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3rd left, Alhaji Muneer Bankole, MD/CEO, Medview airline, 2nd left, Mr. Isiaq Na’ Allah, Executive director, business development and representatives of Medview partners at a briefing on Monday in Lagos.
By Sade Williams
Medview airline management on Monday, announced that it has suspended its Dubai operations till March 24, 2018 when its aircraft, B767-300ER, returns from ‘complete refurbishment from the United Kingdom.
This is just as the airline says it is not indebted to the authorities at Gatwick, United Kingdom, saying it has recently paid over £1.45 million, adding that it has also acknowledged that it will pay another £34,000 paid for hotel accommodation for passengers, on behalf of the airline.
Speaking at a press conference at the airline’s office in Lagos, Alhaji Muneer Bankole, managing director of the airline, said the management has informed the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and its passengers, adding that ‘passengers who have booked with us will be flown to their destinations via interline arrangements’.
He noted further that the issue which led to passengers’ stranding recently has to do with the fact that a decision was suddenly taken by Menges, its handling company at Gatwick, adding that it was regrettable that they passed an information to the airline only on approach to London.
“While we want to put the past behind us, it is imperative to say that we have issues with our European partners over the aircraft we leased from them. From all indications, this aircraft has not be able to meet our requirements in providing the necessary capacity. The UK Civil Aviation Authority has been supportive of our efforts when it dawned on them that the issue has to do with aircraft.
“Consequently, we have taken some measures on our Lagos-London route, which will now be serviced by an alternative aircraft currently in operation, we will also maintain three weekly flights. We have shut down Dubai operations till March when our own aircraft B767-300ER christened ‘Abeke’, returns from complete refurbishment in the UK. Passengers who have booked with us will be flown to their destinations via interline arrangements.
“We will continue to maintain our Jeddah schedule every Thursday via Kano until the issue of Biometric, which is now a requirement, is resolved”, he said.
Bankole, who used to occasion to appreciate customers for their loyalty, revealed that the airline on its West Coast route, currently operates on Tuesdays and Saturdays to Anglophone countries and on Mondays and Fridays to Francophone countries.
