Friday, April 16, 2021
  • Markets & Companies
    • Stock Market
    • Companies
    • Appointments
    • Commodities
  • Business & Economy
    • Energy
    • Agricultural Economy
    • Insurance & Pensions
    • Aviation
    • Maritime
    • Road Transport
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Investment
    • Manufacturing
    • Consumer Goods
  • INNOVATION
  • EMPIRE
  • OPINION
  • CULTURAL CURRENTS
  • Features
  • AE Magazine
  • CORPORATE RENDEZVOUS
Financial Street is a meeting point for technology, economy, and journalism.
No Result
View All Result
  • Markets & Companies
    • Stock Market
    • Companies
    • Appointments
    • Commodities
  • Business & Economy
    • Energy
    • Agricultural Economy
    • Insurance & Pensions
    • Aviation
    • Maritime
    • Road Transport
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Investment
    • Manufacturing
    • Consumer Goods
  • INNOVATION
  • EMPIRE
  • OPINION
  • CULTURAL CURRENTS
  • Features
  • AE Magazine
  • CORPORATE RENDEZVOUS
Financial Street is a meeting point for technology, economy, and journalism.
No Result
View All Result

Nigeria’s imbalanced BASA exposed as local airliners clash with Emirates over multiple entry points

*Operators urges FG to up its games in aero-politics

John Chukwu by John Chukwu
August 17, 2019
in Uncategorized
0
Financial Street - Nigeria’s imbalanced BASA exposed as local airliners clash with Emirates over multiple entry points
0
SHARES
33
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on WhatsApp

Nigeria’s poor and imbalanced Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) has been exposed after the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) clashed with United Arab Emirate’s giant carrier, Emirates Airline over multiple entries granted the foreign airline by the Nigerian government as pilgrimage travels pick up.

The AON said the Federal Government had granted Emirates additional flights into Abuja peaking the airline’s frequency up at four flights daily, against Nigeria’s airline, Air Peace, which was granted fewer number of flights on the same route, Abuja to Dubai for Hajj operation.

READ ALSO

Nigerian stock market sheds 0.17% on renewed bearish activity 

Gombe seals offices of rent defaulters

According to the AON, this approval is coming at a time when Nigerian Carrier, Air Peace, begun flights to Sharjah in the UAE operated with 100 per cent Nigerian pilots, cabin crew, engineers and dispatchers noting that the move sadly places the indigenous carrier at a competitive disadvantage, and robs the Nigerian economy, as well as heralds huge capital flight.

Read Also:

  • Curbing price gouging in Nigeria's free market
    Curbing price gouging in Nigeria's free market
  • Executive Order 007 indispensable for road infrastructure development - Shonubi
    Executive Order 007 indispensable for road…
  • Food prices in Nigeria and need to halt herders/farmers' conflicts
    Food prices in Nigeria and need to halt…

Emirates Airline has, however, denied that it was granted additional privileges, insisting it only increased its frequency to meet up with lifting the large number of pilgrims on the mission to Mecca.

At the launch of Air Peace flights to UAE, AON appealed to the federal government to stand tall in aero politics to support Air Peace, otherwise it will end up the same way as others such as Bellview, Arik Air and Medview that went before it as they were unable to play in the wild and aggressive field of international aero politics.

“The additional double daily flights given to Emirates, a highly subsidised airline is not necessary at this time as statistics show that half of the flights out of Abuja are half empty and the fact that the Emirati airlines already have an unfair trade advantage of 150 flights monthly out of Nigeria; as against 12 monthly flights for Nigerian airlines that should have been allowed to stabilize and grow its operations into the UAE to a level where the airline can compete favourably on the route.

“We would therefore like to use this medium to call on the government to review all existing BASAs to re-address the unfair trade advantage given to foreign airlines against Nigerian airlines,” said Capt. Nogie Meggison, AON Chairman.

“This will go a long way to safeguard the Nigerian economy from continued plundering of our resources, preserve the lively hood of workers in the aviation sector, create jobs for our many unemployed youths, promote technology transfer, and significantly reduce capital flight in line with the vision of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration,” Meggison noted.

Emirates according to the AON as of today, operates two daily flights out of Lagos and two daily flights out of Abuja. Etihad, from the same country, also operates daily flights out of Lagos as well.

This translates to five flights daily and a total of 150 flights per month from UAE against a Nigerian carrier that only just started operating three flights weekly (12 flights monthly into UAE).

“This is a colossal plundering of the Nigerian economy through capital flight and a huge loss of Nigerian jobs,” the AON boss lamented.

Financial Street - Nigeria’s imbalanced BASA exposed as local airliners clash with Emirates over multiple entry points

We didn’t increase scheduled flights from Nigeria — Emirates
Meanwhile, Emirates has denied that it increased scheduled flight services to Abuja or Lagos.

Making its clarification in another statement by the airline, the management of Emirates denied AON’s position, saying, “We only operated extra flights to Abuja and Lagos for a very limited period, for the sole purpose of serving Nigerian pilgrims traveling to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for Hajj.”

In a statement, the airline added, “Some detractors like to claim that Emirates receives government subsidies and therefore represents unfair competition, but these allegations are patently false, and we have repeatedly debunked these myths over the years.”

Financial Street - Nigeria’s imbalanced BASA exposed as local airliners clash with Emirates over multiple entry point
Gbenga Olowo, President of the Aviation Roundtable

Nigerian govt must wake up — Aviation investor
Reacting to the development, Gbenga Olowo, President of the Aviation Roundtable advised the federal government to start influencing things around the nation’s airlines’ international operations.

Olowo also called for a solid policy thrust, stable regulatory framework, stable political environment to ensure the aviation sub sector is strengthened.

He said, “Well, aero-politics is politics, and if you look at the grammar of politics, the grammar of politics basically address the area of influence which is very important in politics. Our people in government especially the ministry of aviation, and the civil aviation authority must be able to influence a lot of things with our carriers. When our carriers approach them, they must not see them as a disruption.

“For instance, if we give birth to a national carrier tomorrow, and the ministry or the CAA do not follow the objective to the letter, and they just say you are designated to China or to London without influencing the way things happen at the other end with government influence, that airline won’t survive.”

Olowo who is also CEO, Sabre, a global distribution system (GDS) urged the federal government to exert power to protect local airlines that now operate to other countries.

“We heard during the conference the slot that Nigeria Airways was using, how Arik couldn’t get it on time. Arik as a carrier is a player coming to compete with their own carrier, so there will be unseen resistance, despite what you call anti-competitive rule. But the influence of our government is vital.

“Both power and authority we should not throw it away in politics. What is power? When ADC was grounded in London our former president Abacha grounded British Airways here, that is power and authority. So, basically politics is politics and the elements of politics we must look at it even in business,” he stressed.

close
Subscribe to our newsletter and join thousands of readers of our financial, economic & investments news blog!
We don't spam with your email

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn

Get real time update about this post categories directly on your device, subscribe now.

Unsubscribe
John Chukwu

John Chukwu

Related Posts

Nigerian stock market sheds 0.17% on renewed bearish activity 
Stock Market

Nigerian stock market sheds 0.17% on renewed bearish activity 

April 15, 2021
Gombe seals offices of rent defaulters
EMPIRE

Gombe seals offices of rent defaulters

April 15, 2021
Navy receives new offshore survey vessel
Maritime

Navy receives new offshore survey vessel

April 15, 2021
Financial Street - TUC kicks against planned electricity tariff hike
Energy

Nigerian govt apologises over power outage

April 15, 2021
Amref establishes commission to review Africa's universal health coverage
Front Page

IFC seals $300m deal for Africa’s health sector

April 15, 2021
Kenya's economy to grow by 6.4 per cent
Special features

Africa’s economy snails behind galloping others

April 15, 2021
Next Post
Financial Street - SMEs as key driver to economic growth in an emerging market

SMEs as key driver to economic growth in an emerging market

RECENT STORIES

Nigerian stock market sheds 0.17% on renewed bearish activity 

Nigerian stock market sheds 0.17% on renewed bearish activity 

April 15, 2021
Gombe seals offices of rent defaulters

Gombe seals offices of rent defaulters

April 15, 2021
Navy receives new offshore survey vessel

Navy receives new offshore survey vessel

April 15, 2021
Financial Street - TUC kicks against planned electricity tariff hike

Nigerian govt apologises over power outage

April 15, 2021
Amref establishes commission to review Africa's universal health coverage

IFC seals $300m deal for Africa’s health sector

April 15, 2021
Kenya's economy to grow by 6.4 per cent

Africa’s economy snails behind galloping others

April 15, 2021
renewable energy

Facebook signs renewable energy deal in India

April 15, 2021

TRENDING

  • Adesegun Banjoko, President-elect, National Association of Block Moulders of Nigeria

    Blame govt for high cement price – Banjoko

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Professionals need strategy to survive in job market – Funmi Bajulaiye

    2 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Urban renewal not just about road construction, rehabilitation – Ezutah

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Taking off hassles of car ownership

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Jury happy as SuperSport clinch W’Cup broadcast rights

    2 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Financial Street is a meeting point for technology, economy, and journalism.

© Financial Street 2020. All Rights Reserved.

More Links

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact Us

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Markets & Companies
    • Stock Market
    • Companies
    • Appointments
    • Commodities
  • Business & Economy
    • Energy
    • Agricultural Economy
    • Insurance & Pensions
    • Aviation
    • Maritime
    • Road Transport
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Investment
    • Manufacturing
    • Consumer Goods
  • INNOVATION
  • EMPIRE
  • OPINION
  • CULTURAL CURRENTS
  • Features
  • AE Magazine
  • CORPORATE RENDEZVOUS