Nigerian airlines would require more and state-of-the-art aircraft to benefit from the Single Africa Air Transport Market (SAATM), which Nigeria signed into in December 2018 with some other African Governments.
Dr. Gabriel Olowo, the President, Aviation Round Table (ART), stated this over the weekend in an interview with our correspondent in Lagos.
Olowo also commended the Nigerian airlines for the recent investments in brand new aircraft acquisition, describing it as a step in the right direction.
Recalled that three Nigerian airlines; Overland Airways, Air Peace and Ibom Air had taken firm others for deliveries of brand new aircraft from manufacturers.
For instance, Air Peace, in 2019, placed an order for 30 brand new Embraer 195-E2 aircraft straight from the factory, in a deal worth $2.12 billion (about N1.06 trillion in today’s exchange rate), thereby becoming the first airline on the continent to operate the aircraft brand.
Already, four of the orders were delivered to the airline in 2021 with the last delivered in September, while additional nine are expected in 2022.
Also, Overland Airways at the recently concluded Dubai Airshow, ordered for six Embraer E175s, in a deal with $299.4 million (about N149.7billion).
The airline made a firm order for three new Embraer E175 regional jets, plus rights for the purchase of a further three.
The aircraft would be delivered with a premium class cabin configuration and 88-seats from 2023, the airline said.
At the same Airshow, the Akwa Ibom State airline, Ibom Air signed a firm order agreement for acquisition of 10 brand new Airbus A220s aircraft with the Airbus Manufacturing Company.
Information gathered showed that the Ibom Air deal is worth about $2.76 million (about N138 billion).
Olowo insisted that fleet renewal was a necessary and sufficient condition for safety and economics of discerning and futuristic airline operator.
Olowo further explained that the Nigerian market was capable of accommodating the new brands aircraft being acquired by the operators.
He said: “I visited Abuja lately, and while waiting at the lounge and viewing the airside, the myriads of aircraft tails humorously look to me like a trade fair, rather than airline parking lot. All the airlines put together is less than one.
“Easy Jet, Ryan Air, AmericanEagle are examples of small airlines and when you see the tails lined up, these are serious operators. Just imagine if all of 22 airlines are the same tail operating harmonised schedule.
“We definitely require more fleet for the growing domestic and regional operations, even before the resolution on SAATM. The growth is better imagined with advantages of SAATM and the increased confidence in the air as the best choice of travel due improved African safety record.
Olowo, however, said that the country’s airlines needed to re-strategise in order to remain in business.
For instanc, Olowo canvassed for interlining and code sharing among the operators, saying that this would reduce perishable seats among the carriers.
“Nigerian airlines are not in the least strategic with their disunited operations and organisations. Perishable seats are still daily being wasted due to absence of interlining, code share, delays and all benefits of collaboration like pool of spares, joint fuel pricing negotiation, insurance premium and others.
“Nigeria airlines continued existence can be best described as inclusion by substitution,” he said.
Source: independent.ng