Aviation enthusiasts said it arrived with a cabin-full of positives for the local industry, airlines operation and international travel business. WOLE OYEBADE reports.
The order, in fact, comprised purchase rights for additional 17 E195-E2 jets. With all purchase rights exercised, the contract has a value of N640.5 billion based on the recent price list. Many marvels then was that the interested buyer was less than four years old in the game.But Air Peace chairman, Allen Onyema, has a grand game-plan.
Onyema thanked President Muhammadu Buhari, Sirika, and the National Assembly for creating an enabling environment for the growth of the aviation sector through waivers of Value Added Tax and duties for commercial aircraft, engines and spares.“The minister threw us the challenge to acquire new aircraft. That is what we have achieved today. The brand new aircraft made it a great day for Nigeria. Those aircraft will create at least 8000 additional jobs. That is my joy.
The bottom-line: the newer the plane, the cheaper the cost of maintenance, the wider the profit margin.Sirika said that the above logic was behind the aviation roadmap of the current administration to encourage airline operators to try new aircraft. Sirika, who commended Air Peace for heeding the call, said it was the right way to go for a modern commercial carrier that wants to compete, survive and endure.
The COO of one of the local airlines explained that Nigerian aviation once had one of the worst reputations when it came to risk assessment. That was the era when commercial jets were literally falling off the skies, he said.