Federal Government, yesterday, expressed readiness to partner with and support local airlines, on condition that they abide by standards of operations.
   
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, at a meeting with Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), said all stakeholders must play their roles fully to collectively achieve economic growth.
  
The government’s pledge came just a day after Keyamo declared that airlines must now compensate for flight delays, in accordance with the rule book. Disclosing his readiness to support growth and sustenance of local airlines operator’s while holding them to the highest international standards in the aviation industry, Keyamo said airlines are critical to growth and development of the sector and the country; hence the government is ready to help them operate profitably.
  
Keyamo assured of a possible review of all Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASAs), stressing the need for AON to renew and repair its fleets to encourage passenger patronage.
  
He also pleaded with the operators to cooperate among themselves and shore up their capital base to survive disruptions like the COVID-19 pandemic. He promised he would suggest to the government the possibility of AON accessing facilities at single digits, including associated foreign exchange to meet its foreign obligations.
  
While welcoming investors to establish commercial MROs in Nigeria, Keyamo said during his administration, a futuristic master plan would be developed to accommodate everything that would make Nigeria an aviation hub in Africa, even as he implored all airlines to utilise their BASA routes to reduce airfare.

Earlier, the President of AON, Dr Abdulmunaf Yunusa, presented a paper through Captain Roland Iyayi, which highlighted some of the constraints and challenges, and probable solutions to Nigeria’s aviation industry. 
    
 Among the challenges are: foreign exchange, Jet A1 fuel, cost of capital and funding options, infrastructure, taxes, fees and charges as well as government policies.
   
AON requested licences for Jet A1 importation and distribution through strategic partnership and an immediate review of all industry taxes, fees and charges.
   
It also called for immediate renegotiation of all existing BASAs and Multilateral Air Service Agreements (MASA), in line with provision of Single Africa Air Transport Market (SAATM), with emphasis on the principle of reciprocity in favour of domestic airlines.