Expert advises domestic airlines to apply as flag carriers

The Chief Executive Officer, Centurion Security Limited, Capt John Ojikutu (retd) advised that domestic airlines seek government approval to designate one or two of them as flag carriers instead of going to court over the Nigeria Air deal.

He said he had reservations about the lawsuit filed by the Airline Operators of Nigeria against the Federal Government and its foreign technical partners and majority shareholders.

He argued that there are so many things that are wrong with the FGN-ET deal.

Ojikutu advised that domestic airlines should seek government approval to designate one or two of them as flag carriers rather than going to court.

“What I believe that the private airlines can do instead of wasting their time is to seek government approval to designate one or two of them as flag carriers on at least five Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement routes.”

Expressing displeasure over ET partnership, he said that as far as he was concerned the airline will die the same way defunct Virgin Nigeria died.

He said, “So, it is not something that will be forced on the next administration. It is not a government policy that we must have a partnership with ET. So, I am sure the next government will not succumb to that.

“What they have now is a government airline, not a national carrier. Government just called one or two persons. In SAHCOL two people there have 78 per cent shares, and one person in MRS, who is a foreigner, has 60 per cent. So, invariably, it is the government and one or two people as far as I am concerned.”

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