One of Aero Contractors’ planes with registration number 5N BLC has already been painted into Nigeria’s national colours of green and white, a photograph shows.
The plane now resembles the aircraft once used by Nigeria Airways, the mismanaged government airline that crumbled years ago.
Sources said the government has also bought ten new Embraer planes to flag off the new national carrier.The ten Embraer aircraft will be added to the planes already in the fleet of Aero Contractors Airline, the source said.
They said with the takeover, billions of naira borrowed from Nigerian coffers have been erased and nobody has been held accountable for the big losses.
Besides, critics argue that national airlines are no longer viable in the world as they are often being mismanaged or abused.
The new national carrier to be launched by President Goodluck Jonathan will be a privileged airline that will receive waivers for virtually everything, the source said.”Arik Air will just die because it won’t be able to compete.
The Nigerian Eagle will operate from the General Aviation Terminal in Lagos,” the source said.
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There is nothing to celebrate about this. Nigeria keeps making bad decisions. This will end up just like the Nigerian Airways that became disfunctional and bankrupt. The country lacks management competencies which, when blended with our known corruption will be just another avenue for dismal failure and enrichment of a few including Stella Odua & co. The Nigerian government should be a regulator, not an operator of airlines. Goodluck Jonathan needs to be voted out of office for being incompetent and wasteful. The man doesn't know how to make good decisions. Nigeria is a disaster, only God knows!
ReplyDeleteOnly a disaster my broda.
ReplyDeleteOnly a disaster you said?. I don't know what else GEJ will do that you people will not criticise. I remember sometimes ago , someone here said its a shame Nigeria doesn't have a national carrier, now we have one, you guys called it disaster! . Even the so caLled critics in the article said National carrier is no longer in fashion worldwide, I'm sure they were among those who condemned GEJ for not having one.
ReplyDeleteWell said @10:36pm.too many cooks and a lot of too knows.a good step from the president.
ReplyDeleteGood one we need to break Arik's near monopoly and reduce the cost of air fares in nigeria. Emeka
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's a good decision going by the way Nigeria Airways was mismanaged without anybody being help accountable for it. It's another waste of resources.
ReplyDeleteAs long as govt dignitaries and their families fly in it, I'm OK. Abu Dhabi n Dubai r ordering new planes for their airlines, 9ja is repainting old ones and someone says GEJ shd b praised- I can't laff.
ReplyDeleteOne of the stellar deals one Stella Oduah is trying to seal before she steps down as the country's Aviation Minister.
ReplyDeleteFine!!! Let the name changed to Nigerian Eagle and Management of Aero Contractor still handle the normal operations. Please am begging Mr President to leave the running of the airline to the entire management of Aero Contractor and nobody in government should be involved in the affairs. GEJ please allow nobody from the Ministry to be part of the running of this airline.... I wish GEJ see this message.
ReplyDeleteClueless President guided by criminally minded so-called ministers, Does anyone remember what our Stella tried to do to Arik not long ago? She wanted a chunk of the company's shares for herself and when Mr Johnson would not budge, she messed up the company's operations. The embarrassment this later caused made her clueless boss to intervene and let Arik be. As if things are not bad enough!
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone remember the recent news story of the designation of Aero as the country's national carrier, the equity structure of the new carrier, and the reservation of 10% shares in the company for a faceless (Stellar?) agent that brokered the deal.
This one is DOA.
Mmmmm....Nigerians. Always good at discussing political issues, but very foolish at descerning reasonable issues....Okay, now, tell me @Nov24 6:01 pm and 7:15pm...If Jonathan steps down now or is even not re-elected in 2015...who's the better candidate...presently?...pls try to weigh options b4 considerin, includin religious critics, transparency and wisdom...bcos we don't need ppl who are open critics, I tell you, wen elected, they will openly disown Nigeria....pls comment...who?
ReplyDeleteYou really must be a big fool to think this confussed president is our best option at the moment.
DeleteThen who is?
DeleteI think Nigerians take pleasure in criticizing the government anyway. Before people have criticized the government for not having a national carrier but only presidential jets. Now that government has acceded to the opinion to have a national carrier people are yet criticizing her. I can only conclude by saying that the Nigerians (not the government) have psychiatric disorder. Non sense
ReplyDeleteYou are right, for this includes you, your entire (your parents inclusive) and all the elders and traditional rulle from your home town. The problem is most of you talt without thinking all in the name of defending a government that is even ashamed of herself though they may not openly accept this because of the huge financial gains that goes with the office.
DeleteFor saying all Nigerians have mental problems, I am sure you are a bastard son of a female dog. Fathered by a rabid male dog.
DeleteNigerian Eagle....,not a bad one. Setting up an entity is not bad at all but managing it. If Aero Contractors can be highly indebted, Nigerian Eagle is not safe in their hand. Merited people should be allow to manage the new National Carrier and with the task of reviving Nigerian Airways. I wish to see a high competition between Nigerian Eagle and Nigeria Airways. It is possible.
ReplyDeleteAll of you condemning this idea from the government are nothing but mischiefs because you and your relations know what is really your fear . Dirty minds .
ReplyDeleteJude
The Nigerian government sent 24 individuals to train in Germany as pilots as part of the Niger Delta Amnesty program. So, this National carrier stuff is beginning to make more sense. These individuals are the ones who will be piloting you to your death in the future. You cannot select pilots as part of an amnesty program, which is what Johnathan's government appears to be doing. Anyone who travels by these airplanes in the future should understand that they are taking a risk in the hands of individuals who shouldn't be pilots, both in qualification and credentials. That you are sent to Germany for a piloting lesson doesn't qualify you as a pilot, especially of a commercial aircraft. Under the amnesty program, these individuals should have been trained as aircraft maintenance personnel, but definitely not as pilots. This is disaster-in-waiting!
ReplyDeleteNaija... what more can we say? Well I don't like the saying; arik will just die', doesn't make sense to me, why one will want such a prestigious indigenous airline to crumble... when we all want 2 fly safe... speaking of which, I think we should be proud of arik, because, they have held their safety standards high! Like a good joint! Secondly I pray the nigerian eagle works..
ReplyDelete@ 9.03pm. Very good comment. you have said it all. I just hope every one who drops(ed) a comment here will read your comment.
ReplyDeleteNov 26 @ 1:17 makes so much sense too.
I'll say lets all watch and see what happens. Nature has a way of dealing with Mediocrity.