New beginning underway as Airbus, Boeing flash interest in national carrier
Barring any last minute change of mind, the planned flotation of a new national air carrier may be fleet-rolled by leading aircraft manufacturers, Airbus or Boeing before the end of 2018 first quarter.
Dropping the cheering news, the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, revealed that the manufacturers have expressed willingness to discuss their interest with the government.
In a tweet on his Twitter handle, @hadisirika, the minister said, “Boeing said they can’t wait to discuss their proposal for the Nigerian national carrier. Will sign MoU at the IWAF (ICAO World Aviation Forum).”
Another tweet shortly after the first one by the minister said “Airbus signified interest in our national carrier and our MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul). Will discuss further during the upcoming ICAO forum.”
Before now, both the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amamechi and Sirika had hinted the readiness of the government to drive the scheme both for the shipping and airline, but since recently, issues surrounding the shipping fleet had been swept under the carpet due to paucity of fund in the maritime sector.
However, on several occasions, Sirika had announced the Federal Government’s determination to establish a national carrier as well as a facility for the MRO in order to reposition the country’s aviation sector.
Pointer to the fact that national air fleet may take off before the shipping fleet emerged from the recent appointment of transaction advisers for the national air carrier and the MRO.
Business Hilights gathered that the dream of national shipping carrier had been in the cooler since 2016 when a report inaugurated and commissioned by the Minister, Amaechi was apparently swept under the carpet after submission more than two year now.
