Onyema Identifies Operational Challenges as Air Peace Turns 9

Chinedu Eze

The Chairman and CEO of Air Peace Nigeria Limited, Allen Onyema has identified lack of transit facilities at the international airports in the country as one of the many challenges that beset domestic airline operation in Nigeria.

Onyema who commended Nigerians and the federal government for their role in making the airline a success as it tuned nine last week, stated that not having transit facilities at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja has blunted the competitiveness of Nigerian airlines.

He said Air Peace operates to destinations in the West and Central Africa, so, it ought to bring passengers from Douala, Banjul, Accra, Lome, Monrovia, Dakar, Freetown and others to its hub in Lagos and from Lagos airlift them to India, China, South Africa, Jeddah and other long-haul destinations.

“But unfortunately, we don’t have transit facility where these passengers will stay until they board their next flight and Nigeria Immigration Service and Nigeria Customs Service are yet to segment this class of passengers who in other countries are made to wait in the transit facility on the airside until they are due to fly again.

“Currently Immigration treats them like other passengers whose final destination is Nigeria and are expected to obtain visa and follow other procedures like other passengers who are arriving Nigeria. What is usually obtained is that as long as the passengers are not leaving the airport, they do not need visa because they are on transit,” he said.

Another challenge, the Air Peace Chairman pointed out is the fact that Nigerian airlines cannot obtain dollars even from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

He disclosed that Air Peace paid CBN naira to obtain about $14 million for the maintenance of 15 of its aircraft at maintenance facilities overseas, “but that money has not been made available to the us since the past six months.”