Exodus of Foreign Aviation Companies from Nigeria a Blessing - Aviation Chief

A former President of the Aviation Round Table (ART), Capt. Dele Ore, on Wednesday said the reduction of flight operations in Nigeria by some foreign airlines was a blessing in disguise.

Ore, who made the assertion in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, urged indigenous airlines to take advantage of the move to secure a greater share of the market.

NAN reports that two foreign airlines, Emirates Airlines and Kenya Airways recently announced the suspension of their flights to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

While Emirates Airlines said it would stop the flights to Abuja effective Oct. 22, Kenya Airways said its flights to the nation’s capital would be suspended from Nov. 15.

Both airlines had attributed their decisions to the economic downturn in the country, foreign exchange scarcity and the shrinking passenger traffic on international routes.

However, Ore said the restriction on foreign exchange by the Federal Government had exposed the antics of some foreign airlines in the country.

He said: “How many Nigerians are employed by them? It’s all capital flight. If the government didn’t do that, we will not know how much money is leaving our economy but now it is obvious.

“The ones who feel that because they cannot repatriate their funds are free to go back to their countries.

“This is what will encourage the Nigerian government to support indigenous airlines’’.

Ore also called for the review of the Bi-lateral Air Service Agreement (BASAs) entered by Nigeria with some countries which had been having a negative effect on domestic airlines.

“Today, we have no share of the market. Foreign carriers have 97 per cent of the passenger traffic in this country, while Nigerian carriers have only three per cent.

“So, it is difficult for Nigerian airlines to survive except government reviews some of its policies, especially the BASAs which allows for multiple entries for foreign airlines.

“In the past, foreign carriers were only allowed one entry into the country which helped to strengthen the operations of domestic airlines.

“But now, a foreign airline is allowed to go to Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Kano and Port Harcourt with 21 frequencies and modern aircraft, so, it is difficult for Nigerian carriers to compete.

“For them to do that, they will require nothing less than 50 modern aircraft, so the policy from government must change first and foremost,’’ he said. 

[NAN]