THE Chief Operating Officer, Ibom Air, George Uriesi, has decried the aviation system in Nigeria, saying it was designed to frustrate airlines.
Uresi made the statement in the paper he presented today on runways utilisation at the 26th annual conference of the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC).
The Ibom Air COO said airlines in Nigeria were operating in an environment that was limiting their productivity.
He said, “You are operating within a systematic limiting environment that makes it harder to be as productive as your colleagues in Europe, Asia and so on, who fly their class C aeroplanes (737s and A320s).
“At the end of the day, the system is set up to threaten the survivability of airlines in Nigeria. There is no way to it. You will buy aeroplanes more expensive, and pay expensive insurance costs. You will continue to sell naira and maintain your aeroplane in dollars. On top of it, when it’s harmattan you can’t fly the aeroplane.”
According to Uriesi in his paper, ‘Maximising Runway Utilisation: A Nigerian Airline Perspective,’ the country’s carriers were losing an average of N4 million per flight, N12 million in every flight, N360 million in 90 flights and N4.3 billion annually on every flight lost to sunset airport operations.
The Ibom Air boss used the avenue to clamour for productivity.
He explained that optimal productivity is determined by how many hours an airline flies its aircraft, and how much a runway can be safely used.
Just recently, airline operators warned the travelling public to expect flight disruptions nationwide due to the scarcity of aviation fuel.
The statement, signed by the Secretary of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Professor Obiora Okonkwo, told air passengers to expect delays and cancellations from now on.
Presently, only eight domestic airlines fly Nigeria’s airspace. They are Green Africa, Arik Air, Air Peace, Overland, Ibom Air, United Nigeria Airlines, Max Air and Azman.
Dana Air and Aero Contractors have already been grounded.
Experienced Business reporter seeking the truth and upholding justice. Covered capital markets, aviation, maritime, road and rail, as well as economy. Email tips to jolaoluwa@icirnigeria.org. Follow on Twitter @theminentmuyiwa and on Instagram @Hollumuyiwah.
Does this not means that, all government agencies, their employees and families in which he was one time a Managing Director and even presently still Managing an entity that is own by government a threat to airlines (Ibomair)?
Is this not an indictment on him?