The Federal Government has started the process of enabling Nigerian airlines to run overseas routes, particularly in the United States and South American countries.
This was said by Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development in a YouTube interview with O’tega Ogra titled, “Unfiltered: The Big Interview.â
Keyamo said the government is putting plans in place for domestic airlines in the country to commence direct flight operations to both the US and South America.
He said,
The minister explained how British Airways have enjoyed those routes for so many years unchallenged.
According to him, there were attempts by local airlines in the past to run the routes, but they were muscled out of the routes.
Keyamo said that was why the federal government put its foot on the ground, dusted off the BASA, and ensured that BASAs were respected.
He added that when the foreign airlines later conceded that Air Peace could start flying the routes, things changed.
Speaking on opportunities to fly other routes, he said,
He said,
The second aspect, according to him, is to ensure that these airlines can also have the capacity after giving them the routes.
Given that Nigerian airline Air Peace just launched a route between Lagos and London, increasing competition and driving down ticket rates, this is a significant development.
The airline chairman, Allen Onyema, stated that he started the Air Peace London route because he loves Nigeria and wanted to abolish the exorbitant airfares that go from Nigeria to London and back.
TimesNow.com.ng reported that the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has threatened legal action against airline owners and operators that fly into nationally restricted regions.
The authority said it had received a letter from the national security adviser’s office reporting the sighting of an unidentified aircraft flying over the presidential villa.
The letter, titled “Warning to All Operators Against Flying Into Restricted and Prohibited Areas,” was addressed to operators and owners.
Source: TimesNow.com.ng
