AVIATION

Booming business for chartered aircraft operators
06/09/12, Biodun Omojola

A very small number of the flying Nigerian public, notably public office holders and business people spent about $191.625 million (N29.7 billion) on chartered flights in 2011. Statistics from various aviation regulatory bodies including the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria show that Nigeria's airports handled an average of 50 chartered flights per day last year. Among the high spenders are politicians including state governors and other clients who pay an average of $7,000 per hour, per flight. Chartered airline operators at Nigeria's major airport, the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, said each chartered flight took an average of one and a half hours translating to $10,500 per hour, per flight.

With 50 daily flights, each averaging one and a half hours, this small group of Nigerians spent about $525,000 (N81.38 million) on chartered flights each day. Chartered aircraft operators include Kings Airlines, Top Brazz Aviation, Wings Aviation, Associated Airlines, Overland Airways, Arik Air, Vistajet and Aero Contractors. Industry analysts say Nigeria's VIP market, one of the fastest growing in the world, is fuelled by senior business and government officials who patronize the airlines.

Nigeria's aviation market is regarded as one of the most robust in the world. For many foreign airlines, the Nigerian route is usually their most profitable - if not across the world then in Africa. Statistics indicate that last year, Nigerians spent a total of $1.5 billion (about N225 billion) on tickets. In the year under review, 14.6 million passengers used Nigeria's airports while 122,700 tonnes of cargo were moved by air. Nigeria's aviation sector employed 60,000 workers including 1,835 cabin crew, 934 pilots, 325 air traffic controllers, 865 aircraft maintenance engineers and 250 meteorology personnel.