Competition revs up as Asky begins service to lucrative Lagos-J/burg route

Competition on the lucrative Lagos-Johannesburg route is set to have begun as Ethiopian Airlines strategic partner Asky is set to begin flight operations to the Southern African nation from May 1, 2022.

The commencement of the Lagos-Johannesburg route is curious because the carrier is not a Nigerian registered carrier, and nor is it from South Africa as the granting of the flight right is curious and yet to be known under what traffic freedom.

There are indications that the Lome-based carrier could be doing that under the fifth freedom traffic right which allows an airline to carry revenue traffic between foreign countries as a part of services connecting the airline’s own country. It is the right to carry passengers from one’s own country to a second country and from that country onward to a third country (and so on).

READ ALSO:  Ex-Airways’ workers seek exchange rate review

According to the airline Johannesburg – South Africa will have a seamless connection to ASKY’s vast network covering all of West and Central Africa markets with a daily service schedule.

 

Asky

These flights, the airline said will be operated using a Boeing 737-800 New Generation (NG) aircraft and are already available for sales.

While thanking passengers for their support, the airline urged them to proceed with their booking and purchase of tickets from any ASKY City/Airport Ticketing Office (CTO/ATO), online via www.flyasky.com or your usual travel agency.

However, the commencement of operations in May would bring to three the number of airlines servicing the Johannesburg route to three with dominant South African Airways with its strong connection from its Johannesburg route, Air Peace which operates point to point to the gold city from Lagos and now ASKY which dominance in the West Africa’s sub-region could make it a force to be reckoned with.

READ ALSO:  Minister charges contractors on quality Abuja second runway delivery, gets ten-year warranty

These three airlines would battle for huge market share on the route

ASKY Airlines is a private multinational passenger airline serving West and Central Africa, with its head office in Lomé, Togo, and its hub at Gnassingbé Eyadéma International Airport

The airline is a strategic partner of Ethiopian Airlines and has been consistently profitable since 2017.

In September 2005, under the initiative of Gervais Koffi G. Djondo, the company for the promotion of a regional airline (SPCAR) was set up, which led to various feasibility studies and market studies, and sought financial and strategic partners; this led to the establishment of ASKY Airlines in November 2007 with Gervais Koffi G. Djondo as President.

READ ALSO:  AIB-N, NCAT collaborate for capacity building for aviation development

On January 17th, 2008 the General Meeting to establish the new international private airline was held in Ouagadougou Burkina Faso.

Eighty percent of shares were to be held by private investors, and 20 percent by public financial institutions whose mission is to support privately-owned development institutions.

Ethiopian Airlines became the technical and strategic partner under a management contract for the first five years of operation, holding a 40 percent stake.

Wole Shadare