President of Aviation Round Table Safety Initiatives, ART, Elder Gbenga Olowo has called for an upward review of 70% of hajj business to Nigerian airlines.
He described the 45% allocated to Saudi airlines as a negative trade balance against Nigeria.
Speaking to newsmen in Lagos, Elder Olowo cited known Nigeria Airlines like Medview, Air Peace , Azman, First Nation, Dana, Aero, Overland as having the wherewithal to carry out hajj operations.
Olowo who noted that annual Hajj operations remain a very huge market segment in Nigerian Aviation warned that the opportunity must not elude local operators.
He further explained that such incentives must be given to local airlines in order to improve their bottomline, grow aviation contribution to GDP , strenghten the Naira and address the negative balance of trade against Nigeria.
Drawing the attention of government, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA and National Hajj Commission (NAHCON) to the persistent negative trade balance against Nigeria, ART said this must be discontinued.
The ART leader further said that, while utilisation of Bilateral Air Services Agreements (BASA) for scheduled operations and multiple entry points continue to erode domestic market partly because of Nigeria weak airlines, and their capacity constraints, Hajj, a non scheduled business opportunity should go more to Nigeria airlines who are always there for the country rather than fly by night untested charter operators.
ART in an official statement issued yesterday, stated that Kaduna State 2016 operation that went to indigenous Nigerian operator was quite commendable, urging that other states and NAHCON should follow the good example in 2017.
Olowo said that it is on record that the kaduna experience was the only hitch free and smooth Hajj operation in 2016, advising others to borrow a leaf from that.
Following reports that there were 45% market allocation to Saudi airline recently, NAHCON earlier stated that there was no preferential treatment to Flynas airline as a Royal Decree was given for Saudi carriers the right to airlift 50% hajj traffic.
