Operators lament lopsided air pact with UAE, want fair deal with Emirates

• Addition services is for Hajj exercise, says Emirates

Airline operators under the aegis of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) have decried the recent commencement by Emirates airline of an additional flight to the country.

The latest alleged frequency now brings Emirates frequency to four flights daily into Nigeria at a time Air Peace began flights to United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The airline body described it as unfair for Emirates to be allowed such increase barely two weeks after the launch of flights on July 5, 2019 to Sharjah, UAE by Air Peace.

Chairman AON, Capt. Noggie Meggison in a statement stated that the move effectively places indigenous carriers at a massive disadvantage, the Nigerian economy and the jobs of our youths and huge capital flight.

At the launch of Air Peace flights to UAE, AON had appealed that Government must stand tall to play the role of aeropolitics to support Air Peace, otherwise it would end up the same way as others such as Bellview, Arik Air and Medview that went before it as they were unable to play in the wild and aggressive field of international aeropolitics.

Emirates as of today, operates two daily flights out of Lagos and two daily flights out of Abuja. Etihad, from the same country, also operates daily flights out of Lagos as well.

Meggison said the situation translates to five flights daily and a total of 150 flights per month from UAE; as against a Nigerian carrier that only just started operating three flights weekly (12 flights monthly into UAE), lamenting that this is a colossal plundering of the Nigerian economy through capital flight and a huge loss of Nigerian jobs.

“Sadly, Air Peace is still waiting to be allocated a dedicated lounge or departure wing at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport to signify that this is a Nigerian airline; as against the case with Emirates that has a huge lounge at the Dubai International Airport that is heavily branded in the airline’s colours. The same goes with Etihad in Abu Dhabi, British Airways in London, Lufthansa in Frankfurt, and Air France in Paris among other places”.

He stated that in the light of the present situation, it is little wonder that the three major carriers in the United States (United, American and Delta) cried out against the same open skies and anti-competitive behaviour.

The US airlines accused them of being funded by their government to the tune of over $50 Billion and undercutting US carriers by offering below-market fares on flights that go to other destinations beyond the Middle East, at the expense of American jobs and the American Economy.

He further stated that in 2017, the economic policy of the Trump administration to protect the American economy, jobs and the airlines subsequently forced the Emirati airlines to reduce their flights by about 30 per cent.

“The above scenario is a classic example of domestic airlines crying out against unfair competition and having their government standing behind them with full support to effect change and ensure that domestic airlines with private funds get “A Fair Deal” against foreign competition from state-owned airlines”.

“It is unfair to unleash a band of ravenous and voracious wolves against a harmless and privately funded puppy that is still trying to find its feet and doing all it can to survive, create economic impact and jobs for our youths. It is the role of government to protect our very own Nigerian carriers and preserve the Nigerian economy and the jobs of our unemployed youths”, he added.

The additional double daily flights given to Emirates, a highly subsidized airline, he said is not necessary at this time as statistics show that half of the flights out of Abuja are half empty and the fact that the Emirati airlines already have an unfair trade advantage of 150 flights monthly out of Nigeria; as against 12 monthly flights for Nigerian airlines that should have been allowed to stabilize and grow its operations into the UAE to a level where the airline can compete favourably on the route.

“We would therefore like to use this medium to call on the government to review all existing BASAs to readdress the unfair trade advantage given to foreign airlines against Nigerian airlines”.

In a swift reaction, Emirates denies that it was operating additional frequency in and out of Nigeria.

The airline in a statement the additional frequency would be for Hajj to help pilgrims heading to and from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, adding that the flights will be operated between July 27 and August 22 2019 to support the Hajj journey to the Holy City of Mecca.