By Uche Mbah
As the country takes a toll on the negative effect of COVID 19 on the aviation industry, it has also to take into stock the fact that three domestic airlines were expected to have joined the growing number of airlines in the country, but were stalled by the COVID 19 pandemic.
Industry sources say three airlines were poised to enter the aviation space before the pandemic, with one of them –Green Africa – already having ordered 50 Airbus A220 aircraft to kickstart its fleet. This is an unprecedented feat for any domestic airline as a launching threshold. This is besides leasing three Airbus A220s from Irish-based lessor GTLK Europe, which will keep the airline going until the delivery of the A220 which is expected next year
The total cost was estimated at $4 billion-by far the largest single purchase by an African airline. Unconfirmed industry reports, however, said some prominent politicians ate behind the big deal.
The fleet is more than double that of Air peace, which currently stands as 23 aircraft.
Besides this, there are two other airlines that were expected to have brought in five aircraft into the industry, thereby making a total of 60 new aircraft to swell the number of aircraft in the domestic sky.
Currently, the total number of planes run by domestic airlines are put at about forty, excluding charter planes.
This will automatically boost the number of domestic flyers to about a hundred – which would have triggered a stiff competition and airfare crash. The number of air travelers in the country remains minimal due to the perceived prohibitive costs.
These airlines have already secured their air operating licenses. They are Green Africa Airways, United Nigeria Airlines, and Value Jet.
It is said that United Nigeria Airlines is owned by Obiorah Okonkwo, the chief executive officer of Abuja based The Dome Entertainment Limited. They are said to be involving Aerokeys for the training of United Nigeria Airline’s crew on Embraer 145 50-seater regional jet, which is the aircraft of choice. Now, after the COVID crisis, United is poised to begin flights soon.
It is expected to start with Enugu-Lagos- Abuja routes; then Lagos-Enugu-Abuja-Owerri –Benin-Asaba-Warri. Finally, Abuja-Lagos-Enugu-Asaba-Benin-Portharcourt-Warri.
Expectedly, the existing airlines are jittery over the new developments, even with the current distress due to COVID. Many of them are said to be calling for emergency strategy meetings, particularly those that are under the hammer by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON, like, Arik and, Aero Contractors.
