Anthony Omoh
3 November 2008
Lagos — As this year's Muslim pilgrimage approaches, President Umaru Yar' Adua has threatened to sanction defaulting airlines, while directing all aviation agencies to ensure hitch-free airlifting of about 95,000 pilgrims to Mecca.
He made this known through a member of the National Hajj Commission and Vice Chairman of the sub Committee on Aviation, Captain Shehu Usman Iyal, who said that government has cautioned the designated carriers: Kabo Air, Med- View Airlines, Meridien, IRS/Air Naimey and Hansam Air to desist from defaulting in the airlifting of the pilgrims. He said, "The carriers are ready to work together, because there will be zero tolerance for failure. In any event of failure by the carriers, there will be serious sanctions as they have signed and agreed in the contract. The operators know the consequence of this. "The exercise which will take off this week and is expected to run for 22 days in airports located in Lagos, Ilorin, Kaduna, Kano, Maiduguri, Sokoto, Abuja, Gombe, Minna, Yola and Katsina.
Captain Iyal said that arrangements have been made to secure at least two back-up carriers, who have Flight Operations Certificate (FOC), and slot capacity in Saudi Arabia, should the approved carrier renege in their assigned duties.
He explained that the National Hajj Commission has already visited some airports designated for the exercise to ascertain the level of operational readiness of the facilities and equipment, observing that that though the facilities were found to be satisfactory; there is sufficient room for improvement.
Iyal affirmed that the designated carriers for this year's Hajj have demonstrated sufficient proof that the exercise will be hitch free with, as they have constituted themselves into a forum to agree on ways and means to achieve successful airlifting of the 95,000 pilgrims.
He said: "President Umaru Yar 'Adua has ordered that the operation for Hajj has to be perfect. He has directed that there will be zero tolerance for inability to perform. He has equally ordered FAAN and NAMA to ensure that all airport and navigation facilities and equipment are in good order for a successful Hajj 2008." "However, there is a back up plan for at least two carriers, who have slot capacity and the other requirement, should the need arise."
Meanwhile, Med-View Airlines, one of the official carriers for the exercise at the weekend held orientation training for its workers on how to conduct themselves and interact with pilgrims as they handle the exercise. The orientation which held at the Lagos Airport Hotel for over 150 workers of the airline was to prepare them ahead.
According to the quality assurance manager for the airline, Lukman Animashaun, prior to the orientation, the airline had conducted departmental training for the workers that will take part in the spiritual exercise. The workers after the training will be deployed to the zones where the airline is expected to airlift pilgrims as contained in the slot allocated to it by the federal government.
The workers will be deployed to Lagos, Abuja, Ilorin and Kaduna airports for the exercise which first phase commences on November 7 and ends on December 4 while the second phase kicks off on December 10 and ends on January 11, 2009.
Meanwhile, the workers before the training used the occasion to mourn the death of the airline's general manager operations, Lawrence Ogunwemimo who died last week in Dubai.
The airline which had earlier expressed its readiness for the annual exercise has positioned two Boeing 747-200 and 767 aircraft to for the Hajj.
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