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shivendrashukla
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Joined: 21 Dec 2006
Posts: 1354
Location: Mumbai, India
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 Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 10:37 pm Post subject: Somalia experiences boom in air travel |
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| Quote: | (CNN) -- In Somalia, getting from point A to B can be a perilous business. Towns are remote, the roads that link them are poor and prone to attack, while the coastline is manned by pirates.
So why are so many airline operators eager to launch routes to Mogadishu?
Despite Somalia's many security woes, the aviation industry is experiencing an uptick. Mogadishu's Aden Abdulle International Airport -- which was essentially out of commission prior to 2010 following years of civil war, in-fighting and a reign of terror brought on by Al Qaeda -backed terrorist group Al Shabaab -- has been expanding.
"Before 2010, there wasn't really an airport, just a runway. Now, we have 35 flights a day. The airport is booming," says Sean Mendis, Aden Abdulle's station manager.
Security in the country is an on-going concern, though it has improved. Al Shabaab was forced out two years ago, allowing some local businesses to reopen and Aden Abdulle to beef up its security, which is currently under the purview of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), the Somalia Civil Aviation and Meteorology Authority, the Somali police and the Somali National Security Agency.
"The airport is very different from the town. There are 17,000 troops protecting it. We have four x-ray machines and several security checks passengers have to pass through before boarding a plane," explains Mendis.
These measures has given confidence to a range of carriers. Jubba Airways -- Somalia's unofficial national carrier -- has expanded its network and fleet considerably, and several neighboring outfits, like African Express and Fly540, have daily flights throughout the country.
Last month, Air Uganda started flying three times a week to Mogadishu, and last year, Turkish Airways became the first major commercial airline to service the Somali capital in over 20 years. Mendis envisions more international carriers, particularly some of the Middle East's heavy hitters, launching routes soon. |
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/08/21/world/africa/somalia-aviation-boom/index.html?hpt=ibu_c2
Good story
Cheers
Shivendra |
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sumantra
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Joined: 28 Oct 2007
Posts: 4685
Location: New Delhi
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| Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 10:54 pm Post subject: |
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Wow, this is `our' Sean Mendis (I forget his username...747-437B?) himself! What an amazing person...
Cheers, Sumantra. |
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sshank
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Joined: 16 May 2007
Posts: 377
Location: NYC
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| Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2013 9:00 pm Post subject: |
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| sumantra wrote: | Wow, this is `our' Sean Mendis (I forget his username...747-437B?) himself! What an amazing person...
Cheers, Sumantra. |
Yup its our Sean. He is quite a character. His trip reports and other travelogues from the days when he was running Africa World Airways are simply the stuff of legends. |
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abhijith16
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Joined: 14 Sep 2010
Posts: 1575
Location: DOH/IXE/MEL
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| Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2013 9:57 pm Post subject: |
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SEAN MENDIS! 
Man, he's alive 
_________________
<a><img></a> |
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sumantra
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Joined: 28 Oct 2007
Posts: 4685
Location: New Delhi
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| Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2013 10:53 pm Post subject: |
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| sshank wrote: | | His trip reports and other travelogues from the days when he was running Africa World Airways are simply the stuff of legends. |
...and unfortunately, it has been quite some time since he has written a trip report. The world of aviation literature is that much poorer by his silence.
Cheers, Sumantra. |
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The_Goat
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Joined: 03 Mar 2007
Posts: 3260
Location: South of France
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| Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2013 11:00 pm Post subject: |
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His airline in Ghana folded up, didn't it?
Crazy place, is Africa. Difficult to get anything working there.
and Somalia is about the worst it gets!
_________________
I don't know which is the more pampered bunch : AI's widebodies (the aunties) or Jet's widebodies (the planes).
-Jasepl |
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B747-437B
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Joined: 23 Aug 2011
Posts: 14
Location: Exile
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| Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2013 11:18 am Post subject: |
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| The_Goat wrote: | His airline in Ghana folded up, didn't it?
Crazy place, is Africa. Difficult to get anything working there.
and Somalia is about the worst it gets! |
My first airline (Ghana International Airlines) started up in 2005 and suspended operations in 2010. I resigned from there a week before it eventually ceased operations.
I then started work on Africa World Airlines, which was a private sector project. We developed the business plan from scratch, pitched it to investors, got a joint venture agreement with HNA Group/Hainan Airlines, raised ~$50m in capital commitments and eventually launched operations in 2012 with 2 ERJ-145s. I had the option of either staying on as COO or leaving with a nice bonus and I picked the latter.
After some months back home relaxing and writing a book (available at Amazon.com), I moved to Somalia earlier this year to take on the role of running Aden Abdulle International Airport. Still here for now, but hopefully moving to somewhere more civilised in the next few months! |
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The_Goat
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Joined: 03 Mar 2007
Posts: 3260
Location: South of France
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| Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2013 1:24 pm Post subject: |
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| B747-437B wrote: |
After some months back home relaxing and writing a book (available at Amazon.com), I moved to Somalia earlier this year to take on the role of running Aden Abdulle International Airport. Still here for now, but hopefully moving to somewhere more civilised in the next few months! |
Wow, that book is a must read.
Good luck to you, mate! Hope you find a better job in a more civilized place.
_________________
I don't know which is the more pampered bunch : AI's widebodies (the aunties) or Jet's widebodies (the planes).
-Jasepl |
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