Nigeria is country well blessed with all the potential therein which ordinarily should make it one of the greatest countries of the world.
Besides the natural resources abound and the best brains, the hospitable nature of the citizens and the not too water tight business policies of the subsequent governments have made the country a ready-made environment where businesses can be done by any investor who within a short time can make a high turnover of profits.
Little wonder that despite the hullabaloo the state of insecurity challenges confronting the country has generated and still generating, many foreign investors still choose to carry on simply because of the unlimited advantages they enjoy in the country.
It’s on record that Nigeria remains one of the most accommodating countries where the government basically played down the critical needed business policies like aero politics that are meant to profit indigenous investors which in most cases tend benefit foreign investors.
This brings to the fore the continuous exploitation of the Nigerian air travelers by the over 27 foreign carriers operating into Nigeria through the exorbitant fares they charge in Nigeria.
It is no longer news that most of these foreign carriers have been flying into Nigeria as longer as over fifty years non-stop taking home huge funds to their home countries owing to the free opportunities they enjoy here which is almost unavailable in other climes.
It is here in Nigeria that the foreign airlines are allowed to enjoy multiple frequencies and destinations even at the detriments of the indigenous airlines.
Amongst reasons why the international airlines will always operate in the country include: the strategic location of the market, its large population and the obvious fact that Nigerians travel heavily through all the seasons as attested to by the foreign carriers.
Here in Nigeria, the foreign airlines enjoy full bookings throughout the year, hence, nothing like low season in Nigeria unlike what is obtained in other climes.
It is therefore, expected that in a country like Nigeria, where the foreign carriers are allowed to operate without harsh restrictions, it’s only fair to reciprocate these gestures whenever the need arises.
It therefore becomes unacceptable for the foreign airlines to continue to exploit Nigerians who represent a major percentage in their marketing expansion on the continent through the unreasonable fares they are slamming on Nigerians.
It is no longer hidden that fares on the Nigerian routes are the most expensive compared to other parts of the world for untenable excuses by the airlines such as the issue of trapped funds which they claimed made them to withdraw the low inventory sales.
It is only reasonable for the foreign carriers to reduce the hardships of the travelers by bringing back the low fares earlier withdrawn as the Federal Government recently released $265million out of their trapped funds to at least reciprocate the move.
Unfortunately, up till now, an economy class ticket on the Lagos/London route for example, is now over N2million as against the previous N350,000 or N450,000 the same journey previously attracted.
A business class ticket is now between N 3.5 million and N5million which is the highest in the globe, a development that has made air travels almost unaffordable to Nigerians particularly those who have families schooling abroad and those going for either medical tourism, business or pleasure.
Since the body language of the foreign airlines is that the exploitation should continue, it becomes necessary for the government to review its partnerships with these airlines as the present arrangements are one sided.
The time has therefore come for the government to, not only review the existing partnerships, but for it to divert the hitherto unlimited opportunities granted the foreign carriers to the coming Nigeria Air and other domestic airlines that have what it takes to operate on the international routes as this will help reduce the sufferings of Nigerians in the hands of the foreign carriers. Nigerian travelers urgently need more affordable alternatives which Nigeria Air and the domestic airlines will provide.
and then