FOREIGN AIRLINES: ABUSE OF NIGERIAN CONTENT AND STAFF

The foreign airlines operating into Nigeria need to brace up and correct glaring anomalies noticed in the treatment of Nigerians working with them and the sanctity of their operational guidelines regarding the Nigerian content as stated in documents submitted to NCAA and the bilateral air services agreement (BASA) signed by our respective countries. Workers of Air France/KLM in Nigeria recently embarked on a warning strike to drive home their agitation for better working conditions and improvement of salaries, under the leadership of NUATE. The management response was simply distasteful. Rather than dialogue and negotiate since it was a warning strike, they tried to break the strike by hiring temporary charlatans to run the system at a considerable security risk to the system, airport and nation at large while also using all intimidating tatics to subdue the staff . Their pilots have given notice for a warning strike, while other staff domiciled in their base have done so in the past without getting the same response from Management. Rather they negotiated and prepared their customers for the strike by cancelling flights, offering refund or allowing change of travel plans without penalty. These carriers lodge their expatriate staff in ikoyi, Victoria Island etc, and also provide police escort and protection right from the airport to any point that catches their fancy; all at a huge cost to and detriment of the local staff take home pay. This opulence is funded by revenue generated from Nigerian passengers and primarily from our public sector that fill the upper cabin irrespective of price and season. Some of the managers brought into the country by these airlines AF/KL inclusive have taken jobs designated for citizens of the host country while the NCAA looks the other way. The NCAA should sit up and protect the nation from the predatory practices of the foreign airlines, they simply need to defend their governing act and ensure compliance. Some years back, Air-France opened a sales outlet in Port-Harcourt in defiance to the rules of engagement, while BA stopped paying commission to our travel agents. These and other acts are the regulatory and competitive loopholes latched onto by the foreign airlines. The blame lies fully with the NCAA and the Ministry that approve while also increasing frequency and gauge without due diligence. If the government does not know how to save Nigerians and the industry in particular then I advise they speak to the Venezuelans who gave stringent conditions for repatriating revenue generated from their soil, The foreign airlines threatened, begged and voluntarily reduced frequencies and gauge. Also the Russians, Chinese and Israelis have fashioned policies to protect their carriers and professionals. Do I need to remind us that Air France operates into Bamako and Ouagadougou only yet have commercial partnership with Air Burkina and Air Mail, these carrier operate the vilified MD 83s which are used to lift Air France passengers to points beyond Bamako and Ouagadougou respectively. KLM invested in Kenya Airways while they (AF/KLM)jointly operate twice daily to Lagos and once daily to Abuja and PortHarcourt. The largesse of the Ministry and consistent bickering between the Federal and State Government gave them and others the leeway. The price for us is the non participation and investment in our carriers while Nigerians working with them are short changed to the detriment of the country. Lufthansa duped us some time ago when their frequent flyer Mr. Omotoba who was then Minister for Aviation signed away extra points and frequencies under a warped agreement that LH will in turn develop our industry commercially. May be his mileage account was developed definitely not this industry. Airlines world over are still investing and partnering, here are some examples; Singapore airlines just partnered with the TATA family to start a new carrier in India; Ethiopian Airlines has just partnered Malawian government to start a new carrier and also uses the Togolese based ASKY airline to undercut us; Etihad pretends to compete with Emirates but for those that can discern they complement each other; they bought shares in Air Seychelles and lately got Alitalia under their belt. Why are Nigerian airlines being bypassed? Even the wobbling and fumbling super eagles went to South Africa last week to play against Bafana Bafana on SAA bypassing Arik that operate to Johannesburg. We shot ourselves in the foot, and we will increase the wound and the debt if we touch the national carrier project. What we need is a national airline policy that will modernize ATC, stabilise fuel price, improve regulatory reforms, strengthen our carriers and increase private participation. If we develop this policy flag carriers will blossom and a national carrier will naturally germinate from there.