Nigeria’s local airlines have banded together in order to provide customers with more flexibility in the event of a problem with one of the carriers. Six Nigerian airlines have joined together to enhance customer service, marking a significant step forward for the country.
The agreement, which was signed this week in Lagos, will see the country’s main airlines work together to reduce the effect of flight delays on passengers and provide better service overall. Here’s a glimpse at the new ‘Spring Alliance,’ which was announced recently.
Six local Nigerian airlines have joined forces to form the Spring Alliance:
Air Peace,
Arik Air,
Azman Air,
Aero Contractors,
Max Air,
United Nigeria, and
United Nigerian Airlines.
The agreement includes the main airlines in the nation and the area, and it provides assistance to passengers when necessary. So, what are the specific advantages that will be gained?
The most significant enhancement will be protection against flight interruptions. In light of the high frequency of flight delays in Nigeria, the six airlines have agreed to transfer customers from one carrier to another in the event of a technical difficulty. This implies that there will be considerably fewer lawsuits and reports of flight delays of more than 24 hours owing to technological difficulties.
Another typical procedure in other nations, particularly among large alliances such as oneworld or Star Alliance, and via codeshare partners if necessary, is to do so in advance.
However, formalizing the procedure will make it much simpler to rebook passengers in the event that this becomes necessary in the future. Allen Onyema, Chairman of Air Peace and Vice President of the Nigerian Airline Operators Association, issued the following statement:
“Our customers are safeguarded as a result of this agreement if there is an issue with one of the airlines. It is our answer to the grievances of the flying public, and our partnership will allow us to provide them with a satisfactory solution to their problems.
Ultimately, this will benefit aviation, as it will contribute to the long-term viability of our operations and the cause of the flying public, who will benefit from the opportunity to commute seamlessly whenever they want. This is where we are right now, therefore we are placing our signatures on these documents right now, officially launching this initiative that will completely transform Nigeria’s scheduled aircraft operations for the better in the future.”
Spring Alliance, in contrast to other organizations, is interested in seeing additional airlines from Nigeria and other parts of Africa join its ranks. Given that numerous airlines in the area are experiencing the same problems, and that the alliance would not result in any traffic reductions for anybody, it might be helpful to a number of airlines. The number of airlines participating in the agreement is growing, and as a result, customers will see fewer flight interruptions.
For the time being, the admission of the six main airlines is a big step forward for Nigerian aviation and provides a window of opportunity for the country to considerably improve its on-time performance in the near future. Because of this, local airlines will be able to increase their market share and compete with foreign carriers, which now service approximately 80 percent of international traffic. Once the challenges of dependability are resolved, the way for airlines to grow and transport more people across Africa and around the world becomes much more straightforward.