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Virgin aborts maiden flight to Dakar, Senegal
• Aero Denies Crash Story
• IRS, Fresh Airlines grounded
By Rotimi Durojaiye, Senior Aviation Correspondent, Lagos
Virgin Nigeria's inaugural flight to Dakar, Senegal suffered a hitch on Thursday night as the pilot had to abort the journey thirty-minutes after take-off due to a technical problem.
The National Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) also yesterday grounded Fresh and IRS airlines for undisclosed operational deficiencies.
It came as the Presidential Committee on Aviation Reforms submitted its reports to President Olusegun Obasanjo with advice that the NCAA be given more power to discipline erring airlines.
Although a section of the media had claimed that an Aero Contractors aircraft had crash-landed at the airport about the same time the Virgin airplane made an air return, management of Aero said none of its planes was involved in any mishap.
Virgin's Head of Public Affairs, Larry Agose, told newsmen in Lagos on Friday that the captain of the aircraft decided to return after take-off when the landing gear would not retract.
According to him, the aircraft returned to the airport at about 9.50pm without any incident.
Agose noted that in line with international civil aviation standards, all the passengers had been accommodated by the airline at a Lagos hotel and that they would be airlifted aboard the next flight to Dakar on Sunday.
He said the air return was done in good faith and in line with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) laid down rules and regulations for pilots worldwide to make an air return upon any detection of fault.
"Virgin Nigeria Airways is committed to ensuring the safety and security of its passengers and as such in the event of any abnormality, our pilots are advised to make an air return", he said.
While denying the involvement of any of its aircraft in air mishap, Managing Director of Aero Contractors, Koen Neven, said all aircraft operated on Thursday by the airline landed safely at their various destinations.
He said Aero had always taken the security of its aircraft very seriously, adding that it did not compromise on these.
"We have a crop of highly professional, well trained staff and crew who handle our operations in a very efficient manner", Neven added.
On Thursday, Virgin Nigeria launched its maiden flight operation to Dakar, Senegal, in continuation of its regional routes network roll-out.
Agose, who announced this earlier, said it was a demonstration of the further commencement of Virgin Nigeria's service to francophone West Africa.
He explained that Virgin Nigeria would operate thrice weekly flights from the International Terminal of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos to Dakar Yoff International Airport on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, with return to Lagos on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
"Our service to Dakar is in line with the Virgin Nigeria belief in the Hands-Across-Africa initiative, especially in terms of making trans-border business easier," Agose said, adding, "We strongly believe that opening this route will help to further strengthen cultural and economic ties between Nigeria and francophone West Africa, of which Senegal is a very important part. Service to Dakar will be operated by our modern Boeing 737 aircraft in a two-class configuration with 16 Business and 100 Economy Class seats.
"The outbound flight, VK 843, will depart Lagos at 21.00 and arrive Dakar at 23.50 while the Lagos-bound flight, VK 842, will depart Dakar at 05.00 and arrive Murtala Mohammed International Airport at 05.40," Agose said. This means passengers can benefit not only from direct flights to Lagos, but onwards to other Nigerian destinations, such as Abuja, Port Harcourt and further beyond.
He said that Virgin Nigeria would offer additional 20kg baggage allowance as a promotional offer to all passengers. "The additional 20kg baggage allowance means that our passengers have an effective 40kg and therefore can carry more," Agose said.
The launch of the Lagos - Dakar route brings to three, the number of regional routes operated by Virgin Nigeria in Africa, having launched to Accra, Ghana on July 20 and Douala, Cameroon on October 25, 2005. The airline commenced thrice weekly international long haul operation to London on June 28, 2005 but will launch daily service to London Gatwick Airport with effect from April 27.
The Boeing 737-300 aircraft on flight VK 843 which left the Murtala Mohammed Airport at about 9.20 pm had 26 passengers on board.
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