Air Nigeria raises the stakes, targets 15 aircraft fleet by mid 2011 …set to build an aircraft Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul Facility
Air Nigeria has announced plans to further increase its fleet to 15 aircraft within the 1ST half of year 2011, in continuation of its ongoing turn-around initiatives which recently peaked with the delivery of its 10th aircraft. Announcing the plan to further increase its fleet size to 15, Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Kinfe Kahssaye said that the airline has been implementing a fast and profitable growth and turn around plan which is already seeing significant improvement on the financial performance of the airline.
He stated that the 15 aircraft projection for the first half of 2011 will further consolidate Air Nigeria’s leading position both in the domestic and regional market and makes Air Nigeria the fastest growing airline in West Africa.
Mr. Kahssaye further said: Since the acquisition of the airline by Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim the fleet size has doubled from 5 to 10 aircraft within about half a year. Customer service has been improved through improved on time performance and increase in frequencies. Other milestones within the last half year include the launch of flights to Congo Brazzaville, making our operations to cut across nine countries in West and Central Africa, as well as the reintroduction of flights to Benin, Owerri and Kano thus bringing our domestic route network coverage to six destinations.
“Within the framework of the 1st phase of the turn around plan, we have stabilized the operation and have progressively strengthened our regional and domestic route network base to support our existing hub and spoke model at the Murtala Mohamed Airport, Lagos, and our next target is to transform the airline to be the most profitable airline in West Africa by building a strong business model anchored on fast & profitable growth strategy”, said Mr. Kahssaye, while also noting that it is imperative for the airline to keep raising the stakes by conceiving stretched targets.
He further noted that with the expected aircraft deliveries, Air Nigeria will further build strong hub and spoke operation in Lagos which will be used as a launching pad to commence its long-haul international flights.
Mr. Kahssaye elaborates, “As part of our fast and profitable growth strategy, we are to introduce modern aircraft consisting of both short and long haul for our international and intercontinental operations. From our current fleet of ten aircraft, we would be operating up to 30 aircraft within the next three years.
He further noted that in addition to the fleet renewal and expansion plan over the next three years, Air Nigeria plans to build a modern aircraft maintenance facility to undertake major aircraft Maintenance, Repairs and Overhaul (MRO), contributing to aircraft maintenance capacity development within the shores of Nigeria.
Also as part of its commitment to manpower development, Air Nigeria has gone into a partnership with the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria, through a Cadet Pilot and Aircraft Engineering training scheme which will periodically churn out competent personnel required to fill the vacuum in the entire industry as a result of dearth of professionals.
Air Nigeria, the National carrier of Nigeria, is the fastest growing airline in West Africa .From its operational base at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, Air Nigeria currently operates to Benin City, Owerri, Port Harcourt, Abuja, Kano and Sokoto on the domestic routes while it also operates to Brazzaville, Accra, Douala, Dakar, Monrovia, Cotonou, Banjul, Libreville and Abidjan with further plans to extend services to more African destinations, Europe, Asia and America.
This article was originally posted on Nigeria Business Communities
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