ADC, Bellview, Kabo, 3 Others Get International Routes

[Rani]

ADC, Bellview, Kabo, 3 Others Get International Routes
Fct
From Josephine Lohor in Abuja

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Federal Government yesterday approved new international routes for six local airlines which are Aviation Development Company (ADC), Aero Contractors, Afrijet, Bell-view, Kabo and Chanchangi.

Minister of Aviation, Alhaji Isa Yuguda, who made the disclosure while briefing State House correspondents on major highlights of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, also stated that the designated airlines are expected to increase their capital base in line with international requirement.

Yuguda said that all airlines that operate on the West Africa airspace now have a minimum capital base of N500 million while those that operate on inter-continental routes are to have a capital base of N1 billion.

The airlines, the minister noted, have 12 months within which to meet the new financial requirements, adding that the selection of local airlines for international routes was not conclusive.

The Aviation Minister disclosed that ADC would operate flights between Lagos-Brussels, Lagos - Libreville, Lagos - Cotonou, Dakar, Bamako and Abidjan, while Aero Contractors will run scheduled flights between Lagos - Sao-Tome - Malabo and between Lagos - Cotonou - Lome and Accra.

Afrijet would operate flights from Lagos - Kinshasa - Luanda - Madrid in Spain as well as flights from Lagos to and from Malabo and Doula.

Bellview Airline will run flights to Bombay in India from Lagos, and Lagos - Freetown, Sierra Leone; while Kabo Airline is expected to take care of the Lagos - Rome, Lagos - Nairobi, and between Lagos - Maiduguri - Ndjamena.

Chanchangi Airline, according to the approval, will fly from Lagos - Doula - Abidjan - Accra and Malabo.

[md80forum]

Press reports say Afrijet will buy 2 x A330-300ER and 2 x MD-82. European Airways will buy a 30 pct. stake in Afrijet and secure a tripartite purchase-lease agreement with the European Economic Commission to buy the the A330's, which most likely will be deployed on the Madrid route.

Source: This Day Online (http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=13736)

Jan-Erik @ www.md80.net

[Rani]

After some searches on the internet, I realized the financing enterprise is called "European Economic Development Council" and not as stated in the article.

I wonder where this "European Airways" is based. Perhaps it is European Air Charter in the UK? I suspect the article did not name the strategic partner correctly.

They would need to explore other routes and see what the government can cede because a route to Madrid may be unprofitable for a while. Iberia returned to the market last year but has since reduced its frequency to twice weekly only with Airbus A319 aircraft (narrow-body).

Meanwhile, Bellview's painted Boeing 767-200ERs are reported in Europe now with the airline's Chief Engineer there to facilitate their deliveries. Bellview expects to start flying to Mumbai from the end of the month, as well as Johannesburg from Freetown (exact route is unknown). They have published a recruitment add in Flight International magazine, and are looking for a Immigration Customs Officer, captains and instructors (767).