Barely four months after a disastrously plane crash that claims the lives of 153 people, the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has named Dana Air as the best domestic carrier for 2011.
According to FAAN’s Regional General Manager, Mr. Chris Bature, said
the airline is yet to commence flights since the crash but was awarded
the prize for its good customer relations and prompt payment of dues. The Federal Government seized Dana Air’s license following the air disaster, but restored the license 93 days after the crash.
Speaking at the occasion, Bature stated that the airline was selected
because of its outstanding performance and punctuality while Lufthansa
Airlines was also selected as the best international carrier for the
same period. He explained that “mode of selection includes passenger capacity,
frequency of the landing and take-off, their response to payment of
bills.” “Among the domestic carriers, they were the best. They had the best volume; they were punctual in their operations” he added.
Reacting to a question on the timing of the award which is coming
four months after the June 3 Dana Air crash, Mr Bature explained that
the award would have taken place earlier in the year and that the reward
came after the operator’s license had been restored. “In all fairness, they did their best and we need to recognize that and encourage them to get back to their feet,” he added.
Dana’s Station Manager at the Nnamdi Azikwe Airport in Abuja, Mr.
Kayode Adeniran, stated that the airline’s commitment to best customer
service and timely departure earned its the award. “We have this policy in our company that we must not delay
passengers, we have introduced another type of system. If your flight is
delayed by 40 minutes, we give refreshments to all passengers that
already had their boarding passes. So people will be impressed by our
service” he said. He however lamented the loss of lives by the crash, stressing that
the operator visited and commiserated with the families of the deceased.
To prevent such a recurrence, the station manager revealed that the
Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has embarked on series of
investigation to ascertain when the airline would be allowed to commence
operations following the lifting of the ban on the airline by the
federal government. He noted that the airline has commenced demonstration flights as
stipulated by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and
that the operation would run until NCAA certifies the carrier fit to
resume full operations.
The Dana Air crash on June 3, killed the entire 153 passengers and
crew members on board and a number of people as the plane crashed into a
densely populated area of Iju-Ishaga area of Lagos state. A number of
buildings were also destroyed by the crash.
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