The immediate past president of a pressure group made up of different professionals in the aviation sector, otherwise known as Aviation Round Table Safety Initiatives (ASRTI), Dr Gbenga Olowo has emphasised the need for the domestic airlines to form two major carriers in order to be stronger and relevant in the business of airline.
Speaking at the Annual General Meeting/second quarter 2023 brunch business meeting organised by the group in Lagos, Olowo making his speech on his last day as the president of ASRTI before stepping aside having coordinated the group for nine years, insisted that the ability of the domestic carriers to become formidable and withstand strong competition from foreign airlines rests on their willingness to merge.
The former ASRTI president who declared that it will be herculean for the domestic airlines to withstand strong competition without collaboration, cooperation and or merger, proposed the collapsing of all the airlines into two airlines.
Citing how similar collaboration and merger carried out in the banking sector was successful, Olowo said this policy should be embraced by the domestic airlines to enable them dwell on fleet size rather than share to capital.
His words: “Permit me to again fly a kite on Collaboration, Cooperation and or merger by establishing two competing oligopoly flag carriers a la Babangida NRC, SDP political solution, the most successful political experiment that was truncated.”
Using two of the foremost international alliances of the Oneworld and Skyteam which saw mega carriers around the world forming strong mergers, he said the alliances gave the foreign carriers the ample opportunities of delivering sumptuous services globally with each of the airlines still maintaining its own individual identity.
“If our airlines (who are competing) can go to court on common interest, they can as well come together to drive a more efficient service delivery. I propose two airlines christened NIGERIA FIRST”.
