Air Peace Reacts as Nigerian Airline Makes History With Delivery of New A220 Aircraft
- Ibom Air, one of the newest airlines in Nigeria, has taken the delivery of a brand new Airbus A220 aircraft
- The aircraft is among the 10 ordered by the administration of former governor Emmanuel Udom
- The former governor was among the delegation which received the new airline in Montreal, Canada, on Friday, November 24, 2023
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During the weekend, the erstwhile governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, delivered the first of 10 brand new Airbus A220-300 series aircraft ordered during his tenure in 2021.
Emmanuel's administration established Ibom Air in 2019. It later led a delegation from the airline to the Dubai Air Show, where he agreed with Airbus to procure the 10 new A220-300 series aircraft.
Source: Getty Images
Ibom Air to receive nine Airbus A220S worth $902 million
The ex-governor also was among the top dignitaries who inspected and took delivery of the aircraft in Montreal, Canada, on Friday, November 24, 2023.
According to reports, the airline signed an agreement for 10 new aircraft valued at $902 million in November 2021.
Benoit Schultz, Airbus Chief Executive Officer and Vice President; Daniel Wenninger, Head of Airbus A220 Delivery Centre; Marc Arpin and Cyrille Picard, Sales Director, and top management of Ibom Air, were on the ground during the aircraft presentation.
The former governor said Ibom Air is the first airline to take delivery of the all-new Airbus 220 in Nigeria.
He stated that during his term as governor, he envisaged the airline to become a dominant player in the aviation industry in West Africa and Africa.
He commended the current governor, Umo Eno, for sustaining the project's development.
Air Peace chairman lauds Ibom Air
The Airbus A220-300 stands at the forefront of modern aviation technology, getting global attention for its fuel efficiency, cutting-edge technology, and passenger comfort and safety features.
The Airbus 220-300 series is adaptable for short and medium-haul commercial operations with a range of about seven hours.
The airline's CEO said:
"Introducing the Airbus A220-300 to our fleet is a game-changing leap forward for Ibom Air."
Reacting, chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, said Nigerian airlines are getting stronger by the day.
He added that Ibom Air is making history in the Nigerian aviation industry by acquiring the new airline.
IATA calls out Nigerian government over debt to foreign airlines
The development follows the recent call out of the Nigerian government by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) that the country is a top debtor to foreign airlines in Africa.
Legit.ng reported that the organization highlighted that the accumulated funds currently trapped in African countries amount to an estimated $1.68 billion.
These concerns were expressed during discussions at the 55th annual general assembly of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) held in Entebbe, Uganda.
Amid foreign airlines' appeals to repatriate their stranded funds, at least four domestic airlines have funds exceeding $54 million held with the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Emphasising the persistent nature of this challenge, IATA pointed out that it impedes the development and advancement of air transportation across the continent.
IATA also called upon Nigeria and other African nations to refrain from imposing elevated fees, levies, and carbon taxes or introducing new taxes on air transport, trade, or tourism, especially given the ongoing challenges they face in repatriating their funds.
Tinubu gives CBN orders about Emirate other foreign airlines over $600 million in debt
Legit.ng earlier reported that President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, September 14, 2023, ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to provide the opportunity for quarterly meetings with foreign airlines to address the backlog of trapped funds belonging to the airlines.
The move followed a report by Airbus, which predicted that Nigeria will need about 149 more aircraft by 2042 to meet the demands of international air travel.
Airbus Representative in West Africa, Joep Ellers, recently revealed this during an interactive session with journalists in Abuja.
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Source: Legit.ng
