Aviation stakeholders berate move to start Nigeria Air with wet-leased aircraft

President of the Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI) Dr Gabriel Olowo has flayed the plans to set up a national carrier with three wet-leased aircraft describing it as undeserving for the country where there are bigger operators on the ground.

Dr Olowo made this known in a reaction to the current melee over the way the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika plans to commence the national airline.

Sirika had in a press conference last week revealed his plans to start the airline with wet-leased aircraft and aims to create 70,000 jobs, however, a wet lease cannot create jobs for the carrier as it is a leasing agreement where the owner of equipment supplies the aircraft and crew as well as maintain operational control of all flights.

Accordingly, Olowo decried that government has under its portfolio, airlines like Aero Contractors and Arik lying in state, suggesting that the wet-leased aircraft could be added to their fleet, all branded Nigeria Air as a stop-gap and later offered to the public.

He said,” A national carrier with startup aircraft of three on wet-lease (No single Nigerian crew) is undeserving for Nigeria where there are bigger operators on the ground. Arik and Aero are already on government portfolios lying in state. Why not add the three wet-leased aircraft to their fleet as a stopgap, rebrand them Nigeria Air, and subsequently offer them to the public.

On the five per cent equity, he said that the government 5% equity in Nigeria Air should be done for all 22 private Nigerian airlines on the ground to level the playing field or that airlines could pool together under mutually beneficial codeshare/block seat agreement to build a united, strong mega carrier, stressing that the Nigeria Air project can be used as a consolidator of sorts.

“My first reaction to the five per cent government equity in Nigeria Air is that it should do the same with 22 private airlines on the ground if the government is that liquid in order to level the playing field and give equal support”, he explained.