Nigerians will soon fly low cost airline – Elk
Pioneer Managing Director of Arik Airline, Mr. Alex Van Elk has revealed that Nigerians will soon witness the payment of low airfares to any destination within the country as he was determined to float a profitable low cost airline in Nigeria very soon. He said there was huge potentials in Nigeria aviation industry.
The Dutch born international aviator said that he was already mobilizing French investors for that purpose. Although he would not disclose the name of the new airline for now, he promised that it would become operational in the next ten months.
According to him, “we have made contacts with Nigerian authorities and they are quite pleased with our plans and assured us of government support”. Elk stressed that the airline would succeed because it would be devoid of the mistakes associated with most Nigerian airlines which usually lead to their early exit.
He itemized such mistakes as poor revenue accounting, acquisition of aging aircraft, lack of good reservation systems and heavy cost of overheads as well as ambitious route networks. The emerging low cost carrier he said would not venture into unprofitable routes and would be run professionally with the right caliber of staff.
He also disclosed that the airline was making wide consultations with mega carriers in Europe ,Asia and Africa for interlining arrangements stressing that the responses had been very encouraging.
Elk further added that the promoters which were comprised of both Nigerian and French investors had already made contacts with Air bus industrie, a French aircraft manufacturer for lease of brand new A319 for the take off of the new airline.
He assured that the fare would be very affordable but noted that there would be no in- flight refreshment. Said he, ‘We will only serve water on board for an hour flight but for those who will want to have something extra they will have to buy.’
[Vanguard]