It resumed operations on January 4 on the Lagos-Abuja route. But business has not returned to the pre-June 3 crash days. The airline now flies about 40,000 passengers monthly as opposed to the over 100,000 passengers it was flying before the crash.
It began with two daily flights between Lagos and Abuja, which it has now increased to 12 daily flights on the same route.
A few months after the consolidation of the Lagos-Abuja route, the airline began flights on the Lagos-Port-Harcourt route, which started as a daily flight, but has now increased to two daily flights. In all, Dana operates 16 daily flights on the Lagos-Abuja-Port-Harcourt routes.
But its flights to Uyo, Kano and Enugu airports are yet to take off.
The airline claims it will soon resume flights on these routes, as “passengers from those cities have been putting pressure on the airline to resume operations on the routes”.
With its flexible fare offering, DANA Air has been providing cheaper fares on the routes it flies since it resumed operations.
As a way of shoring up its business, Dana has introduced the ‘Roving Agent’, a mobile device which allows passengers to be checked-in on arrival at the airport by its mobile check-in staff.
The mobile check-in agents can issue boarding passes to guests even before they reach the check-in counter. They are strapped with tablet PCs and mini printers. This new initiative complements the airline’s existing check-in counters and online check-in service.
Dana Air’s Head of Commercial Obi Mbanuzuo said: “What we are offering in roving agents is immense value addition for our guests. With this solution, our mobile check-in agents can quickly access and verify the travel reservation details of guests; book them on their choice of seat and generate boarding passes.
“Now guests with hand baggage need not wait at the check-in counter to collect their boarding pass; they can simply approach any of our easily recognisable mobile check-in agents on arrival at the airport and then proceed through airport security to the boarding gate.”
It has also introduced the book-on-hold option, which gives the convenience of booking tickets and paying later at designated bank branches across the country as well as using interswitch enabled Automated Teller Machines (ATMs).
Mbanuzuo described the introduction of the book-on- hold option as “a good step forward in our effort to make the process of booking travel more accessible to guests throughout Nigeria.”
Passengers can access the option by making reservation either online or by phone, after which they will take their booking reference number to any of the designated banks or interswitch enabled ATMs to make payments not later than 48 hours to confirm the booking.
The airline’s spokesman, Mr. Tony Usidamen, said it would acquire two Boeing 737-300 aircraft. He said the choice of Boeing 737-300 was considered for economic reason, saying it is cheaper to fly and fuel efficient, as opposed to older and fuel consuming aircraft.
The new aircraft, he said, would be delivered in the third quarter of the year.
The airline has also been busy sorting out the ‘mess’ of the crash.
Usidamen said the airline was gradually recovering from the effects of the crash, following its plan to settle the insurance claims of families of those killed in the crash.
He said the airline was fully insured, challenging industry watchers to cross check its premium claims with the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM).
Usidamen said 65 families sued the airline, adding that payment of compensation to such families’ representatives had been put on hold until all the legal issues are sorted out.
He said: “So, from the point of view of the airline, it has done what is considered responsible, especially at the time of the accident by ensuring that all those who lost their abode got a place of their own immediately.
“Naturally, when an accident occurs, once an airline is fully insured and premiums are paid up to date, the onus is on the insurer to ensure the payment of compensation. The process is ongoing with all the victims’ representatives, both onboard and ground.
“Negotiations are ongoing with all persons who submitted their claim forms. The claim forms are sent to the insurers who will send valuers to assess the extent of the loss in the affected area. Based on this, negotiation begins between the insurers’ and victims’ representatives.
“Negotiations are ongoing between the legal representatives of both the insurers and the victims. Both parties, as a matter of necessity must reach an agreement. That process is ongoing; it is not in the hands of the airline. The insurers are sparing no effort in ensuring that an agreement is reached and all the people who lost properties are fully compensated to the extent of the losses incurred.
“Delay in completion of the payment process is due to incomplete documentation, multiple claim cases, challenge in securing grant of probate/letter of guardianship (in the case of minors) and legal suits. Our insurers are, however, sparing no efforts in processing all claims in accordance with the applicable law.
“We are giving the support we can to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA); we are doing the best we can because we, as an airline, would like to see the process completed soon. The money to pay is there; it can be confirmed from the NAICOM, but certain requirements have to be met with regard to the payment of the balance of $70, 000 to each beneficiary.”
Usidamen said 11 families had received full compensation of $100,000 while 21 more, whose grant of probate had been processed, would soon get full payment.
He added that as at May 24, 125 beneficiaries’ families who completed claim forms had received the initial $30,000 compensation following legal verification of documentation and next-of-kin status while eight families were yet to submit any document.
“May be they are observing the one-year mourning period; maybe they are not interested because they feel the money means nothing to them,” he added.
The main ground victim, Pastor Daniel Omowunmi, whose warehouse the plane crashed into, said he has been frustrated. He said but for the $30, 000 his lawyers demanded in lieu of accommodation about three months ago, Dana has not done anything.
He said: “The last time I besieged their office, they called the police and when we went to the police station, they claimed they knew nothing about my N500 million claims. They also claimed they were not aware that I have been given $30, 000. I was the one who told the Area Commander that they have given me the money, which was demanded by my lawyer for accommodation.
“Till today, they have kept promising to make an offer but have done nothing. If they are claiming they have given me advance payment, what then is the sum they have agreed on? We are still waiting on them and it appears they want to frustrate people to go to court so that the issue will keep dragging.”
On the construction of cenotaph on his land by the state government, Omowunmi said he was contacted by the government and they promised to relocate him before using his land.
He added: “The government promised to sort me out before construction on the land but till date, nothing has been done. I reached out to the Ministry of Lands to make enquiry and they told me they were on it. I have the Certificate of Occupancy and other relevant documents on my property. So, I want to believe the government is not planning to take my land by force.”
Mr. Olatunji Lawal, who claims to have lost his sight to the disaster, said he has not been able to do any business in the past one year. He said all efforts to make Dana Air understand the suffering he is going through has yielded no result.
Lawal said: “ The post-traumatic stress we experience cannot be overemphasized because emotionally, psychologically and otherwise, I cannot say I have been okay.
“I cannot even go about my businesses the way I used to because the crash affected my sight. The whole thing has restricted me to a particular place.
“As you are standing before me now, I cannot see you. Well, before this incident, I had eye challenges but I could see with my glasses and I used to go about my business. But the day the plane crashed, I was sleeping inside my house. It was the thunderous landing of the plane that woke me up. Before I woke up, my apartment has been engulfed with smoke.
“So, the gaseous emission from the aircraft entered my nostrils and eyes. For some weeks, I could not open my eyes because they were paining me. So, I went to the hospital and complained and they told me they will run a check.
“At a point, they said the machine to run the check was not functioning.
I even told the Dana people that this is what I am going through but they did not care.
“Dana refused to compensate us. They refused to come to our aid. Our lawyer, Gbenga Eguntola has written several letters to Dana. He even had a meeting recently with us here. He has been trying his best and we are hoping that something good will come out eventually.
“Of the ten cheques they brought while we were still in the camp, only two of us (Pastor Omowunmi and I) rejected the offer. I was given a cheque of N100, 000 for accommodation and I wondered where in Lagos I will secure an accommodation for N100, 000.”
Another victim, Olakunle Olanipekun, said it appears the government has connived with Dana to neglect them.
He said: “If the unfortunate disaster that happened last year had occurred in India, will the Indian government fold its arms and watch? Does Dana Air not have a responsibility towards us? The whole thing is beginning to make us wonder if our governments have not conspired with Dana against us.
“Most people have left this neighbourhood but some of us who cannot afford accommodation outside are still here. I am begging the government, Federal, State and Local Government not to lead us to temptation.”
Alhaja Ramatalai Akinwusi, whose fence and toilet were damaged by the crash, said she repaired her properties herself when Dana was not forthcoming.
“When Dana came here, they promised to come and repair my fence, toilet and one room that were destroyed by the crash, but after that day, I did not see anybody.
“So, I had to use my money to repair them since I do not have any one to help me. After I had repaired the damages, government people came and gave me notice to quit that they wanted to demolish my house to add the land as part of the cenotaph.
“The information made me sick and I was hospitalised for three days. In April, the road construction people also brought another notice through one lawyer Giwa that they wanted to demolish my house and acquire the land; I still told them I have no husband, no help and nowhere to go. That I won’t allow them demolish my house unless they have a new place for me.
“So, they finally pulled down part of my fence and a shop attached to it.”
Mrs. Grace Adekunle said she used her feeding allowance, which her children gave her, to repair the damaged roof in her main building. She said she has not seen anyone, “no government, no Dana”.
Her boys quarter, which was damaged in the crash, The Nation observed, has not been repaired till date.
She said: “Although it is one year, I am still in shock over the accident. Each time that I wake up and remember how busy our street used to be and that the empty land beside me used to be a very big compound, I shiver. But I thank God for everything.” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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