Hani
22nd Jan 2002, 21:55
Lagos January 21, 2001:
The Ministry of Aviation has invited bid from independent Nigerian operators interested in international operations.
Penultimate week the Minister of Aviation Dr. Mrs. Kema Chikwe informed us that the advertisement was to be published in Nigerian newspapers last week. Perhaps due to the labour unrest last week, that was not possible. She also said the routes would be auctioned.
Some of the conditions applicants must meet are the submission to a committee set up by the Ministry to designate some local operators are, details of routes to be operated, number and type of aircraft to be operated, fares to be charged as well as points of departure and entry into Nigeria and the country to be operated to.
Others are copy of valid Air Transport License [ATL], Air Operators Certificate [AOC] and a two-year business plan containing in formation about cashflow, revenue potential, route viability, projected balance sheet, and projected liquidity plans for first three months of operation.
One of the most important conditions is that such airlines must show proof that they can meet its “actual and potential obligations for a period of 24 months from start of operation”.
Applicants must also provide operational conditions, like Computer Reservation Systems [CRS], fuelling, catering, security, alliances/code-share arrangements, etc.
No closing date was given for the submission of the applications which are to be made to the Minister’s office.
Some of the routes that may be designated are, New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Rome, Amsterdam, Paris, Dubai, Johannesburg, Zurich Frankfurt and may be London. Recently the minister hinted that London might be reserved for Nigeria Airways under the arrangement being worked out with Airbus/Emirates.
Now that the arrangement appears to be hitting the rocks, London might be auctioned as one of the routes to be designated to a second carrier since Nigeria already has a double designation with UK; which allows two carriers from either both countries. Currently British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Nigeria Airways serve the Lagos - London route. Nigeria also has an Open skies agreement with the US which gives Nigerian unlimited access to that market.
. . Bellview Airlines was the only local airline that operated internationally; Mumbai, Rio de- Janeiro and Amsterdam. The airline had to pull out in summer of 2000 due to difficulties in maintaining the service.
This would be a cheering news for Nigerian operators who have been agitating for government approval to ply international routes made dormant by Nigeria Airways' inability to ply most of them. There are fears that Nigerian operators may not meet the tough requirements of the regulatory bodies of European civil aviation organizations and the US federal Aviation Administration [FAA].
The Ministry of Aviation has invited bid from independent Nigerian operators interested in international operations.
Penultimate week the Minister of Aviation Dr. Mrs. Kema Chikwe informed us that the advertisement was to be published in Nigerian newspapers last week. Perhaps due to the labour unrest last week, that was not possible. She also said the routes would be auctioned.
Some of the conditions applicants must meet are the submission to a committee set up by the Ministry to designate some local operators are, details of routes to be operated, number and type of aircraft to be operated, fares to be charged as well as points of departure and entry into Nigeria and the country to be operated to.
Others are copy of valid Air Transport License [ATL], Air Operators Certificate [AOC] and a two-year business plan containing in formation about cashflow, revenue potential, route viability, projected balance sheet, and projected liquidity plans for first three months of operation.
One of the most important conditions is that such airlines must show proof that they can meet its “actual and potential obligations for a period of 24 months from start of operation”.
Applicants must also provide operational conditions, like Computer Reservation Systems [CRS], fuelling, catering, security, alliances/code-share arrangements, etc.
No closing date was given for the submission of the applications which are to be made to the Minister’s office.
Some of the routes that may be designated are, New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Rome, Amsterdam, Paris, Dubai, Johannesburg, Zurich Frankfurt and may be London. Recently the minister hinted that London might be reserved for Nigeria Airways under the arrangement being worked out with Airbus/Emirates.
Now that the arrangement appears to be hitting the rocks, London might be auctioned as one of the routes to be designated to a second carrier since Nigeria already has a double designation with UK; which allows two carriers from either both countries. Currently British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Nigeria Airways serve the Lagos - London route. Nigeria also has an Open skies agreement with the US which gives Nigerian unlimited access to that market.
. . Bellview Airlines was the only local airline that operated internationally; Mumbai, Rio de- Janeiro and Amsterdam. The airline had to pull out in summer of 2000 due to difficulties in maintaining the service.
This would be a cheering news for Nigerian operators who have been agitating for government approval to ply international routes made dormant by Nigeria Airways' inability to ply most of them. There are fears that Nigerian operators may not meet the tough requirements of the regulatory bodies of European civil aviation organizations and the US federal Aviation Administration [FAA].