Lagos — The Managing Director of Arik Air, Mr. Chris Ndulue, has expressed concern over high tariffs federal government aviation agencies impose on Nigerian airlines, saying the domestic airlines are not strong enough to be sources of revenue for the agencies.
Ndulue, who spoke on the sideline of a press briefing to mark the ninth anniversary of the airline and launch of travel insurance for passengers, urged government to devise alternative means of funding the agencies.
He said "What I feel is that at this stage of our development in the aviation industry, I do not think that Nigerian airlines are strong enough to become a source of money for agencies. I think this is the time when we have to look at alternative ways of raising money, instead of depending on airlines to fund the agencies because that is what these tariffs are meant to achieve".
On the feats recorded by Arik Air since inception in October 2006, Ndulue said from only four aircraft that it started with beginning with the Lagos-Abuja flight, the airline now has 28 aircraft in its fleet, flying 19 domestic and 12 regional/international destinations.
And from just 29,363 passengers flown at the outset in 2006, the airline has so far airlifted 17,304,741 passengers by September 30, 2005.
He disclosed that the company is on the verge of being listed for an Initial Public Offer (IPO) on the Nigerian Stock Exchange in 2017, while it has completed the process for its private placement for prospective investors in the first quarter of 2016.
He added that the airline would be extending its Abidjan operations to Dakar in Senegal from mid-November and starting operations to Libreville in Gabon in the first quarter of 2016.
Other plans for 2016 include the acquisition of six new aircraft comprising two units each of Q400s, CRJ 1000s and A330-200s and launch of its Lagos to Rome operations.
He welcomed the decision to suspend further devaluation of the naira, saying it is good for the airline industry.
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