Nigeria demands airlines install AFIRS within six months

Airlines operating in Nigeria have been given a six-month deadline to install safe monitoring device in their aircraft, Automated Flight Information Reporting System (AFIRS) or face sanctions. The directive was issued by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), which estimated it will cost airlines around $60,000 (over N9 million) to install the equipment and urged airlines to demand on it being installed by the manufacturer. The International Safety Programme Director at Airbus, Marc Ballion, said that AFIRS would automatically be fixed on all its aircraft from 2015.