► NIGERIA: Dana Air eyes regional flights by year end; to roll out more domestic routes.

The commercial head of Nigeria's Dana Air (9J), Mr Obi Mbanuzo, says the airline has applied to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for regional traffic rights with flights to tentatively launch before year-end.

► NIGERIA: Dana Air to resume Uyo, Calabar in the next few weeks.

Nigerian domestic carrier, Dana Air (9J), will re-launch flight services to Uyo and Calabar "in the coming weeks", Tony Usidamen, head of corporate communications at the airline, has said. Currently, Dana Air serves Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt.

► FLEET UPDATE BULLETIN: Rwandair, FirstNation Airways, GEASA Guinea Ecuatorial Airlines, Libyan Airlines, Senegalese Air Force, Dana Air.

The following is a fleet update bulletin for aircraft that are in use, have been in use or will be in use for these listed airlines: FirstNation Airways Nigeria (FRN), Libyan Airlines (LN), Rwandair (WB), GEASA Guinea Ecuatorial, the Senegalese Air Force, Dana Air Nigeria (9J).

■ NIGERIA: (Pics) Controversy over Dana Air 9J997's Memorial Cenotaph in Lagos.

Controversy has been sparked following the unveiling by the Lagos State government of a cenotaph at the site of the crash of Dana Air 9J977 at Iju-Ishaga in Lagos in which the names of the crew were omitted and a poorly built, mangled aircraft model used to replicate the doomed McDonnell Douglas MD83. The disaster, which occurred on June 3 last year, claimed the lives of all 153 passengers on-board with a further 10 on the ground.

► NIGERIA: Dana Air resumes Port Harcourt flights from next week; confirms plans to acquire a 737.

Troubled Nigerian carrier, Dana Air (9J), has announced plans to resume flights from both Lagos and Abuja to the southern city of Port Harcourt on Monday, April 22, 2013. In addition the airline has reaffirmed plans to acquire B737 aircraft as part of its fleet renewal plans.

► NIGERIA: Dana Air resumes ops tomorrow morning as AeroContractors moves to fire nearly 1'000 striking employees.

After talks held today between its management, the Nigerian Aviation Ministry and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Dana Air (9J) has announced it will resume operations tomorrow. Fellow Nigerian domestic operator, Aero Contractors (AJ), has moved to fire nearly one thousand employees, striking since last Wednesday.

► NIGERIA: Dana Air grounded as Aviation Ministry revokes its AOC.

Nigeria's Dana Air (9J), has had its Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) revoked by the Nigerian Ministry of Aviation acting through the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). The move comes only 3 months after the carrier received its revalidated AOC and resumed operations.

► NIGERIA: Accident Investigation Bureau releases updated report on Dana Air 9J-992 crash; 8 other final reports.

The Nigerian Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) has released its preliminary report on the Dana Air 9J-992 Accident which claimed over 160 lives in June last year, in addition to several other air accident enquiries dating back almost 10 years.

■ NIGERIA: NAAPE endorses Senate's report recommending Demuren's sacking and Dana Air's AOC revocation.

Nigeria's National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) has come out in support of Nigerian Senate & House of Representatives whose recent Joint Committee on Aviation Report unequivocally condemned the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) as being staffed by "unqualified persons working as Aircraft Inspectors" and which recommended the immediate withdrawal of Dana Air's (9J) Air Operators Certificate, reinstated in early December.

► NIGERIA: See Pics of Dana Air's inaugural flight from Lagos to Abuja.

Nigerian carrier Dana Air (9J) today resumed flights with its first route being Abuja-Lagos. The aircraft used was (MSN 53016 | 5N-JAI) which departed as flight 9J 353 at 09h45L with regular passengers, VIPs, journalists, stakeholders in the aviation sector and celebrities, including Nollywood stars, on board. (Note, Dana air's flight tracker shows a previous flight 9J350 from Abuja to Lagos at 07h20L).

► NIGERIA: Dana Air to resume flights tomorrow 4 January 2013.

Nigerian carrier Dana Air (9J) is to resume flights on Friday, 4 January 2012 using a fleet of five MD83s. Initial operations will resume with Abuja-Lagos with schedules to be announced "in due course".

■ NIGERIA: Dana Air, Skyjet Aviation awarded AOCs by Civil Aviation Authority.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), on Wednesday, issued new Air Operator's Certificates (AOC) to Dana Air (9J) and Kaduna-based Skyjet Aviation. 

 

■ NIGERIA: Dana Air claims lack of correct paperwork submissions as cause for delayed payments to flight 9J-997's victims' families.

Grounded Nigerian carrier Dana Air (9J) has issued a response to recent reports in the Nigerian press claiming that Dana Air and its insurers had refused to pay statutory compensation to the families of victims of the Dana Air 9J-997 tragedy in Lagos in June.

■ NIGERIA: Dana Air issues update; says new AOC issuance imminent.

Nigerian carrier Dana Air (9J) has issued an update apropos its return to scheduled ops. Amongst the points mentioned is the conformity to a new Nigerian aviation regulation stipulating that all aircraft operated by domestic airlines in Nigeria are to be fitted with an Automated Flight Information Reporting System, as part of efforts to ensure air safety in the country.

► NIGERIA: Dana Air starts test flights ahead of return of service.

Nigerian carrier Dana Air (9J), following the reinstatement of its Operator's Licence in September by the Nigerian Government in early September, has embarked on a series of test flights in preparation for its resumption of scheduled passenger flight operations in the near future.

► NIGERIA: Air Nigeria calls it quits as Dana Air's licence is reinstated.

On a day of two contrasting fortunes,  Jimoh Ibrahim's troubled venture Air Nigeria (VK), having teetered on the brink of collapse for some time, is to call it quits from 10 September 2012 following months of uncertainty in which leased aircraft were ceased, company directors arrested and allegations of safety oversights and tax evasion.

In a statement, the company's management blamed the suspension of operations on "staff disloyalty and a weak business environment" though remained resolute in the possibility of returning to viability next year by retaining 50 "loyal" members of staff from various departments, selected with a mandate to recommence operations within 12 months. All other employees however, had been laid off effective from their last day of work on their various routes.

► NIGERIA: Civil Aviation Boss suspended; Dana Air grounded.

The Nigerian Government has moved to suspend the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Dr. Harold Demuren, for the duration of investigations into both the Dana Air 9J-997 tragedy in Lagos on Sunday, and the Nigerian-registered Allied Air Cargo Boeing 727 crash landing in Accra, Ghana the day before. 

Together, the two crashes have claimed over 170 lives, with numbers to rise, as more bodies are discovered at the Lagos crash site.

The Dana Air MD 83's tail being removed. (Reuters)

"“The latest Dana aircraft crash is even more tragic than the previous ones with a total casualty figure of about 190 people, including 153 passengers, six crew members and about 37 people on the ground.
“This crash is a wake-up call for all relevant authorities to rise to the challenge of ensuring that no effort is spared in making the nation’s aviation industry conform with international safety standards,” he said."

Read More Here [Punch Nigeria] 

The Government has also revoked the operating licence of Dana Air until further notice.

""As soon as we have concluded the recertification of the airline, if they are capable, then their license will be reinstated," said Sam Adurogboye, a spokesman for the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority."

Read More Here [CNN International]

The revocation follows in the wake of a promised shake up of Nigeria's poor civil aviation safety record, which amongst other things has seen 5 fatal crashes in the last 10 years, as well as the arrest/suspension of high ranking government officials on allegations of corruption and bribery most recently the attempted arrest of the Managing Director of the Lagos-based Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), George Uriesi, on suspected allegations of graft by the Nigerian Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

► NIGERIA: Dana Air MD-83 slams into building in Lagos; 153 feared dead.

A Nigerian Dana Air (9J) McDonnell Douglas MD-83 (5N-RAM) has crashed into a building in Iju neighbourhood (more specifically: near Ayinla Bus Stop, north of the airport, Iju Ishaga road, Agege), Lagos, Nigeria whilst on approach into Murtala Muhammad International Airport, en route from Abuja. 

Dana Air MD-83 "5N-RAM"

There were 153 (147 passengers and 6 crew) people on-board - all of whom are feared dead - whilst there are more casualties on the ground whose numbers are yet to be established.

Conflicting media reports state that the aircraft, whilst on approach into Lagos, initially hit power-lines, before careering through a furniture shop and then into residential buildings, before bursting into flames, though this version of events still has to be verified.

On May 10, another  Dana Air MD-83 (5N-SRI) was on approach into Lagos when an on-board hydraulic failure was reported. The aircraft continued for a safe landing thereafter.

The MD-83 down in Lagos (NigerianEye)

For More images click here.

Today's disaster comes after a Nigerian registered Allied Air Cargo Boeing 727-200 freighter (5N-BJN) yesterday (Saturday 2 June 2012) overran the runway at Accra's Kotoka International Airport and killed 12 people on the ground: 11 occupants of a Benz 207 Bus and a soldier riding a bike along the road.