AON tutored on how interlining, codeshare, enhance profit, provide comfort for passengers

RIGHT: Dr Abdulmunaf Yunusa, President, Airlines Operators of Nigeria, AON, Chairman, Azman Air, with Barrister Allen Onyema, Vice President, AON and Chairman, Air Peace, immediately after the election that ushered the current leadership to the “Cockpit”

A charge has gone to the leadership of the Airline Operators of Nigeria, AON, to as a matter of urgency, put in motion the machinery to make all members collaborate and cooperate in the use of interlining, codeshare agreement and technology to improve their services to the flying public.

This admonition was part of the fallout from the parley this morning at the first quarter of 2021, Business Breakfast Meeting, BBM, organized by the Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative, ASRTI, with the theme; “Utilizing Interlining and Codeshare Agreement as Tools for Domestic Airlines Profitability and Passenger Comfort”

All the discussants were of the opinion that should the domestic operators desire to up their game henceforward, they should as a matter of urgency begin laying the framework to make travel easier, convenient and comfortable for the passengers through interlining and codeshare agreement among other feasible commercial arrangements

The President, Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative, ASRTI, Dr Gbenga G. Olowo, in his opening speech highlighted how interlining and codeshare will positively impact on passengers’ rights as enshrined in the part 19 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations.

Olowo identified that a national clearing house would be imperative while its benefits would help the regulator in its economic regulation of the airlines as the feeble ones would be easier to spot as soon as they could not feature in the clearing house while necessary prescriptions would be administered to such ones for their quick recovery and return to solvency.

**RIGHT: Capt Nogie Meggison, Former President, AON in a handshake to welcome the newly elected President, Dr Abdulmunaf Yunusa,**

Dr Samson Fatokun, IATA representative in his own paper titled, “Interlining and Codeshare Agreement As Tools for Domestic Airlines Profitability and Passenger Comfort” highlighted hurdles the operators would have to surmount to be enlisted in the interlining of the global association for airlines that could hold their own among the comity of airliners.

He however advised that because the issue had been subject of discussion among aviators in the country for more than two decades, the regulatory authority he urged to help out by employing “regulatory inducement” to make interlining and codeshare become part of domestic operators in making travel more pleasant to the passengers.

Dr Alexander Nwumba, affirmed that with courage and the determination to adopt good corporate governance would make for mutual agreement among domestic players to embrace interlining and codeshare which he said would enhance the airlines profitability and also make travelers happier.

Nwumba said that by the quality of discussions from the participants as witnessed at the parley, there was no doubt that the knowledge base for interlining and codeshare to thrive exist among Nigerians and especially among participants at the symposium.

He noted that all other preliminaries that are precursor to concretizing the envisaged regime of interlining and codeshare such as cost, billing and settlement could be worked out for a seamless operation such as was done for the banking industry which now prides itself in efficient and effective interoperation-ability to the delight of their teeming customers.

Another participant, Group Capt Onitiju, rtd, who co-moderate the event with Dr Olusegun Harold Demuren, former Director General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, said the domestic operators were often lethargic to issues that concern their growth and development.

Onitiju noted that on most of the occasions Airline Operators of Nigeria, AON, were approached for any form of collaboration to jointly trouble shoot industry challenges and come out with customized solution, the body had not been forthcoming.

**Dr Olusegun Harold Demuren, an advocate for turning ECOWAS into a single domestic territory for Nigeria’s domestic operators**

The President, Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative, ASRTI, Dr Gbenga Olowo also affirmed the notion expressed by Grp Capt Onitiju about the AON. Olowo called on the new leadership of the AON to be more proactive and show interest on issues of greater good to members apart from government palliatives which may not be sustainable nor enduring.

Dr Olusegun Demuren, advocated that the domestic operators should take advantage the Single Africa Air Transport Market, SAATM, presents by hatching the idea to serve very well the over 365 million populations in the West African Coast.

The elder statesman said with the right strategy and adequate investment, the west coast is a sure beehive for domestic operators to harvest and maintain such dominance that could even scare the scanty operators currently providing epileptic service to the region.

Capt Musa Nuhu, Director General, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, assured the domestic operators of support whenever they’re ready to bring to fruition, interlining and codeshare in their operations.

He noted that without an iota of doubt, codeshare and interlining was another good way to serve well the Nigerian passengers and even enhance the airline profitablity.

However, a good news filtered out at the event that Ibom Air and Dana Air are in a very serious talks to experiment a commercial collaboration to care for their passengers through interlining.

According to Mr George Uriesi, Chief Operating Officer, COO, Ibom Air, he said the airline’s experimentation in interlining with another domestic operator would soon be made public.