Resilience Personified Nigerian Airline, OVERLAND AIRWAYS, Begins Lagos-Freetown Service
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Capt Eddy Boyo, Group Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Overland Airways
Overland Airways has been the most stable and resilient airline in Nigeria for the past 22 years and counting. From tomorrow, Thursday, December 19th, 2024, it will begin cultivating the Lagos to Freetown route with three weekly flights.
A media statement by Overland Airways announced that henceforth, at 14.00hrs, the flight will be departing Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos, (LOS) Nigeria, on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, for Freetown, (FNA), Sierra Leone. The duration of the flight is two hours and fifty minutes- 2hrs 50mins
It noted that the 2.00 pm departure time was chosen to allow travellers, tourists, merchants and others from all the nooks, and crannies of Nigeria to arrive in Lagos in good time for Overland Airways to fly them through its direct flight which will touchdown in Freetown International Airport (FIA) by 3.45 pm.
The media statement revealed that the “new route will be operated using Overland Airways’ brand-new Embraer E-175 jet aircraft, a dual-class 88-seater modern jet aircraft featuring Premium class seats with spacious legroom and the regular Economy class”.
Expatiating further on the numerous social, economic and cultural benefits the route will deliver to Africans, Mrs Aderonke Emmanuel-James, Commercial and Corporate Risk Manager of Overland, said: “Overland Airways remains committed to providing safe, reliable, and convenient air travel across West Africa and this new service is a testament to that commitment,” she said.
She further highlighted the benefits thus, “This new air service will facilitate easier travel for business and leisure travellers, and strengthen existing regional ties. This new service will also reduce travel time for passengers on the Lagos – Freetown route,” Emmanue-James volunteered.
Executive Director of Overland Airways, Mrs Aduke Atiba said: “Sierra Leone is emerging as the next business and tourism destination in West Africa and Overland Airways is pleased to support the ambition of the Government of Sierra Leone to build a vibrant economy supported by an efficient air transport system.”
The unobtrusive but highly cerebral Group Managing Director/Chief Executive, of Overland Airways, who runs the airline Laser-focused on Total Quality Management, TQM, principles and without an iota of distraction, Capt Eddy Boyo himself enthused, “Opening this new route aligns with the objective of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) to liberalize air transport services and improve connectivity in Africa”.
He further said, Overland Airways is proud to be at the forefront of this initiative which will facilitate easier travel between African countries”.
Recall that Overland Airways’ service offering has evolved from an all-turboprop fleet to a mixed fleet with the introduction of brand-new Embraer E175 jets. In August 2024, in line with its strategic plan, Overland Airways commenced direct flight services between Lagos and Abuja and in October 2024 renewed its IOSA certification for the 5th consecutive time, reaffirming its position as a leading African carrier.
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