Abuja Flight Diversion: Airline Suspends Dispatcher Amid Growing Controversy

The United Nigerian plane that touched down at Asaba International Airport on Sunday rather than Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja caused much dissatisfaction for the Flight Dispatchers Association of Nigeria (FLIDAN), which has suspended the flight dispatcher responsible for the aircraft.

Victoria Adegbe, the association’s secretary general, claims that the suspension of a member was unlawful since the flight dispatcher’s operational authority was disregarded by both the air traffic controller and the aircraft pilot.

In light of this, the organization requested an investigation by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) into United Nigeria Airlines’ operations control, alleging that the airline had taken it away from the flight dispatcher who was on duty.

A pilot must bring a copy of the flight plan, dispatch release, and load manifest to the destination airport, according to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulation (NCAR), which was broken, according to Adegbe.

“The Pilot and the ATC appear not to be following the filed instructions, which implied that they disregarded the Flight Dispatcher’s “Operational Control,” which gives the Flight Dispatcher a 50% Joint and Equal Responsibility for the flight’s safety,” the woman stated.The airline’s operational control, which gave a pilot the ability to create his own operational flight plan (OFP) and assume complete responsibility for the dispatch release, is blatantly illegal under NCAR Part 8 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations.

The NCAR also specifies that an airline pilot must bring a copy of the flight plan, dispatch release, and load manifest to the destination airport. This was further violated by the operations control of the airline. By inference, the pilot would have arrived at his destination correctly if he had carried the flight plan. The dispatch release, if it had been with him, summarizes the departure and destination, which was obviously ignored.

“A scheduled flight clearance should not have been given by the ATC to depart to a location that was not submitted by the Flight Dispatcher.

The airline suspended the flight dispatcher, who maintained his Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority license and performed his duties in accordance with the law, displaying a flagrant contempt for aviation law.

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“We request that the NCAA shine a light on the airline’s operations control, which has taken control of the flight dispatcher’s operations.”

Adegbe continued, saying that the weather folder provided by the dispatcher indicated that the weather in Abuja was fine, in contrast to the airline’s report, and that the tower had approved the pilot’s request to land in Asaba even though it did not follow the flight dispatcher’s legally submitted flight plan.

“The Flight Dispatcher filed a flight plan with the Aeronautical Information Service (AIS) and submitted it to the Control Tower in accordance with Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations, Part 8 – Operations.

“Leave Lagos. Final destination: Abuja Port Harcourt is the second alternative, and Enugu is the first. The flying time was 13:00. Take-off Time spent: 55 minutes Six hours of endurance

“The weather in Abuja was good, according to the weather folder. To get permission to leave for Asaba, the pilot called the Air Traffic Control Tower. In contrast to the Flight Dispatcher’s legitimate flight plan, the Tower approved the request, according to Adegbe.

Many people have criticized United Nigeria Airlines for using the excuse that “poor destination weather” caused the flight from Abuja to be diverted to Asaba, Delta State, when the aircraft could have easily landed in Kaduna, Minna, Niger State, or even Jos, Plateau State.

Recall that the NCAA was compelled by the development to release new operating instructions and summon operators of Wet Lease aircraft right away.

It appears that the debate surrounding the development has only just begun, with further discoveries expected to follow. FLIDAN has accused United Nigeria Airlines of using its member as a scapegoat and of lying about the “poor” weather in Abuja.