There are mounting concerns over allocation of foreign frequencies to local carriers rather than expanding their frequencies on the local routes.
The airlines that seek to expand their capacity into
international routes are Air Peace, United Nigeria and Ibom Air.
While Ibom Air expanded into Ghana, United Nigeria airline
targeted Houston Texas in the United States and Air Peace is currently
expanding into London, Saudi Arabia, China and other countries.
According to www.planespotters.net,
Air Peace airline has 31 operational aircraft in its fleet, United Nigeria and
Ibom Air have 4 and seven aircraft in their fleet respectively.
It was, however, gathered that Air Peace, with 31 aircraft
in its fleet has capacity and equipment to venture on international routes and
still maintain dominance in the local market but same cannot be said of United
Nigeria and Ibom Air with four and seven aircraft in their fleet respectively.
And currently, Nigerian airlines currently lack capacity to
provide on time boarding for their passengers while some northern part of the
country have remained underserved.
However, stakeholders expressed fear that amid yuletide and
challenges faced by airlines operators, venturing into international routes
when locally the industry still remains underserved may not be necessary.
Also, not at a time that the local airlines are grappling
under high interest rate, high operating cost and multiple charges in addition
to lack of understanding of the state of Nigeria’s local financial institutions
and, of course, forex challenges.
Highlighting challenges faced by airlines operators in the
aviation industry, the chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, said volatility of
the forex regime does not allow operators to plan adequately.
“The forex is not even constant, so you can’t even plan with
it. Your ticket sales are in naira and everything about aviation is in dollars.
So, at the end of the day, the volatility of the forex regime does not allow
you to plan adequately. You need to pity not just the airlines but anybody in
this industry. The one that is even very disturbing is the insurance
challenges.
“Like I said, Nigeria has been stigmatised, they will tell
you that Nigeria is unsafe, it is all lies. They do this deliberately in order
to make our premium go high. The premium a Nigerian airline pays to insure one
Boeing 737, the legacy airlines in the first world nation, will use the same
premium to insure three aircraft. So how do you compete in such an unfair
world? How do you compete? And this is deliberate; they will tell you it is
unsafe, meanwhile, they are here working,” Air Peace boss said.
But, despite the challenges, and fear expressed by
stakeholders, the chief executive officer, Centurion Aviation Security and
Safety Consult, Capt. John Ojikutu (rtd), said the local airlines irrespective
of their fleet can operate successfully on international routes.
He, however, advised the government to designate two of the
airlines as flag carriers and as well restrict foreign aircraft to either Abuja
or Lagos airports to allow the local airlines to grow.
“They can survive if they have the fleet capacity, crew
capabilities and meet the National Operating Regulations requirements for the
country of destinations. The only thing they need if they have the fleet
capacity and crew capabilities is for our government to designate just two
credible ones of them as flag carriers and restrict the foreign airlines to
either Lagos or Abuja not anymore to Lagos and Abuja and any other one in the
alternative geographical location to the airport of their first choice.
“They can, however, be making as many frequencies daily to
the airports of their choice. Government can also designates two of the
airlines with capacity as a Flag Carriers and they should be supported by the
government to begin flying to at least six airports which should include:
London Heathrow and Gatwick in Europe, U.S, UAE, Ethiopia, and any airport we
have Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) within the far East in other to
have access to China and the rest.
“FG should designate two airlines with capacity as flag
carriers and with the necessary support as would be given to a National Carrier
to the BASA routes. They can if they have the fleet capacity and crew
capabilities and meet the National Operating Regulations requirements for the
country of destinations.”
Also speaking, the general secretary, Aviation Round Table
Initiative (ARTI), Olumide Ohunayo, said there is a huge market for foreign
travels in Nigeria but the supply is very low, thereby, making foreign airlines
hike their fare because of absence of competition.
He, therefore, corroborated calls for support for local
airlines to succeed on international routes, saying airlines with capacity can
be designated flag carriers.
“The only way we can bring fare down on the international
routes is to allow our local airlines to participate. For instance, we are able
to get more KGs because Bellview airlines introduced it and it has stayed till
today.
“It’s only when that airline comes with a lesser fare that
the foreign airlines will bring down their price. Maybe, if we have Emirates
and Ethiad then the price will come down.
The one that will benefit Nigerians is that the Nigerian
operators should participate in international routes. It’s not their
responsibility alone, we must support them in whatever way the government can
do that. We don’t necessarily need to have a national carrier if an airline
expresses interest, finds out what their problems are and the government should
see how they can assist.
“Since there is an existing market, if they see support,
people will come in to invest and expand it and the local aviation sector will
thrive. However, what we have presently is lack of supply and not demand and
because the demand is available, the price is available,” he said