Olubadewo: Acquisition of Aircraft Spares Need Proper Planning

Managing Director, Airline Management Support Limited, Capt. David Olubadewo has said proper planning must be carried out before airlines can acquire the needed spares for their aircraft.

He said the planning would enable them have spares at any time in order to reduce long aircraft on ground (AOG).

Olubadewo whose company supports the local airlines in the distribution of Dunlop Tyres for aircraft, made this known at the sidelines of the 27th League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) conference, which held recently in Lagos. 

Speaking on the theme of the conference tagged: ‘Aviation Industry: Changing Times, Changing Strategies’, Olubadewo stressed the need for government to support domestic carriers.

According to him, apart from protection, the setting up a leasing company will do the industry a lot of good. He said countries like China and UAE supported their own to grow.

He said: “Our government sells Nigerian owned airlines cheap to other countries that own airlines. Government creates unnecessary competition on the routes. Nigerian airlines ought to develop in the name of demand and supply. They do not value the domestic airlines, even though we are about the best in the world.

“My advice is that the government should try to build and protect the airlines. Somebody needs to put rules and regulations on ground to protect the airlines that is how it is done globally. Also, they should set up a leasing company to lease aircraft to airlines in Nigeria because we need to grow and build our airlines.”

Olubadewo further said: “This will even be a win-win situation because it will boost both the airlines and the economy as the government gradually recoups the money it spent on the acquisition of the aircraft. China did the same thing to become the biggest aviation market. Also, the Dubai Government supported Emirates to grow. So, the Nigerian government should support the local airlines to build them up. For instance, what is the point of foreign airlines coming here and flying to all our major local routes?”

On aircraft spares, Olubadewo said it was relatively easy for airlines to access spares despite forex and other challenges like clearing from Customs.

Spares are issues of planning. There are certain parts that are referred to as urgent or Aircraft on Ground (AOG), those spares will come through Customs. However, it needs following up to let them out quickly rather than creating unnecessary challenges, Olubadewo said.