The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria
on Wednesday said that Saudi Arabian aviation authorities disqualified
three Nigerian carriers from transporting Nigerian pilgrims for the 2016
Hajj.
Alhaji Mohammadu Goni, Head of Aviation
of NAHCON, who made this known at the commission’s Headquarters in
Abuja, listed the affected airlines as Dornier Aviation Nigeria AEP Ltd;
Top Brass and Azman Air Services. The Federal Government had approved six airline operators to transport intending pilgrims for the exercise.
Goni, however, said that the General
Authority of Civil Aviation of Saudi Arabia cleared only three airlines
out of the six nominated by the Federal Government.
He said the airlines approved by the
Saudi authorities are: Med-View Airlines Ltd.; Max Air Ltd. and Saudi
Arabian designated carrier, Fly-Nas Air.
Goni explained that only these three airlines were designated to fly the route between the two countries.
He said that NAHCON had made concerted
efforts to ensure that Saudi Arabian Government allowed the three
disqualified airlines to participate in the exercise, but to no avail.
He said that the commission forwarded
the report to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Aviation
for diplomatic intervention, but that Saudi Arabia did not grant its
request.
“In fact, a delegation was send to
appeal to Saudi Arabian Authority to allow the three carriers fly their
route but they insisted that those airlines must acquire designation
status because they only applied as charter flights,” he said.
Goni also said that it was a standing
rule that all Hajj participating countries must abide by the Saudi Civil
Aviation Authority’s condition in order to participate in the Hajj.
He said that it was clearly stipulated
in GACA that any country participating in the Hajj must give 50 per cent
of its total pilgrims to Saudi airlines to transport them.
He said that GACA and the Nigerian Civil
Aviation Authority were responsible for the technical analysis,
clearance and inspection of airlines involved in Hajj operation.
Goni also said that GACA had sole
responsibility of taking care of safety and economic regulations of the
air carriers involved in transporting intending pilgrims.
He said that NAHCON had stated it
clearly in the advertisement for application and screening of air
carriers that it was subject to NCAA and GACA clearance.
“We have a standing procedure for
selecting airlines for transportation of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia,
starting from placement of advert on the commission official website and
national dailies.
“After we received applications and
other necessary documents from interested carriers, then the commission
would set up a 30-member Screening Committee involving different
organisations to screen the airlines.
“Members of the Committee will be drawn from NAMA, FAAN, NCIA, EFCC, ICPC, Ministry of Aviation and other relevant agencies.
“Then the panel of the committee would
adopt a screening template and agree on pass mark, which this year we
agreed on 60 per cent benchmark,” Goni said.
He explained that nine airlines applied
to transport pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, but that only six were qualified
by the screening committee, after thorough examination. The head of aviation further said that
the committee, after screening, submitted the report to the management
of NAHCON for consideration and endorsement.
“After extensive deliberations, the
Board of NAHCON, will transmit the report to the Secretary to the
Government of the Federation for onward submission to the Presidency for
final approval,” he said.
Source: NAN
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