We’ll reciprocate slot system to protect indigenous airlines, says DG NCAA

The Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has disclosed that the Federal Government is working on a “tit-for-tat” slot system with a view to addressing all the imbalances in the Bilateral Air Services Agreements with other countries.

According to the DG, the current system has given undue advantages to foreign airlines over indigenous carriers, a situation he described as “shooting ourselves in the leg.”

He said, “Believe me, we are working on that and it is going to be tit-for-tat. Let me use an example and I am not saying that is what we are going to do, but just as an example. If a Nigerian airline is going to the United Kingdom and they insist Nigerian airline must buy slots, then any British airline that is coming into Nigeria will need to pay for slots too. It is tit-for-tat.

“If you tell me a particular airline from Nigeria cannot go to Heathrow because you cannot get slots, then, their airline too cannot come into Lagos because of slot issues. If you tell me a particular airline from Nigeria must pay, for instance, 100,000 pounds to operate to Heathrow, then, their own airline will have to pay the same amount of money to operate to Lagos. It is going to be reciprocity.

“We cannot hide under the issue of slots to give unfair commercial advantages to foreign airlines over Nigerian airlines. We have made mistakes in the past, we have learned from our mistakes and we are going to correct the mistakes.

“Lagos airport was built for less than 300,000 passengers in 1978. Lagos Airport is doing 8 million now and you are telling me your airport is operating over 40%? Lagos airport is operating over 1000% at the same capacity, it’s no longer acceptable.”

On the decision of the UAE to grant 7 slots to Nigeria’s Air Peace, Nuhu demanded that the UAE should make it official by writing to Nigeria, so it will be on the record but that the Nigerian Ministry of foreign affairs was in the process of authenticating the letter sent to Air Peace by the Dubai CAA.

” Dubai CAA wrote to Emirates that they have 7 daily slots so the CEO of Air Peace, Barrister Allen Onyema sent the letter to the Minister and me. So we said no problem APL is designated by Nigeria to fly UAE and Emirates is designated by the UAE to fly the BASA. So if that is what they are going to do let them give us official communication.

” Let them write to Nigeria, under the Nigeria /UAE BASA that Air Peace will fly seven slots You know it is important to have this officially and on records, that this is the agreement we have, so the government is ready to let that operation start if we get the communication, through the proper diplomatic channels. I know the foreign affairs has written to our sister ministry in the UAE to confirm this and so we know where we go from there.”

He added, “It is fair to defend Nigerian businesses, Air Peace is one of our biggest airlines and we must protect Air Peace that is the only way we can make our airlines grow and become global competitors If we allow other airlines to take all the slots, all the juicy routes from Nigeria and we don’t protect our own to get reciprocal treatment then we are shooting ourselves in the head.”