travellers not to bring friends, relatives and staff to the airport The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has announced that no individual or government agency will henceforth be allowed to escort passengers …
Read More »Nigeria spares Turkish Airlines from suspension, warns all foreign airlines
Turkish Airlines will not have their operating licence suspended by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) as earlier speculated, but they have been warned to improve on their services. Aviation minister has also sounded a note of warning to all other airlines operating in Nigeria. The Acting Director-General of the NCAA, Abdullahi Sidi who confirmed this to Channels Television said …
Read More »Visa on arrival for all Africans entering Nigeria from January 2020
Nigeria will issue visas on arrival to all African passport holders effective January 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari has announced. His tweet of the move on Thursday confirmed an earlier tweet on Wednesday by Somalia’s Foreign Affairs Minister. Ambassador Ahmed Awad wrote: “I wish to profoundly commend President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria who just announced at the Aswan Forum complete visa …
Read More »New Berlin airport to finally open next October
Germany’s long-delayed Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) is set to finally be operational on October 31, 2020, nine years after it was supposed to open, reports Elizabeth Schumacher. Berlin’s long-delayed airport has a new opening date, operators announced on Friday (28 November), following a series of scandals involving corruption and shoddy design. The problem-plagued project has become something of a laughing stock …
Read More »New ride-sharing mobile application launches in Africa
“There is a desperate need for smarter mobility solutions that are environmentally sustainable and harness the power and value of sharing existing resources to benefit commuters as a whole”
Read More »Lufthansa introduces new flights connecting Germany and Namibia
"We are very proud to be offering this new connection from Namibia’s capital to our largest hub, Frankfurt. With this new flight, customers can have access to our vast worldwide network, and we are looking forward to connecting Namibia with the world."
Read More »Africans will travel more within Africa if able to move more freely – new study
Africans would be more willing to travel if they were able to move freely within the continent, and if travel pain-points were addressed, a new study has revealed. Spending among African travellers could increase by 27 percent over the next year if they were able to move more freely within the continent, new research from Sabre Corporation, presented on Tuesday …
Read More »New report on visa openness of African countries out
The 2019 top performers on visa openness rank among the top countries for foreign direct investment in Africa, and benefit from strong levels of growth, including in tourism.
Read More »Enugu Airport: Igbo leaders secure Buhari’s support
Chairman of the South East Governors Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, who presented the region’s requests to the President, said unless something urgent and drastic was done, the state of the roads in the region might disrupt the usual rise in the level of socio-economic activities that takes place in the region
Read More »Ugandan becomes first Black woman to visit all countries in the world
Uganda’s Jessica Nabongo has become the first Black woman to have visited all 195 countries in the world. The 34-year-old US resident proudly announced on her Instagram account Catch Me If You Can from the island nation of Seychelles that she had made the unique mark of having toured all the nations in the world. Nabongo, whose Ugandan parents migrated …
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