Brand focus: ValueJet: Creating a niche in troubled market space

All around the globe, the aviation sector is grappling with a lot of challenges. Besides the deadly blow dealt  it by the public health crisis, the COVID 19 pandemic; other crises currently going on around the globe, have not also helped the cause of the sector, either.

Interestingly, Nigeria’s aviation sector seems not immune to such troubles. An evidence of such claim was seen in the second quarter of 2022, May, when the nation’s airline operators threatened to shut down operations due to what they described as ‘high cost of aviation fuel and other operational costs’.

They argued that the astronomical increase of aviation fuel, which constitutes about 40 percent of an airline’s  operating cost globally, from N170 per litre to N700, has shot up operating costs to about 75 percent. It took the intervention of the federal government and other relevant authorities in the sector to avert the impending strike, and its possible negatives effects on the sector then.

This, no doubt, informed the mixed feelings that greeted the decision of the management of ValueJet Airline, a new hybrid carrier, to throw its hats into the nation’s aviation ring, recently.

But the management of the new airline, at the launch event,  held in Lagos, recently, and witnessed by stakeholders in the industry, including its regulatory authorities, insisted it  is not trekking in an unfamiliar terrain.

For instance, the company’s Chairman, Mr. Kunle Soname, assured that operational insights, garnered from previous partnerships had been applied in building the airline’s plans and propositions.

While acknowledging the harsh economic times aviation sector globally, is presently grappling with, he however insisted that such situation would only serve as an ‘energising springboard for new ideas’ in the airline.

The airline, he said, is ready to create a niche for itself in the highly-competitive and troubled market to curry customers’ loyalty and patronage.

According to him, a key focus of the airline will be seen in its commitment to consistently democratise flying by making it affordable to more Nigerians.

He also assured that the company’s huge investment in modern technology would enable its highly skilled and resolute  professional workforce determine an end- to-end customer experience.

While reiterating the airline’s to safety, Soname added that one of the plans of the airline, founded in July 2018, is to expand beyond the Nigerian airspace, in due course.

“With a long-term vision and growth mindset, we have set our sights in the coming years to  expand beyond the Nigerian airspace. We are in a privileged position despite existing economic headwinds.

“We are building a cost-conscious business with an understanding of the sector, and how Nigeria is poised to play a key role in developing Africa’s aviation by joining  the rest of the global players in regional and international markets,” he added.

Expressing the company’s delight at the regulatory approvals from the relevant regulatory authorities in the sector, the airline’s Chief Commercial Officer, Trevor Henry,  described the launch as signifying the opening of ValueJet’s direct sales channels, namely the online  websites and airport sales points.

He explained that the airline, which intends to commence operations with the soft launch of six flights in a week, hopes to increase the total number of its daily flights to fourteen daily, in the near future.

According to him, the ValueJet’s business model is to position the airline as a hybrid airline so as to give it a competitive edge among other airlines, operating in the nation’s domestic aviation space.

Perhaps most soothing to the ears of the  financially-burdened air travellers is the new airline’s pricing strategy, which Trevor stated is being adopted to make it competitive and also bring some relief to air travellers.

Even though ValueJet is starting newly, the management has already packaged a loyalty program, tagged ValueFlyer that would enable passengers earn points from their first flights on the airline, that would later be redeemed for air travel tickets.

Accountable Manager/ Managing Director, ValueJet, Captain Omololu Majekodunmi assured travellers that the airline’s team of highly-skilled members of the crew, and its different product offerings, meant to relieve travellers of some expenses, would go a long way in assisting it achieve its  mission of democratising the space, and making flying accessible to more Nigerians,” he added.

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