2 months after flight resumption, only 25% of fleet currently in use

Two months after domestic flight operations resumed in Nigeria, domestic airline operators have disclosed that only 25 percent of their total fleet are currently flying.

The airline operators who linked this to low passenger patronage said government’s support is urgently needed, as the situation is not encouraging.

Speaking during the election of new executive members to run the affairs of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Abdulmunaf Yunusa, new president of the association and founder of Azman Airline said as a result of the Covid-19, members of AON have faced serious problems.

Abdulmunaf said now is the time for the government to support the airlines or else, the commercial aircraft may be reduced and jobs lost.

He said the association has heard of the government’s proposed N27 billion intervention funds but at the end of the day, it is only what the association sees, it can work with.

He disclosed that since domestic flight operations resumed, the airplanes operating are not more than 25 percent of the total airplanes owned by domestic carriers, adding that this is not encouraging.

The AON, a body of domestic airline owners, yesterday elected new executive members to run the affairs of the association.

The new president of the association is Abdulmunaf Yunusa, founder of Azman Airline and president of Azman Group, while Allen Onyema, chairman/ceo of Air Peace, is vice president.