Air Nigeria Recommences London Flight Today

As the nation’s flag carrier, Air Nigeria, recommences its Lagos-London route, stakeholders in the aviation industry have said that the return of the airline to long haul route will reduce capital flight and crash fares hitherto high fares.

The stakeholders also advised the management to introduce packages that would attract passengers.

Speaking on the return of the airline to London, the Chief Executive Officer of Mishaviation, Capt. Ibrahim Mshelia, in an interview with National Mirror, said that Air Nigeria’s return to the long haul route was a welcome development.

Mshelia explained that the comeback would bring about airfare and passengers’ services competition to the route.

He added that it would enable the country to utilise most of its 21 frequencies in its Bilateral Air Services Agreement with the United Kingdom.

He also commended the management of the airline for deploying A330-200 aircraft to the route, saying that the equipment was right for the airline “at least for now till it grows the route.”

He said: “For Air Nigeria to return to London route is a welcome idea. I’m sure they have done their homework before they announced their return to the routes.

“These are some of the things we should encourage so that it can bring down the cost that foreign airlines are slamming on Nigerians. It will checkmate the cost and drag it down.

“You see, we have a Bilateral Air Service Agreement with the UK and we have 21 frequencies with them. Presently, Virgin Atlantic is operating seven while BA is operating 14 to the country through Lagos and Abuja. So, we have equal right to reciprocate.

“If the Federal Government had given Air Nigeria some of the frequencies, they are free to operate it.

“Remember Bellview Airline used to fly there too. Presently, we are under- utilising our frequencies. Arik is only doing seven out of Lagos and less than that out of Abuja. We still have quite a lot of it. It will be a welcome idea for them to return to the long haul route.”

Also, the Head, Zenith Travels and Tours, Mr. Olumide Ohunayo, described the return of the airline to Gatwick, London, as a good omen for the country.

He said the return came at a time when the Nigerian authorities were battling with the high airfares emanating from foreign carriers against the Nigerian passengers.

The Zenith Travels and Tours boss explained that the return to London route would definitely crash the exorbitant airfares and bring about intense passengers’ and fare competition from designated airlines to the route.

Ohunayo, however, advised the management of Air Nigeria to make good use of its membership of the International Air Transport Association, IATA, and its IOSA certificate by taking passengers beyond Gatwick Airport.

He noted that as a member of IATA, several foreign carriers would be willing to partner with it, thereby leading to increased patronage and profit.

On the usage of A330- 200 aircraft on the route, Ohunayo said: “It’s a beautiful aircraft, which is not too common to the Nigerian operators. This will definitely lead to more training of Nigerian technical personnel and improve their technical know-how.

“This is very good and I commend the management of the airline for this.”

Also, the Chairman of Aviation Round Table, Capt. Dele Ore, commended the return of the airline to the long haul route, but urged the airline’s management to devise a means of attracting more passengers to its flights.

Ore suggested that the only way passengers could fly with the airline was for the management to improve on the in-flight services for all categories of passengers.

He added that reduction in fare would also go a long way in improving the acceptability of the airline by the passengers.

The Aviation Round Table boss explained that with the return of the airline to London, passengers would have more options and assured that apart from flying to Gatwick, passengers on the route would still patronise it.

He said: “I believe those in Air Nigeria are professionals who know what they want and how to achieve their set goals.

“They have been on the familiar routes before and their return will not be a new thing to them, but they need the right type of aircraft to make impact on the routes. They have done it before; I believe they can do it again.”

Air Nigeria (then Virgin Nigeria) had on January 27, 2009 suspended all its long haul route operations due to what the management described then as “unprofitable operations, huge debts and misplaced priorities by the erstwhile management.”

But since the acquisition of the airline in April 2010 by Dr. Jimoh Ibrahim, OFR, the airline with two aircraft as at the time of acquisition has now increased its fleet to about 13 aircraft.

Dr. Ibrahim had in April 2010 announced the acquisition of Air Nigeria with a cost of $250m (about N37bn), under a debt buyover deal sealed with the United Bank for Africa Plc.

The amount represents Virgin Group’s indebtedness to the bank, which liability was taken over by the Jimoh Ibrahim-led organisation and barely 25 months after acquisition and after witnessing several turnarounds by the management and board of directors, the airline is returning to its former dominating routes