Festus Keyamo Makes Horses Smile In Emirates: breathes life into reciprocity principle; resurrects code sharing
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Water cannon salute accorded Emirates returning to Nigeria, Wednesday, 2nd October 2024, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos. It’s often a big deal for the airports’ management in UAE to accord Nigerian airlines similar courtesy
Nigerian domestic airline operators have been reassured that the return of Emirates Airlines portends the prospect of code sharing and a vista of opportunity to explore the United Arab Emirates, UAE, air space without any restriction.
Mr Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospce development, made the affirmation at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Wednesday, shortly after disembarking from the Emirates maiden flight since the frosty relationship over two year ago.
He said the new Bilateral Air Services Agreement, BASA, now in force between Nigeria and UAE is such that allows any of Nigeria’s flag carriers to fly to any airport of choice in the UAE without any form of molestation such as Air Peace was subjected in Sharjah, few years ago.
Keyamo revealed what transpired at the BASA negotiation thius “the first thing we did when we went to negotiate a new bilateral service agreement was to also secure the route for our local operators”.
He said the two Parties unanimously agreed that Nigerian airlines be given wider latitude in most of their commercial agreement.
The Minister reported thus, “and for our airlines too, I can speak, I can tell you that we also secured some kind of code-sharing agreement. We told them that if they want to code-share, our airlines will have the right of first refusal”
Barrister Keyamo further affirmed, “as I speak with you, they are speaking with many of our local operators. I went with some of them, I’m sure you saw some of them. Emirates is speaking with a lot of our local operators now, and that is also for the benefit of our local aviation industry”.
Asked if there exist efforts to radically transformed the operating environment of domestic operators to enable them cope with the meteoric rise soon to witness in interlining, and especially code sharing with many international airlines, Keyamo said that exactly was the set goal of signing the Practice dirction of the Cape Town convention, and the diplomatic shuttle to aircraft manufactures and leasing companies touting Nigeria resolve to abide leasing agreements.
The Minister related that “we have gone around the world trying to restore confidence again in our aviation ecosystem and our leasing industry, the aircraft leasing industry”.
He added that government will continue to empower the domestic operators “to be able to serve this route and also compete favorably with some of these big airlines that we are inviting into Nigeria”.
He said competition is such an elixir to the industry as it will positively impact of ticket fares. Keyamo made a clarion call to investors to cooperate, collaborate or enter partnership to establish more Nigerian registered to operate .
Keyamo admonition to investors “every body can, any major businessman can come together and float an airline. We want more airlines to come to Nigeria to fly locally, regionally and internationally”.
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