Airlines seek profit as Aero resumes with 10 routes

The Managing Director of Aero Contractors, Capt. Ado Sanusi yesterday said airlines were not making profit in Nigeria because there is something fundamentally wrong with the industry.

Sanusi spoke in Lagos during a briefing to herald Monday’s resumption of operation of the airline as he disclosed that the airline is restarting with 10 new destinations.

He said many domestic airlines are finding it difficult to break even due to multiple charges and excessive taxes.

“I don’t think any airline has posted any profit in Nigeria and this tells you there is something fundamentally wrong. Every airline in Africa is posting profit but there is something fundamentally wrong here.”

The airline recently got the nod of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to resume operation about five months after it suspended operation due to cash crunch.

The airline will be operating with Boeing 737 and Dash 8 (Q- 300/400) servicing 10 destinations including Warri, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja, Benin, Yola, Sokoto, Kano, Asaba and Calabar.

Apart from Sanusi who returned to the airline after leaving in June 2021 to head another entity being set up by the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), the airline also appointed a new Chief Finance Officer, Mr Charles Grant.

Briefing newsmen shortly after a prayer offered for the flight resumption, Sanusi explained that the airline has learnt from the mistake, which led to the suspension of operation.

He said, “We have looked at what actually caused the failure of the past and we are very determined not to make the same mistake.”

Chairman, Technical Committee of the airline, Dr. Harold Demuren, listed the current challenges of Nigeria’s aviation industry to include, increase in aviation fuel, non-availability of foreign exchange, among others.

“The price of tickets has not matched up because if the price of the ticket is too high, the passengers will not be able to afford it,” noted Demuren.