Some senators on Wednesday advocated for the protection of Nigerian airlines from what they described as unfair competition from their foreign counterparts.
As one of the measures to surmount this challenge, the lawmakers directed foreign airlines to provide statistics of Nigerians in their employment.
The subject was brought to the Senate through a motion by Ifeanyi Uba (Anambra-YPP).
Mr Uba informed his colleagues that foreign airlines are now designated to multiple routes within Nigeria noting that this development threatens the survival of local airlines.
“For example, Ethiopia Airlines operates in five cities namely; Enugu, Kano, Kaduna, Abuja, and Lagos; Turkish Airlines operates in four cities: Abuja, Kano, Lagos, and Port Harcourt and Emirates Airlines operates two frequencies daily into Lagos and one to Abuja.”
He noted that besides multiple designations, foreign airlines are now being encouraged to do multiple frequencies into the country and within the country, a practice which he said is not allowed in other countries.
“For instance, Turkish Airlines has just started Istanbul to Abuja, Abuja to Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt to Abuja, then Abuja to Istanbul. Lufthansa and Air France are also doing same, thereby running indigenous airlines out of business.
“Concerned that while Emirates has two frequencies into Lagos and one to Abuja, it has announced plans to introduce a third flight in and out of Lagos to start very soon, making it three flights daily to Lagos.”
Mr Uba stated that Nigerian airlines such as Arik, Virgin Nigeria, Medview and others, had in the past run out of international routes through this’ trend of unfair advantages allowed foreign airlines in Nigeria.’
He said that indigenous airlines have the capacity to cover all the domestic routes being operated now by these foreign airlines. He added that the practice in international aviation is for foreign airlines to partner with local airlines to help them distribute their passengers within the domestic routes.
He said further, “The Senate notes that the unrestrained grant of designations and multiple frequencies to foreign airlines is not only hurting the growth of our indigenous carriers but also a monumental disservice to the economy of Nigeria in several ways. Besides threatening the continuous existence of our indigenous carriers, the capital flight out of Nigeria engendered by this unwholesome practice is monumental and harmful to our economy;
Mr Uba said the practice is a threat to the survival and growth of Nigeria’s aviation industry and if unchecked, would ultimately lead to the collapse of Nigeria’s indigenous airlines.
Contributing, Yusuf Abubakar Yusuf (Taraba-APC) urged the federal government to look into the regulation of the industry as the existing ‘environment does not support fair competition.’
Kabiru Gaya (Kano-APC) and Aishatu Ahmed (Adamawa-APC) urged better collaboration between Nigeria and foreign airlines.
Betty Apiafi (Rivers-PDP) charged indigenous airlines to be more professional rather than seeking protection from competition.
“We can’t keep protecting (them). Government gave them money in the last administration but they were not accounted for. We shouldn’t just be sentimental, our airlines need to be professional,” she said.
The Senate resolved to summon the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, the Director General of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and Managing Director of FAAN to explain why foreign airlines are allowed to fly multiple routes within Nigeria to mop up passengers; a practice not allowed in other countries.
The lawmakers also asked foreign airlines to provide statistics of Nigerians in their employment, encourage them to employ more Nigerians and partner with indigenous Airlines.
While urging the federal government to give the indigenous airlines the necessary support and protection, the lawmakers resolved to invite the indigenous airline operators to explain to the Senate the challenges they are facing in the aviation industry.
Mr Lawan in his concluding comments urged the government to give more support to indigenous firms operating in the economy.
“We should do enough to encourage our patriots who have the courage to put their resources in any part of the economy,” he said.
