Air Peace chief worries over entry requirements by West Africa countries

Pressure has mounted on the Federal Government to review the bilateral air service agreements (BASAs) it signed with foreign airlines following the difficulty in reciprocation by Nigerian airlines.
It was revealed yesterday how some West African nations and other countries deliberately created obstacles to frustrate Nigerian airlines from flying into their countries while they enjoy unhindered freedom in the name of “open skies” in Nigeria.

Aviation Roundtable (ART), a group of industry professionals, has consistently queried the lopsidedness in the implementation of BASAs in Nigeria, querying the wisdom in the allocation of multiple entry points for foreign carriers.

For instance foreign carriers like Ethiopian Airline, Lufthansa, British Airways, Turkish Airline, among others fly into more than one destination in Nigeria unlike in other countries where Nigerian carriers were allowed to fly to one designation.

Nigeria’s flag carrier, Air Peace,  gave instances of how some West African countries are frustrating its plan to operate to their countries through various obstacles.
Chairman of the Airline, Barr. Allen Onyema, who voiced out the concern at a press briefing said some countries were giving the airline stringent conditions to begin flight operation.

He said they have been doing this in connivance with some powerful airlines in the West African region all in a bid to protect their airline’s business interest.
He called on the Federal Government to intervene in addressing the clandestine schemings by the foreign carriers which he said are only after depleting the country’s foreign reserve.

Onyema disclosed that the airline had been designated to fly into many West coast nations but it was only able to start Ghana while facing obstacles in countries like Senegal, Togo, Côte D’voire, among others.

He threatened to institute legal suit to stop Asky Airline from coming into Nigeria if Togo refused to honour Air Peace’s request to commence flight operations by May 21.

Onyema also disclosed that for instance Cote D’Voire gave them approval but with a single ground handling service which is demanding for $4,000 per landing, saying the country did this to protect Air Cote D’voire.

He said, “Nigeria gave us right to fly into  many African countries but we are only doing Ghana presently. Those other countries never wanted to answer our emails. We had to send people there. We went there pleading, they see Air Peace as a threat.