Mr. Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has warned that British Airways might be relocated from Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.
This move comes in response to the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s refusal to permit Air Peace to operate direct flights to Heathrow International Airport in London.
According to Independent, Keyamo shared these remarks in Lagos during the annual conference of the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC).
He mentioned that he has already reached out to his UK counterpart, urging them to allow Air Peace or any other Nigerian airline to use Heathrow, regardless of the slot availability cited by UK airport authorities.
Keyamo stated that his ministry is waiting for a response from the UK authorities and warned that if their request is not granted, British Airways might be relocated from Lagos to another airport within Nigeria.
It will be recalled that Air Peace recently started flying direct flights to Gatwick Airport and is in the process of acquiring access to fly directly to Heathrow Airport.
Keyamo pointed out that air connectivity and codeshare arrangements are more efficient at Heathrow Airport compared to London Gatwick International Airport, where the airline currently operates.
The minister stated that Nigeria would no longer accept a scenario where its domestic airlines are denied access to major international airports abroad.
Keyamo said:
He emphasized the importance of adhering to the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) that Nigeria has with other countries, indicating that non-compliance could result in retaliatory measures from the Nigerian government.
He lamented Nigerian airlines’ high failure rate but assured them the government would continue to foster a supportive environment for their success.
Keyamo also linked the domestic market’s high airfares to Nigerian airlines’ decreased aircraft capacity, and he pledged that the government would help these airlines expand.
In related news, TimesNow.com.ng reported that Nigerian airline operators have cited inflation and high foreign exchange rates as the primary reasons for the increase in airfares.
Obiora Okonkwo, the COO of United Nigeria Airlines, expressed concerns about the impact of high inflation on airline operations.
He mentioned that despite many airlines making concessions, passengers continue to avoid air travel.
Source: TimesNow.com.ng
