Chinedu Eze
The Managing Director of Medview Airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole has said high price of aviation fuel and unfavourable government policies are some of the challenges militating against successful air operation in Nigeria.Bankole who spoke recently at the conference organised by the League of Aviation and Airport Correspondents (LAAC) said that such policies made foreign airlines to dominate the Nigerian air traffic market as they operate multiple entry points.
“The Nigerian Market is such a huge one that a lot of airlines have come in to” Lick the Oil” that the Local carriers are made just onlookers. The Nigerian Airlines are faced with several “witches and wizards”, which prevent them from growth and to face the giant-airlines in scrambling for their indigent passengers.
The data of travellers out of Nigeria to other parts of the world on foreign airlines is alarming. You can get that from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) if you wish to know much on the travelling population through non-Nigerian airlines,” Bankole said.
The Medview Boss said to empower the local airlines, these challenges have to be identified and eliminated. “These challenges include but not limited to the following: Charges (over charges) by government agencies among these charges are Passenger Service Charge (PSC), Ticket Sales Charge (TSC), Navigation charges, Landing charges, Parking charges, Federal Inland Revenue (FIRS), Value Added Tax (VAT), etc,” Bankole said.
He pointed out that aviation fuel price is high and is a major index of expenses, noting that no aircraft can fly without fuel.
“The airlines keep on struggling under the heavy weight of fuel cost and it is often short in supply. This is a big challenge,” he said.
On unfavourable government policies the Medview Managing Director said local airlines are not favoured by the granting of foreign airlines multiple entry points into the country.
“One airline lands at Lagos, Abuja, Enugu and Kano for example. This does not leave any passenger for the airlift of such passengers to the local destinations by local carriers,” Bankole said.
On spare parts he remarked that they are purchased in foreign currencies while tickets are sold in local currency.
“This makes the cost of aircraft maintenance in Nigeria very high hence it’s a major challenge to local airlines. The cost of importation of spare parts is gradually increasing.”
Bankole noted that there is high cost of bank charges on loans, which poses a great deal of problem to the airlines.
He also spoke on security challenges and said some airports operate from 0700 to 1800 local time only, adding that the training of airline indigenous personnel like pilots are not available in Nigeria and that the cost is very high.
“Let me quickly enumerate what can empower the Nigerian carriers to favourably compete with foreign airlines: one, government agencies’ charges should be reduced by between 50 to 65 per cent to local carriers; two, the price of fuel should be considerably reduced and to ensure the availability of the product all-year-round; three, the policy of multiple entry policy has to be reviewed. Any foreign airline seeking multiple entry ports must partner with a local airline before permission is granted.”
He said there should be 100 per cent waiver on importation of aircraft spare parts for all local airlines and there should be access to one digit loan for airlines which should be encouraged by CBN with favourable repayment plan.
“Moreover, the government can provide equipment to the local airlines as support rather than giving out funds. All domestic airports should be improved and secured against stow-always, animal invasion and proper navigational aids and lighting system and the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria (NCAT) should be equipped to handle pilot’s simulators; encourage technocrats to equip hangers to carry out C-checks in Nigeria,” Bankole said.
