Low-cost Airline to Take Off in 2014 – Aviation Expert

 

French investors are planning to launch a low-cost airline in Nigeria, says a Dutch Aviation expert and former Managing Director of Arik Air, Alex Van Elk. He said plans are underway and consultations are being made, to have the ‘unnamed’ carrier operational in Nigeria by mid-2014. “We have made contacts with Nigerian authorities and they are quite pleased with our plans and assured us of government support,” he said, “The airline would succeed because it would be devoid of the mistakes associated with most Nigerian airlines, which usually lead to their early exit.” “The emerging low-cost carrier would not venture into unprofitable routes and would be run professionally with the right calibre of staff. The airline was making wide consultations with mega carriers in Europe, Asia and Africa for interlining arrangements stressing that the responses had been very encouraging.” “The promoters, which comprised of both Nigerian and French investors, had already made contacts with aircraft manufacturing company, Airbus, for new A319 aircraft for the take-off of the new airline.” “We will only serve water on board for an hour flight but for those who will want to have something extra they will have to buy”. He also said that “His target would be to run efficient service for the first year locally and launch regional operations afterwards. We will seek code share and interline collaborations with global carriers in Asia, Europe and Africa.”