NIGERIA TO SHUT DOWN FINANCIALLY UNSTABLE AIRLINES

The  Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority Dr Fola Akinkuoto said while the agency does not intend to kill airlines or stifle their growth, as a regulator it will ensure that only financially sound airlines operate in the interest of safety. Akinkuotu,explained that all Nigerian airlines will also be required to go through an IATA Operational Safety Audit, also known as IOSA audit. An IOSA programme is an evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an airline. It is a programme designed by the International Air Transport Association, IATA.“Airlines will be required to have IOSA audit as we go forward and ensure that their audit is tidy,” Akinkuotu said.He said he will address the issue of airlines interlining in the near future. But experts say as a regulator, NCAA does not have that power.Interlining, also known as interline ticketing is a voluntary commercial agreement between individuals airlines to handle passengers travelling on itineraries that require multiple airlines. Akinkuotu also debunked reports by some NCAA staff that the agency is broke. An aircraft inspector had told the media that the agency is broke and training has dwindled in the agency.