Chinedu Eze
Medview Airline marked its service to Dubai, United Arab Emirate (UAE) with inaugural flight on December 7, 2017.
Welcoming the airline to Dubai, the Nigerian Ambassador to UAE, Mohammed Dansata Rimi expressed happiness that the Nigerian carrier was able to break into the Dubai market and expressed the hope that the Nigerian carrier would be successful in the route.
The Ambassador however urged Medview to brace up for competition and noted that with efficient service and on time performance it would be able to sustain its operation in Dubai.
“Make sure that the flight is in time. There is a lot of competition here but the solution to competition is perseverance,†Rimi advised.
Also the Nigerian Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Aisha Alhassan, who was part of the inaugural flight called on Nigerians to patronise their own and remarked that Medview would be a strong alternative to Middle East carriers and other airlines that operate to Dubai from Nigeria because it would offer passengers relatively low fares and as a Nigerian carrier it would provide them that distinctive service which other airlines cannot provide for them.
During the flight to Dubai, the Managing Director of Medview, Alhaji Muneer Bankole announced that the airline would give one free ticket on every five tickets purchased by any customer flying on the Dubai route. He said this while thanking passengers on the flight and promised not to disappoint passengers who chose to fly the airline, adding that Medview would offer the best baggage allowance on the route.
“We have a special free baggage allowance, with two pieces of 25kg each, which gives 50kg, that is a wonderful gift as well and we want to say to you coming onboard this flight, we will continue to remember you, this is the beginning of good things to come to the country called Nigeriaâ€, he said.
Medview Country Manager in Dubai, Ndukodon Bogi explained that the airline is prepared to provide efficient service to Nigerians and disclosed that it has General Sales Agent (GSA) for both passenger and cargo whose duty is to provide excellent service to its passengers.
He said its took the airline three years to study the Dubai market and its nuances and how to provide its passengers the best service.
During the flight, the airline treated passengers to Nigerian menu by providing food such as jollof rice, semovita, pounded yam, egusi soup and so.
Dignitaries that graced the maiden flight include the representative of Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, Alhaji Wakil Adamu who is the Director, Planning, Research and Statistics to the Ministry of Transportation (Aviation); The Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Al Hassan; Super Eagles striker, Odion Igalo; representatives of the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu among others.
Ethiopia Makes History with All Female Crew Flight to Nigeria
Africa’s largest airline group, Ethiopian Airlines has announced its first all Women flight to Nigeria.
The airline said women would be expected to fill every role on the flight; from the pilots and cabin crew to in flight ramp operations as well as flight dispatchers on ground, the company revealed.
This would also be the first time Ethiopia Airlines would be operating an all women flight in Africa.
The flight is expected to leave for Lagos, Nigeria from Addis Ababa on December 16 and would have on board some selected Nigerian journalists.
The pilot, Captain Amsale Gualu said, “The flight will show that if women get equal opportunities and work hard I’m sure they can achieve whatever they want in all fields including the aviation industry.”
The airline said the all female crew which also has Tigist Kibret as First Officer, would be flying the Boeing 777.
Ethiopia is a country where few women have dared to enter the highly male-dominated profession of piloting; Captain Amsale Guale, in 2010 become the first Ethiopian female captain by flying an Ethiopian Airlines Bombardier from Addis Ababa to Gondar.
Ethiopian Airlines says it wants to promote women’s empowerment and encourage more African women to pursue aviation careers. Although one-third of its employees are women, the figure is smaller when it comes to positions such as pilots and technicians, says Ethiopian Airlines.
Ethiopian Airlines the first Skytrax 4 star Airline in Africa is the largest and the fastest growing airline in the continent.
Ethiopian commands the lion’s share of the pan-African passenger and cargo network operating the youngest and most modern fleet to more than 90 international destinations across five continents.
Sabre Recognised as Best Travel Technology Company
Sabre Travel Network has been recognised as the Best Travel Technology Company in Nigeria. The award was announced at the Nigeria Travel and Tourism Week (NTW) jointly organised by AFRO Tourism West Africa Limited, Rewards Travels and Tours Limited and Avantgarde Tours Limited.
Chief Operating Officer of NTW, Mr. Efetobo Awhana noted during the event that Sabre has proven its professionalism and commitment as an innovative technology company as it stands out amongst its competitors by winning the Best Travel Technology Award in the Travel Technology/GDS Category.
Receiving the award on behalf of the organisation, Sabre’s Country Director, Mr. Emmanuel Soji Isola, re-affirmed the commitment of the company to offering excellent and customer focused solutions and assured stakeholders of its continuous dedication to help its customers succeed through Sabre’s forward-thinking technology solution.
“We will intensify more effort in delivering excellent services on time, all the time, to all customers; as your future is our challenge,’’ he said.
The weeklong event was endorsed by the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), National Association of Tour Operators (NATOP) and the Lagos State Government.
The organisers of the event seek to drive the Nigeria tourism sector by bringing together sellers, buyers, travel technology, tourism/travel service providers and the media to network, review and discuss the development of tourism in Nigeria as well as creates awareness about opportunities and potentials in domestic and inbound tourism.
Sabre is a US based Technology company and the world’s largest US provider of software products for the aviation industry.
