Nigeria’s fast growing airline, Medview has acquired large-body aircraft, Boeing B767ER in line with its plan to kick off international operations service to Middle East and Europe.
During the delivery of the aircraft on Sunday, the CEO of the airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole said the aircraft would be used to airlift pilgrims for Hajj service, which would begin on August 16th and afterwards it would be used to introduce new international route.
Bankole said that indigenous carriers should be encouraged to operate international service because foreign airlines are exploiting Nigerian passengers with exorbitant fares and called on government to review the policies that hamper international air service by local airlines.
“I want to tell you that something came to my mind. From my experience since the few days that I have been travelling, getting out of London is so expensive and we have only two airlines that come directly to Lagos: British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. Among the countries we have got the destinations are Jeddah and Dubai. So we are putting London on the forefront and that is in the couple of months.
“The British authority through the Nigerian government is aware we are designated. We have been given Lisbon by the government of Portugal, so we are looking at the European side. But we are launching this aircraft to Jeddah on August 16 to start the pilgrimage. So we close the first phase on September 16, continue through October and them the aircraft will be ready to start international operation in November,” the CEO said.
Bankole explained that the aircraft named Abeke was not leased but acquired by Medview and with it the airline now has five aircraft in its fleet.
“This airplane is owned by Medview with registration number 5N-DQN and I gave it the name, Abeke in memory of my mother. The aircraft has 30 business classes and the total capacity today is 221 and if we decide to reconvert the aircraft to all economy it takes about 300 passengers. But for the purpose of the executive market we are selling, we decide to leave the aircraft the way it is. Every seat has TV screen so there is in-flight entertainment for both the business and economy passengers,” he said.
During the delivery of the aircraft on Sunday, the CEO of the airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole said the aircraft would be used to airlift pilgrims for Hajj service, which would begin on August 16th and afterwards it would be used to introduce new international route.
Bankole said that indigenous carriers should be encouraged to operate international service because foreign airlines are exploiting Nigerian passengers with exorbitant fares and called on government to review the policies that hamper international air service by local airlines.
“I want to tell you that something came to my mind. From my experience since the few days that I have been travelling, getting out of London is so expensive and we have only two airlines that come directly to Lagos: British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. Among the countries we have got the destinations are Jeddah and Dubai. So we are putting London on the forefront and that is in the couple of months.
“The British authority through the Nigerian government is aware we are designated. We have been given Lisbon by the government of Portugal, so we are looking at the European side. But we are launching this aircraft to Jeddah on August 16 to start the pilgrimage. So we close the first phase on September 16, continue through October and them the aircraft will be ready to start international operation in November,” the CEO said.
Bankole explained that the aircraft named Abeke was not leased but acquired by Medview and with it the airline now has five aircraft in its fleet.
“This airplane is owned by Medview with registration number 5N-DQN and I gave it the name, Abeke in memory of my mother. The aircraft has 30 business classes and the total capacity today is 221 and if we decide to reconvert the aircraft to all economy it takes about 300 passengers. But for the purpose of the executive market we are selling, we decide to leave the aircraft the way it is. Every seat has TV screen so there is in-flight entertainment for both the business and economy passengers,” he said.
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