Jimoh Ibrahim: Even if Branson gives me the Virgin brand free, I will not take it.

Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim

The Group Managing Director, NICON Group, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim, is the new owner of Virgin Nigeria, the controversial airline formed in a partnership between the British businessman, Richard Branson, and some Nigerian investors. Ibrahim, at a press conference last week, spoke on his plans for the nation‘s flag carrier. OYETUNJI ABIOYE was there. Excerpts:

Are you coming up with a merger arrangement between NICON Airways and your new airline, Virgin Nigeria?

In fairness, the deal for Virgin Nigeria had been on since 2009, but you know it is not every deal that you put on the pages of newspapers when you are yet to conclude. In that very year 2009, if I had wanted to make NICON Airways to be flying with all the aircraft, we would have done so. We felt that let us quickly look at this deal, and we can have a merger later and then we can move on. 

But if I had made up my mind and say we don‘t want Virgin Nigeria, and use the money for NICON Airways, maybe that would have been a different thing, may be also we would not have issues with NICON Airways. The Virgin deal started in 2009 and it went from back and forth until it closed in 2010, sometimes in April. Two things are very key in the Virgin Nigeria deal. First, we as a nation must continue to show the capacity that we can do it. 

Agreed that Richard Branson came with this brand to Nigeria and things were going bad and Branson walked out with the managing director, the chief executive officer, and the chief finance officer and technical officers in a day. Is it that we don‘t have the personnel, entrepreneur that can do it? This is why I said we should conclude once and for all this matter. Coming to my major plan, my immediate plan is to stabilise the airline with seven aircraft and we will achieve this very shortly. What we want to do is actually stabilise it at seven and from there move to 17 and after that we start the international route. Our immediate plan is to get the local market right, get the regional market right and then from there, we move on to the international routes. Our long term plan is to make it good and take it back to Nigerians who are the owners, just like all our companies that we have acquired in the past and then take it to the stock exchange and make Nigerians to be proud owners of a good airline.

Are you planning to change the name of the airline?

Well, of course, there will be a name change, that can never be ruled out. There will be a name change and the name change will reflect the integrity of our nation. I am not too far away from the name change and I am sure in a matter of days, we will have another meeting with you where I will present document to show you that a name change has happened. I will probably place advertorial in the newspapers. Be prepared for a name change.

What name do you have in mind?

Wait till that time when I call you for a name change. We will have a meeting where we will plot the new name.

With the state of uncertainty around NICON Airways, there are fears that Virgin Nigeria may go the same way? 

I don‘t think anybody should have any fear; that fear is your own fear, your own created fear. If anybody has run any company well in this country, I think by the Grace of God, I am number one and this is not the first company we have bought. We have never had a company that died in our hands. First, we took NICON, it survived, and it is now in Sao Tome and Principe . We picked Nigerian rail, you didn‘t know that Nigerian rail was taken away by the National Assembly Act. Today, it is surviving. We picked Le Meridien hotel, where we had snakes and cobras staying in. They were using snake powder to bring them out, today; we have American Embassy having office inside Le Meridien hotels that shows you how far we have gone in turning it around. We picked 110 petrol stations that we bought for people; we never built them; all the fuel stations are selling fuel today. 

We picked up VGC from the former HSC owners, it has been turned around. Today, the hotel is there today running very well. The industry there where they produce chairs, today they are made by our factory. We picked this building from NDIC. All the area boys of Marina were living here before, but you can see how it looks now. We have been turning around corporations. One of the areas where we have respect among the youth is the ability to turn around companies. 

Let me tell you, some interesting companies; I don‘t want to mention their names had even been talking to us to see how we can rescue them in management plan. So, what is in Virgin Nigeria to turn around for us? I don‘t see anybody expressing fears, rather from the report I got yesterday, all flights were fully booked. Infact on Sunday, they were double booked. So, I want to thank Nigerians for the tremendous support that they are giving to us. They believe in our capacity above all. If it was when Virgin Nigeria was being run by Richard Branson, can you have an interview like this with him?

Why add the burden of Virgin Nigeria to NICON Airways in view of the sensitivity of the airline business in Nigeria?

I am used to putting my head in trouble waters. Don‘t worry about it. Let me correct one thing, NICON Airways is not the same thing as Virgin Nigeria because Virgin Nigeria has all the structures, has a lot of connectivity and a lot of things to build and they are far from each other, but nevertheless, we used to do an unusual thing to get an unusual result. When this house was put for sale, it was there for almost three years, nobody applied, but today, if I put it for sale, everybody will be here because it has been turned around. I appreciate your sympathy, you can be sure Virgin Nigeria will survive. Again, it is not about profit again, if you know that at this level, I go for something that is exciting. I have run close to about 16 companies. We have eight hotels, 210 petrol stations etc. What do you think I will be doing? The total debt I owe is just N2.4 bn, that is what is left over. What do you think I should be doing at my age if I don‘t put my head in Virgin Nigeria? So, it is an exciting moment.

What airline did you really buy, is it Virgin Nigeria or Nigerian Eagle?

We bought Virgin Nigeria, there was nothing called Nigeria Eagle that we bought. Am I so stupid? I am a lawyer, common give that to me. I am Harvard and University of Ife trained. Am I going to buy Nigeria Eagle, I bought Virgin Nigeria (brandishing a certified true copy of the certificate) and I got original shares certificate of Virgin Nigeria. So, I don‘t know what Virgin is talking about. We are not paying any thing to anybody to have the Virgin brand. Is Virgin Nigeria a brand (general laughter of disapproval)? I don‘t have issues with Virgin Nigeria; you know me critically, if I buy any foreign company, forget about brand or no brand, whatever the brand, I will change it to reflect Nigerian name. So that is me. Even if Virgin gives me their brand for free, I will not take it, I will still use my local name.

What plans do you have for this airline and the workers?

Thanks for your concern and we appreciate it. Don‘t worry, we will survive. I don‘t think there will be problem at all. I am aware running an airline is very expensive. I know what it is; I have enough of experience to turn around the airline quickly. Normally, turn around takes two years and I implore all of you to join in the turn around, so that you can see things and educate yourself. In the case of Virgin Nigeria; from the diagnosis I have seen, may be in less than one year, we would have been through with the turn around.

What is the future of workers in the airline?

If you are a fraudulent staff, you better start running. If you are not, enjoy yourself and expect your promotion. Let me tell you, its not all turn around that require people to be sacked. Le Meridien was turned around; we never sacked one single staff of Le Meridien. We are increasing the fleet, why are the workers afraid? If you sack them and increase your fleet, who are the people that will come and do the job? An aircraft must have a marginal number of people that will work with it. So, where will you get the people from? What you will do is to restructure them to training. Let me tell you, our turn-around is only limited. Virgin Nigeria is not technically sick, it is financially sick; so the turn around will be directed to finance.

Why did Captain Dapo Olumide resigned as the airline‘s managing director and what is your relationship with Lufthansa Technik and Ethiopian Airways?

This people are doing their job and I don‘t want to interfere with their job because of safety standard. Like I told you Virgin is not technically sick, but financially sick, and we don‘t want the financial sickness to affect technical matters, so that it does not spread. That is why some of you should be careful with your report. I have no issue with Captain Olumide. You people are the ones that removed him from the place. We woke up in the morning and read that he has resigned. 

He was with me here and waited till 6pm. By 10pm, I called him to ask for some data and he gave me. He was going into some details and I said Olu, why don‘t you go and take your rest, let us see tomorrow and he said good night and the following morning when I woke up, I saw newspapers to say that he has resigned. I called his line, it was not going through and we were going to have a staff meeting the same day. When I asked whether he has letter for me, my secretary said he did not have any letter from Dapo, so what do you want me to do as somebody who has just invested that type of money in the place, to just be waiting? I don‘t have issues with him. He is some of the people I have a lot of respect and confidence in. May be somebody misadvised him and he did not look at it very well and he took a wrong action. His career must be managed. If I had wanted to be funny yesterday, I would have said we dismissed him because we did not see his resignation letter.

Source:www.punchng.com

Jimoh Ibrahim: I’ve enough experience to turn around Virgin Nigeria

Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim

Written by Shola Adeola
Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim is a well known name in business circles as a successful young man who has carved a niche for himself in areas he has ventured into. Recently, he acquired Virgin Nigeria which was established in 2004 under former President Olusegun Obasanjo to replace the defunct national carrier, Nigeria Airways. Virgin Nigeria, which was floated on behalf of the Federal Government by Virgin Atlantic as a core technical partner, was owned 51 per cent  by Nigerian core investors while the remaining 49 per cent went to the Virgin Group. Despite the mixed reactions that have greeted the take over of the airline, Ibrahim, in this interview,  allays such fears even as he spoke with Shola Adekola on his plans to reposition the flag carrier and make it financially viable. Excerpts.

Why did you acquire Virgin Nigeria?
I must thank you very much for your question. Let me say one thing in fairness, the deal for Virgin Nigeria had been on since 2009, but you know it’s not every deal that you put on the pages of newspapers when you are yet to conclude. In that very year 2009, if I had wanted to make NICON to be flying with all the aircraft, we would have done so. We felt that let us quickly look at this deal, and then we can have a merger later and we can then move on. But if I had made up my mind and said  we don’t want Virgin Nigeria, let me use the money for NICON Airways, may be that would have been a different thing, may be also we would not have issues with NICON. The Virgin deal started in 2009, and it went from back and forth till it closed in 2010, some time in April, last Friday.

Two things are very key in the Virgin Nigeria deal. First, we as a nation must continue to show the capacity that we can do it. Agreed that Richard Branson came with this brand to Nigeria and things are going back and Branson walked out with the MD, the CEO, and the CFO and technical officers in a day. Is it that we don’t have the personnel, entrepreneur that can do it? This is why I said we should conclude once and for all this matter. Coming to my major plan; my immediate plan is to stabilise the airline with  seven aircrafts,  and we will achieve this very shortly. What we want to do is actually stabilise it at seven and from there move to 17, and after that we start the international route. Our immediate plan is to get the local market right, get the regional market right and then from there, we move on to the international routes. Our long term plan is to make the good and take it back to Nigerians who are the owners, just like all our companies that we have acquired in the past and then take it to the stock exchange and make Nigerians to be proud owners of a good airline.

Are you  going  to  change  the name  of Virgin Nigeria?
Well, of course, there will be a name change, that can never be ruled out. There will be a name change and the name change will reflect the integrity of our nation.  I am not too far away from the name change, and I am sure its in a matter of days.

Where are we now as regards NICON Airways and the fear that Virgin Nigeria may go the way of NICON?
I don’t think anybody should have any fear, that fear is your own fear, your self-created fear. If anybody has run any company well in this country, I think by the grace of God, I am number one and this is not the first company we have bought. We have never had a company that died in our hands.

First, we took NICON; it survived, its now in Sao Tome and Principe. We picked Nigerian rail, and you didn’t know that Nigerian rail was taken away by the National Assembly Act. Today, it is surviving, we picked Le Meridien hotel, where we had snakes and cobras staying in. They were using snake powder to bring them out; today, we have the American Embassy office inside Le Meridien hotels. That shows you how far we have gone in turning it around. We picked 110 petrol stations that we bought from people. We never built them; all the fuel stations are selling fuel today. We picked up VGC from the former HSC owners, it has been turned around today, and the hotel is there today running very well. The industry there where they produce chairs, today they are made by our factory. We picked this building from NDIC. All the area boys of Marina were living here before, but you can see how it looks now. We have been turning around corporations. One of the areas where we have respect among the youth is the ability to turn around companies. Let me tell you, some interesting companies, I don’t want to mention their names, had even been talking to us to see how we could rescue them in management plan. So, what is in Virgin Nigeria to turn around for us? I don’t see anybody expressing fears. Rather from the report I got yesterday, all flights were fully booked. Infact on Sunday, they were double booked. So, I want to thank Nigerians for the tremendous support that they are giving to us. They believe in our capacity above all. If it was when Virgin Nigeria was being run by Richard Branson, could you have an interview like this with him?

On the issue of Virgin brand and the controversy that trailed the use which reportedly cost the airline N1 billion annually for using the brand. This led to name change to Nigerian Eagle, what airline did you actually buy?
We bought Virgin Nigeria, there was nothing called Nigeria Eagle that we bought. Am I so stupid? I am a lawyer, common, give that to me. I am Harvard and University of Ife trained. Am I going to buy Nigeria Eagle, I bought Virgin Nigeria (brandishing a certified true copy of the certificate) and I got original shares certificate of Virgin Nigeria. So, I don’t know what Virgin is talking about. We are not paying any thing to anybody to have the Virgin brand. Is Virgin Nigeria a brand (general laughter of disapproval)? I don’t have issues with Virgin Nigeria. You know me critically, if I buy any foreign company, forget about brand or no brand, whatever the brand, I will change it to reflect Nigerian name. So that is me. Even if Virgin gives me its brand for free, I will not take it, I will still use my local name.

What plans do you have in place for repositioning this airline and its survival and workers future?
Thanks for your concern and we appreciate it. Don’t worry, we will survive. I don’t think there will be problem at all. I am aware that the airline is much on highly expensive. I know what it is; I have enough of experience to turn around the airline quickly. Normally, turn around takes two years and I implore all of you to join in the turn around, so that you can see things and educate yourself. In the case of Virgin Nigeria; from the diagnosis I have seen, may be in less than one year, we would have been through with the turn around.

Considering the sensitivity of aviation industry, why could you not  achieve your aim with NICON Airways rather than Virgin Nigeria ?
I am used to putting my head in trouble waters. Don’t worry about it. Let me correct one thing, NICON Airways is not the same thing as Virgin Nigeria because Virgin Nigeria has all the structures, has a lot of connectivity and a lot of things to build and they are far from each other. But nevertheless, we used to do unusual things to get an unusual results. When this house was put for sale, it was there for almost three years, nobody applied, but today, if I put it for sale, everybody will be here because it has been turned around. I appreciate your sympathy, you can be sure Virgin Nigeria will survive. Again, it is not about profit again, if you know that at this level, I go for something that is exciting. I have run close to about 16 companies. We have eight hotels, 210 petrol stations etc. What do you think I will be doing? The total debt I owe is just N2.4 billion, that is what is left over. What do you think I should be doing at my age if I don’t put my head in Virgin Nigeria? So, it is an exciting moment.

On workers’ future in the airline
If you are a fraudulent staff, you better start running. If you are not, enjoy yourself and expect your promotion. Let me tell you, its not all turn around that require people to be sacked. Le Meridien was turned around; we never sacked one single staff of Le Meridien. We are increasing the fleet, why are the workers afraid. If you sack them and increase your fleet, who are the people that will come and do the job? An aircraft must have a marginal number of people that will work with it. So, where will you get the people from? What you will do is to restructure them to training. Let me tell you, our turn-around is only limited. Virgin Nigeria is not technically sick, it is financially sick; so the turn around will be directed to finance.

Source: www.tribune.com.ng

Ebenezer Babatope and Chief Gabriel Igbinedion and others escape air crash

A former Transport Minister, Chief Ebenezer Babatope and Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, owner of the defunct Okada Airlines, were among passengers who narrowly escaped death, yesterday, as their Aerocontractors’ flight flew into a very bad weather on approach to land at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos.
Also on board the flight was Professor Olu Aina, who was said to be travelling to Ghana for an educational conference.

Vanguard gathered the plane, a Boeing 737, took off at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja, for Lagos at 7:30 a.m, and was expected to land at 8:30am, but could not.

The pilot of the aircraft was said to have made seven attempts to bring down the aircraft but was impeded by the bad weather.

A source told Vanguard that some passengers wept profusely as the pilot battled storming wind to land the aircraft.

The pilot was said to have called for emergency landing, prompting the activation of fire tenders at the airport to prepare for the worst.

According to the source, the pilot, after hovering for close to an hour in the skies, eventually made forced landing at 9:30 a.m.

Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Dr. Harold Demuren, could neither confirm nor deny the incident.

One of the passengers, Babatope, narrated his ordeal: “ What happened yesterday will shake anybody’s confidence about flying in this country. I have never seen that kind of thing in my life. The plane was parked full and everybody was crying and praying.”

“When we took off in Abuja, the pilot told us the flight would take 50 minutes and that the weather in Lagos was good. But as soon as we were descending to land the Lagos, the weather changed and the pilot made several attempts to land, but he couldn’t. For a 50-minute flight, I discovered we were two hours in the air, that was when the apprehensions of passengers started. Air planes are made to fly in bad weather, but what happened yesterday is better imagined.”

Besides human error, bad weather had been identified as the second most important cause of air crashes across the world.

The latest air crash in Russia which killed Polish President, Lech Kazhinsky, and his wife and scores of other senior government officials, was blamed on inclement weather.

The Tupolev plane reportedly crashed into trees while trying to land amidst bad weather.

Source: www.vanguardngr.com

pilot error cause of 2007 crash in Cameroon of a Kenya Airways flight

Pilot error was to blame for the 2007 crash in Cameroon of a Kenya Airways flight in which 114 people died, an official investigation has concluded.

A report says the Boeing 737 took off during a storm without clearance from air traffic control in Douala.
The pilot was given misleading instructions about how to stabilise the aircraft which then crashed upside down into a swamp, it says.

The Kenyan authorities said lessons had been learned and safety improved.

The investigation was carried out by the authorities in Cameroon in conjunction with Kenya Airways
At a press conference in Nairobi following the release of the report, Kenya Airways sought to cast doubt over the degree to which human error was to blame.

Virgin Nigeria Appoints Mr. Kinfa Fekadu, an Ethiopian, as the Chief Executive Officer.

By Chinedu Eze

The Nigeria Eagle Air-lines (formerly Virgin Nigeria Airways) has appointed an Ethiopian, Mr. Kinfa Fekadu, as the Chief Executive Officer of the major domestic carrier following the exit of Captain Dapo Olumide yesterday. The appointment takes immediate effect.

Also, the board of the airline, which was recently acquired by businessman, Jimoh Ibrahim, has approved the opening of a letter of credit for the purchase of two new aircraft.

In a statement made available to THISDAY by the airline, the new CEO, Fekadu, 47, was until his appointment the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Commercial Officer of the airline and has worked for over 22 years in the aviation industry.
Fekadu holds a BSc in Mechanical Engineering from Addis Ababa Univ-ersity and Masters of Technology (ITT) Mumbai and Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from Open University, United Kingdom.

Fekadu has attended various aviation-related operational and leadership trainings and conferences.
He was appointed Chief Operating Officer (COO) Ethiopian Airlines from October 12, 2009 and on January 14 2010 became the COO of Nigerian Eagle Airlines and also doubled as its Chief Commercial Officer.

Fekadu joined Ethiopian Airlines as college trainee on October 13, 1987 and served the airline under various capacities for the last 22 years.
Also appointed are two Executive Directors – Stephen Ojo, Executive Director, Accounts and Finance, and Tadafera, Executive Director, Trea-sury.

The board, the statement said, met in Lagos yesterday and asked Captain Olumide to hand over to Fekadu, noting that the former CEO was expected at the board meeting but did not show up and did not give any reason for his action.
The statement also said: “The Board also approved the opening of letter of credit (L/C) for the purchase of two new aircraft. The purchase will be financed by United Bank for Africa (UBA).”

It was announced at the weekend that Ibrahim acquired the airline which was mired in debts and was threatened with liquidation early last year before the Olumide-led management took over the company and sustained its operations.

Source: www.thisdayonline.com

Bird aircraft strike forces Dana Airline's Flight 9J 995 to return at Lagos airport

The damaged Dana Aircraft 9J 995 that suffered bird strike at the MMIA, Ikeja Lagos, yesterday.Photo by Lamidi Bamidele (Vanguard Newspapers)

By Chika Goodluck Ogazi

PANIC broke through the ranks of about 97 passengers aboard an Abuja-bound Dana Airline's Flight 9J 995 yesterday in Lagos as one of the aircraft's engines caught fire after being struck by a bird, forcing the pilots to make an emergency air return minutes after take-off.

It was learnt that the aircraft took off at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed Airport at about 9.20 a.m. and made the emergency landing at about 9.45 a.m.

A bird strike or Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard (BASH) is a collision between an airborne animal and a man-made vehicle, especially aircraft. The term is also used for bird deaths resulting from collisions with man-made structures such as power lines, towers and wind turbines.

When the aircraft finally landed at the airport apron, passengers were allowed to disembark to the arrival hall.

An eyewitness said the aircraft upon take off at 9.20 a.m. from Runway 18 Left combusted thrice, releasing fire and a tumultuous noise from the left engine.

However, since it had already taken off and had reached a point of no return, it completed the turn around process and landed 20 minutes later.

Some of the lucky passengers of the Dana Airline flight 9J 995 en-route Abuja from Lagos that suffered a bird strike shortly after take off but managed to make an emergency landing at MMIA, Lagos.

It was also gathered that the explosive noise from the aircraft alarmed residents of Mafoluku area in Oshodi, which is close to the airport, who ran out of their homes in a bid to avoid becoming casualties of any sort after they saw smoke billowing from the aircraft.

Some of the passengers who spoke with journalists, said they did not know what happened until the pilot informed them that they were returning to the airport.

One of the passengers, Victor Uzoechi, said: "We did not notice any thing, only that we were informed that we were coming back. The airline officials told us to move to their office, so I do not know what their next line of action will be".

Another passenger, Babatunde Adeleke, said the plane had taken off when the captain announced that the Mc Donnell Douglas 83 (MD-83) aircraft engine was hit by a bird and was going to return to base.

His words: "The captain, after take off, announced to us that there was a bird strike and that it affected one of the aircraft engines and that we were going back to the MMA. We landed and they called us to their counter, I don't know what they want to do".

Another passenger, Mrs. Ade Balogun, who was on the aircraft with her daughter, said: "We thank God! My daughter, well thank God but we are going again".

Mr. Elle Karam, who was also onboard, said he was glad to be back on solid ground again, disclosing that his wife told him not to travel yesterday morning.

Karam said he was not aware of what happened because he was drunk the night before and slept off once on board the aircraft.

Chief Executive Officer, Dana Air, Jacky Hathiramani, who confirmed the incident, said: "We would like to thank all the passengers on board the flight for their cooperation and understanding, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and all other airport authorities for their responsiveness and support".

He also confirmed that the flight suffered a bird strike en route Abuja shortly after take-off and that in line with the airline's safety and service policy, the captain made an emergency landing at the airport.

Hathiramani added: "All 97 passengers and crew disembarked from the aircraft safely and the aircraft was taken to the hanger. Most of the passengers were booked on alternative Dana Air flight to Abuja while a few who preferred a refund were given.

"Dana Air places a high premium on safety and we would always strive to deliver high quality air transport services to our esteemed guests".

Bird strikes are a significant threat to flight safety and have caused a number of accidents with human casualties. Major accidents involving civil aircraft are quite low and it has been estimated that there is only about one accident resulting in human death in one billion (109) flying hours.

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Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard (BASH): 97 air travellers escape Air Crash Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA)

The damaged Dana Aircraft 9J 995 that suffered bird strike at the MMIA, Ikeja Lagos

By Okechukwu Nnodim

Dana Airline flight 9J 995 en-route Abuja from Lagos that suffered a bird strike shortly after take off but managed to make an emergency landing at MMIA, Lagos yesterday.

Passengers on Dana Air's 9am Abuja bound flight from Lagos on Monday escaped a crash after one of the engines of their aircraft witnessed bird strikes some minutes after takeoff.

The aircraft which took off from the Murtala Mohammed Airport 2 (MMA2), Lagos with 97 passengers onboard, had to effect an emergency landing at the international wing of the airport when sparks resulting into smoke emanated from its affected engine.

"Some minutes after we took off from the airport, the captain announced that there was a bird strike and it has affected one of the engines," said Adeleke Babatunde, a passenger onboard the flight.

The situation, which made some residents of Mafoluku, a community close to the airport, run out of their houses in order to avoid casualties, was meticulously controlled by the aircraft pilot who landed the flight 9J 995 plane some minutes after the incident.

"We saw the plane shaking as large smoke came out of its engines and we had to run out for safety," said a resident who gave her name as Uchechi.

Commenting on the incident, Jacky Hathiramani, chief operating officer for Dana Air in a statement admitted that the aircraft suffered bird strike, adding that the captain had to make an emergency landing in line with the airline's safety and service policy.

"All 97 passengers and crew disembarked the aircraft safely, and the aircraft was taken to the hanger," he said. "Most of the passengers were booked on alternative Dana Air flights to Abuja while a few who preferred a refund were given." Mr. Hathiramani, however, thanked passengers onboard the aircraft for their cooperation, as well the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and all airport authorities for their responsiveness and support.

Bird strikes or Bird Aircraft Strike Hazards (BASH) are collisions between airborne animals and man-made vehicles or aircraft.

Source: http://www.234next.com/

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