Foreign airlines no longer have challenges repatriating funds from Nigeria
The teething challenge of repatriating sales from tickets in Nigeria by some foreign airlines has been resolved as the United States carrier, Delta Airlines, says it no longer has challenges repatriating funds from ticket sales from Nigeria.
Staff Vice President, Sales, Europe, Middle East, Africa and India, Delta Airlines, Shane Spyak, said the airline is currently the only US carrier operating nonstop flights between Nigeria and the United States, others having left when it became difficult for foreign airlines to repatriate funds due to scarcity of forex.
The official, who spoke while commemorating the carrier’s 10th anniversary in Nigeria, said “Repatriation was difficult for one and a half years, but these issues are now behind us. Recently, we have been repatriating funds easily”.
Spyak stated that in the last 10 years, the airline had airlifted more than 1.12 million passengers between Nigeria and the United States.
He also revealed that effective March 26, 2018, the airline will operate daily service between Lagos and the US, with four weekly flights to Atlanta, complemented by three new weekly flights to the John F. Kennedy Airport, New York.
According to him, “Both routes will be operated using A330-200 aircraft recently introduced onto the Lagos-Atlanta route, adding more seats and offering an enhanced on-board experience. In addition to fully flat-bed seats in Delta One, Wi-Fi access, screens at every seat and free mobile messaging throughout the aircraft, Delta’s services between Lagos and Atlanta are tailored to meet the preferences of local customers.
“These include regionally inspired cuisine with locally sourced ingredients, offering a wider selection of sodas and fruit juices, and showcasing Nigeria’s vibrant film industry. Lagos forms part of Delta’s Africa network, which also includes service to Accra, Ghana; Dakar, Senegal; and Johannesburg, South Africa, and we recognise the importance of customising our offers for our Nigerian clients.”
Also speaking, the Senior Vice President, Network Planning, Delta Airlines, Bob Cortelyou, said it was an honour to serve Lagos and the country at large for 10 years as an important route in the airline’s trans-Atlantic network.
