According to the Bellview's Managing Director, the airline is now planning to operate from Lagos to Mumbai (India) and Johannesburg (South Africa) from next month.
Note that Bellview operated the Lagos-Nairobi-Mumbai route in the late 90s and suspended after two years due to problems associated with operating a single long haul aircraft (was the Airbus A300 back then). Air India has been rumored to be planning a return to Lagos a few months ago so Bellview's resumed flights to Mumbai could actually be a code-sharing arrangement similar to the one undertaken a few years back.
As for the Johannesburg route, it is still not clear whether they have received clearance from the Nigerian government as the Lagos-Johannesburg route has been reserved for the new national carrier being floated. In any case, they should generate plenty of revenue on the route as SAA struggles to meet demand considering bilateral agreement restrictions.
Source for above information: Financial Standard News:
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Route reservation policy is unfavourable to local airlines’
Reported By:Nkem Osuagwu
Federal government’s liberalisation of the aviation sector has not favoured the independent Nigerian airlines, Mr. Kayode Odukoya, the managing director of Bellview Airline, one of the leading indigenous airlines, has said.
Odukoya who spoke against the backdrop of the route reservation policy of the government said it does not benefit the economy and the nation to deny the independent carriers the benefits of the most lucrative routes in the country, while foreign airlines have absolute monopoly of such routes.
Odukoya who spoke in Lagos last week during a courtesy visit by the Financial Standard management team lead by Mrs. Eniola Fadayomi, the chairman of Millennium Harvest, publishers of the Financial Standard Newspaper, African Standard Newspaper and Autotrader also disclosed the airline’s plans to commence services to Bombay and Johannesburg next month.
He explained that the airline has been in the forefront for a liberalised airline industry, but stressed that the government’s refusal to allow the airlines access to the most lucrative markets out of Nigeria like London, USA, Johannesburg, Dubai and Jeddah is stunting the growth of the indigenous airlines. He said these routes generate more than 70 per cent income for the airline business in the country, and lamented the fact that not a single Nigerian airline has been permitted to benefit from what the market has on offer.
Speaking on the nation’s open skies policy with United States, Odukoya said it was unfortunate that the nation had wasted five years of the agreement, which made provisions for Nigerian registered airlines to operate flights to USA, while US airline will start bringing airplanes to Nigeria from the sixth year.
He said Bellview deserves a chance on these routes because of its proven ability on the Lagos to Amsterdam route, adding that the airline operates to about nine destinations in Africa.
Fadayomi had earlier in her address told the Bellview Airline management about the newspaper’s interest to partner the airline in developing and executing series of projects aimed at facilitating achievements of the corporate objectives of both companies.
She expressed admiration for the airline’s efficiency, reliability and integrity in setting a standard for other airlines in the country to follow. She commended the airline’s current expansion programmes, and urged the management to get the message of the brand across to the flying public, stressing that Financial Standard and its sister publications are in the position to assist the airline achieve this object.
Fadayomi said both companies have some common traits, stressing that partnership with each other would be of mutual benefit to the growth of both companies.
"Financial Standard Newspaper has within its short lifespan become the leading publication in Nigeria and the first choice for business minded Nigerians in the public and private sectors. Interestingly, we cater for the same target, high networth individuals and upwardly mobile executives who desire the very best in content and services. We also cater for the ambitious younger ones, and motivated individuals on the move", said Fadayomi.
She said the newspaper would assist in media campaigns that would ensure that indigenous airlines were given the opportunity they deserve in the airline market, adding that the local airlines have performed well against all expectations. Their performance she said has exploded the notion that Nigerians were not capable of managing an airline in view of the inefficiency of the liquidated national airline, Nigeria Airways.
She said it was important for the government to expand the market to accommodate Nigerian Airlines especially in the interest of the Nigerian travellers because Nigerians have been stressed out, adding that a deregulated airline sector should not make room for monopoly.