The immediate past Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel yesterday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport (NAIA), Abuja said he felt satisfied for launching Ibom Air under his administration.
He noted that out of nothing, his administration created something, and that it was a whole concept of creativity and ideas.
Udom, while speaking on the sidelines on the milestones of the airline as i it’s set to mark its five years in existence shortly after his arrival to the nation’s capital, stated, “Ibom Air is a major differentiation in terms of what man can do despite the challenges.
“During our era, we had recessions almost twice, then we had COVID-19, which grounded the whole world for one and a half years. Coming up with concepts, ideas, and creativity that people can be proud of is something for which I must give glory to Almighty God,” he said.
The former governor of Akwa Ibom State, further called on the federal government to grant concessions to the airline operators to facilitate ease of operations in the country, stating: “the unification of the FX market and the removal of subsidy have seen airlines operate under harsh economic situations.
“I think there are some concessions that should be given to the entire aviation industry in Nigeria so that people can move from one place to another.
“There is no country on the planet that does not have some form of subsidy for some key sectors and I think the aviation sector should not be ignored.
“I’m not calling for a subsidy for the airline business, but they should be given preference on certain things because they operate in the same market. The economy of any country cannot move or grow if people cannot move from one place to another,” he said.
Speaking on the future of the airline, he explained that what sustains an airline business is the culture that people put in place, therefore, urged the management to keep to the culture and traditions and I trust the current management.”
Ibom Air, derided at the beginning as a flash-in-the-pan gimmick by its founder, former Governor Udom Emmanuel, most observers dismissed it as a political fantasy project.
They hadn’t reckoned with Mr Emmanuel’s entrepreneurial and corporate background. And they had underestimated his drive and determination to achieve his transformative vision for the State.
Nearly 5 years down the line, Ibom Air has become one of the strongest local airline brands and increasingly becoming known internationally. It has become the 2nd largest domestic airline (after Air Peace) and the winner of the Best Airline in Nigeria award from the African Traveler Magazine last, for the 3rd consecutive time (2021, 2022 and 2023).
With a fleet of 6 new generation aircraft (5 Bombardier CRJ900 Next-Gen aircraft and one brand new Airbus A220-300), the airline has the youngest aircraft fleet in the country. It has another 9 brand new Airbus A220-300s on order from Airbus and is set to take delivery of the second unit in June 2024.
