Stakeholder accuses FG of selling Nigerian airlines cheaply to foreign countries

A key player in the country’s aviation sector has accused the federal government of selling the Nigerian-owned airlines cheaply to foreign countries that own airlines.

Speaking to aviation journalists at the 27th edition of the aviation conference organized by aviation correspondents in Lagos, the managing director of Airline Management Support Limited, Captain David Olubadewo lamented the lack of playing field amongst the local and foreign carriers operating in the country.

Olubadewo accused the federal government of equally creating unnecessary competition on the routes Nigerian airlines ought to develop in the name of demand and supply, saying: ” They do not value the domestic airlines, meanwhile we’re about the best in the world.

“My advice is that the government should try to build and protect the airlines. Somebody needs to put rules and regulations on ground to protect the airlines that is how it is done globally. Also, they should set up a leasing company to lease aircraft to airlines in Nigeria because we need to grow and build our airlines. This would even be a win-win situation because it boosts both the airlines and the economy as the government gradually recoups the money it spent on the acquisition of the aircraft.”

Citing how China did the same thing to become the biggest aviation market, Olubadewo declared:”Dubai Government supported Emirates to grow. So, the Nigerian Government should support the local airlines to build them up. For instance, what is the point of foreign airlines coming here and flying to all our major local routes?

Olubadewo while speaking on the unavailability of forex and its effects on the accessibility and its consequences on purchasing aircraft spares, said:”Spares are issues of planning. There are certain parts that are referred to as urgent or Aircraft on Ground (AOG), those spares will come through Customs. However, it needs following up to let them out quickly rather than creating unnecessary problems.

But, apart from that, I think the customs are not too bad in Nigeria, no matter what you may say, they are not too bad. We go to other West African countries, we see what they do, we see what customs do in the UK, because in the UK you have something called route one. If anything goes through route one you have to wait, you have no choice. It is waiting until it is out. But Nigerian Customs, they are not too bad.”

Olubadewo whose company is responsible for supplying Dunlop tyres for
about 90 per cent of all the airlines in Nigeria, said his company have the capacity to supply all the required number of tyres to all the aircraft brands in the country.

His words: “Yes, we do and all types of aircraft. Where we don’t have, we have the support of the manufacturer to actually back us up. But remember, this is all based on planning.”

Speaking on how delays in accessing spare could cause flight delays, Olubadewo who said the situation was not peculiar to Nigeria declared: “Yes, not only in Nigeria, everywhere in the world. It depends on what type of parts we are talking about. If you are talking of engines, of course, if you are going to transport engines from London to Lagos, it takes time. It is a bulky item; it is not something you can carry. It is not something that will go into the AOG desk of the airline. But these are things which need planning. So, it just depends on one, if it is just an ordinary instrument, of course within 10 hours. It is only six and half hours from the UK and maybe a maximum of 7 hours from anywhere in Europe. And you have maybe 15 or more airlines visiting Nigeria every day.