BusinessDay 21 Aug 2018

Tuesday 21 August 2018
C002D5556
BUSINESS DAY
A7
AVIATION
GUIDE
in association with
The untold story of Dana air
Ifeoma Okeke
The air transport narrative
in Nigeria over the years
has assumed different dimensions.
Resultantly, it is becoming
difficult to pass a verdict without
looking at the twists and turns operators
continue to navigate around in the
last few decades.
But, Nigeria’s aviation industry
trajectory has been replete with challenges;
albeit culminating in the bust
and boom circles of many domestic
carriers.
However, a litany of operational
and safety challenges continue to alter
the stakes, with Nigeria contributing
significantly to Africa’ s poor safety
record.
Verdict: Many aircraft fell off the
skies between 2005, 2006 , including
DANA Air’s 2012 air crash in Iju Ishaga
area of Lagos.
But, global coalition in stepping
up regulation; enhanced safety management
system and other measures
being put in place has change the
narrative.
Apparently trying to get its act right
following the loss of its aircraft in the
crash the airline has since deployed
appropriate strategies to get on the
turf again.
The airline like the seam proverbial
Phoenix has not only risen from the
dead but is recognised as one of the
four top competitive domestic airlines
in Nigeria. It still thrives to fulfil its mission
to consolidate its operations, despite
the backlash of the 2012 air crash.
Airlines such as Nigeria Airways,
ADC airline, Bellview Airline, Sossoliso
Airlines and EAS which had also fallen
from the skies claiming the lives of
hundreds of people, never lived to tell
the story.
The question resonate is: What is
Dana Air’s winning streak?
To players both at home and
abroad the lingering question lingers:
What exactly did Dana Air do differently
to get back its market share?
It’s only apt to situate the Dana
Air’s narrative as: ‘Experience is the
best teacher.’
Having flown over 2.7 million
passengers in the last nine years of its
operation in addition to receiving multiple
awards for aviation excellence
and corporate social responsibility,
ducted by the Nigerian Civil Aviation
Authority and its foreign partners – The
Flight Safety Group, and is determined
to reinforce our strategic route network
within and beyond Nigeria.
Special Services Unit/Pilot training
Dana Air in furtherance of its
much-vaunted customer- centric
products, recently launched a Special
Services Unit attend to passengers
with special needs, urgent complaints,
update passengers on current promos
and benefits of Dana Miles at the airports
in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt,
Uyo and Owerri.
On the newly – introduced Special
Services Unit, Obi said the airline introduced
the Special Services Unit to
further deepen customer service, offer
multiple issue-solving options and
provide seamless travel experience for
our teeming guests.’’
Following industry counsel by
AIB on the need to train its pilots and
crew regularly, Dana Air has swung
into action in recruiting and training
more Nigerian Pilots in Johannesburg,
South Africa and Madrid –Spain, as
part efforts towards contributing to
the growth and development of the
Nigerian aviation industry.
According to Mbanuzuo, “Dana
Air is committed to the growth and
development of the Nigerian aviation
industry. As at 2015, more than 500
Nigerian pilots were unemployed but
with our recruitment and frequent
training both locally and abroad since
2015, we have been able to reduce the
number, by engaging these pilots and
paying for their training in South Africa
and Spain.
“We will continue to encourage
Dana Air was also unveiled as one of
Nigeria’s 100 Most Respected Companies
by Business Day Newspaper’s
Research Unit. The airline is reputed
for its innovative online products,
world-class in-flight service and unrivalled
on time performance.
Over the years, the airline has
gained the confidence of passengers
in its unrivaled and unmatched on
time departure in addition to payment
of insurance claims to relatives of
members that lost beloved members
in the crash in Lagos.
IOSA Certification
The airline is definitely not taking
safety for granted as it passed its
International Operations Safety Audit
(IOSA) and was admitted into the association’s
global safety registry.
This is as the airline is currently the
newest member of the International
Air Transport Association (IATA).
Obi Mbanuzuo, the Accountable
Manager of Dana Air, while responding
to the airline’s recent achievement
said,’’ becoming a member of IATA is
a significant milestone for us at Dana
Air and this only demonstrates our
level of professionalism and commitment
to operational efficiency in
terms of providing our guests with
safe, seamless and world-class air
transport service in Nigeria.
“Apart from the fact that this membership
will further strengthen our
relationship with other international
airlines, we see it as an opportunity
to take our amazing products to the
global stage through interline and
code-share agreements.’’
NCAA audit
Dana Air was the first airline to
undergo an operational audit conprofessionalism
in the industry and
support our Nigerian Pilots to ensure
constant growth and development in
the industry.’’
Top 50 brands in 2017
In furtherance of its innovation,
CSR, popularity, National spread and
online engagement, Dana Air made
the list of top 50 brands 2017 for the
third time consecutively, at the Brands
Nigeria Leadership Forum held recently
at Oriental Hotels, Lagos.
According to Taiwo Oluboyede, the
CEO of Top 50 Brands Nigeria, Nigeria
is becoming more attractive to investors
across the world in spite of our
many challenges.
He said :” More people are coming
to invest and there is need to provide
information about corporate Nigeria.
The Brands that have made it today are
home-grown brands that have shown
resilience, contributed to the economy
of Nigeria, have good national spread,
innovative and have good online engagement
and popularity.’’
Kingsley Ezenwa, the Communications
Manager of Dana Air, while
responding to the unveiling of Dana
Air and Dana Group as one of Nigeria’s
Top 50 brands for the 3rd time consecutively
said, “we are highly honored
to have been listed among the top 50
brands in Nigeria. We are a responsible
corporate citizen and giving back to the
society, contributing positively to the
economy of the country, and churning
quality products are the ways we have
shown commitment to the Nigerian
dream. Our investment across Nigeria
and in various sectors of the economy,
speaks volume of our commitment to
continue to provide jobs for our people
and assist the government to achieve
a positive growth trajectory in the
economy.’
“We are nine years plus in the
aviation industry and we have shown
massive resilience in spite of the
multiple challenges, providing value
added services at all times and our
guests should expect an all-round
improvement in 2018.’’
On the sampling of drinks on its
flights, Ezenwa said, Dana Air is always
open to giving more to its guests
and partnering Ideas House to sample
a new brand of soft drink on our flights
is just another way of achieving this.’’
Official airline of Akwa Ibom
christmas carols festival
The airline was also announced as
the Official Airline of one of the biggest
festivals in the world- The Akwa Ibom
Christmas Carols Festival, which held
on 22nd of December, 2017 at the Uyo
Township Stadium, Akwa Ibom state.
Aniekpeno Mkpanang, the Permanent
Secretary, Akwa Ibom State
Ministry of Culture and Tourism and
Coordinator of the Festival, said: ‘The
Akwa Ibom Christmas Carols Festival
is one of the biggest and well-attended
Festivals in the world and we are
expecting over 20,000 artistes and
visitors to fly in from other parts of the
country, Africa and the world, hence
the need to join ranks and partner
with one of the most consistent Airlines
in Nigeria right now to ensure a
hitch-free, hassle free, seamless, and
on-time travel for all our guests and
visitors.’’
Other CSR activities
Dana Air has been supporting
worthy causes since inception in 2018.
The airline has consistently carried
out charity collection on board
to support sickle cell patients, and
has entered partnership relevant to
carry out voluntary blood donation
to those in need, and carrying out
community development initiatives
across the country.
Dana Air has also supported the
ravaged cities and displaced person
in the north with household materials
and food stuffs.
The airline has been supporting
various non-governmental Organisations
(NGOs), particularly the Children
Living with cancer foundation,
EMAC cancer walk, Project pink Blue
and many more for over 6 years now.
Dana Air has been supporting their
awareness initiatives, victims and free
screening initiatives to date.