Nigerian Flight Deck Travel and Business Reportage
Airline Operators of Nigeria ( AON) has said the Single African Air Transport Market( SAATM) is a good thing that would benefit Nigeria and Africa as a whole in terms of connectivity and improving tourism, if and only if it is sincerely done.
The AON made this known while airing their views on the Single African Air Transport Market( SAATM) and stressing that it was a good idea if and only if it is done fairly.
Vice President of AON and Chairman Air Peace, Chief Allen Onyema told the gathering,” it is a very good idea that would help Africa, it would help connectivity , it would boost tourism.
“However, nations must be sincere in their implementation of the SAATM. I want to use this opportunity to tell everyone present that we must be sincere in our implementation of SAATM for all this to be enjoyed by everyone. If it is one-sided, where Nigerian airlines are being deprived of landing permits or when given in in the other part of Africa, they make it very impossible for them to operate, then to hell with the SAATM!
But we have to support it but be sincere in its application.”
Onyema also spoke about the huge amount of monies the airlines are being charged by ASECNA when they fly the airspace and most times refuse to reconcile figures.
This, according to him, will drag the process back especially if one set of people are charged and treated differently from another.
“Flying over francophone countries have become something of a nightmare to Nigerian airlines, when they bring bills you start wondering how it happened. Sometimes there is a lot of conflict, then it goes to blackmail, and they do not accept reconciliation.”
