Human rights activist and Head of Agbakoba and Associates, Olisa
Agbakoba, has said that foreign airlines enjoy preferential treatment
in Nigeria, expressing concern that this tends to infringe on
regulations that guide the operations in the country.
He also noted in a statement made available to THISDAY that the
international carriers capitalise on loopholes created by Bilateral Air
Service Agreement (BASA) which their countries signed with the Federal
Government.
“Many aviation analysts and stakeholders in the Aviation sector blame the audacity of foreign airlines to commit infractions on the preferential treatment they enjoy. The foreign operators have long capitalized on the loopholes created by the BASA (Bilateral Air Services Agreement) to gain economic power; this has led to an ability to challenge the authority or regulators.”
Agbakoba regretted that since the demise of Nigeria Airways Limited (NAL), other Nigerian carriers play second fiddle on international routes, thus giving the foreign carriers the opportunity to dominate international air transport from Nigeria.
“Since the death of Nigeria Airways, Nigerian operators play second
fiddle in the global airline business. A Central Bank of Nigeria of
Nigeria (CBN) report showed that all the foreign airlines operate more
than 200 weekly flights into Nigeria with Arik playing a nominal role.
The major international airlines repatriated over N200 billion in one
year.”
Agbakoba said that to stem this unfavourable situation, there was the need to introduce Aviation Cabotage, which will make it compulsory for Nigerians and others traveling on government expense to patronise Nigerian airlines, except when Nigerian carriers or their partners are not traveling to that destination.
Agbakoba said that to stem this unfavourable situation, there was the need to introduce Aviation Cabotage, which will make it compulsory for Nigerians and others traveling on government expense to patronise Nigerian airlines, except when Nigerian carriers or their partners are not traveling to that destination.
“There is need to introduce Aviation Cabotage; a framework that will
trap and keep these resource flights without necessarily hampering
Nigeria's international aviation obligations. It is therefore
recommended that a National Aviation Reform project should incorporate
wide range policies including development of regulations, legal
frameworks and infrastructures.”
He said that one of the required legal framework is the FLY NIGERIA BILL similar to (FLY AMERICA Regulation) which when passed would require Federal employees, dependents, consultants, contractors, grantees, and other persons performing Nigeria government financed air travel to travel Nigeria carriers.
The Fly Nigeria Act, he said, would make it mandatory for Federal
Government employees, consultants, contractors, and other public
officers embarking on a government sponsored trip to use a Nigerian
registered airline when one is available on that route.
This, he said, would lead to expansion of airline operations which in
turn would create jobs as more personnel would need to be employed.
He remarked that support for Aviation Cabotage would increase airlines
revenue, encourage code share and interlining operations between Nigeria
registered and foreign airlines.
It will also increase contribution to the Gross Domestic Product of
Nigeria; increase in adequate international traffic which would lead to
an increase in revenue which in turn would lead to an expansion in
airplane fleets as well as a general modernization of the industry, he
said.
Agbakoba added that this would also attract partners for abroad routes
expansion programme, observing that this would encourage aviation
manpower development through retention of human resources who are being
poached from Nigeria with higher salary offers by the Middle East and
Europe.
He said that this would necessitate infrastructural development and improvement to meet operating requirements.
Fly Nigeria Act, the eminent lawyer observed would protect the local
aviation market, remarking that such protection may come in the form of
restriction of the frequency of flights allocated to foreign carriers,
multiple entry Points etc.
On fare disparity by foreign carriers, he said that the recent
ultimatum given to British Airways, Virgin Atlantic Airways and all
international airlines operating in the country to dismantle the
regional fare imbalance between what Nigerian passengers pay for
international flights and their counterparts in the West African
sub-region or face a ban from operating in Nigeria, was a step in the
right direction.
“While we agree with the Minister of Aviation that Nigerian passengers
do not deserve this kind of exploitation and commend the actions of the
Federal Government, we encourage the Nigerian Government to take a
further step and introduce a policy dissuading Nigerians from flying
these international airlines through the passage of The Fly Nigeria
Bill. The Fly Nigeria Bill will ensure that all Federal employees and
their dependents, consultants, contractors, grantees, and others
performing government financed foreign air travel by Nigerian air
carriers. A lot of the passengers who fly these international airlines
fall into this category.”
He stressed that an immediate passage of the Fly Nigeria Bill will
utilise market forces to trap and keep these resource flights within
Nigerian airlines without necessarily hampering Nigeria’s international
aviation obligations in the long run.