Airline suspends dispatcher over Abuja flight diversion, raising additional controversy
The flight dispatcher who sent the United Nigerian aircraft that landed at Asaba International Airport on Sunday rather than Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja has been suspended, which has disappointed the Flight Dispatchers Association of Nigeria (FLIDAN).
The association’s secretary general, Victoria Adegbe, claims that the suspension of one of its members was unlawful since the pilot of the aircraft and the air traffic controller (ATC) disregarded the flight dispatcher’s operational authority.
As a result, the organization requested that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) look into United Nigeria Airlines’ operations control, claiming that the airline had taken it away from the on-duty flight dispatcher.
According to Adegbe, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulation (NCAR), which mandates that a pilot bring a copy of the flight plan, dispatch release, and load manifest to the destination airport, was broken by the airline’s operations control.
The pilot and the ATC, she claimed, “seem not to be following what was filed,” which implied that they ignored the flight dispatcher’s “operational control,” which gives them a 50% joint and equal responsibility for the flight’s safety.Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations, NCAR Part 8, are flagrantly violated by the airline’s operational control, which permitted a pilot to create his own Operational Flight Plan (OFP) and assume full responsibility for the Dispatch Release.
The NCAR, which mandates that an airline pilot bring a copy of the flight plan, dispatch release, and load manifest to the destination airport, was also broken by the Airlines’ Operations Control. It follows that if the pilot had carried the flight plan, he would have known exactly where he was going. The dispatch release, on the other hand, would have summarized the departure and destination, which was obviously overlooked.
“A scheduled flight clearance to depart to a destination that was not as filed by the Flight Dispatcher should not have been granted by the ATC.”
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“The flight dispatcher, who upheld the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority’s license and performed his duties in accordance with the law, was suspended by the airline in a flagrant violation of aviation law.
“We demand that the NCAA shine a spotlight on the airline’s operations control, which it has taken over from the flight dispatcher.”
Adegbe went on to say that, in contrast to the airline’s account, the weather folder provided by the dispatcher indicated that the weather in Abuja was fine, and the tower approved the pilot’s request to land in Asaba even though it did not follow the flight dispatcher’s legally submitted flight plan.
In accordance with Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations, Part 8 – Operations, the Flight Dispatcher filed a flight plan with the Aeronautical Information Service (AIS) and forwarded it to the Control Tower.
“Leave for Lagos. Location: Abuja Enugu is the first alternative, and Port Harcourt is the second. Flight time: 13:00 Takeoff 55 minutes in length 6 hours of endurance
“Abuja’s weather was good, according to the provided weather folder. The pilot requested permission to take off for Asaba by calling the Air Traffic Control Tower. Adegbe said, “The Tower authorized the request in opposition to the Flight Dispatcher’s legitimate flight plan.
According to reports, United Nigeria Airlines blamed “poor destination weather” for the diversion of the Abuja flight to Asaba, Delta State. However, many people disagreed, arguing that Asaba is far from Abuja and that the flight could have easily landed in nearby locations like Kaduna, Minna in Niger State, or even Jos, Plateau State.
Remember that this event also compelled the NCAA to establish new operating guidelines and summon operators of Wet Lease aircraft right away.
Given that FLIDAN has accused United Nigeria Airlines of lying about “poor” weather in Abuja and using its member as a scapegoat, it is clear that the drama surrounding this development has only recently begun.
