Page 15 - DMEA Week 13 2022

DMEA NEWS IN BRIEF DMEA

at cheaper labour cost, no ocean freight to Odika congratulated the airlines in the adding that some people will be happier like
bring back the finished product, no charges in country for forming an alliance, saying it has those on the long haul – Yola, Kano – but not
foreign currency for refining the PMS or AGO the capacity of keeping domestic airlines alive on the short flight.
to return them back to the country. Nigeria at and provide consumer satisfaction. While commending the Federal Airports
the moment is cheating itself” He said airlines can now transfer Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for being able
Odika while expressing displeasure at passengers to other airlines and it will help to to reduce the presence of touts at the nation’s
how till today no one had explained why the improve on standards, timing apart from the airport terminals, he, however, berated the
refineries were not up and running, lamented weather, adding that days of sitting endlessly authority for constructing the new Chinese
how marketers of diesel were having a swell at the airport waiting for flights to come were financed international terminal at the Murtala
time and therefore, called on the government over with the alliance Muhammed International Airport without
to make the refineries work. On the fare hike, Odika said it was considering space for apron and wings span of
According to him, the oil boom was time- expected like every other business but wide-bodied aircraft.
bound as renewable energy has come to stay remarked that the hike in Jet A1 sounded “The new terminal cannot take more
as the “West was working seriously to ensure unrealistic to him from N200 to N625 per than two wide-bodied aircraft at a time at
that by 2040 renewable energy in Europe will litre. the apron. That will make it less attractive
form 80 – 90 per cent of their consumption.” Though Odika said the airlines had to foreign airlines. It will consequently
Calling on the Buhari government for justification to increase fares but condemned reduce the commercial value of the
the time left for the oil boom to allow all the the blanket increase across the nation saying: terminal, especially at peak periods of airline
refineries to be made to work and search for “You don’t charge the same fare for a flight to operations. To remedy this, the federal
alternative areas of revenue generation, Odika Benin that is 35 mins as somebody going to government has to demolish existing
said: “Over dependent on oil is time-bound; Yola or Kano that is over one hour. That is not structures around the terminal to increase
20 years maximum for major export that we realistic” apron space.”
can boost of now. It doesn’t mean that we will Odika called on the operators to sit down TRIBUNE
not sell any more but a limited amount for and look at each route with the alliance
Nigeria”. formed to adjust their fares accordingly,

Week 13 31•March•2022 www. NEWSBASE .com P15