BEFORE now, United States airlines were contented with operating within the U.S. and Europe, leaving European and Asian airlines to airlift passengers from Africa to America.
But times have changed. American carriers are now opening up and making foray into huge African market that has been described as new haven for investments and tourism.
Just recently, precisely on March 10, 2010, the U.S. signed ‘Open Skies’ agreement with Zambia, making the East African country the 96th U.S. Open-Skies partner and the 20th on the African continent.
Under the new agreement, airlines with ‘Open Skies’ pact would be allowed to select routes and destinations based on consumer demand for both passenger and cargo services, without limitations on the number of U.S. or any other country that can fly between the two countries or the number of flights they can operate.
It removes restrictions on capacity and pricing, and provides unlimited opportunities for co-operative marketing arrangements, including code-sharing, between U.S. and the carriers.
Nigeria was among the first nations in Africa to sign the agreement in 2000 when former President Bill Clinton during the tail end of his administration visited Nigeria. That signaled the groundwork for American carriers to take a shot at Nigerian burgeoning travel industry.
While American carriers were ready to commence immediate operations into the country, no Nigerian carrier was ready to reciprocate the agreement, inspite of the designation of Bellview, Virgin Nigeria and Arik to operate to the U.S.
Of the lot, only Arik Air showed courage to operate to the New York, while Bellview and Virgin Nigeria are yet to show commitment to begin operations to Atlanta and Newark.
Arik’s audacity of courage has been met with a lot of challenges. First was the huge hurdle of category one, coupled with lack of government’s support to compete with Delta and now United Airline, regarded as the biggest airlines in the world.
This is coming as Continental Airlines announced that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has approved the airline’s application to offer service between Houston and Lagos, Nigeria.
The service, scheduled to begin in November 2011 and subject to final government approval, will be the first daily scheduled service between the state of Texas and the continent of Africa. Lagos is the 31st destination in Continental’s trans-Atlantic route network.
The American Category One status simply means that both the designated carriers, the countries civil aviation authorities would have highest safety standards before their carriers can operate to the U.S.
Many Nigerians described the coming of the airlines as big blessing, which is expected to cut considerably hours lost in connecting flights to America from Europe or Asia. It also gives choices to travellers to choose from when making their travel plans.
After a long wait for the airline by the Minister of Aviation, Fidelia Njeze, Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr. Harold Demuren, the managing director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), top officials of other aviation agencies, who waited patiently for the arrival of the private airline to Lagos, Njeze said, “today (Monday) is my happiest day,” as she eulogised the airline.
Others guests, who flew in with the airline are America ’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Joseph Stafford, Mr. Charles Duncan, Vice-President of United Airlines, and other top officials of the airline.
She stated that it is a win-win situation that would boost the economy of both countries, and to show that is a strategic partner with the U.S.
“We hope that the occasion will enhance the mutual cooperation between both nation and we urge you to take note of service to consumers.”
Duncan said he was grateful to the Aviation minister and all their partners, who made launching the new service to Washington possible.”
“This service will facilitate stronger commercial and cultural ties between the United States and Nigeria, while making travel more convenient and more accessible to our customers in Africa and the Americas.”
He reiterated that United’s flights to and from Lagos is conveniently timed to provide connections to and from dozens of points across North America, adding that at its Washington Dulles hub, United operates approximately 285 daily departures.
United Airlines operates more than 3,300 flights a day on United and United Express to more than 230 U.S. domestic and international destinations from its hubs in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Chicago and Washington, D.C. with key global air rights in the Asia- Pacific region, Europe and Latin America.
United is one of the largest international carriers based in the United States. United’s 46,000 employees reside in every U.S. state and in many countries around the world.
Duncan stated that the company’s portfolio of products offers the right service to the right customer at the right price, stressing that the entire organisation was committed to continuous improvement in costs, revenues and operations to sustain and enhance a competitive margin.
To achieve this goal, he noted that the company is investing in its customers and employees and ensuring accountability to create a high-performing organisation.
On Oct. 1, 2010, United and Continental closed their previously announced all-stock “merger of equals” transaction to create the world’s leading airline.
Duncan promised that the new United would offer customers an enhanced travel experience, combining the best products and services each carrier has to offer.
The carrier he noted would be focused on being the airline customers want to fly, the airline employees want to work for and the airline shareholders want to invest in.
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