Friday, September 14, 2012

Dead airline

Air Nigeria was beautiful, but now it has fainted like Virgin Nigeria before it.

Air Nigeria
But what beautiful design on the aircraft, it made my heart soar to see it in the sky above the expressway in Ikeja, Lagos.  The company management has suspended all flights and operations, and the picturesque eagle may fly no more.  Well, there may yet be a rescue. 
Previously, Richard Branson (Founder/CEO of Virgin) dumped the Virgin Nigeria effort.  Was it not a lovely dream?  The cool simplicity of the Virgin brand, serving the coolest, blackest market in the world.  It failed, and Richard Branson said Never Again would he attempt to do business in Nigeria because of the greed of the politicians.
Now, Jimoh Ibrahim (CEO of AirNigeria) blames "staff disloyalty and weak business environment" for the asphyxiation of his company.
Tell me about staff disloyalty!
A few years ago flying Virgin, I had to fend off this weasly porter at the luggage check-in counter.  He was desperate to let me carry luggage over the allowed weight.  He would discount the fee, you understand?  Jeez, I don't want to pay you.  I want to pay the AIRLINE, idiot!  And he had actually doubled the excess luggage weight in the first place.  Really, this employee was ruining the company that was trying to feed him.
Someone observed that this was why planes around here would sometimes "fall from the sky."  

A brief history of Air Nigeria (Source: www.myairnigeria.com , September 14, 2012)
AirNigeria Virgin Airlines

Air Nigeria History

Air Nigeria, (formerly Virgin Nigeria) was established in 2004 when the Federal Government of Nigeria and Virgin Atlantic Airways signed a Memorandum of Mutual Understanding (MMU) that gave birth to the airline. Air Nigeria, then trading as Virgin Nigeria Airways started operating on 28th June, 2005 with flights to London Heathrow, Johannesburg as well as regional and domestic flights using Airbus A340-300 and A320-200 aircrafts. The airline quickly endeared itself in the minds of consumers as a result of its excellent customer service delivery and safety standards (being the first West African carrier listed on IOSA directory).
Air Nigeria currently operates domestic and regional flights that cut across 16 locations in Nigeria and in the West and Central African region. From its operational base at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, Air Nigeria operates to  Owerri, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Abuja, Kano and Sokoto on the domestic routes while it also operates to Brazzaville, Accra, Douala, Dakar, Monrovia, Cotonou, Banjul, Libreville, Sao Tome and Abidjan with further plans to extend services to more African destinations, Europe, Asia and America. Air Nigeria is currently pursuing its new focus and vision to dominate the domestic and regional markets.
Following the airlines’ acquisition by Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim of the NICON Group in April 2010, the airline is vigorously pursuing its vision of being the leading African airline with exceptional travel experience as well as making Lagos, a major hub in the sub-Saharan region.  Air Nigeria has within a space of five months, progressively embarked on an ambitious plan of fleet growth that now accounts for the actualization of its short term plan of having 10 aircrafts in its fleet before the end of 2010.
The airline is 100% e-ticketing compliant across her network and is the first Nigerian airline and first in West Africa to be listed on the IOSA Directory as it adheres strictly to the International Civil Aviations Organization’s safety regulations and standards. Its registration on the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) registry places it at par with the best airlines in the world having shown its commitment and demonstration to airline safety standards
Air Nigeria since inception, has always been in the vanguard of constantly reviewing its product offering to meet the demands of passengers. It offers a frequent flyer programme known as eagleflier® that seeks to reward passenger loyalty.
Air Nigeria continually strives to offer its passengers a unique customer experience from the point of first contact and on until they disembark from their flights. Both English and French speaking passengers’ needs are catered for as Air Nigeria’s crew are well trained to handle such needs.
That's all for now. Next up, I may comment on the new notes (controversy over 5000naira bill), and more exciting, a rush of funds to the stock market. Read, Share, and consider writing your thoughts - it's a group blog after all.

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