New domestic airline to cut airfares

A new entrant to the crisis-ridden domestic airline industry, Azman Airlines, on Thursday commenced operations with a promise to cut airfares in order make air travel affordable to many.

The airline said it was beginning air services with two United States-made Boeing 737 planes while two additional planes would join the fleet in a couple of weeks.

It added that it received the mandatory Air Operator Certificate from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority last week after rigorous safety procedure and tests.

The statement by the airline quoted the Managing Director, Dr. Faisal Abdulmunaf, as saying that the airline would be commencing flights on the Lagos-Abuja, Lagos-Kano, Abuja-Kano, Kaduna-Lagos, Lagos-Maiduguri and Lagos-Port Harcourt routes.

He said the management of the carrier was investing huge amounts of money in the region to expand its operations by developing new routes and services in favour of the average passenger.



Abdulmunaf said many Nigerians wanted to travel by air but could not do so due to the relatively high cost of air travel, promising that its fares would be competitive to match the type of service its going to provide.

He reiterated that the carrier went through stringent demonstration flight after it was issued with a licence, adding that the airline would ensure that it serves passengers efficiently.

The statement also quoted the Chairman, Azman Airlines, Dr. Abdulmunaf Yunusa Sarina, as saying that the vision for establishing the business was to establish a highly diversified business conglomerate that provide goods and services that would enhance the development of the economy.

The former Assistant General Secretary of Airline Operators of Nigeria, Alhaji Mohammed Tukur, was quoted by the statement as commending the coming of Azman, noting that increase in the number of airlines would lead to better services and lower fares.
 

[Punch]