After so many years of pushing by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigerian carriers, Dana Air and Ibom Air, finally reached an agreement on the first interline/codeshare deal between both domestic airlines.
A codeshare agreement is a business agreement in which two or more airlines publish and market the same flights under their own airline designator and flight number, known as the airline flight code.
Industry experts believe that such interline or codeshare would enhance domestic airline operation, reduce flight delays and cancellation, cost of operation, and generate more profits for the airlines participating in that agreement.
The Chief Operating Officer of Ibom Air, George Uriesi, who disclosed this at the quarterly Aviation Round Table (ART) breakfast meeting held virtually with the theme: ‘Utilising Interlining and Codeshare Agreements as Tools for Domestic Airlines Profitability and Passenger Comfort’, gave details of the extent at which his airline had gone to bring the innovation to fruition.
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He stated that his airline just finished a long process of interlining with some Nigerian airlines, adding: “We are going to launch it by May 2021.”
Uriesi described the country’s airline industry as competitive because of the proliferation of airlines for a small pool of market, which comes with lots of empty seats when aircraft doors are closed.
According to him, “We are on the last phase of the interline project. By May, we shall launch it. The challenge of it is to have partners who are organised and who meet up with the organisation of your company. Your workforce has to work together, seat together to look at your schedule, and integrate into your reservation system.”
The Director-General of NCAA, Musa Nuhu, commended the two airlines and Uriesi for the idea which he believes would help airlines to maximise profit and make air travel enjoyable for passengers, and also eliminate delay and flight cancellations.
