Asiana Crash: Trouble At 500 Feet

The pilot in charge of landing the Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 that crashed in San Francisco tried to correct its course when he saw it was off centre and too low as it approached the runway at an altitude of 500 feet (150 metres), the head of the National Transportation Safety Board said on Tuesday.

"At about 500 feet, he realised that they were low," NTSB Chairwoman Deborah Hersman told reporters, describing the failed last-second attempts to avoid Saturday's disaster. "Between 500 and 200 feet (60 metres), they had a lateral deviation and they were low. They were trying to correct at that point."

The crash of the Asiana 777 killed two teenage Chinese passengers and injured more than 180 others.

Dana Air Announces Special Ramadan Service

Dana Air has announced that it would offer its Muslim guests a special in-flight service throughout the period of Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting, which begins on Wednesday, July 10.

According to Obi Mbanuzuo, the airline’s Head of Commercial, “All through the fasting period, we will include special fruits in our in-flight catering due to the numerous health benefits they bring. Also, nutritionists advise to break a fast with fruits before having any solid meal.”

The service, said Mbanuzuo, is “to encourage our Muslim guests who are observing the daytime fasting to take along their in-flight meals while disembarking until they are ready to break their fast.”

Dana Air first introduced the special Ramadan service in 2009 in line with its vision of being ‘Nigeria’s most reliable and customer-friendly airline’, and the initiative has been well received and commended by guests of the airline.

Dana Air currently operates twelve (12) flights daily on the Lagos-Abuja-Lagos route, four (4) flights daily on the Lagos-Port Harcourt-Lagos route and two (2) flights daily on the Abuja-Port Harcourt-Abuja route. The airline is reputed for its efficient customer services, world-class in-flight services, on-time departures and arrivals, innovative e-airline products and high quality standards.

Dana Air To Commence Uyo And Calabar Operations

Dana Air is set to re-launch flight services to Uyo and Calabar, in addition to its current destinations - Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt.

The airline’s Head of Corporate Communications, Tony Usidamen, disclosed this in a chat with aviation correspondents. According to Usidamen, the decision to re-launch operations to both Uyo and Calabar is based on requests from the airline’s teeming guests to extend its services to the oil-producing states.

“Since resuming flight operations to Lagos and Abuja in January, we have had many requests from air travelers across the country to extend our world-class services to more cities. The commencement of Port Harcourt operations was in line with the requests and, in a few weeks, we will commence scheduled flights to Uyo and Calabar too”, said Usidamen.

“At Dana Air, we recognize the importance of Akwa Ibom and Cross River State in the socio-economic development of the country as oil producing states. With both states playing host to several multinational companies in the oil & gas industry, we are confident that our new services from Uyo and Calabar to Lagos and Abuja will make the states even more attractive to investors”, Usidamen added.

Dana Air currently operates twelve (12) flights daily on the Lagos-Abuja-Lagos route, four (4) flights daily on the Lagos-Port Harcourt-Lagos route and two (2) flights daily on the Abuja-Port Harcourt-Abuja route. The airline is reputed for its efficient customer services, world-class in-flight services, on-time departures and arrivals, innovative e-airline products and high quality standards.

Arik Air Rolls Out Online Check-In

Arik Air, West Africa and Central Africa’s leading airline, has introduced a new online check-in service to further boost its passenger experience.

The service is aimed at customers who want a streamlined travel experience by reducing queuing times at the airport, especially for those travelling without check-in baggage. The new service is designed to provide customers with the ability to check-in from 24 hours to 3 hours before their flights, select their seats and print a boarding pass. Passengers with baggage to check-in can still check-in online and proceed to the check-in counters at the airport for baggage drop and standard security checks.

The service has been introduced in Arik Air’s international locations- Johannesburg, London and New York-  as well as the key domestic locations of Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt, with full network coverage of domestic and regional locations to be progressively rolled out in the coming months. Guests should visi twww.arikair.com for full details of the online check-in service.

The addition of an online check-in service is part of a raft of online initiatives that Arik Air is introducing to enhance its online offering and customer experience.

Dana Air Launches Mobile Check-In Device

Guests of Dana Air will enjoy quicker and more convenient check-in services with the launch of the ‘Roving Agent’, a mobile device which allows guests to be checked-in on arrival at the airport by mobile airline staff.

Strapped with tablet PCs and mini printers, the airline’s mobile check-in agents can now issue boarding passes to guests even before they reach the check-in counter. This new initiative complements the airline’s existing check-in counters and online check-in service.

“What we are offering in roving agents is immense value addition for our guests," said Obi Mbanuzuo, Dana Air’s Head of Commercial. “With this solution, our mobile check-in agents can quickly access and verify the travel reservation details of guests; book them on their choice of seat and generate boarding passes.”

“Now guests with hand baggage need not wait at the check-in counter to collect their boarding pass; they can simply approach any of our easily recognizable mobile check-in agents on arrival at the airport and then proceed through airport security to the boarding gate”, Mbanuzuo explained.