Competition heightens, as Nigerian airline returns to London

TWO years after it suspended it long haul operations, Air Nigeria which operated direct flights to London and Johannesburg under its former brand Virgin Nigeria, is set to resume direct flight services to Gatwick Airport in the United Kingdom.

The plan to service this route will, no doubt, engender competition between Arik and Air Nigeria.

But it would have a great benefit for travelers, who now have choices to make between the various airlines flying to London.

However, the disadvantage is that it would help to reduce the market share for Nigerian airlines, which are finding it difficult to compete with mega carriers like British Airways, Virgin Atlantic Airways, Air France-KLM, Lufthansa among other European airlines. It could lead also to over-capacity on the Nigerian route.

A Nigeria airline, which operates to London Heathrow once lamented that the airline incurs over a million dollars every month to the operation and with less than 100 passengers onboard the flight daily.

However, Air Nigeria, the country’s flag carrier, is set to deploy Airbus A340-300 series aircraft as from September for the daily service.

The Chief Executive Officer of the airline, Mr. Kinfe Kahssaye said the long-haul flight service is coming as the airline consolidates after the full implementation of its turn-around strategy in the last one year, adding that it has also completely reappraised its product offering on the international routes.

Kahssaye, while making the announcement in Lagos  yesterday, said Air Nigeria was delighted to announce the re-sumption of the daily flight operations to London, which he said would offer passengers seamless onward international connectivity as well as strengthen the existing socio-economic activities between both nations.

“The imminent return of the airline on the long haul routes is part of the positive outcome of the ongoing turn-around initiatives and commitment of the chairman of the airline, Chief Jimoh Ibrahim, towards building a world class airline in Nigeria and a demonstration of the confidence of the board of the airline to further invest in the airline by acquiring modern equipment to make it stand the test of time”, said Mr. Kahssaye.

He further noted that the board had approved the appointment of Captain Folayele Akinkuotu as the Director of International Operations to oversee the day-to-day administration of the international arm of the airline.

He is expected to work with a team that will deliver feasible plans for the take-off of the long haul flights.

He stated that Akinkuotu’s excellent leadership qualities and competence demonstrated in previous roles in the airline will be invaluable in the discharge of his mandate.