Press Releases

Lagos, September 29, 2008

In preparation for commencement of operations, Dana Airlines Limited, Nigeria’s newest airline, is investing heavily in the training and re-training of its staff. This is in line with its mission of providing reliable, sustainable and high quality services to the travelling public.

According to Jacky Hathiramani, Chief Executive Officer of Dana Air, “We are committed to delivering the highest quality of service onboard our aircrafts and we are making huge investments in staff training in readiness for operations. To maintain quality at all level of operations, we have ensured that every cadre of staff is involved in continuous training and re-training programmes. I have also participated in a Boeing Airline Planning Workshop in Seattle recently.”

So far, ten pilots including one flight inspector from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) have completed a full fledged MD83 pilots training course in Miami, USA. This included ground school training, check rides and MD83 type ratings. The company has also recruited four fresh Nigerian First Officers who will proceed on the same MD83 Pilots training in a few days.

Six engineers, including one from NCAA, have completed a 3-week course on MD80 line maintenance at the Iberia training facility in Madrid, Spain, and seven station managers have been trained on dangerous goods handling and cargo handling procedures. Five flight dispatchers also attended a 3-week training course handled by instructors from the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria at the FAAN training school in Lagos.

A team of expert trainers from the UK have conducted an extensive training (initial and conversion course) for 25 cabin crew members while 21 ticketing and reservation officers were trained by a European Global Distribution System company on the latest ticketing and reservation software ready for roll-out.

It will be recalled that Dana Airlines took delivery of its second Boeing MD83 aircraft a few weeks ago, with two more aircrafts expected to join its fleet in November 2008 and another two in the first quarter of 2009. With the processing of its Airline Operator Certificate with the NCAA in its penultimate stages, Dana Air is set to take to the skies.

A subsidiary of Dana Group of Companies, Dana Air strives to be Nigeria’s first new world carrier, offering premium services at an affordable rate. It will provide passenger, cargo and charter services between capital cities and regional centres.